Sergio Aguero hands Manchester City victory at Sunderland

City left the Stadium of Light with a 1-0 win thanks to Sergio Aguero’s 16th-minute strike, but the home team were unfortunate not to have taken something from the game after dominating for large parts.

Sergio Aguero hit the crucial goal in the 16th minute, as City kept pace with Leicester at the top of the Premier League standings while the relegation-threatened Black Cats remain in the drop zone.

Pellegrini, who was taking charge of his 100th league game, will be succeeded by current Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola next season.

“It was a tough game”.

City threatened occasionally, but it was Sunderland who stepped up thereafter and both debutants might have got on the scoresheet.

Wahib Khazri showed his class as a half-time substitute, while fellow new boy Lamine Kone impressed from the start, and Jan Kirchhoff had a good game in midfield after his disastrous debut against Spurs.

Hart made an outstanding save from Defoe in the dying embers of the first half to maintain City’s narrow advantage.

The contest on Wearside was a heated affair, especially in the second half when Sunderland striker Defoe became involved in a series of running battles with City’s central defenders Martin Demichelis and Nicolas Otamendi.

Sunderland’s £9 million signing Wahbi Khazri can be the Black Cat’s Mesut Ozil according to the BT Sport pundit Andy Brassell. The right-back unleashed a shot from the edge of the City area, but Hart made the save before O’Shea sent a shot over from the resulting corner. “But we have to be more clinical in terms of converting our chances”. Please note that comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language and will be removed accordingly.

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