Premier League - SWP thrills on City return

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Premier League - SWP thrills on City returnEurosport - Sun, 31 Aug 19:24:00 2008

Shaun Wright-Phillips paid off the first instalment of his transfer fee with a double to ease Manchester City to a 3-0 victory at Sunderland.
  














The England international struck five minutes after the break and then again with 58 minutes gone to kill off the woeful Black Cats in Sunday's Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light.
Stephen Ireland had opened the scoring in first-half injury time and the home side never looked like dragging themselves back into the game.
Grant Leadbitter had come closest to breaking the deadlock for Roy Keane's men in the first half when he fired wide after seven minutes and then sent a dipping free-kick just over the bar 12 minutes later.
But Ireland was to give City the advantage at the break when he side-footed home from close range after the Black Cats had failed to deal with Michael Johnson's right-wing cross.
And soon after the restart, Johnson slipped the ball to Jo on the left side of the penalty area, and his firm low cross allowed Wright-Phillips to side-foot into the empty net with the home defence in tatters.
The game was effectively over within three minutes when Wright-Phillips ran on to Michael Ball's ball over the top and lifted a shot over the advancing Craig Gordon and into the net, with Phil Bardsley's efforts to clear proving in vain.
The result moved City up to second in the table, while Sunderland find themselves in 18th place.