Stevan Jovetic proves his worth as Manchester City draw first blood against Liverpool

Jovetic was a fringe figure in an injury-hit first year at the Etihad Stadium. He has begun the second in altogether more auspicious fashion, and a brace was his biggest achievement in a City shirt, writes Richard Jolly.

Stevan Jovetic of Manchester City celebrates scoring the second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on August 25, 2014 in Manchester, EnglaShow more

Manchester CITY 3 LIVERPOOL 1

MANCHESTER // There were only two points between Manchester City and Liverpool last season. Two goals separated them last night as the reigning champions again put distance between themselves and the runners-up. This was the first indication there has been no shift in the balance of power.

Of course, with 36 games remaining, there is plenty of time for Liverpool to prove otherwise but the ominous aspect for them, and everyone else, is that the man who was City’s fourth-choice forward last season is capable of deciding matches of this magnitude.

Stevan Jovetic was a fringe figure in an injury-hit first year at the Etihad Stadium. He has begun the second in altogether more auspicious fashion, and a brace was his biggest achievement in a City shirt.

It mattered little that Alvaro Negredo is sidelined or that Sergio Aguero was held in reserve as City try to ensure his injury problems do not recur. In Jovetic, they have a very capable alternative. In the Argentine, they had a deadly substitute, and Aguero scored immediately after his introduction.

It bodes well that City can win such matches when many of their pivotal players are being eased into the campaign.

Liverpool, too, are far from the finished article. Two of their expensive additions, Lazar Markovic and Emre Can, debuted in cameos.

The latest arrival, Mario Balotelli, watched from the stands. The former City cult hero was ineligible to face his former club after completing his move from AC Milan. This was not a night to suggest they need him back.

Instead, inevitably, there will be mentions of the striker Liverpool lost, Luis Suarez, although they were beaten at the Etihad with the Uruguayan in the side last season.

Yet, while both sides were centurions then – City scoring 102 goals to Liverpool’s 101 – the Mancunians appear to possess more firepower than the Merseysiders now.

Jovetic is a prime reason. He turned a tight game City’s way. When Dejan Lovren headed the ball away from David Silva, Jovetic reacted quicker than the hitherto competent debutant Alberto Moreno, meeting the loose ball as the Spaniard hesitated before unleashing past Simon Mignolet.

Five minutes later, City, and Jovetic, had a second. He released Samir Nasri with a backheel and, as City players flooded into the box, met the return pass with an assured finish. He squandered the chance to complete a hat-trick, rolling a shot wide, but it amounted to a colossal contribution nonetheless.

Then came an example of City’s depth as substitutes combined. Jesus Navas rolled a pass in behind Lovren. Aguero’s first touch was to control. His second was to score.

Daniel Sturridge, who had an offside goal ruled out, contributed to Liverpool’s consolation with an outside-of-the-boot cross. Substitute Rickie Lambert met it with a header that Hart parried before the ball bounced off Pablo Zabaleta and over the line.

On the ground, where he scored his first Premier League goal, it was an instant impact from Lambert – a Liverpool fan finally playing for the club 17 years after they released. It is a wonderful tale, but he was the subplot on Jovetic’s night.

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