City brush aside Birmingham

A flurry of four goals in six first-half minutes helped Manchester City on their way to a 5-1 win at home to Birmingham City.

City strengthened their hold on fourth place thanks to two goals from Carlos Tevez, two from Emmanuel Adebayor and one from Nedum Onuoha, while Cameron Jerome replied for Birmingham in a frantic spell at the end of the first period.

There had been no score at Eastlands - or in any of the day's three other Premier League - before Phil Dowd awarded a disputed penalty for a challenge on Adebayor by Scott Dann in the 37th minute.

Tevez planted the ball into the bottom right corner, and got the final touch a couple of minutes later when Onuoha's downward header deviated microscopically off the Argentine's boot on its way into the net.

Tevez let Onuoha lead the celebrations, but it is likely the goal will be awarded to the striker.

Birmingham hit back instantly, as James McFadden jinked past Kolo Toure and chipped a cross to the unmarked - and possibly offside - Cameron Jerome at the back post, where the striker buried a free header.

Just when it looked like game on, City restored their two-goal advantage when Gareth Barry released Craig Bellamy down the left and the Welshman squared for an unmarked Adebayor to tap in from a yard out.

Four goals, and all before 43 minutes had been played.

Until the penalty award, it had been a drab encounter, enlivened only by a rousing tribute paid to former City keeper Bert Trautmann before kick-off.

Midfielder Patrick Vieira suffered an injury in the warm-up and had to be replaced in the starting line-up by Nigel De Jong.

The Dutchman was left out because he has been booked nine times this season - another yellow card would have incurred a two-match ban, ruling him out of next weekend's derby against Manchester United.

Birmingham had their own selection problems, with goalkeeper Joe Hart barred from playing against the side from whom he is on loan - Maik Taylor deputised.

Exciting as it was, the four-goal spell largely killed the game as a spectacle as City were happy to sit on their lead.

Onuoha was unlucky not to win another penalty on 50 minutes when Lee Bowyer climbed all over him, before Fahey missed a couple of presentable chances to reduce the arrears for Birmingham.

Onuoha finally got on the scoresheet in the 74th minute, when the Birmingham defence parted in front of him and he placed a low left-footed shot into the right corner of the net.

And Adebayor grabbed his second when he spun past Scott Dann to sprint on to a long through ball and the Togolese striker rolled the ball calmly past Taylor.