Manchester City powered their way into the semi-finals of the League Cup with a 4-0 win over Championship side Hull City at the Etihad Stadium.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men never really found any rhythm despite naming a very strong team, but a late Kevin De Bruyne double added to goals from Wilfried Bony and Kelechi Iheanacho to make it a comfortable night in the end for the Premier League leaders.
Hull were stubborn and gave a decent account of themselves, and grabbed a deserved consolation through Andrew Robertson, but the hosts never really looked like losing it.
The first half was a largely bland affair, with City enjoying all the possession but struggling to create clear cut chances against Steve Bruce’s resolute Tigers.
When then opener did come, De Bruyne was heavily involved. He capitalised on a mistake in the Hull midfield and crashed a long range effort against the post. The danger appeared to have passed, but Bony was there side-footed the rebound into the empty net.
If Man City expected Bony’s twelfth-minute strike to open the floodgates, they were left disappointed.
Hull started to come into the game and on-loan Arsenal man Chuba Akpom had a chance to level the scores just before the break, but he could only fire straight at ‘keeper Willy Caballero.
The pattern of the game never really changed in the second half, but Man City had to be patient before they could wrap up the tie.
Iheanacho, who was introduced from the bench, wriggled free in the box in the 79th minute to poke home a Raheem Sterling cross.
From that moment, the game was essentially over, but brilliant Belgian De Bruyne put some real gloss on the scoreline for the home side.
Just three minutes after the second, he read the play from an up-field punt the quickest to slot home a third, before smashing a free kick through the wall on 87 to make it four.
There was one goal left in the tie, though, and it was a cracker. Full back Robertson played an incisive one-two with Mo Diame before dinking a sumptuous finish into the far corner.
It was, at times, a laborious contest, but one that keeps Man City on track to reclaim the trophy they last won in 2014.
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