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Half-Time Report: Manchester City in control over West Bromwich Albion at break

Title-chasing Manchester City take a commanding 3-1 lead into the halfway stage of their Premier League match with West Brom this evening.

Manchester City are on course to move back within six points of the top of the table, having gone into the halfway stage of their Premier League encounter against West Bromwich Albion with a 3-1 lead.

The hosts made a blistering start to the match and were ahead inside three minutes when Ben Foster could only parry Sergio Aguero's powerful strike straight to Pablo Zabaleta, who nodded in from close range.

Pablo Zabaleta of Manchester City celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion on April 21, 2014© Getty Images

It was almost 2-0 within five minutes as Youssouf Mulumbu was caught in possession, allowing Samir Nasri to slide the ball through for Aguero, who fired a half-volley over the bar.

They wouldn't have to wait much longer to double their lead, however, as Aguero picked up a loose ball 25 yards from goal in the 10th minute before curling a fine effort past Foster.

The Baggies almost conjured up an immediate response when Stephane Sessegnon let fly from range, but his strike went narrowly over the top.

West Bromwich Albion's Scottish midfielder Graham Dorrans (L) scores his team's first goal during the English Premier League football match against Manchester City on April 21, 2014© Getty Images

They did get a goal back in the 16th minute as Graham Dorrans flicked the ball over Gael Clichy before hammering a fine strike past Joe Hart from inside the area.

The hosts restored their two-goal lead with just under 10 minutes left of the half as Martin Demichelis stole in at the back post to tap a corner home, having eluded his marker.

That proved to be the last piece of goalmouth action in the first half as City took a comfortable lead into the break.

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Liverpool's English midfielder Steven Gerrard celebrates scoring the opening goal from a freekick with Liverpool's Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Sunderland at Anfield in Liverpool, nor
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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