London: An Edin Dzeko-inspired Manchester City have gone top of the Premier League with a 5-1 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
The Citizens dominated much of the game and can thank Dzeko for his part in the victory as he scored four, with new signing Sergio Aguero also getting himself on the scoresheet whilst Younes Kaboul scored the consolation for Spurs.
In another match, Leon Best's second-half double guided Newcastle to a 2-1 victory over Fulham at St. James' Park and a second straight win in the Premier League.
From the opening five minutes at White Hart Lane, it was clear the goalkeeper's were going to be in for busy afternoons, as were the respective defensive backlines.
The potential of the City attack really shone through in just the seventh minute as Nasri and David Silva linked up masterfully as the Frenchman played a clever flick back to the diminutive Spaniard, but Brad Friedel managed to save his attempt and Sergio Aguero couldn’t control the rebound.
In the 12th minute, the City attack once again showed ominous signs of what might be as Nasri, Silva and Aguero all participated in a lovely free-flowing passing move before eventually playing Dzeko, but the big Bosnian scuffed his shot well wide.
With 26 minutes gone, Gareth Bale, who, until then had barely had a touch in the match, really should have given the hosts the lead as Lennon picked the Welshman out at the back post following a clever link-up with Vedran Corluka, but with just Hart to beat, the Wales international put his effort high and wide.
City did eventually take the lead in the 34th minute however as Aguero and Nasri linked up well before the former Arsenal man played in a delightful cross with his left foot where Dzeko was waiting to prod the ball goalwards, leaving Friedel with no chance.
The hosts came within inches of equalising just five minutes later however as Bale drove in a volleyed cross with amazing precision but Peter Crouch’s header went wide of the top corner by a matter of centimetres, and how they were made to pay for the miss.
City effectively went straight down the other end and extended their lead as Dzeko doubled his tally through a quite fantastic header as he managed to nod Nasri's ball back across the goal leaving Friedel with no chance.
It took just under ten minutes for the first chance of the second half and it was Dzeko who came close as he headed towards goal from the edge of the box.
However, minutes later, Dzeko grabbed his hat-trick as he stroked home a Yaya Toure's across-goal pass. It was the easiest possible way to seal a hat-trick, but it was nothing less than he deserved and City wrapped up the three points with over half-an-hour to play.
Just shy of the hour-mark, City picked up their fourth goal of the match as Aguero beat Michael Dawson with amazing ease on the left side of the penalty area before placing his shot into the top far corner with his left-foot.
City were looking quite remarkable by now and were living up to Harry Redknapp's comments about them having a better squad than Barcelona as they laid down a marker to the rest of the Premier League, showing that they mean business.
Spurs did get one back with 24 minutes to go as Kaboul rose highest from a Van der Vaart corner and buried a header past Hart in the City goal, but it would only be a consolation.
Seconds before the final whistle, Dzeko scored his fourth of the day, finding the top far corner from some twenty-five yards with a brilliant finish leaving Spurs wondering what had happened over the past hour and a half.
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