Manchester City 5-0 Fulham
Fernando Amorebieta had a nightmare afternoon at the office, conceding two penalties and picking up a red card, as a Yaya Toure hat-trick inspired Manchester City to a big victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Amorebieta only returned to the side last week after a spell on the sidelines through injury and he showed he still needs matches to get up to speed here as a couple of silly mistakes allowed Toure to slide home two spot kicks and keep City's title ambitions on track.
The towering midfielder didn't need any more help to clinch the match ball though, hitting an absolutely stunning third to complete a fine afternoon's work before Fernandinho and Martin Demichelis completed the job to ensure the Cottagers remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.
Manchester City were without key duo Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero due to suspension and injury and their absence from the team-sheet would have given the Whites' dressing-room hope of springing an upset before kick-off.
Felix Magath made two changes the side that won 1-0 against Newcastle United last time out as John Arne Riise and Sascha Riether were restored to the starting XI in place of Lewis Holtby and Pajtim Kasami. David Stockdale was rewarded for a clean-sheet by retaining the gloves.
James Milner forced the first save of the match from Stockdale. He was afforded the freedom of the penalty area and attacked the back post, the Fulham goalkeeper though was equal to his effort and beat the ball away with a strong fist.
Cauley Woodrow, leading the line again, was full of running and kept cropping up in deep positions to collect the ball. It was from one such foray back towards his own goal that led to Kieran Richardson shooting wide with Fulham's first real effort.
Moments later the ball was played up the other end of the field and Alvaro Negredo was latching onto a ball over the top. Amorebieta made contact with the striker's back leg and the linesman signalled for a penalty.
Amorebieta dodged a red card, with referee Jonathan Moss instead brandishing a yellow, and Yaya Toure stepped up to send Stockdale the wrong way from the spot. It was the former Barcelona midfielder's 50th goal for the club.
Richardson, operating out on the left-flank, was looking threatening and provided the ammunition for a decent chance to haul the visitors level before half-time. His centre was met by Riether, who rose like a salmon, however his header was off-target.
The Citizens should have been two up before the break. David Silva danced through the defence and rounded Stockdale, dinking the ball delicately goalwards, but Amorebieta went some way to atoning for his earlier error by hooking it clear.
Then, a clever ball from Fernandinho, chested down and sent on its way quite brilliantly by Milner, released a rampaging Aleksandr Kolarov on the far side. Kolarov's effort had power but not enough finesse and the crossbar kept the score at 1-0 at half-time.
Magath will have been pleased to have kept it to just a single goal, with City having spurned two golden chances to extend their lead, and the German manager will have emphasised to his players that there was still all to play for in the second-half.
But seven minutes after the restart those hopes were distinguished by another mistake by Aomerbieta. The centre-back conceded his second penalty of the afternoon and received his marching orders for a clumsy challenge on Silva. Toure again converted the spot-kick to double the advantage.
Magath reacted. Holtby was brought on for Richardson and Pat Roberts, on the radar of the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, was handed his Premier League debut. He came on for Kacaniklic.
Just starting out on his promising career, Roberts has a long way to go to reach the heights Toure has scaled in his career. And the youngster could only watch on in admiration as the big man unleashed an absolute blockbuster to make it three.
And there was still time for Fernandinho to power home a fourth and Demichelis to tap home a fifth from close range to make it a miserable afternoon for the travelling Whites faithful.
The defeat keeps bottom anchored to the bottom of the table, but they will take heart from the fact that they don't have to play teams of this quality every week and defeats for Cardiff and Sunderland keeps them within touching distance.
WHITES: Stockdale, Riise, Heitinga, Hangeland, Kvist, Sidwell, Kacaniklic (Roberts 55), Richardson (Holtby 55), Woodrow (Kasami 84), Riether, Amorebieta.
Subs (not used): Stekelenburg, Karagounis, Zverotic, Bent.
