Santa Cruz helps City into League Cup last eight

Roque Santa Cruz helped Manchester City storm into the League Cup quarter-finals as the Paraguay striker scored his first goal for the club in Wednesday’s 5-1 victory over Scunthorpe.

Santa Cruz, who has been sidelined for much of the campaign with injury, was making his first City start following his 17 million pounds move from Blackburn in the close-season.

He made up for lost time with City’s second goal after Scunthorpe’s Jonathan Forte had cancelled out Stephen Ireland’s early opener at Eastlands.

Joleon Lescott, Carlos Tevez and Michael Johnson scored after half-time to ensure Mark Hughes’ side keep their bid for a Wembley appearance on course.

Hughes had made six changes from the side that squandered a two-goal lead to draw with Fulham on Saturday, with Craig Bellamy on the bench and Emmanuel Adebayor rested.

Championship side Scunthorpe, playing in the fourth round for the first time, almost took the lead within two minutes when Paul Hayes forced Shay Given to make a fine low stop.

That early threat drew a devastating response from City, who went straight up the other end to take the lead in the third minute.

Shaun Wright-Phillips found Ireland to his left and the midfielder advanced towards the penalty area without any Scunthorpe player closing him down.

Ireland took full advantage of the space afforded him as he stroked a perfectly placed shot past Scunthorpe keeper Joe Murphy from the edge of the penalty area.

Wright-Phillips twice went close to increasing City’s lead with powerful efforts as the hosts went for the kill.

But Scunthorpe were level after 26 minutes. City midfielder Nigel de Jong surrendered possession carelessly and Marcus Williams’s cross found Jonathan Forte, who produced a cool close-range finish.

Scunthorpe were moving the ball about well and it took a superb stop from Given to keep out Hayes’ header.

City gradually regained their composure and Wright-Phillips’ shot was blocked by Murphy’s legs.

Santa Cruz put Hughes’s team back in front in the 38th minute.

Pablo Zabaleta’s cross arrowed towards Santa Cruz, who buried a powerful header back into the far corner.

Santa Cruz was proving a handful for Scunthorpe and he tested Murphy from Ireland’s pass after half-time.

From the resulting 56th minute corner, Wright-Phillips swung over a delivery that Lescott met with bullet header to increase City’s lead.

City then sent on 19-year-old midfielder Vladimir Weiss for his full debut in place of Ireland.

Tevez got his just reward for a typically energetic display when he took advantage of poor Scunthorpe marking to convert a simple chance in the 71st minute.

Johnson, on for only his second appearance of the season in place of Gareth Barry, capped City’s supershow when he drove in a long-range effort in the final stages.