Spot-on Alves sends City crashing

Middlesbrough striker Afonso Alves sent Manchester City crashing to a 2-0 defeat at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday.

Alves, who hit a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture last season, got the crucial breakthrough for Gareth Southgate's side when the Brazilian converted a second-half penalty.

Manchester City were unable to respond as Middlesbrough keeper Ross Turnbull produced a string of fine saves and Gary O'Neil's injury time strike put the seal on an impressive win.

It left City with just two victories in their last seven matches and boss Mark Hughes will have to lead an improvement quickly if he is to meet the ambitious demands of the club's new owners.

Middlesbrough were on top from the start here. Alves fired high and wide in the sixth minute and three minutes later danced his way around the Boro rearguard again before hitting a low shot which Turnbull did well to save at full stretch.

Boro had their first chance in the 12th minute when Stewart Downing dug out a deep cross from the left and found Alves, who aimed a weak header straight at City keeper Joe Hart.

The hosts came close in the 39th minute when Jeremie Aliadiere's persistence paid off down the right and he flung in a dangerous cross which missed the head of the lurking Alves by inches.

Turnbull was called into action twice in the opening four minutes of the second half, first parrying Ireland's low shot in the box then stretching to deny Wright-Phillips' low effort with his feet.

But Boro grabbed the chance to turn the match in their favour in the 53rd minute when Daniel Sturridge and David Wheater tangled in the far right corner of the City box and referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot.

Alves stepped up to coolly place the ball high to Hart's right and give Boro the lead at precisely the time when City had been threatening to take control.

Inspired by the goal, Boro began to get forward with more purpose and the impressive Tuncay was ruled narrowly offside as he squared toward Aliadiere in front of goal.

Turnbull saved Boro again in the 71st minute when he superbly parried a long-range effort from Vincent Kompany which seemed to be heading into the bottom corner, before Sturridge fluffed the rebound.

Boro held on with relative ease and secured the points deep into injury-time when Tuncay squared in front of goal after a swift counter-attack and O'Neil gleefully rifled the ball into the roof of the net.