MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, Sept 24, (Agencies): Substitutes Mario Balotelli and James Milner scored the goals as Manchester City ended their miserable run against Everton with a 2-0 win at Eastlands on Saturday. Everton had won seven of the previous eight matches between the two teams, including four consecutive victories in Manchester. But Balotelli provided Roberto Mancini with a first victory over the Goodison Park club with a goal mid-way through the second half before Milner added a second late on.
City now head to Bayern Munich on Tuesday with five wins from their six Premier League matches this season. Everton started brightly, with Jack Rodwell shooting narrowly wide from the edge of the area and Leighton Baines also going close after cutting in from the left flank.

City struggled to penetrate in the final third and only had a Sergio Aguero pass that just evaded David Silva to show for their early pressing. They also threatened when Edin Dzeko surged through on to Phil Jagielka’s poor header but the Bosnian’s touch past Tim Howard took him too wide. Samir Nasri also drove wide from just outside the area as City looked to shake off their early anxiety, while Aguero shot wide after being picked out by Yaya Toure’s low pass. Everton’s task was made considerably harder when Rodwell, Phil Neville and Leon Osman were all cautioned in the space of a few minutes. But City’s frustration continued when Dzeko hooked a shot well off target from a neat Micah Richards cross from the right. Howard also pulled off a fine save, pushing away Aguero’s curling shot, with Dzeko unable to get a touch.

And Gareth Barry’s 25-yard drive was held by Howard as Everton, with just midfielder Tim Cahill playing on his own in attack, struggled to get out of their own half. Sylvain Distin was forced to turn a Silva cross past the post as the pressure continued after half-time, with Aguero lifting yet another shot over the bar from just outside the area. Leon Osman had an effort held by Joe Hart as Everton enjoyed a rare break forward. Another quick break from Everton saw Seamus Coleman break into the City half before hitting a deep cross that Cahill headed just past the top corner. City manager Roberto Mancini hinted at his increasing frustration when he replaced Dzeko with Balotelli with an hour gone.

Everton then suffered a blow when Cahill, who came off second best in a challenge with Vincent Kompany, had to be replaced by Louis Saha with what looked to be an ankle injury. And Howard had to beat away a stinging shot from Nasri as Everton waited to make that change. But midway through the second half, City finally made their breakthrough when Aguero cut in from the right and flicked the ball to Balotelli, who found the bottom corner of the net from 20 yards via a deflection.

Stoke 1, United 1
In Stoke, Peter Crouch became just the sixth player to score for six different Premier League clubs as he ended Manchester United’s perfect start to the campaign in a 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium. United, who had taken a first half lead through Nani, remain unbeaten and had the consolation of returning to the top of the Premier League, replacing neighbours Manchester City who had earlier beaten Everton 2-0. But the defending champions are now only top on goal difference and, following a characteristically dogged display from Tony Pulis’ side, could count themselves fortunate to have emerged with a solitary point.

United faced disruption for their testing visit to the Potteries even before kick-off when defender Jonny Evans was injured in the warm-up and substitute winger Antonio Valencia was forced into action at right-back. However, despite the mounting odds, and the absence of Wayne Rooney who was rested for the occasion, the defending Premier League champions needed just 26 minutes to take a grip on the game. Nani, who is enjoying an impressive start to the campaign, gathered the ball midway in the Stoke half and exchanged passes with Darren Fletcher and finished convincingly into the bottom right-hand corner from just inside the area.

United would have claimed they should have been in the lead earlier, after three minutes to be precise, when Phil Jones’ punt forward was deflected off Crouch into the path of Javier Hernandez. The Mexican streaked towards goal before falling to ground under a challenge from Jonathan Woodgate who could consider himself lucky not to have conceded a penalty.
Hernandez himself was less fortunate and injured himself in the incident, soon limping off to be replaced by Michael Owen.
Arsenal 3, Bolton 0
In London, Arsenal beat 10-man Bolton 3-0 Saturday with two goals from captain Robin van Persie, easing the pressure on the Gunners after a terrible start to their Premier League season.
The second half had barely started when Aaron Ramsey collected the ball near the halfway line after Bolton lost possession. Ramsey made a driving run through the middle before laying off the ball to Van Persie on the left, who raced into the penalty area and drilled a shot past Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen after just 36 seconds.
The Dutchman’s second — his 100th goal for Arsenal — came in the 71st minute when he nudged the ball in off his left shin in front of goal after a cross from Theo Walcott. Alex Song added a third in the 89th with a curling shot from inside the area. Bolton defender David Wheater was sent off in the 55th minute after he made contact with Walcott, who was closing in on goal.
Arsenal moved up to 12th in the table after starting the day in 17th to ease the pressure on Arsene Wenger, although there were worrying signs for the Arsenal manager when Walcott limped off with an apparent hamstring injury late on.
That came after it was confirmed late on Friday that England midfielder Jack Wilshere will be out until at least Christmas after he undergoes ankle surgery on Monday.
Chelsea 4, Swansea 1
In London, Fernando Torres enjoyed the highs then suffered the lows for the second successive weekend on Saturday when he scored and was sent off within 10 first half minutes of Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Swansea City in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.
The 27-year-old Spain striker, who finally appeared to be finding the form that prompted Chelsea to sign him for a British record of 50 million pounds ($77 million) in January, scored a stunning second goal of the season for Chelsea after 29 minutes to put his side on the way to victory.
It was an excellent strike following a pass from Juan Mata with Torres chesting down the ball before firing home.
His joy turned to woe 10 minutes later when he was shown a straight red card by referee Mike Dean for flying in at Swansea’s Mark Gower with both feet off the ground. Although there was minimal contact, the referee had no option but to dismiss him.
Liverpool 2, Wolves 1
In Liverpool, England midfielder Steven Gerrard came off the bench in the 81st minute for his first Premier League match since March as Liverpool beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 on Saturday.
Gerrard had a 25-yard (meter) attempt on goal for host Liverpool with a dipping volley which bounced wide at Anfield.
Earlier, an own goal in the 11th from Wolves’ Roger Johnson - heading in Charlie Adam’s shot - and another impressive strike by Luis Suarez in the 38th gave Liverpool a comfortable 2-0 lead at halftime.
Steven Fletcher pulled one back early in the second half for Wolves but Liverpool held on to end a two-match losing run.
With defeats against Stoke and a 4-0 humiliation at Tottenham last weekend, Liverpool was keen to avoid a third successive loss which would have marked its worst run since 2003.
Stewart Downing’s lay-off saw Scotland midfielder Adam unleash a 25-yard shot which was unintentionally diverted past Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey by Johnson’s diving header.
Spurs 2, Wigan 1
In Wigan, United Kingdom, Tottenham Hotspur beat 10-man Wigan Athletic 2-1 to record their third consecutive victory and close the gap on their rivals for Champions League qualification.
Harry Redknapp’s team led 2-0 at the break through Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale, but Mohamed Diame brought the hosts back into the game with a goal in the opening stages of the second half.
Wigan’s push for an equaliser was undermined by a red card shown to Ivorian defender Steve Gohouri, however, allowing Spurs to close out a win that lifted them to sixth.
Soundly beaten by Manchester United (3-0) and Manchester City (1-5) in their first two games of the season, Spurs are now just three points behind fourth-placed Newcastle with a game in hand.
Spurs eviscerated Wigan 9-1 two years ago and Roberto Martinez’s side looked to be in similarly charitable mood as a careless piece of defending allowed the visitors to take the lead in the third minute.

Newcastle 3, Blackburn 1
In Newcastle, Senegal international Demba Ba opened his goalscoring account for Newcastle with a hat-trick as the Magpies extended their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 win over Blackburn.
Alan Pardew’s side maintained fourth spot after a stirring victory over Rovers, who remain mired in the relegation zone. Another vital three points also means Newcastle’s summer of discontent, with fans complaining about the club’s transfer policy, is fast becoming a distant memory. The Magpies were set on the road to victory when Ba pounced twice in the space of three minutes to go 2-0 up. Although David Hoilett gave Blackburn hope to make it 2-1, Ba snuffed out any chance of a comeback with his third on 54 minutes. Rovers finished the match with 10 men after Martin Olsson was sent off, giving manager Steve Kean another headache on a disappointing afternoon on Tyneside.

West Brom 0, Fulham 0
In Birmingham, United Kingdom, West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster earned a point for his side with a series of fine saves in Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Fulham at the Hawthorns.
Foster had gifted Stoke substitute Ryan Shotton a last-gasp winner in Albion’s last home game, but the former Manchester United star atoned with superb stops in quick succession to keep out Cottagers defender John Arne Riise and substitute Bryan Ruiz. Albion moved off the bottom of the table thanks to Foster’s exploits, while Fulham, who are fourth bottom, are still looking for their first league win of the season.

West Brom were the first to threaten with Youssouf Mulumbu dispossessed Pajtim Kasami 20 yards out and forcing a sprawling save by Mark Schwarzer.
But Fulham dominated the remainder of the first half. Albion had a let-off after 12 minutes when Kasami converted from close range, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.
Martin Jol’s visitors came close again, with Foster clinging onto a Clint Dempsey header.
Fulham were still the more dangerous team in the second half and twice went close to going ahead.
The woodwork came to West Brom’s rescue when defender Jonas Olsson inadvertently deflected a volley by Dempsey against his own bar.
Peter Odemwingie had a great chance to put Albion in front after 64 minutes when he ran on to a through ball from Mulumbu but he shot straight at Schwarzer.
But only a superb double save by Foster prevented Bryan Ruiz from making an immediate impact.
The former Manchester United keeper blocked a fiercely driven free-kick by Riise with Foster then up quickly to turn the follow-up effort from Ruiz onto a post from two yards out.
Chris Brunt nearly earned Albion victory in injury-time when his low cross-shot hit the post.