Date:02/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/02/stories/2008090251452000.htm

Sport - Football

Manchester City blanks Sunderland

LONDON: Shaun Wright-Phillips celebrated his £8.5-million return to Manchester City with a double in Sunday’s 3-0 win at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light in the English Premier League on Sunday.

Back at Eastlands after a frustrating three-year spell with Chelsea, the 26-year-old winger struck twice in the space of eight second half minutes after Steven Ireland had put Mark Hughes’s side into a first half injury-time lead.

Wright-Phillips, who has signed a four-year contract, moved back to City with one aim — to boost his England credentials and this performance will certainly not have damaged his standing with Fabio Capello.

The results: Sunderland 0 lost to Manchester City 3 (Ireland 45+1, Wright-Phillips 50, 58); Aston Villa 0 drew with Liverpool 0. — Agencies