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MANCHESTER CITY scored three first-half goals and survived a snowstorm as they beat West Brom to stay three points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Fernando hooked City ahead after Ben Foster dropped a Jesus Navas cross.

Yaya Toure made it 2-0 from the spot after a foul on David Silva, who added a third with a precise finish.

Heavy snow made conditions difficult after half-time and West Brom managed a late consolation when Brown Ideye netted from close range.

The win was City’s ninth consecutive victory in all competitions, equalling a club record and keeping the pressure on Chelsea, who had beaten West Ham earlier in the day.

Just as in their success over Crystal Palace last weekend, it came without the defending champions fielding a recognised striker.

But that made little difference to the fluency of the visitors’ attacks, with David Silva orchestrating play as they out-passed the Baggies before the break.

City were helped on their way by a mistake by West Brom keeper Ben Foster, who spilled a deflected Navas cross and allowed Fernando to swivel and score his first goal for City.

Five minutes later it was 2-0. Joleon Lescott cut out a Silva pass, but fouled the Spaniard as he pounced on to the loose ball in the area and Toure converted the resulting penalty with ease.

West Brom could not live with the speed at which City were attacking, but fared much better when they came forward themselves.

Only poor finishing let them down, with Saido Berahino twice dragging the ball wide with only Joe Hart to beat.

James Morrison finally forced Hart into a stop of note with a fierce effort before half-time, but by then City were out of sight thanks to Silva’s deft curling shot.

The weather meant the game changed completely in the second half, with snow swirling around the ground and making visibility difficult.

Snow also began to stick on the pitch, holding up the ball and making it almost impossible for City to continue playing their slick passing game.

West Brom fared rather better but their finishing did not improve, with Silvestre Varela wasting another good opening when he fired wide at the far post.

Alan Irvine’s side had won just one of their previous seven matches and they never looked capable of the kind of comeback that would have allowed them to improve that record.

They did at least end the game on a high note, with Hart’s attempted punch eventually bouncing over the line off an unwitting Ideye, to give the £10m striker his first league goal since his arrival at The Hawthorns in the summer.

West Brom head coach Alan Irvine: “We started well, but the first time City went up the pitch they got a goal which was down to our mistake.

“We continued to look as if we might score and came very close on a few occasions.

“We looked as if we were very much in the game but we made individual errors that when you make them in the Premier League are costly, and when you make them against Manchester City they are extremely costly.”

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini: “I am very pleased with the performance. It was very difficult to play, especially in the second half.

In the first 45 minutes, both teams could play and we did very well and scored goals. In the second half, it was more difficult.” — BBC Sport