EPL 201 MATCHDAY 3 Manchester City 0-1 Stoke: Mame Biram Diouf shocks Manuel Pellegrini's champions with stunning breakaway goal at the Etihad

Manchester City suffer first defeat of the season as Stoke seal all three points at the Etihad
Mame Biram Diouf scored winner in 58th minute for Mark Hughes' side
Former United striker rounded off swift counter attack to defeat reigning Premier League champions
Stoke had previously suffered six successive Premier League defeats away at City

Published: 15:52 GMT, 30 August 2014 | Updated: 18:28 GMT, 30 August 2014

MATCH ZONE

CLICK HERE for all facts, stats and graphics from the big match at the Etihad Stadium

A wonderful individual goal from Mame Biram Diouf brought a first league win of the season for Stoke and a first defeat for stunned champions Manchester City at the Etihad.

Diouf, a former Manchester United striker who spent much of his three years at Old Trafford on loan

at Molde and Blackburn, ran from midway inside his own half to beat Joe Hart in the 58th minute.

Amazingly, it was Stoke’s first goal here in a wretched run that had previously brought six consecutive Premier League defeats away to City. No wonder Mark Hughes struggled to contain his delight at the end as he celebrated victory over the club that controversially sacked him in 2009.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini on creative struggle vs Stoke and transfer rumours

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Jumping for joy: Mame Biram Diouf scored a brilliant goal on the counter attack as Stoke stunned Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium

MATCH FACTS

Man City: Hart 6, Sagna 6.5, Kompany 5.5, Demichelis 5.5, Kolarov 5.5, Silva 6.5, Fernando 6 (Fernandinho 38, 5), Toure 6.5, Nasri 6 (Navas 63, 6), Jovetic 6 (Dzeko 63, 5.5), Aguero 6.5.

Subs not used: Zabaleta, Milner, Caballero, Clichy.

Booked: Fernandinho, Toure.

Stoke: Begovic 7.5, Bardsley 7.5, Shawcross 7.5, Wilson 7.5, Pieters 7, Walters 6 (Odemwingie 45 - 6.5, Adam 65 - 6), Whelan 7, Nzonzi 7.5, Moses 6.5 (Muniesa 80), Crouch 7, Diouf 8.

Subs not used: Huth, Arnautovic, Bojan, Sorensen.

Goals: Diouf 58.

Booked: Bardsley.

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Attendance: 45,622.

Ratings by JACK GAUGHAN at the Etihad

For all City’s possession, they will be disappointed that it only led to a handful of chances and two penalty appeals in the second half. Stoke were forced to hang on at times but they knew that would be the case even before the game kicked off.

Hughes had spoken beforehand about ‘staying in the game’ as Stoke tried to end that awful record here in Manchester, and his team certainly went about their business like a team trying primarily not to lose; two stubborn banks of four and a typically tenacious attitude aimed at knocking City out of their stride.

The game was only a few minutes old when Sergio Aguero went down and stayed there after colliding with Ryan Shawcross as he span past the Stoke skipper. Aguero was able to continue after treatment to his right thigh and, considering the muscle problems that plagued him for much of last season, that must have been of considerable relief to Manuel Pellegrini.

Phil Bardsley was booked for going through the back of David Silva who then clashed with Shawcross and was more than happy to see Stevan Jovetic go into battle with the big defender on his behalf.

City also lost Fernando before half-time when their new £14million signing limped off with a groin injury following a challenge with Glenn Whelan.

It was not simply a case of grit against guile, however. There was an intriguing duel between Bacary Sagna – making his first start for City since arriving on a free transfer from Arsenal – and Victor Moses down the Stoke left which gave us more than enough dreadlocks to go with the deadlock that could have been broken by both sides before the interval.

City’s best chance arrived in stoppage time at the end of the half when Aguero twisted and turned around the penalty box before releasing Aleksandar Kolarov on the overlap. The Serbian’s low cross picked out Yaya Toure who met it with a first-time effort with his left foot that clipped Asmir Begovic’s bar.

Toure blazed another opportunity well over from the edge of the box after good work by Jovetic and Silva, and Samir Nasri forced a fine reflex save from Begovic when Sagna played the ball into the path of his fellow Frenchman in the 11th minute.

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Finish: Diouf slotted past Joe Hart after a swift counter attack as Manchester City suffered a rare home defeat in the Premier League

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Decisive: Fernandinho watches on as Hart is beaten by Diouf's shot which was enough to earn victory for Stoke

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Red devil: Diouf was on the books of Manchester United between 2009 and 2012, but scored just one goal in five league appearances

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Delight: Stoke celebrate Diouf's winner as their fans dance with delight in the away end at the Etihad

Manuel Pellegrini: Manchester City struggled creatively vs Stoke

Stoke struggled to trouble Hart at the other end but Hughes thought his side should have been given a penalty midway through the half and was furious when Lee Mason waved away their claims after Diouf tangled with Kolarov and then went down under the defender’s untidy challenge.

Still, the Potters surprised even themselves when the Senegal striker gave them a shock lead in the 58th minute – even more so because it came directly from a corner for the home side.

Begovic had just turned over another first-time effort from Toure when Silva’s cross was headed clear by Marc Wilson to Diouf midway inside his own half. The striker shrugged off the challenge of Kolarov and set off for goal with very little support from his teammates.

YAYA TOURE COVERED A LOT OF GROUND, AS HIS HEAT MAP SHOWS (BELOW), BUT COULDN'T HELP MANCHESTER CITY AVOID DEFEAT - CLICK HERE FOR MATCH ZONE

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Happy returns: Stoke City manager Mark Hughes celebrates victory against his former club at the Etihad

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Despair: Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany (left) and manager Manuel Pellegrini (right) react to their home defeat

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Despondent: The loss ended Manchester City's 100 per cent start the season after the champions beat Newcastle and Liverpool

Fernandinho tried to stand in Diouf’s way but was left looking rather silly as the striker simply accelerated past him.

It looked as though he had taken the ball a little too wide of goal as Kolarov raced back to try and close down the shot, but he was powerless to stop Diouf from steering the ball through Hart’s legs with his right foot.

It was a fantastic solo effort and one that left City stunned. Diouf almost snatched a second moments later when he was inches away from connecting with Peter Odemwingie’s cross from the right.

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Challenge: Manchester City striker Stevan Jovetic is tackled by Stoke's Glenn Whelan

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Physical: Stoke's Steven Nzonzi and Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri battle for possession of the ball

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On the run: Manchester City's Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure evades the challenge of Stoke's Nzonzi

The Stoke substitute was injured in the process and subsequently carried off.

City had two penalty claims of their own turned down as they pushed forward desperately in search of an equaliser - first when the ball ricocheted off Bardsley and onto Wilson’s arm at close-range, and again when Pieters appeared to bring down Toure.

Otherwise Stoke held out far too comfortable for City’s liking. ‘We’re Stoke City, we’re passing the ball, ‘ sang their supporters as the Potters played their way out of trouble in the dying minutes. It will have been music to Hughes’s ears.