Manchester City 4-1 Hull City: Wilfried Bony, Kelechi Iheanacho and Kevin De Bruyne on target in Capital One Cup quarter-final
Wilfried Bony scored in the first half at the Etihad as Championship side Hull crashed out at the quarter-final stage
Manchester City had welcomed back David Silva into their midfield but were missing injured striker Sergio Aguero
Kelechi Iheanacho doubled the home side's lead late in the second period to settle the tie in Manchester
When Manchester City revealed plans to conquer the Far East on Tuesday, they were referring to China not the East Riding of Yorkshire. Hull City still had to be beaten if Manuel Pellegrini's side were to take a step closer to Wembley in the Capital One Cup, however, and they duly delivered.
The Premier League leaders made heavy weather of their victory, it has to be said, with three late goals finally confirming their progress at the expense of the Championship promotion chasers.
It was a rather underwhelming end to what had been a momentous day, with enough empty seats at the Etihad to suggest there is still some work to be done before City can rub shoulders with the biggest clubs in world football.
Kevin De Bruyne scores his first goal of the night and Manchester City's third to make sure of the victory
Four minutes later, De Bruyne doubled his tally to ensure the scoreline had a more emphatic look to it at full-time
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Kelechi Iheanacho doubled the home side's lead late in the second period to settle the tie in Manchester
When Manchester City revealed plans to conquer the Far East on Tuesday, they were referring to China not the East Riding of Yorkshire. Hull City still had to be beaten if Manuel Pellegrini's side were to take a step closer to Wembley in the Capital One Cup, however, and they duly delivered.
The Premier League leaders made heavy weather of their victory, it has to be said, with three late goals finally confirming their progress at the expense of the Championship promotion chasers.
It was a rather underwhelming end to what had been a momentous day, with enough empty seats at the Etihad to suggest there is still some work to be done before City can rub shoulders with the biggest clubs in world football.
Kevin De Bruyne scores his first goal of the night and Manchester City's third to make sure of the victory
Four minutes later, De Bruyne doubled his tally to ensure the scoreline had a more emphatic look to it at full-time
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MATCH FACTS
MAN CITY (4-2-3-1): Caballero 6; Sagna 6, Mangala 5, Otamendi 6, Clichy 6; Delph 5.5, Fernandinho 7; Navas 5 (Sterling 62, 6.5), De Bruyne 7.5, Silva 6.5 (Demichelis 83); Bony 6.5 (Iheanacho 71).
Subs not used: Wright, Kolarov, Garcia, Humphreys.
Goals: Bony 12, Iheanacho 80, De Bruyne 82, 86
Booked: Mangala
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini 7
HULL CITY (4-5-1): Jakupovic 5; Odubajo 5.5, Bruce 6, Maguire 6; Elmohamady 6, Hayden 6.5, Livermore 6.5, Taylor 5.5 (Diame 58, 6), Robertson 6; Akpom 5 (Hernandez 67, 6), Aluko 6.5 (Snodgrass 73, 6).
Subs not used: McGregor, Huddlestone, Clucas, Maloney.
Goal: Robertson 90+2
Booked: Maguire
Manager: Steve Bruce 6
Referee: Neil Swarbrick 7
But City's new investors know exactly what they are buying into with their £265million stake.
Top of the Premier League, through to the knockout stages of the Champions League for the third year in a row and now into the final four of the Capital One Cup, Pellegrini's side are ticking over very nicely.
The manager's focus remains firmly on the pitch, not the boardroom, and last night he had the added bonus of seeing David Silva play more than 80 minutes on his return after nearly two months out with an ankle injury.
But asked about the Chinese investment, Pellegrini replied: 'It's a big country that wants to develop football and has a lot of trust in the way we are working as a global club. It's important to have these kinds of partners with that amount of money.'
Hull boss Steve Bruce maintained his policy of fielding a weakened team in this competition, there were seven changes from Friday's defeat to Derby, but he defended his decision afterwards.
'It's the first time the club has got to the quarter final so I've been true to the players, he said. 'Would it really make any difference when you come to Man City?'
For the most part, Hull were a match for their opponents despite going behind in the 12th minute.
Chuba Akpom and Ryan Taylor comically left the ball for one another midway inside their own half, and Fernandinho fed it to Kevin De Bruyne.
The Belgian's low shot beat Eldin Jakupovic and came back off the Hull goalkeeper's left-hand post to Wilfried Bony who fired first-time into an empty net from 15 yards with little opposition from Moses Odubajo standing close by.
But City's early momentum petered out and it was Hull who threatened more as the first half drew to the close, sensing an opportunity to capitalise on the lethargy of the home side in front of 5,000 travelling fans, without whom the Etihad would have been an even quieter place.
Indeed, Hull were right in the game until the final 10 minutes when they conceded three goals in quick succession.
Wilfried Bony fires Manchester City in front in the first half of their Capital One Cup quarter-final against Hull
Bony is congratulated by team-mate David Silva after putting City in front in the absence of striker Sergio Aguero
Kelechi Iheanacho doubled Manchester City's lead and made sure of progression into the last four
Iheanacho sticks his tongue out in celebration after scoring City's second in their win over Hull
Andrew Robertson scores what proved to be a consolation goal for the visitors as they made their exit from the Capital One Cup
Robertson celebrated his goal briefly to the 5,000 fans who made the trip from Hull to Manchester
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