LONDON:  Wilfried Bony’s first goal for Manchester City helped the champions back to winning ways, by 3-0 over West Brom, in a game which saw another red card identity controversy.

Albion midfielder Gareth McAuley was sent off after only 89 seconds, the fastest in the Premier League this season, by referee Neil Swarbrick after team-mate Craig Dawson had fouled Bony first.

It was the second case of mistaken identity in less than a month after Wes Brown’s dismissal at Old Trafford for a foul by his Sunderland team-mate John O’Shea.

Later referees’ chief Mike Riley urged the introduction of video technology to help referees.

Riley, head of the Professional Game Match Officials, said: “We need to see what technology we can use to help get referees’ decisions more accurate. Football as a whole has to look at it.

“Neil had four or five elements to judge in half a second and it is that type of situation that would lend itself to technology.”

City, battered out of the Champions League in Barcelona and in poor domestic form, took full advantage of the gift to win with strikes from £25m newcomer Bony, Fernando – City’s 1,000th Premier League goal – and David Silva.

City totalled 26 shots in the first 45 minutes, the most in a top-flight game since 2003-04.

Harry Kane celebrated his first England call with his first Premier League hat-trick as Tottenham beat struggling Leicester 4-3. Kane’s late penalty, his 29th goal in all competitions, regained the advantage after Spurs had conceded a two-goal lead. His other goals came in the sixth and 13th minutes.

Mesut Ozil’s absence from Arsenal’s 2-1 win at Newcastle was due to illness, according to manager Arsene Wenger. He denied any connection with the controversial midweek incident when Ozil swapped shirts at half-time with Monaco’s Geoffrey Kondogbia as the Gunners were knocked out of the Champions League. Olivier Giroud scored the goals at Newcastle.

Wilfried Zaha continued his resurgence after returning from Manchester United by scoring the winning goal as Crystal Palace recovered from a goal down to beat Stoke 2-1.

New Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat began his reign with a 1-0 defeat to West Ham while the Tim Sherwood-inspired revival at Aston Villa came to a similar halt against Swansea.

** Injuries to goalkeeper Fraser Forster and Manchester United’s Luke Shaw forced England manager Roy Hodgson to issue late calls for Jack Butland, Rob Green and Danny Rose ahead of Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley.

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