Manchester City 1 Birmingham 0
Robbie Fowler's first goal for Manchester City was enough to down Premiership strugglers Birmingham City 1-0 at Maine Road today.
The 27-year-old struck in the 72nd minute to open his account for his new club since his £6 million move from Leeds in January. His goal ended City's four-match streak without a win.
Birmingham saw their two-match winning sequence end despite playing against 10 men for the last 13 minutes after Niclas Jensen was sent off for a second bookable offence.
The defeat leaves them just seven points above third from bottom West Ham with eight matches remaining.
Jensen was given his marching orders in the 77th minute after bringing down Stan Lazaridis but even then the visitors were woeful up front mustering just one chance in injury time which was parried away by Peter Schmeichel.
Striker Geoff Horsfield collected the ball and rounded the Dane before embarrassingly kicking air instead of rolling the ball into the net.
It had been virtually all one way traffic as Manchester City poured forward with Shaun Wright-Phillips rifling in their first effort in the 24th minute which was beaten out by Ian Bennett.
The rebound fell at Fowler's feet, but the former England striker failed to break his duck as his shot was saved by Bennett.
Fowler's strike partner Nicolas Anelka was the next to go close but again Bennett was up to the task as he parried his long range shot and then palmed away Kevin Horlock's 28th minute shot.
The second half was a dire affair with both sides creating very little and the hard-pressed spectators had to wait till the 70th minute for the first shot on target - but once again Fowler was denied by Bennett.
But he was not to be stopped on the next occasion, cleverly volleying an Ali Benarbia cross into the net to earn his side a deserved three points and leave Birmingham in the relegation dogfight.