Match winner Stephen Ireland has spoken about last night’s victory that restored City to third in the Barclays Premier League.

The Irish midfielder opened his account for the season with a crisp volley in the 66th minute as the Blues saw off Sunderland by one goal to nil.

Speaking after the game, Ireland said: “I don’t think we played too pretty, but at least we got the win.

“When we do play well who knows what will happen and what we could achieve? It could see us score three or four goals.

“But it was one of those games where they sat behind the ball and made very hard for us and to be fair they played well but that’s the way football goes sometimes. We nicked the goal and took the three points.”

Stephen capped a Man of the Match performance with his impressive strike and described it to us afterwards.

“I just felt like drifting to the back post,” the 21-year-old revealed. “Martin came inside and as he played a long ball I just felt like sneaking to the back post.

“I saw it happening before it did and luckily it just dropped to me and I kept my eye on the ball and finished it.”

Some relief then for the young midfielder to get his name on the scoresheet for the first time this season then?

“Absolutely. Michael Johnson’s been giving me some stick about it and I’m trying to catch him now.

“I feel it’s well overdue and I go into every game hoping to score and I’m off the mark now and hopefully I can get more.

 “I just need to catch up with people like Martin [Petrov] and Elano. I need more opportunities and when I get them I just have to make sure I take them.

“I think scoring is a big part of my game that I have to start added to more and more. So hopefully I can continue from here.”