Manchester City 2 Bayern Munich 0: Silva leads City to win but Napoli end Euro dream

David Silva and Yaya Toure struck as City produced a fine attacking display to keep their slim hopes of qualifying from Group A alive, but Napoli’s defeat of Villarreal undid them.

The results mean City will now be competing in the second-tier Europa League in the new year and the latter stages at the Etihad Stadium were played out in a muted atmosphere.

Manager Roberto Mancini had feared such a scenario since defeat to Napoli a fortnight ago but his team could not have done much more last night.

Yet while they may count the cost of a slow start to the campaign, the Barclays Premier League leaders can put the disappointment down to experience and focus on domestic challenges.

City created their first serious opportunity after six minutes when Samir Nasri got free down the right and crossed for Sergio Aguero but the Argentinian headed over from the penalty spot.

A much-changed Bayern still showed signs of their usual efficiency as Ivica Olic broke and forced Joe Hart to save low to his right.

City came forward again and Stefan Savic, operating at right-back in the absence of the injured Micah Richards, was bundled over by Olic wide of the Bayern area.

City thought they had taken the lead as Silva curled the resulting free-kick towards goal and Hans-Jorg Butt let it slip in but the goalkeeper was impeded by Lescott.

City went ahead after 37 minutes when Barry whipped in a good ball and Silva took Dzeko’s flick in his stride to strike a superb left-foot shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

It was no more than the hosts deserved and they could have increased their advantage before the interval as they broke into their considerable stride.

With Napoli still being held at this stage, optimism was growing as Toure doubled the lead but that soon changed.

Barry tested Butt with a fierce 20-yard drive after the hour but word then came through Napoli had gone ahead in Spain.

The atmosphere became noticeably more subdued as news of Napoli’s opener spread around the ground and for a while the only significant noise came from the large Bayern Munich section.

The sense of anti-climax only deepened when Napoli doubled their lead and City’s Champions League journey was at an end.