Premier League: Manchester clubs march on as pressure mounts on Blackburn’s Steve Kean

Both sides endured goalless first halves - with City suffering the additional blow of an injury to Sergio Aguero - but while they turned on the style in the second period at Ewood Park, United struggled past the Canaries.

Adam Johnson, back in a reshuffled starting XI, put City in front in the 56th minute, collecting a loose ball on the edge of the area and curling brilliantly into the top corner.

Four minutes later Mario Balotelli, who also hit the post, made it two with a neat volleyed finish from Samir Nasri’s cross. The Frenchman added one of his own in the 73rd minute before substitute Stefan Savic headed home his first for the club.

United also claimed three points but not before being put under big pressure by Paul Lambert’s side.

Steve Morison and Anthony Pilkington both had wasted good chances to put the visitors in front against the champions and were made to pay when Anderson got on the end of Wayne Rooney’s header into the six-yard box.

Norwich had further chances, Morison wasting a particularly good one, before Danny Welbeck finished off a fine move.

Liverpool edged past 10-man Everton to win the 216th Merseyside derby 2-0 after second-half goals from Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez.

Everton were holding their own until Jack Rodwell was given a dubious red card in the 23rd minute and still managed to keep the score at 0-0 until Carroll combined with former Newcastle team-mate Jose Enrique 19 minutes from time for his first of the season.

Suarez then added a second after 82 minutes after a defensive misunderstanding between Leighton Baines and Sylvain Distin.

Under-fire Sunderland boss Steve Bruce saw his side concede twice in the first five minutes against West Brom before coming back to earn a point.

Chris Brunt’s free-kick was nodded home by James Morrison in the fourth minute and just moments later the Black Cats backline were caught flat-footed by Shane Long, who slotted home.

Bruce looked understandably nervous in the technical area but saw his side draw level by the 27th minute as Nicklas Bendtner scored his first goal for the club and Ahmed Elmohamady converted a cross from the Dane.

Gabriel Agbonlahor led Aston Villa to a 2-0 victory over Wigan at Villa Park.

The forward opened the scoring in the 36th minute and then turned creator for the second, powering his way down the left flank in the 62nd minute before crossing for Darren Bent, who tapped home first time.

Newcastle ran out 2-1 winners over an aggrieved Wolves at Molineux.

Demba Ba followed up his hat-trick against Blackburn last week with a headed opener in the 17th minute and Jonas Gutierrez added a solo second in the 38th minute.

Wolves were denied a penalty after what appeared to be a foul on Jamie O’Hara and, after Steven Fletcher (88) hauled them back into it, Kevin Doyle saw a late effort chalked off after the linesman indicated the ball had gone out in the build-up.