English Premier League round-up: Mario Balotelli on target as City finally warm to the task

City took time to warm up and Wigan had several chances before Balotelli, moments after a bad miss, changed the game 21 minutes from time with his first Premier League goal since March. Milner, having not long been on the field, then doubled the lead with a superb strike before being forced off injured.

The result extended City’s unbeaten Premier League run to 20 matches and kept them within a point of leaders Manchester United. Balotelli was making his first start in six matches and, after a mostly frustrating night, eventually justified Roberto Mancini’s selection of him ahead of Edin Dzeko.

A stunning first-half performance saw Swansea bring high-flying West Brom’s excellent run to a crashing halt with a 3-1 win at the Liberty Stadium.

The Baggies were simply overrun in the opening 45 minutes, a ninth goal of the season for Michu and a Wayne Routledge double giving their hosts a 3-0 lead.

Romelu Lukaku pulled one back for the Baggies just before half-time but that was as good as it got for Steve Clarke’ side.

Two goals in the final nine minutes from Jonathan Walters and Cameron Jerome handed Stoke a 2-1 win over injury-hit Newcastle.

It looked like the Magpies might claim a much-needed first away win when Papiss Cisse put them ahead two minutes into the second half. The visitors held out until the 81st minute when Walters headed in the equaliser, and four minutes later they were behind as substitute Jerome tucked the ball home.

Southampton goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga proved the villain as Norwich secured a 1-1 draw from a match in which Mark Clattenburg’s return to frontline refereeing was the main talking point.

The 20-year-old Argentinian was at fault for Robert Snodgrass’ leveller, with the midfielder’s free-kick somehow beating him at the near post.

But it was Clattenburg that was top of the agenda as he returned to action a month after Chelsea alleged he racially abused John Obi Mikel against Manchester United.

The St Mary’s faithful will have been thankful to Clattenburg for the opener as a free-kick into the box ricocheted off Rickie Lambert’s arm before he prodded home.

Norwich pulled level on the stroke of half-time as Snodgrass’ free-kick squirmed past Gazzaniga, but neither side could eke out a winner after in a tense second half.