Team news:
Stephen Ireland for the injured Did Hamann was the only change to City’s starting line up, but Trevor Sinclair was on the bench, his first appearance since the home defeat to Blackburn in January.
For the visitors, there was no sign of Ben Thatcher, the former Blue left back having failed to recover from a knee injury.
It was a glorious spring day in Manchester, with hundreds of young City fans sporting their sky blue and white scarves, given away free to all junior members at the match.
The Match
City had five corners in the opening three minutes, and came closest to scoring when Faye was in the right place to nod an Mpenza header away off the line.
Charlton’s first threatening moment came on 11 minutes when Andreas Isaksson, under pressure from El Karkouri, dropped the ball at a free kick and saw the Addicks player stab the ball into the net. The home fans breathed again when they saw the linesman’s flag raised for offside against the Moroccan defender.
El Karkouri was in the thick of it at the other end four minutes later, blocking an Mpenza volley, the Belgian having been set up by quick thinking from Barton and Ireland on the right at a throw in. City’s Irish midfielder had a chance himself within 60 seconds but could not connect properly when the ball fell to him in the area.
Thomas went on a run out of defence on 20 minutes, out-sprinting Sun Jihai to get into City’s area, but he underhit his cross and the Blues cleared.
Dunne chose to head the Charlton winger’s cross behind four minutes later, but the ball went worryingly close to Isaksson’s near post although the Swedish keeper may have had it covered.
Michael Johnson’s clever backheel on 32 minutes set up Barton just outside the area, his rising shot being saved by the well-placed Carson.
The big Cumbrian keeper came to Charlton’s rescue with a superb save five minutes from half time, diving to his left to punch away Joey Barton’s shot from the edge of the area. Barton had been on the end of a good move involving Mpenza and Ireland.
Mpenza hassled Carson into a poor second touch early in the second half, the England Under 21 slicing his clearance into touch after City’s striker had borne down on him at a backpass.
Onuoha spurned a great chance on 59 minutes, Johnson’s corner finding the defender in acres of space in the area, but his header flew yards over the bar and his reaction told the story that he knew a real opportunity had gone.
Barton went on a great run into the box two minutes later, but was thwarted by a good tackle from El Karkouri. Once again the Blues could make nothing from the corner that resulted.
Johnson and Ireland combined well at another corner shortly after, the Irishman’s header crossing over the box but out of reach of any sky blue shirts.
The visitors had been on the back foot for most of the second half, but broke downfield on 67, Thomas’ shot being blocked by Distin. The ball went straight down to Mpenza but he was isolated and his pass back towards Johnson was cut out.
Lady Luck smiled on City on 74 minutes when Nedum Onuoha blocked Zheng Zhi inside the area. Onuoha’s sliding tackle saw the ball hit the Chinese player, and then Isaksson before rolling just wide of the left hand post.
City broke away with six minutes left, and Michael Ball chanced his arm from over 30 yards out but his shot sailed a long way over Carson’s bar.
Johnson whipped in a good cross in stoppage time, and Georgios Samaras, on as a sub, put his diving header a couple of yards wide. That was the final meaningful action of the game, with Charlton the happier of the two sides at the point gained.
