For all Manchester City’s sexy football earlier in the season, no victory will give Manuel Pellegrini more pleasure than this one.

Bruised by two cup exits in four days, a clearly fatigued City side also had to play 80 minutes with 10 men after skipper Vincent Kompany was sent off early on.

Yet Pellegrini’s men showed the grit and determination to carve out a win that saw them climb into second spot and stay in touch with Chelsea at the top of the table.

David Silva scored a beauty, Edin Dzeko ended his goal drought late on and there was another more unlikely hero in much-derided defender Martin Demichelis, who took on the role of defensive leader when City lost Kompany.

Some took the fight too far. Joe Hart was so incensed when Hull substitute George Boyd fell over in the area that, in the stadium where Alan Pardew butted David Meyler a fortnight ago, the England goalkeeper went forehead-to-forehead with Boyd.

As there was no clear butt, referee Lee Mason only booked Hart.

It would have been disastrous for City if Hart had joined Kompany in being sent off.

Kompany was certainly lethargic as he took Javi Garcia’s pass by the centre circle and turned into trouble with Nikica Jelavic breathing down his neck.

Jelavic fought for possession by putting his arm across Kompany’s chest, the Belgian defender fell and looked around for a free-kick. Nothing was forthcoming so he grabbed Jelavic’s shirt to stop him getting away.

Referee Mason judged Kompany was the last man and sent him off. The angry centre-half argued his case long and hard before heading for the touchline, only going down the tunnel after kung-fu kicking an adjoining brick wall and gesturing towards fourth official Anthony Taylor.

The FA will have to decide if that was enough to warrant a longer ban than the one match he will receive for the red card.

Pellegrini said: ‘It was a clear foul on Kompany before he was sent off but maybe I’m calmer about it now because we won the game. It is always more difficult to play with 10 players but I trust in the team.

‘It was a very good response for the team. After a difficult week and playing with one man less for most of the game, I think it was a very important performance.’

Jelavic gave a little fistpump as Kompany headed off but Hull could not enjoy it for long.

Within four minutes, the visitors were ahead as Silva exchanged passes with Yaya Toure before curling a delightful left-foot finish into the corner of the net.

Hull manager Steve Bruce would have been disappointed his side, who are stuck on 30 points and not yet guaranteed Premier League survival, did not create enough with a man advantage. But he didn’t wish to escalate the Hart-Boyd row, which saw both men scream at each other.

‘A yellow card [for Hart] was sufficient,’ said Bruce. ‘I didn’t see him put his head in.’

‘Frustration is the word. Will we get another chance to beat Manchester City? They defended fantastically well. They kept a high line, I don’t know if that was being brave or lucky, but if they’d worked on it, fair play to them.’

Of Demichelis’s barnstorming display, Pellegrini added: ‘I think he has played well all season. Maybe he gave away one penalty against Wigan [in last Sunday’s shock FA Cup defeat] that was unnecessary but I haven’t agreed with all the criticism he’s received.’

City had finished their previous game in Barcelona just 63 hours before kick-off at the KC Stadium.

But they had won the last 21 games in which Silva had scored and Hull never looked like breaking the remarkable record.

Indeed, it was Pellegrini’s side who nearly went further ahead when Pablo Zabaleta hit the underside of the bar, with the ball bouncing on to the goal-line rather than over it.

Shane Long tested Hart and Hull appealed for a penalty when Fernandinho seemed to push Boyd. Even Bruce did not think Hart’s challenge on Boyd was a penalty though he was glad the referee did not book him for diving.

‘If Joe Hart comes hurtling towards you, you’d try to get out of the road,’ said Bruce.

Dzeko capitalised on Silva’s last-minute pass with a low finish for his first goal in nine games.

This season, Pellegrini’s team have beaten Norwich by seven goals, put six past Arsenal and Spurs and hammered Manchester United 4-1.

But the hugs and high fives at the final whistle on Saturday said that this victory meant more than any of them.

—Daily Mail