Pep Guardiola's visitors were far from their free-flowing best en route to their 12th win of the season, but were nevertheless good value for a victory that keeps them seven points behind leaders Chelsea.

Yaya Toure's penalty, awarded after Andrew Robertson's clumsy challenge on Raheem Sterling, set the visitors on their way before Kelechi Iheanacho added a second from close range and Curtis Davies conceded an own goal in the last few seconds.

Hull have now conceded nine penalties so far in the league this season - four more than any other side.

The hosts played well in patches and saw Michael Dawson's second-half header cleared off the line by Bacary Sagna, but their return of one win in 16 matches is a damning statistic that points to only one outcome at the end of the season.

And it will not be lost on Tigers fans that the side bottom on Christmas Day have only stayed up three times in the 24 Premier League seasons to date.

Guardiola's players will not earn many style points for this latest win but the final result is all that matters as they bid to keep in touch with Antonio Conte's flying leaders.

After starting December with back-to-back losses to Chelsea and champions Leicester, Man City now appear to be comfortably back in the winning groove with nine points from nine.

Sergio Aguero was sitting out the final game of his four-match ban and his absence appeared to be felt in a first half of few chances.

Guardiola decided against employing out-and-out striker Iheanacho from the start in favour of a four-man forward line of Kevin de Bruyne, Sterling, David Silva and Nolito, and they did not click into gear until after the break.

And Sterling took centre stage with a probing run into the area which proved the turning point, drawing a needless foul from Robertson that presented Toure with a chance from 12 yards that he did not pass up.

Iheanacho, introduced from the bench in the 57th minute, added a simple second after good work by Silva, before more direct running from Sterling forced Davies to turn into his own net in the fourth minute of added time.

The only real scare for Guardiola during the match was the early withdrawal of England defender John Stones through injury, but his concerns were quickly allayed.

"We were a little bit worried about that but it is just a kick, not ligaments or something like that," said Guardiola.

Hull pay the penalty

Hull have conceded the first goal of the game a league-high 15 times this season, but the rate at which the Tigers are shipping penalties is an even more alarming statistic.

With nine conceded so far, Mike Phelan's men are giving away spot-kicks at the rate of one every two matches.

But they have committed just 186 fouls in 18 games so far - just four teams have conceded fewer - meaning they have given away one penalty for every 20.6 fouls committed.

A mixture of poor judgement and ill fortune lurk behind most of those spot-kicks - two things the Tigers could do without if they are to escape from trouble.

Should they continue to give up penalties at even half the present rate, they will comfortably eclipse the Premier League record of 11 penalties conceded in a season, held by the Blackburn team of 2006-07.

Silva shows his class again - match stats

Manchester City have won three consecutive Premier league games for the first time since their run of six from the start of the current season (which ended in September)

Hull have won just one of their last 16 top-flight games, drawing three and losing 12

City registered just their second clean sheet in their last 12 top flight away games

Only Jamie Vardy (10) has won more penalties in the Premier League since the start of the 2013/14 season than Raheem Sterling (7)

David Silva (61) has provided more Premier League assists than any other player in the competition since his debut in August 2010

Kelechi Iheanacho has netted 12 Premier League goals from just 19 shots on target

Man City boss Pep Guardiola: "I enjoyed it because we won but like always had to work hard for it.

"In the first half we forgot where the goal was, in the second half, our strikers saw the goal a bit more and after the first goal it was easy.

"There is always pressure for us because the top of the league is tough and the other teams at the top had won today. Every game we play is like a final."

Hull manager Mike Phelan: "The penalty was the major turning point. Andrew Robertson is heartbroken over it because he knows he has suffered a harsh lesson there - he has got to stay on his feet and shuffle the player across into an area where maybe his team-mate can do a little bit better at making an attempt to tackle.

"But he has learned from that, and he will learn a lot more at this level. He is a good young player, and a good kid to have around but he has made a basic, basic mistake that has cost us.

"Until then, we put everything together the best way we could. I thought we were very very solid and moved the ball around well. We got to their players quickly and definitely frustrated them. We caused them a few problems now and again."

What's next?

Man City face a big away trip to Liverpool on New Year's Eve (17:30 GMT), while Hull are back in action on Friday, 30 December when Everton visit the KCOM Stadium (20:00).

(BBC)