WEST BROM 0, MAN CITY 3
Manchester City’s impressive win at West Brom put down an impressive marker for the other championship challengers to follow in their pursuit of the Barclays Premier League title.
Two first-half strikes from Yaya Toure – one may well be determined later by the disputed goals panel – set City on the road to an eight straight victory against the Baggies.
City captain Vincent Kompany also found the net as impressive City, without their three Argentine players, cut through the home defence which kept 10 clean sheets in 18 games last season after Tony Pulis became manager.
And if City, top of the table after the first round of games, are looking a lucky omen, the team that has won on the first Monday fixture of the season has been crowned champions for each of the last five seasons.
It was a satisfying night for Manuel Pellegrini as City’s manager was delighted with the consistency of their play from the start.
He said: “It is always important to win the first game. It is not easy playing away and being the last game of the weekend when you know the other scores.
“Apart from scoring three goals, we created chances and kept a clean sheet which was just as important.”
City’s manager also revealed that he has had a heart-to-heart with Toure who produced an eye-catching display.
He explained: “It was a strange season for Yaya last season and he was not focused and his head was not right.
“I have spoken to him and I am sure we will the same Yaya that we saw two years ago.”
Pellegrini was also pleased with new club record £49million signing Raheem Sterling and did not blame him for not converting the two clear-cut chances that fell to him.
Baggies’ manager Tony Pulis said his side played into City’s hands, especially with the space they afforded David Silva.
City handed a debut to Sterling, but there were no starting spots for Argentines Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta and Martin Demichelis.
The three, who have been away at Copa America, were all named on the substitutes’ bench.
West Brom had former City player Joleon Lescott in their side which was captained by former United favourite Darren Fletcher.
Before kick off, the Baggies paraded new £12m record signing Salomon Rondon, the Venezuelan international, and Serge Gnabry, signed on a season-long loan from Arsenal.
City made a dream start taking the lead in the ninth minute through a bizarre goal which could conceivably be credited to one of three players.
Jesus Navas cut the ball back to Toure whose shot was flicked goalwards by David Silva and then took a sizeable deflection off Craig Dawson to wrong foot keeper Boaz Myhill.
If there was any doubt about the opening goal, there was no dispute as Toure doubled the lead midway through the opening period with an exquisite finish.
Toure played a return pass with Wilfried Bony and from the edge of the box curled a shot into to the top corner of the net with Myhill comprehensively beaten.
Sterling had a chance to open his scoring account and put City 3-0 ahead, but Myhill made an important block and the Baggies cleared the danger.
Saido Berahino had the ball into the net, but had strayed offside as he burst on to a through ball.
Sterling had another chance to score early in the second half, but Myhill blocked with his leg.
The Baggies were more of a threat as Ricky Lambert’s free kick whistled over the crossbar and Berahino was denied by Hart.
But it was City who struck with another telling blow just short of the hour to seal victory when Kompany found the net with a terrific glancing header from Silva’s corner.
And if the home side thought things could not get worse, City then introduced Aguero who replaced Bony.
Aguero was unlucky not to add a fourth goal in the dying minutes when his shot was blocked by the legs of Myhill who in stoppage time did well to turn an Aleksandar Kolarov free kick round the post for a corner.
But three goals ahead by that stage made the final half hour a procession as City had secured victory while the Baggies’ fans were streaming away from The Hawthorns long before the final whistle.