Their imperious, unblemished four-win start to the season continued with a victory over previously unbeaten Wigan.
It was the seventh Premier League win in succession for Roberto Mancini’s side equalling a top flight record set under Tony Book – who was watching proudly from the Colin Bell Stand.
And it was a victory that took the Blues unbeaten home run in all competitions to 18 making the Etihad Stadium one of English football’s most impregnable fortresses.
City owed their latest three points to a heady mixture of guile and industry. There is no doubting that the Blues of this season are more expansive than last season’s version but it is when they have not got the ball and in the execution of the final pass that they are noticeably improved.
There is willingness from the silky, gifted, star-dusted forward phalanx to run all afternoon, fill in holes and generally defend from the front.
When you have that in your team, allied to supreme skill, then it makes a huge difference
...City 3 Wigan 0
Wigan were gallant to the end but simply outclassed by a side that, for the first time this season, included Carlos Tevez from the start.
The Argentine linked up front with countryman Sergio Aguero and Spain World Cup winner David Silva in a Spanish speaking trio that was too hot to handle.
The Three Amigos struck in the 13th minute when first Tevez, then Silva and finally Aguero all proved too tricky and elusive as they moved the ball between them for the last named to cut a shot back beyond Al Habsi.
By then the Wigan keeper had already produced a decent stop to deny Silva at the foot of the post and within four minutes had thwarted Tevez from the penalty spot after Lopez had produced a tackle on Silva that brought to mind Wigan’s other top professional sports team.
It was a dreadful spot-kick by the former captain who, whisper it in Argentina, seems to have lost the penalty knack.
That would have killed the game at an early stage as would Micah Richards’ flick that hit the underside of the bar before bouncing clear or Vinny Kompany’s header that rattled the post.
At times this game, to continue the Latin theme, resembled a matador playing with a plucky bull. The home side forwards skittered here and there tormenting the visitors with every touch.
The killer blow came in the 63rd minute and it came again from the cultured boot of Aguero who this time was put through by Nasri (on for Tevez) and Silva before another consummate finish.
That was brilliant but the best was yet to come five minutes later when Silva again wove his Merlin magic and put Aguero through for the master finisher to tuck his hat-trick into the corner. It was a mesmeric and joyous moment
...City 3 Wigan 0
In all their defensive struggles, Wigan’s best attacking moment came on the hour when Hart was forced to save with his foot from Rodallega.
City were though simply in a class of their own and all that without Etihad and Barclays Player of the Month Edin Dzeko who was sat in the bench in the best of company alongside rested and rotated teammates Samir Nasri, Pablo Zabaleta, Mario Balotelli and the returning Kolo Toure.
Four wins from four is a mightily impressive opening for any side but it is the manner, authority and confidence of those victories that will worry Premier League rivals.
