On the day the new City badge was previewed in front of a record attendance of 54523, there was a sense of renewal in the air as Manuel Pellegrini’s men powered back to winning ways in the Premier League.
Kevin De Bruyne was the Black Cats’ tormentor-in-chief, the Belgian claiming assists for Yaya Toure’s strike, before scoring one himself. It could have been more had Bony not sidefooted a second-half penalty over the bar.
The afternoon was marred by the sight of skipper Vincent Kompany trudging off the field injured just minutes after he had come on as a substitute, plus Fabio Borini’s consolation goal, but that shouldn’t detract from a dominant performance.
De Bruyne, ably assisted by metronomic maestro David Silva, brought the swagger back into City’s play that characterised the early part of the season.
That duo decorated the play with a string of sublime touches that should see City head into games at Leciester and Watford with great confidence. With Liverpool beating Leicester at Anfield, City could draw level on points with the Foxes with victory at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday.
Boss Pellegrini made two changes to the side that lost at Arsenal, bringing Bony back into the starting line up along with Sterling.
The young winger was in the thick of the action early on, his pace scaring the visitors’ defence.
He might have had a penalty after five minutes when he went down under the challenge of Billy Jones in the box, but referee Anthony Taylor instead booked him for diving.
No matter, City were attacking Sunderland in waves and the first goal soon arrived.
After Aleks Kolarov overhit a cross from the left, De Bruyne collected it and whipped in a perfect centre for Sterling to head down and in past Vito Mannone.
The advantage was soon doubled.
Toure’s left-foot, which guided in such an exquisite goal against the Gunners on Monday, this time powered into the corner from distance to put City firmly in control.
There was a brief reaction from Sunderland when Danny Graham headed inches wide from Borini’s cross, but City fans were soon cheering again and there’s no prizes for guessing who the architect was.
De Bruyne fizzed in a free-kick and Bony stole in at the near post to head a superb effort past Mannone.
There was 22 minutes on the clock when that goal went in, and it was effectively lights out for Sunderland in this Boxing Day encounter.
Apart from one sharp near post save by Joe Hart from Borini, the rest of the first half was City domination with Sterling having the ball in the net again only to be called back for offside.
The second-half picked up where the first had left off.
A one-two between De Bruyne and Silva had the crowd purring, even if Mannone tipped the Spaniard’s effort around the post.
It was soon four though, when De Bruyne latched onto Sebastian Coates attempted clearance to calmly side-foot in for his 10th of the season.
Just before the hour mark Borini grabbed his consolation after substitute Lee Cattermole’s dragged shot sprung City’s offside trap, but the result was never really in doubt.
There was a sting in the tail for City though. Huge cheers greeted Kompany’s 62nd minute introduction, and the deflation was palpable when he walked off nine minutes later.
While Kompany was on the field Silva won a penalty after Coates’ challenge. Bony took it, but sidefooted his effort over.
The skipper’s exit sucked some of the momentum out of the game and with the points safely pouched, the action meandered to its conclusion.
Next up for City are trips to Leicester and Watford and if they carry this form forward, it should stand them in good stead.
