The gulf in confidence and class was there for all to see as the home side took it turns to taunt the doomed Londoners with clever runs and intricate passing routines. Sergio Aguero and David Silva shone most brightly in the end of season sunshine.
Hat-trick hero Aguero, now long, long odds-on to be placing the Premier League’s golden boot on his mantelpiece in two weeks’ time, switched on the style in only the fourth minute as he sashayed and slalomed through and around five hapless Hoops before chipping in his 23rd of the season.
There might have been more goals at either end – Charlie Austin found the net and hit the bar when offside on both occasions – before Aleks Kolarov made it 2-0 in the 31st minute.
Having scored a beauty against Villa in the previous home game, Kolarov swapped ends to double his Premier League tally for the season beating the diving Green to the keeper’s right.
Having built on their lead, City went into cruise control and the harder QPR ran and tried the more they opened themselves up to the counter.
That was never more evident than in the 50th minute when City broke via Silva and Aguero from a QPR corner and the Argentine – for some bizarre and unfathomable reason ignored by his peers in the EPL team of the season - strode away from Suk-Young Yun, slowed down to tease him and then flashed the ball beyond Green to make it 3-0.
It was 4-0 in the 64th minute from the penalty spot as Silva was bundled over and Aguero recorded his hat-trick. Green saved spectacularly from both Silva and Kolarov but the tide kept flowing in his direction.
There really was no mercy from the home side even though the phrase ‘Friends Reunited’ might have been written for this game - Shaun-Wright Phillip’s warm and heartfelt greeting as he limbered up and then came on as a sub was ample proof of that.
There were other Sky Blue sons front and centre too.
Joey Barton, Nedum Onuoha and five times City player of the year Richard Dunne as well Wright-Phillips are all on the Rs books – not to mention goalkeeping coach Kevin Hitchcock, who was at the Etihad as part of Mark Hughes’ backroom staff, and Kevin Bond who once called the less sumptuous Maine Road dressing room his home.
Of course no game between these two clubs can ever take place without some reference to the incredible 93:20 thriller back in 2012 - there are blood pressure readings that have still to return to normal amongst folk around these parts.
Euphoria and chronic relief in equal measure have probably never been as evident in a Mancunian sports stadium (or any other sporting venue) than they were that Sunday afternoon as City fans were carried home to all points of the compass on waves of joyful tears – this game was very different.
That day – May 13 – was a day when, somewhat paradoxically, both sides were winners. City claimed the league title for the first time in 44 long and barren years whilst the West London side clung on to their league status at the expense of a Bolton team who have not yet come close to recovering from the chastening experience.
Three days short of the second anniversary of that almost out of body experience City were involved in a three-way battle to avoid having to play-off in August for a place in the Uefa Champions League group stages whilst QPR were sadly – given their connections to Manchester – in familiar strife at the wrong end of the table.
As new riches pour into the Premier League this is no time to lose your top-flight status and the anxiety showed in QPR’s play; City for their part were relaxed and full of footballing joy.
Having seen their favourites stumble through the previous home game with Villa but then further inflate the bubble of buoyancy with a single goal victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane, this performance offered more succour.
A fifth goal came in the 69th minute when from a corner – yes a corner – Wilfried Bony headed on, Aguero squared across goal and James Milner potted from two yards out.
Then just to add to QPR’s misery on came Yaya Toure – to chorus of Happy Birthday from smiling City fans – as a late substitute. He had his chance to celebrate in style but a curling shot flew into Green’s middle.
The sixth, and last, goal arrived with three minutes remaining. Bony’s lovely back heel set Silva free and he didn’t need a second embossed invitation.
So, City are finishing with a roar and one more point is now needed to secure 3rd place at worst whilst for Rangers and their 800 or so travelling fans this was an inglorious ending to their latest top flight stint.
