Shaun Wright-Phillips scored twice to launch his second spell as a Manchester City player in spectacular fashion, helping the Sky Blues to a 3-0 win over Sunderland at the Stadium Of Light.
The former Chelsea winger struck five minutes after the break and then again eight minutes later as City eased to victory.
Sunderland could hardly have made the England international any more welcome as he sought to relaunch his career with City, the club where he first came to prominence.
Stephen Ireland had fired the visitors ahead in first-half injury-time, but a largely bemused crowd of 39,622 saw Roy Keane's expensively assembled squad wilt alarmingly after the break.
City made light of its midweek UEFA Cup exertions in Denmark to run out a comfortable winner, while the Black Cats - despite the presence of Djibril Cisse, El-Hadji Diouf and Steed Malbranque in the starting line-up - lacked inspiration, organisation and any real goal threat.
Sunderland had started its home campaign with an unfortunate 1-0 defeat by Liverpool, but had bounced back in style with victory over Tottenham, and with Anton Ferdinand becoming the club's ninth summer signing this week, hopes were high for a first home win of the campaign.
Ferdinand was presented on the pitch at half-time, but by the time the whistle had sounded to bring an end to the opening 45 minutes there was already concern and anger among the locals.
Much of the anger was directed at referee Chris Foy, who appeared to miss a series of fouls, two of which left Malbranque and Grant Leadbitter writhing in agony and had Keane venting his fury on the fourth official.
Concern surrounded the lack of genuine chances Sunderland created, and the way it allowed Michael Johnson to unlock its defence to fashion a stoppage-time goal for Ireland.
Sunderland had the better of the opening exchanges with Leadbitter twice going close. He had been preferred in central midfield to captain Dean Whitehead, who did not even make the bench.
Leadbitter fired just wide after seven minutes and then sent a dipping free-kick inches over Joe Hart's crossbar.
Cisse, on his home debut, was a peripheral figure for much of the half but glanced a header straight at Hart eight minutes before the break.
In a flurry of activity which annoyed the home team, its manager and its fans, Malbranque was left in a heap by Richard Dunne and Leadbitter was bodychecked by Vincent Kompany, who had already been booked. On both occasions there was no response from referee Foy.
But City gradually found its game and Kompany had seen a well-struck shot blocked by Andy Reid.
It took the lead when Danny Collins could only stab Johnson's cross into the path of Ireland, who calmly slotted past Craig Gordon.
City was forced to make a half-time change when Micah Richards, who had limped away from a good challenge on Diouf before the break, failed to re-appear and was replaced by Tal Ben-Haim.
It could have extended its lead within two minutes when a shot from Johnson looped up off Nyron Nosworthy and found Jo, but the South American completely missed his kick.
Jo was only inches away from meeting Wright-Phillips' driven cross ahead of Gordon seconds later as the visitors made a real push, but the reprieve was only temporary.
With 50 minutes gone, Johnson picked out Jo on the left edge of the penalty