Manchester City 3 - 1 West Ham United

Super City march on

Updated: September 29, 2009, 8:13 AM UK

Manchester City's sublime start to the season continued with Carlos Tevez doing the damage in a 3-1 victory over his former club West Ham.

• Hughes hails Petrov

City's fifth win out of their opening six games represented their best start since 1961, but it is the here and now that Blues supporters are more interested in. Two Tevez goals and a first-half free-kick from Martin Petrov scarcely did justice to their dominance.

West Ham were totally outclassed, even though Carlton Cole did score an equaliser, and on this evidence they will not be the last as City seem to have found an irresistible mix of brilliant attacking play and solid defending.

After finding one set of former supporters no longer regard him with any affection at Old Trafford last week, Tevez knew he was on safer ground with the Hammers who, for all the controversy, will always be grateful for the goals that kept them up.

The respect is mutual and as Tevez raced in front of them after scoring the opening goal, he raised an almost apologetic hand of acknowledgement before being besieged by ecstatic team-mates.

It was a pretty significant goal for Tevez given Sir Alex Ferguson's doubts over his goalscoring prowess, and Petrov's assist was arguably even more noteworthy.

Brought to the club two years ago by Sven-Goran Eriksson, the Bulgarian's direct running endeared him to the City faithful. However, as other noteworthy Eriksson buys were doing little to impress Mark Hughes in his first season at the club, Petrov had little chance to impress once he had ruptured his cruciate on international duty.

Petrov felt he had no future at the club and made his disappointment plain when a deadline-day move to Tottenham failed to materialise. Yet he remains a big danger and a worthwhile asset and was afforded his first start when Stephen Ireland was ruled out through illness.

He clearly intended to make the most of it and, after presenting Tevez with a tap-in following his forceful left-wing burst, was soon celebrating a goal too. There may have been an element of good fortune about the free-kick City were awarded for Luis Jimenez's minor shove on Nigel de Jong, but the finish was pretty emphatic. Petrov drilled it into the bottom corner before edging towards Hughes in his dug-out and pulling the back of his shirt to emphasise his name.

Had the goal been City's fourth or fifth, West Ham could not have complained. Attack after attack washed over them, with Tevez, Petrov, strike partner Craig Bellamy and Joleon Lescott all going close.

Staggeringly though, Petrov had actually put City back in front for, on their first attack, the Hammers had equalised when Cole turned home Radoslav Kovac's volley. In fact, the Hammers would have been in front but for the generosity of referee Chris Foy, who ruled Cole had fouled Lescott before teeing up Scott Parker when contact had been very minimal.

Gianfranco Zola did not need that to prove it was going to be another bad night for his team. A simple offside manoeuvre proved beyond the Hammers defence when Bellamy floated over a free-kick just after the hour mark. As the visitors raced out, three City men were left to queue up to score, Tevez nodding home from six yards.

It was the end of the goals, but not the chances. Barry went close with a thunderous effort before Roque Santa Cruz made his debut after spending all the time since his £17 million summer move from Blackburn recovering from knee surgery.

It was a move West Ham could only dream of. Indeed, neither Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool nor Manchester United could presently make such a show of strength. Forget about giving City time. Their rivals have every reason to be worried right now.

Hughes hails Petrov

Mark Hughes hailed Martin Petrov's first Manchester City start and played down the Bulgarian's goal celebration in a 3-1 win over West Ham. Petrov was disappointed at not getting a deadline-day move to Tottenham and felt he would be a peripheral figure at Eastlands this season.

However, he started tonight after Stephen Ireland was ruled out through illness and responded by setting up the first of Carlos Tevez's double before ramming home a free-kick after Carlton Cole had equalised. Petrov immediately ran towards Hughes and pointed to his name on the back of his shirt, as if to remind his boss who he is.

"He does it all the time,'' shrugged the Welshman. "He was a really positive influence on the game, which is what we need. I don't want players who sit in the stand feeling sorry for themselves. They have to be ready to come on and perform. When opportunities present themselves you have to be able to make an impact. That is what Martin did.''

Meanwhile, Hughes confirmed Robinho will be out of action for at least another three weeks with the ankle injury he suffered on international duty with Brazil last month. "It is still in pot (plaster), so he is not training, just doing work in the gym,'' he said.

Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy was pleased to keep the pressure on the leading sides in the Premier League following a 3-1 win at home to West Ham. City have a game in hand on leaders Manchester United and Chelsea and after their best start to a season since 1961, Bellamy was happy with his side's display.

"We have a very good team. We have started the Premier League well and today it was good to get back with a win,'' Bellamy said in an interview on ESPN. "We started well, we wanted to press as high as we could.

"We got the first goal which helps in a Premier League game. We gave away a sloppy equaliser which made it difficult for ourselves. West Ham are a difficult team, they are very bright, and in a game like this you are never out of sight.''

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola was disappointed with his team's display. "I am not feeling well now as you can imagine,'' the Italian said. "We didn't play in the first 45 minutes. When you play a team like City and you concede so much then it is very difficult to come back.

"I think this will be an important week for us, we will have to work hard. There are many things we need to concentrate on. We are much better than we are showing right now.''