Match Report
45′ [0 - 1] S. Ireland
50′ [0 - 2] S.W. Phillips
58′ [0 - 3] S.W. Phillips
Shaun Wright-Phillips scored twice to launch his second spell as a Manchester City player in spectacular fashion.
The former Chelsea winger struck five minutes after the break and then again eight minutes later as City eased to victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Stephen Ireland had fired the visitors ahead in first-half injury-time against a disappointing Sunderland side.
City made light of their midweek UEFA Cup exertions in Denmark to run out comfortable winners, 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 their home campaign with an unfortunate 1-0 defeat by Liverpool, but they bounced back in style with victory over Tottenham Hotspur, and with Anton Ferdinand becoming the club's ninth summer signing this week, hopes were high for a first home win of the campaign.
Concern surrounded the lack of genuine chances Sunderland created, and the way they allowed Michael Johnson to unlock their defence to fashion a stoppage-time goal for Ireland.
Sunderland had the better of the opening exchanges with Grant Leadbitter twice going close. He had been preferred in central midfield to captain Dean Whitehead, who did not even make the bench.
CLAMLY SLOTTED
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.
But City had gradually found their match and Vincent Kompany had seen a well-struck shot blocked by Andy Reid.
They took the lead when Danny Collins could only stab Johnson's cross into the path of Ireland, who calmly slotted past Craig Gordon.
City were 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.
They could have extended their 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.
THREE STRIKER
With 50 minutes gone, Johnson picked out Jo on the left edge of the penalty area, and when he drilled the ball across goal, Wright-Phillips made the most of some poor marking to sidefoot the ball into the empty net.
Sunderland's efforts to get themselves back into the match were laboured, and they were rendered fruitless with 58 minutes gone when Wright-Phillips ran on to Michael Ball's pass over the top and flicked a shot past the advancing Gordon.
Keane's response was to send on three strikers - David Healy, Anthony Stokes and Daryl Murphy - for Cisse, Diouf and Leadbitter, but the cause looked a forlorn one.
Hart was a virtual spectator as his defenders managed to mop up what little the Black Cats threw at them with ease as time ran down.
Indeed, City might have increased their lead with 12 minutes remaining when Vedran Corluka squared for Ireland, but he lifted his shot high over the bar.
Wright-Phillips was warmly applauded as he left the pitch to be replaced by Elano five minutes from time as City manager Mark Hughes started to celebrate a comprehensive victory over former Manchester United team-mate Keane.
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