Manchester City's sublime start to the season continued on Monday night with Carlos Tevez doing the damage against former club West Ham United.
City's fifth win out of their opening six matches 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 second best for much of the match, 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.
Petrov remains a big danger and a worthwhile asset and was afforded his first start when Stephen Ireland was ruled out through illness.
soon celebrating
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.
Attack after attack washed over West Ham, 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.
thunderous effort
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 £17m summer move from Blackburn Rovers recovering from knee surgery.
The Paraguayan even had a chance to score as he clipped a shot wide at the near post after more good work from Petrov as it ended 3-1.
