Toure double inspires dominant Man City victory over Baggies

Toure soon pounced again, bursting to the edge of the Baggies box and clinically dispatching a curling effort into the top right corner, after an intricate combination with Bony on 23 minutes.

West Brom never looked like troubling Joe Hart in the City goal in the first period, with Lambert’s long-range free-kick their closest effort, though the former Anfield striker’s effort was more in hope than expectation.

Myhill was finally able to thwart an attack after the half hour mark, getting down rapidly to stop Bony’s goal-bound effort from making it 3-0, after Aleksandar Kolarov had made a well-timed run down the left flank before delivering.

Baggies skipper Darren Fletcher summed up his side’s first-half performance with a rash challenge on an advancing Silva, with the Scot being booked for the tackle which was made out of pure frustration.

Although, after a few words from a visibly angered Pulis during the break, West Brom began the second period strongly, with Republic of Ireland winger James McClean’s defiant run forward resulting in a close chance for Saido Berahino.

Lambert became somewhat of a set-piece specialist during his time with Southampton, and the Baggies targetman came close to salvaging a goal back for his new club, as a whipped free-kick narrowly sailed over the crossbar.

James Morrison then gifted Berahino with a glorious opportunity after 50 minutes, with the England Under-21 striker unable to covert from a chipped through ball into the six-year box.

After a freeflowing start from City, and a mini resurgence from Pulis’ men, proceedings became scrappy towards the hour mark, with the home side seeing several cautions, including that of Craig Gardner and new signing James Chester.

Leading by example, City skipper Vincent Kompany climbed higher than Joleon Lescott to furiously head home his side’s third from a corner, inflicting an uphill task for the Baggies to climb.

To increase West Brom’s defensive misery, Pellegrini introduced star man Aguero, though the returning Argentine attacker was unable to add to City’s treble of strikes, despite appearing threatening, as they kicked-off their Premier League campaign with a comfortable 3-0 away triumph.