OWEN HARGREAVES enjoyed a sensational Manchester City debut as he opened the scoring in his side’s League Cup triumph over Birmingham at the Etihad Stadium last night. Released by Manchester United in the summer after three injury-ravaged seasons, the midfielder drove home a superb 25-yard shot after 18 minutes and was deservedly named man of the match.

Mario Balotelli added a second before the break to secure City’s passage into the last 16 and end the holders’ interest in a much-derided competition that will never be dismissed by Hargreaves. It was some goal too, seizing on a loose ball as Carlos Tevez and Balotelli had their route into the penalty area blocked and letting fly. The shot went like an arrow past Birmingham goalkeeper Colin Doyle and into the top corner.

City’s fans erupted, bellowing “Fergie, sign him up”, just as they did when Tevez crossed the great divide two years ago. The goal was his first since April 2008, one of only two Hargreaves scored in 39 appearances for the Red Devils.

Balotelli has tended to be overlooked as Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero went on their early-season scoring blitz.

With Tevez dropping deep, Balotelli was the focal point of City’s attack and when Aleksandar Kolarov crossed from the left seven minutes before the interval, the former Inter man neatly swept home his first of the season. It was a good night all round for City as Kolo Toure also made his comeback after serving a six-month ban for a failed drugs test.

Captain Phil Neville was Everton’s match-winner on his return to the starting line-up as his extra-time goal secured a 2-1 win over West Brom. Neville, recalled after two matches as an unused substitute, curled home a left-footed shot from outside the area in the 103rd minute.

That Everton had got that far was down to Marouane Fellaini’s volley a minute from the end of normal time to equalise Chris Brunt’s second-half penalty.

Chelsea’s penalty shoot-out curse ended in the most dramatic fashion as they beat Fulham after a 0-0 stalemate. Pajtim Kasami hit the crossbar with a second-half spot-kick and Bryan Ruiz did the same in the subsequent shoot-out, with replays inconclusive as to whether the ball crossed the line after rebounding down.

Chelsea’s win improved their miserable record of seven penalty shoot-out defeats from their previous eight and gave manager Andre Villas-Boas another chance to blood his youngsters in the next round.