In-form Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko scored four goals as the Blues demolished Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Sergio Aguero added City's other goal, with Younis Kaboul heading in Spurs' consolation.

City new boy Samir Nasri set up three goals on his debut as the Blues firmly laid down their title credentials.

Verdict

What a difference a year makes.

At this time in 2011, City had nervously survived a mauling by Tottenham, the Champions League new boys and upwardly-mobile title hopefuls.

They had done so through Joe Hart’s magnificent goalkeeping display and defending which veered between dogged and desperate.

The gap between that Blues team, and this vintage, is immense.

Bolstered by the confidence of last season’s success, matured by a year together, fired by the goalpower of Dzeko and garnished by the genius of David Silva and now Nasri, this is a side to be reckoned with.

They simply blew away Spurs in a manner which suggests that even the best Europe has to offer might tremble in the face of such style and swagger.

Last year, Roberto Mancini could not have afforded the confidence to send such a bold attacking team out in this fixture.

The sight of David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri lining up behind the re-born Edin Dzeko was enough to have even the most cynical Blue drooling in anticipation.

Nasri has only trained with his new teammates for three days, but class fits with class in any circumstance, and so it was as he found instant soulmates in Gael Clichy, Silva and Aguero.

Unlucky

James Milner was unlucky to be left out after a fine display last week, but Mancini got it right.

Micah Richards, with a new four-year deal tucked under his arm, also paid the price for standing off Martin Petrov at the Reebok last week, something which led to Bolton’s first goal and turned a breeze of an afternoon into a difficult tussle.

With Gareth Bale’s pace to contend with on the Blues’ right flank, Mancini again showed great faith in Pablo Zabaleta’s consummate professionalism.

But the naming of the teams had a chatter of excitement around White Hart Lane, with Tottenham also naming an attacking line-up with a front six of Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar, Bale, Rafael van der Vaart and Peter Crouch.

The fascias on one stand at the Lane bear the slogans “The Game is About Glory” and “To Dare is To Do” – and both managers were going into the game with that very philosophy.

The result was  a pulsating, fascinating, breathless dream of a match, City backing their shot-hungry strikeforce to out-gun Harry Redknapp’s bold side.

Mancini got it spot on.

With Vincent Kompany and Co. in stubborn mood at the back, and Joe Hart ever alert, the Blues blanked Tottenham in a first half that was more end to end than a Wimbledon final.

And when it came down to it, City had too much class and clout up front for the Londoners.

Both teams were creating chances at will, but City generally carried the greater menace, and it was Brad Friedel who was forced to fingertip away Nasri’s clever shot through a defender’s legs for the first close thing.

But Hart loves afternoons like this – he carries fond memories of this fixture last season, when his brilliant display not only earned City an important point, it also cemented him as City and England number one for the rest of the season.

Silva was beginning to dance in and out of gaps at the other end, with Nasri and his old Arsenal pal Gael Clichy tearing gaping chunks out of the Tottenham right flank, and Aguero and Dzeko adding to the potent mix.

Silva flashed a shot inches wide after a flashing diagonal run , and then we were back down the other end, Hart superbly turning away Rafael van der Vaart’s free kick.

Dashing

Gareth Bale blazed over after another dashing Spurs offensive, but then City struck, on 34 minutes.

Nasri was instrumental. He and Clichy cleverly worked their way down the left, and then Aguero got involved, one-two’ing with the debutant, whose cross was perfectly measured for Dzeko’s near-post dash and finish.

Spurs were not daunted, but Kompany was racing through the gears like a racing car, and his block on a Bale shot was as artistic as any if the patterns being weaved at the other end.

When Crouch headed a great cross wide five minutes before half time, Spurs would soon regret it, especially as they forced a corner shortly afterwards – and City scored from it.

The Blues defended the flag kick well, and Yaya Toure carried the ball from defence.

He moved it quickly to Nasri. Marauding on halfway, and he swept forward to the left of the box as Tottenham scurried back.

Dzeko had been defending the corner but appeared in the box just as Nasri arrowed his cross to the far post.

It looked a wasted journey as the big man had to arch his back and crane his neck to get purchase on the ball, but he did that brilliantly and somehow guided his header into the far corner.

Dzeko has had his detractors, but that was a brilliant piece of finishing. And some great work by Nasri in the build-up.

After that superb first half, now came the test for City.

With that Community Shield turnaround against United fresh in their memories, the Blues now had to kill off the game, one way or the other.

Dzeko was the man to do it, turning the ball in from close range as the Blues ravaged the Spurs defence yet again. That made it a classic hat-trick by the born-again striker – right foot, header and left foot finishes.

Aguero then added a reminder that Dzeko is not the only striker at City with a fine clipped finish after muscling his way past Michael Dawson.

More goals were threatened, but it was Spurs who gave themselves a sniff of salvation when Younes Kaboul powered in a header from a corner with a quarter of the game still to go.

But City killed the game after that, another valuable lesson they have learned from last year.

And then Dzeko delivered a stunning coup de grace, winning the ball in midfield, playing a one-two with Barry and then curling a delicious left footer from 25 yards into the top corner.

It was a fitting finish. Any doubts that this team could go all the way this time were blown away in a gale of beautiful football.

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