Manchester City moved up to second in Champions League Group A with a commanding victory at Villarreal.

Yaya Toure put the Blues ahead after half an hour with a well-taken shot before Mario Balotelli won and then scored a penalty on the brink of half time.

Toure then showed great skill to score City's third after 71 minutes. Roberto Mancini's men were in control throughout and are now second in the group behind Bayern Munich, who beat Napoli 3-2.

Silva star

Although he wasn't on the scoresheet, David Silva staged a stylish Spanish homecoming party to put City back on the march in Europe.

The little wizard was simply unplayable as the Blues claimed their first Champions League away win, and their first win in Spain in a European competition.

Mancini sprang a couple of customary shocks in his team selection, not least chucking in Stefan Savic for his first Champions League game for the club.

The Montenegrin defender has four games in the competition to his name with Partizan Belgrade, but he stepped in alongside Vincent Kompany .

With Kompany suspended for Saturday’s trip to Queen’s Park Rangers, Mancini clearly felt this was a game in which he could give the 20-year-old defender valuable experience.

He had a point. Villarreal went into the game in disarray. Their key midfielder Bruno Soriano cried off on the morning of the game with a stomach bug, the EIGHTH first team player to be missing.

The difference in class and experience clearly showed in the first half as the Blues racked up two-thirds of possession, while the Spaniards simply sat deep and invited them to try to break them down.

In a way, it worked, as City only managed two shots on target – unfortunately for the home fans, they both hit the net!

Villarreal might have gone ahead themselves when Jonathan de Guzman’s ball over the top caught the centre backs napping and Joselu nipped in, only for his control to let him down as he raced clear.

But City soon began to exert their dominance, with Silva finding spaces that didn’t appear to exist in the massed ranks of the home defence, and his constant movement and probing also ripped openings for Yaya Toure.

The big Ivorian had wreaked havoc when he was shifted forward during the first match between these two at the Etihad Stadium a fortnight ago, and he began this one in an advanced position.

Dividends

Again Villarreal found him hard to deal with, and on the half-hour it paid dividends.

The Blues attack seemed to have broken down, but the quicksilver Silva nipped in to rob Hernan Perez and set off for goal.

With the defence in disarray, he slipped a pass to Yaya, and when the defenders obligingly parted to reveal a wide expanse of goal, he placed his shot wide of keeper Diego Lopez.

The result seemed to have an air of inevitability after that. Villarreal had to show more adventure, and that opened the game up more for the Blues.

They should have taken full advantage as the ebullient Silva made use of Yaya’s power and panache to hit the by-line.

With Balotelli ready to pounce on the six-yard line, for once Silva’s cool let him down. He pulled his cross behind the Italian and the chance had gone.

But a second goal was sure to come, and this time it was Balotelli who earned it, although Silva can again claim a big assist.

The magical little Canary Islander again had his dancing shoes on, around the right edge of the Villarreal box, before dinking a pass to Balotelli.

With typical cheek, the youngster nutmegged Jose Catala and in a race for the ball with Gonzalo Rodriguez and Mateo Musacchio, the latter could not resist a little shove in the back.

Balotelli claimed the spot kick, delayed for a moment as a fan tried to shine a laser pen in his eyes. He was unperturbed, side-footing the spot kick home with virtually the last kick of the half.

That was Super Mario’s sixth goal in his last seven appearances, as he closes the gap on top scorers Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko.

Silva appeared to pick up a knock to his back and was withdrawn after 65 minutes.

He received a rousing ovation from both sets of fans as he was replaced by Adam Johnson, and a little playful shove from de Guzman, no doubt happy to see him leave the fray.

It made little difference. In fact the Blues crafted their best goal in the 73rd minute. Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri linked up on the left, Balotelli drifted wide to open up the defence and then squared a pass to Yaya Toure.

He brilliantly side-stepped Catala and knocked the ball into the bottom corner.

That meant City had equalled their biggest ever away win in Europe, the 1969 Cup Winners’ Cup victory at Lierse - and that campaign ended with the Blues lifting the trophy.

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