MANCHESTER //Roberto Mancini unveiled Edin Dzeko, the club's £27million (Dh157.4m) signing last night, but in the end it was Carlos Tevez who earned most of the plaudits from his manager as Manchester City stormed to the top of the Premier League.
Mick McCarthy's Wolverhampton Wanderers could not have done much more in an outstanding opening half hour at Eastlands.
But their failure to build on their opener from Nenad Milijas left them vulnerable, and once Tevez had put City ahead with a superb effort just after the interval, Mancini's men always had their noses in front, even if a late Wolves rally made for a tense period of stoppage-time before City were able to claim a 4-3 win.
Had Aleksander Kolarov not blocked Matt Jarvis's goalbound effort, or had Wolves stayed in front until the break, they might well have completed an unlikely double over City.
As it was, Kolo Toure levelled just before half time, then Tevez skipped between defenders and cut inside Richard Stearman before calmly putting his side ahead.
Yaya Toure added another before Tevez joined Dimitar Berbatov, the Manchester United striker, at the top of the Premier League scoring charts with his 14th league goal of the season.
Still Wolves battled on. Kevin Doyle scored a penalty before Ronald Zubar added another to set up a tense finale.
In the end, though, it was City celebrating as Wolves slid back into the bottom three, while Mancini's men moved one point ahead of neighbours United - for 24 hours at least - having played three games more. United travel to Tottenham Hotspur today.
"I am very happy for Carlos. He played very well and the first goal he scored was fantastic," Mancini said. On Dzeko, he added: "It is his first game for 30 days and his first game for a new team ... He showed he is a good player."
The Serb also showed he was prepared to graft and act as support to Tevez, although - as Mancini acknowledged - there is still work to do.
"It is their first game together," Mancini said. "Dzeko needs three or four games to work with his teammates."
However, Mancini added: "Overall, we must improve. When you are 4-1 up after 75 minutes, you should control the game better, not think it is finished."
McCarthy was also full of admiration for Tevez. He said: "It was a brilliant goal. I know everyone wants me to criticise defenders.
"But he runs at you, he gets in the box, he has quick feet. At some stage you have to say it was a great goal. I thought we played really well. But we lost because they have that little Argentinian with great feet who has waltzed through our back four."
