Wright-Phillips inspires City win

Shaun Wright-Phillips scored twice to launch his second spell as a Manchester City player in spectacular fashion and help seal a 3-0 win over Sunderland.

The England international struck five minutes after the break and then again with 58 minutes gone to kill off the woeful Black Cats.

Stephen Ireland had opened the scoring in first-half injury time and the home side never looked like dragging themselves back into the game.

Sunderland bossed the opening exchanges with Grant Leadbitter twice going close.

Leadbitter fired just wide after seven minutes and then sent a dipping free-kick inches over Joe Hart's crossbar.

Djibril Cisse, on his home debut, was a peripheral figure for much of the half but glanced a header straight at Hart eight minutes before the break.

But City gradually found their game and took the lead when Danny Collins could only stab Michael Johnson's cross into the path of Ireland, who calmly slotted past Craig Gordon.

Jo was only inches away from meeting Wright-Phillips' driven cross ahead of Gordon after the break as the visitors made a real push, but the reprieve was only temporary.

With 50 minutes gone, Johnson picked out Jo on the left edge of the penalty area, and when he drilled the ball across goal, Wright-Phillips made the most of some poor marking to sidefoot the ball into the empty net.

Sunderland's efforts to get themselves back into the game were laboured, and they were rendered fruitless with 58 minutes gone when Wright-Phillips ran on to Michael Ball's pass over the top and flicked a shot past the advancing Gordon.