New City hierarchy revel in Eastlands display as Hughes' men pump Pompey

New owner Sheik Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has spoken to supporters for the first time and promised to mix home-grown players with expensive, established stars.

How fitting, then, that the benefits of such a policy, which he made known through a letter posted on an official website, were already on vivid display at the City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday.

The sheik’s new City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, looked on as City tore a wretched apart and registered their biggest win in the Barclays Premier League.

New Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak took in his first game as Mark Hughes destroyed Portsmouth 6-0

A look at the list of City’s scorers tells the story.

Jo, Richard Dunne,Robinho, Shaun Wright-Phillips,Ched Evans and Gelson Fernandes were the names on the scorers’ list and — as if to add further credence to the suggestion that success does not always come through heavy spending alone — the man of the match was young Irishman Stephen Ireland.

City manager Mark Hughes wason the verge of selling Ireland to Sunderland a month or so ago.

The22-year-old was just one of a number of players on view who had cause to ponder where their career paths could have taken them.

Dunne could have been on the end of this hiding if he had joined Portsmouth in the summer, as he almost did.

Portsmouth goalkeeper David James and defender Sylvain Distin, meanwhile, are former City players.

They both left the north-west at a time when they feared City were about to embark on one of those downturns of fortune for which the club have been known for so long.

One can only wonder if they feel they did the right thing now.

James had a nightmare.

He was at fault for at least three goals, including the first two that set the tone, and looked anything but an England goalkeeper.

Robinho made it two goals in two games since his move to Eastlands from Real Madrid

Distin was jeered by the homecrowd every time he touched the ball, which was not often as he and Sol Campbell put on a horror show.

So the latest City adventure begins — and this time it looks like being the real deal.

The new chairman, a Middle East businessman, spent Friday and Saturday at the club as the period of due diligence required ahead of a £200million takeover approached its conclusion.

By all accounts, first impressions have been favourable and this was perfect afternoon for him to see a match for the first time.

Beneath sunshine and blue skies, the home side sparkled from first moment to last.

They were helped by a poor Portsmouth side who look as though they may be in for a long season, but City were terrific at times.

Manchester City's Richard Dunne celebrates scoring his side's second of the afternoon

Ireland was superb, both in terms of the choice and execution of his passing.

Robinho was not far behind, finding the right mix of self expression and team play to endear him both to the supporters and a manager who will always value selflessness and the collective above anything else.

Hughes said: ‘That was by a country mile the best team performance I have ever presided over.

'It was the manner and style of the performance that impressed me so much.

'They are a young team and they will only get better.

‘They have set a standard that we have to aspire to.

'What I liked was the team ethic and the mixture of new players and ones who have been here for a while. You have to have that in every club.

‘I have met the new chairman and have been impressed. These people know how tobuild something and know that success does not come overnight.

Brazillian striker Jo celebrates City's opener as his side hit sorry Portsmouth for six

'They are realistic. They know it won’t be like this every day.’

Hughes, of course, has been in football long enough to know that a 6-0 win does not guarantee you anything beyond three points and an hour or two of contentment.

Nevertheless, this is one match DVD that he will keep.

Jo scored first in the 13thminute as Robinho played him in down the left and, helped James’ ill-timed dash from goal, he danced round the Portsmouth goalkeeper to finish with his left foot.

Seven minutes later, James spilled a low Elano corner and Dunne stretched to poke in the rebound.

City were in control but maybe would have been asked some questions had Peter Crouch not lashed one chance wide from a good position just before the break and Jermain Defoe not been similarly wasteful in the 46th minute.

But once Ireland and Jo combined to give Robinho his second City goal after 57 minutes, the contest was over.

Ireland delivered another sumptuous ball to give Wright-Phillips the chance to beat James at his near post, then Wright-Phillips’ clever back heel set substitute Evans up for the fifth.

Another substitute, Swiss midfielder Fernandes, finished the day off after James spilled a cross from Javier Garrido.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp said: ‘I didn’t see that coming after three good wins.

'Our defending was abysmal. I don’tknow what was wrong with them.’

MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-3-2): Hart 7; Zabaleta 7, Richards 7, Dunne 7, Garrido 7; Kompany 7; Wright-Phillips 8, Ireland 8 (Fernandes 76min), Elano 8; Robinho 8 (Sturridge 85), Jo 8 (Evans 71, 7).

PORTSMOUTH (3-5-2): James 4; Kaboul 5,Campbell 4, Distin 4; Johnson 5 (Pamarot 81), Davis 5 (Bouba Diop 42, 5), Diarra 5, Belhadj 5, Traore 5; Crouch 5,Defoe 5.

Booked: Diarra.

Man of the match: Stephen Ireland.

Referee: Alan Wiley.