Owen Hargreaves marked his return to competitive football with a debut goal for Manchester City in a 2-0 win over defending champion Birmingham in the League Cup on Wednesday.
The England midfielder, who struggled through three injury-plagued years before being released by City's neighbor Manchester United in the offseason, fired in City's opener from 25 meters (yards) in the third-round victory over the cup holders.
Hargreaves, who has had operations on both knees in recent years, managed to complete 57 minutes before being substituted. It was the Canadian-born player's longest appearance since completing United's match against Chelsea exactly three years ago.
On a night of comebacks, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard returned after six months out in a 2-1 victory over Brighton.
