Carlos Tevez scored in his fourth straight game as defending champion Manchester City beat Queens Park Rangers 3-1 on Saturday in the Premier League.
On strike for most of last season, the Argentina international played a role in all three of his team's goals at the Etihad Stadium as City moved fourth, two points behind league leaders Chelsea.
Yaya Toure opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a strong left-foot strike after Tevez' angled shot was blocked following a corner.
QPR equalized in the 59th against the run of play after City goalkeeper Joe Hart saved a powerful drive from Andy Johnson but Bobby Zamora reacted far quicker than the City defense to head in the ball from close range.
Tevez helped put City ahead again just two minutes later, with Edin Dzeko heading in his pinpoint cross.
Dzeko returned the favor in stoppage time when the Bosnian striker's shot, which was going wide, was deflected in by Tevez for his 50th league goal for City.
City, which beat QPR at the same ground to clinch the league title last season, dominated while occasionally looking vulnerable against the side managed by their former manager, Mark Hughes.
Watched by Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho ahead of their Champions League meeting on Sept. 18, City quickly established control with Toure dominating the midfield.
QPR survived a scare in the first minute when Dzeko, starting for the first time this season, glanced a header wide from a corner.
Dzeko went even closer when he was first to meet another corner but this time Fabio da Silva, on loan from Manchester United, did well to hack off the line.
Toure powered in on the rebound but former City playmaker Shaun Wright-Phillips blocked.
QPR's first opportunity came from a City mistake as Jack Rodwell overhit a backpass and the ball dropped over his own bar for a corner. The visitors were unable to capitalize.
It seemed inevitable City would take the lead and their opener came as Tevez saw an effort blocked from yet another corner but Toure followed up to thump home.
City returned for the second half with much the same approach as the first and almost scored when Pablo Zabaleta took a fine pass from David Silva and curled an effort onto the bar.
Recent history threatened to repeat itself as QPR leveled just before the hour.
Johnson stole possession outside the area and forced a good save from Hart with a deflected shot. Hart could not recover his footing quickly enough to regather and Zamora stole in to head home.
Yet in contrast to last May, City began their reply earlier and without falling behind.
They swiftly moved back up the field and Tevez did well to keep the ball in play and cross for Dzeko to head home from close range.
City wrapped up the job in stoppage time as Tevez, moving back into an onside position, diverted the ball home from Dzeko's shot.
Scott Sinclair was the only one of City's five deadline-day signings to make the squad but did not get off the bench.
