Viktoria Plzen 0-3 Manchester City

Yaya Toure: Sublime curling shot. Picture: Reuters

Scorers: Manchester City - Dzeko (48), Toure (53), Aguero (58)

Referee: P Tagliavento (Ita)

Attendance: 11,000

City were frustrated by the Czech champions in the first half but burst into life after the break with goals by Edin Dzeko, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero.

The result was the perfect start in Group D for City’s new manager Manuel Pellegrini and lifted spirits ahead of Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.

Pellegrini’s previous record in the Champions League, having taken Villarreal to the semi-finals and Malaga to the last eight, was one of City’s prime reasons for appointing him in the summer.

Reigning champions Bayern Munich will doubtless provide a sterner test in their next fixture but City’s challenge is already looking better than last season’s, when they failed to win a match.

City also looked stronger for the return of captain Vincent Kompany, who had missed the previous three games with a groin injury.

It took City time to make their mark against a Plzen side unbeaten in 14 games this season but once the deadlock was broken the result was never in doubt. City were far from convincing in the first half but created opportunities with Aguero hitting the post twice.

The Argentine set up City’s opener three minutes into the second half, muscling his way past Lukas Hejda and racing clear to square for Dzeko, who made no mistake with a firm low finish from the edge of the penalty box.

Toure doubled the advantage with a sublime effort in the 53rd minute, taking a touch outside the area and then curling a shot into the top corner.

It was his third great finish from distance this season after free kicks against Newcastle and Hull.

Plzen’s resolve was broken and they conceded again from long range as Aguero took a pass from Navas and turned just inside the area to drive into the bottom corner.

City were then content to play out the rest of the game but Aguero might have had a second when he broke through after 86 minutes but Kozacik saved.

Negredo came off the bench to create another chance for Aguero in the last minute but he shot over.

Plzen: Kozacik, Rajtoral, Hejda (Hubnik 66), Prochazka, Limbersky, Horava, Horvath, Petrzela, Kolar (Duris 61), Kovarik, Bakos (Tecl 84). Subs not used: Bolek, Wagner, Pospisil, Koukal.

Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Kolarov, Toure (Javi Garcia 80), Fernandinho, Jesus Navas (Milner 67), Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko (Negredo 83). Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Rodwell, Jovetic.