Balotelli 20, 26

Two goals and a silly sending-off marked/marred young Italian striker Mario Balotelli’s first EPL start of the season.

But the goals were enough to put Manchester City back among the top four, ending a run of three straight defeats.

And the sending-off didn’t impact on a match City largely dominated with both eleven and ten men.

City dominated the early stages, as they had in their last two defeats.

On 20 minutes, David Silva’s neat reverse pass found Carlos Tevez down the right and his low cross was turned in left-footed at the far post from close range by Balotelli.

Balotelli grabbed his second when he outmuscled and turned his marker Gabriel Tamas before firing a low right-foot shot past West Brom keeper Scott Carson’s right hand.

Tevez and Jerome Boateng both came close to a third as City continued to have the better of things, but Simon Cox hammered a 20-yard warning shot against the post on 54 minutes.

Nine minutes later, Balotelli received a straight red card after tangling with Youssouf Mulumbu, who was booked for his part in the incident and was himself sent-off after receiving a second caution for a nasty tackle on Tevez on 81 minutes.