Arsene Wenger and Arsenal made a happy return to Manchester three days after their 49-match unbeaten league run came to an end at Old Trafford.
Dutchman Robin Van Persie and substitute Daniel Karbassiyoon scored the Gunners goals which earned them a Carling Cup third round victory at Manchester City.
Van Persie, a summer signing from Feyenoord, struck his first goal for the club late on to break the deadlock in what had been a hugely disappointing match.
Karbassiyoon sealed victory in stoppage time with Arsenal second which was just as well as City pulled a goal back in the dying seconds from Robbie Fowler.
Wenger and Kevin Keegan clearly had an eye on the future judging by their team selections for the Cup clash.
Wenger, who has assembled the cream of Europe's talent, turned to his young Guns.
Keegan, meanwhile, handed debuts to teenagers Nedum Onuoha and Jonathan D'Laryea.
It took both until the 78th minute for the stalemate to be broken as the match appeared to be heading towards extra time as neither side had seriously threatened a goal.
Arsenal finally made the breakthrough following a delightful passing move which ended with Mathieu Flamini squaring the ball for Van Persie to find the net with a sweetly struck shot from 12 yards.
Arsenal's second in the first of three minutes of added time was also a delightfully constructed effort as Cesc Fabregas split open the City defence with a superb pass for Karbassiyoon to race through on goal and score with a shot high to the left of goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus.
City grabbed a goal when Fowler thundered home an unstoppable free-kick from the edge of the penalty area, but there was barely time to re-start the game as it proved too little too late.
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