Charlton 0 Manchester City 3
Out-of-favour France striker Nicolas Anelka showed his country's selectors exactly what they are missing with a scintillating display in Manchester City's 3-0 Barclaycard Premiership demolition of Charlton at The Valley this afternoon.
Anelka was the inspiration behind the visitors' first Premiership victory over the Addicks, blasting home a penalty after 12 minutes, setting up debutant Antoine Sibierski for the second and having a hand in Sun Jihai's third.
Sibierski - another of City's French recruits following his switch from Lens - was making his competitive debut for his new employers and he also impressed with some slick distribution from midfield.
In contrast, Robbie Fowler was anonymous as an attacking force as he struggled to match the brilliance shown by his strike partner Anelka, although his 69th-minute dash into the penalty area resulted in the dismissal of Mark Fish, who pulled back the former Liverpool forward when he was clean through.
Charlton were somewhat unlucky to trail by two goals after only 22 minutes after starting brightly, shoving the visitors onto the back foot with Jason Euell probing expertly at City's defence from midfield.
But they were caught on the counter for both goals as their rearguard struggled to realign in the face of the pace shown by Anelka and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who enjoyed an industrious afternoon.
Charlton boss Alan Curbishley left new signing Paolo di Canio out of his squad but Matt Holland, a stg750,000 capture from Ipswich, was handed his Addicks competitive debut and the captain's armband.
With first-choice goalkeeper Dean Kiely suspended and Paul Rachubka suffering from glandular fever, Simon Royce - a summer signing from Leicester - was given his first start.
Joey Barton filled the vacant slot in City's midfield following Paul Bosvelt's suspension by the Dutch Football Association, while Sibierski was given a start with Eyal Berkovic confined to a substitute's role.
Sibierski was in the thick of the action almost immediately when his pass to Wright-Phillips saw City threaten but the midfielder's cut-back flashed harmlessly across the penalty area and Charlton were able to clear the danger.
A knock to Hermann Hreidarsson halted proceedings temporarily before the Addicks pushed upfield, winning a free-kick which Holland curled to the far post where Bartlett was inches short of connecting.
Euell fed Kevin Lisbie in the sixth minute but there was too much weight on the pass which slipped out of harm's way, although a subsequent foul on Euell gave the Addicks another fine attacking opportunity which Scott Parker used to test the keeper.
Charlton continued to dominate with Euell continuing to cause problems on the edge of City's penalty area but in the 12th minute the visitors took the lead against the run of play.
A rare attack from Kevin Keegan's men saw Wright-Phillips brought down in the area by Fish and Anelka made no mistake with the spot-kick, coolly slotting it into the left corner.
Sibierski's late challenge on Euell earnt the midfielder a yellow card and Charlton pushed forward from the resulting free-kick, prompting City keeper David Seaman to move off his line and bundle the ball away as several Addicks teed-up a shot at goal.
A long ball from Hreidarsson just bounced out of Bartlett's reach as the home side continued to press, but in the 22nd minute Curbishley's men were caught on the break once again by a quickfire City attack.
This time it was Anelka who did the damage, dashing down the right flank deep into Charlton's area before pulling the ball back to Sibierski whose 10-yard shot thundered into the back of the net.
Anelka was enjoying a magnificent afternoon, setting up a gilt-edged chance with a cheeky backheel to Wright-Phillips but the midfielder pulled his shot wide of the right post and the opportunity was gone.
Euell was clean through on goal in the 49th minute but he blasted his shot straight at the onrushing Seaman and should have done much better with the chance, while Royce was forced to save Wright-Phillips' curling effort moments later.
City's two French stars then combined as Sibierski fed Anelka from out wide on the right but despite his pace he lunged inches short of the ball, while at the other end a harmless Paul Konchesky free-kick comfortably found the arms of Seaman.
Charlton were then hit by the dismissal of Fish who, as the last line of defence, pulled back Fowler just outside the area when the he was clean through on goal.
Typically Anelka had a hand in the third, forcing Royce to palm away a powerful shot which rolled to Jihai and the Chinese midfielder netted from an acute angle, concluding a fine victory for City.