Craig Bellamy stepped forward from a cast of potential protagonists to hog the limelight last night, Manchester City’s new £14million striker scoring on his debut to enable Mark Hughes’s team to plant a flag in the top half of the Barclays Premier League.

After Robinho had helped to set up Shaun Wright-Phillips to break the deadlock, Bellamy struck the decisive goal 13 minutes from time to soothe his manager’s brow. With ten points from the past 12 and Shay Given, the Ireland goalkeeper, on the verge of completing his transfer from last night’s opponents, City are looking across at clear blue waters compared with Newcastle United.

Joe Kinnear reported that Michael Owen has cracked an ankle bone in his left foot and Joey Barton has fractured a metatarsal in his right, meaning that the key players will be sidelined for a minimum of six and ten weeks respectively.

“That’s the way it’s been going, week in, week out,” the Newcastle manager said. “It’s one injury after another. Goodness knows what team I’m going to put out next week and that’s probably our most important game of the season.” There will be more than local pride at stake when Sunderland visit St James’ Park on Sunday because Newcastle, whose chairman, Mike Ashley, attended his first game since August last night, are two points above the relegation zone and three points behind their neighbours after a run of two wins in 12 league games.

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Hughes was delighted with the contribution of Bellamy. “He was always willing and determined and once he beds in and the other players understand what he’s about and what pace he has, he’ll get put in all the more,” he said. “I was pleased with the interplay between him and Robi.”

Hughes was rewarded for his decision to field Robinho despite the Brazil star, fined about £320,000 for absconding from the club’s trip to Tenerife last week, being bailed by police yesterday for alleged sexual assault. “I spoke to Robi \ morning,” he said. “He was very focused, preparing for the match as normal. I had no qualms about putting him in because his mentality was right. It was a very intelligent ball for the first goal. Overall his contribution was good.”

The Brazilian had already curled one free kick delicately over the crossbar when he received Wayne Bridge’s cross from the left with his back to goal. His first touch was nonchalant, even slightly loose, but this allowed him to espy Wright-Phillips running off the back of José Enrique. Robinho played the pass in behind the left back and the England winger duly tucked his shot through the legs of Steve Harper for his sixth goal of the season.

The Newcastle supporters, who had wistfully sung Given’s name, merely groaned when Owen limped off in the nineteenth minute, having damaged his left ankle after landing awkwardly in the wake of an innocuous aerial challenge. Nigel de Jong, meanwhile, City’s other debutant after his £17 million move from Hamburg, must have wondered how easy life could be in the Premier League.

Steven Taylor, cautioned earlier for rugby-tackling Bellamy’s ankles as the defender lost his footing, looked certain to equalise after half-time, but he appeared to be grappled to the ground by Micah Richards as he was on the point of heading in Damien Duff’s cross from point-blank range. Newcastle’s night deteriorated further when Barton went down injured, again without any apparent interference from an opponent. The former City firebrand hobbled down the tunnel and, in his frustration, hurled a boot at a wall.

City scored a fine second goal when Pablo Zabaleta collected the ball after it was chested down by Wright-Phillips and burst down the right to cross low for Bellamy, who took a touch to control, then swivelled to shoot, left-footed, into the bottom corner of the net. Andy Carroll was on hand to turn in David Edgar’s driven centre for Newcastle, but this was Bellamy’s night. “There are not many players like Craig on the open market,” Hughes said. “We’ve got a great deal.”

To City, £14 million represents a steal.

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): J Hart — M Richards, V Kompany, N Onuoha, W Bridge — N de Jong (sub: Elano, 78min), P Zabaleta (sub: G Fernandes, 82) — S Wright-Phillips (sub: F Caicedo, 90), S Ireland, Robinho — C Bellamy. Substitutes not used: K Schmeichel, D Vassell, Jô, J Garrido. Booked: Wright-Phillips.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): S Harper — D Edgar, S Bassong, S Taylor, J Enrique — Gérémi (sub: K Lualua, 90), F Coloccini, J Barton (sub: P Lovenkrands, 64), D Duff — A Carroll, M Owen (sub: J Gutiérrez, 19). Substitutes not used: F Forster, Xisco, R Donaldson, B Inman. Booked: Taylor, Gutiérrez.

Referee: M Jones.