When the Abu Dubai United Group decided to pump millions of pounds into Manchester City last year it embarked on a long-term project to turn the club into a European superpower. Mark Hughes was not expected to perform miracles overnight and the Manchester City manager was given assurances that he would be given time and money to transform the club’s fortunes.

Exactly six months after the £200 million takeover was completed, Hughes and his players arrived at Upton Park yesterday hoping to end a run of 11 away Barclays Premier League matches without a win. If Robinho played as well away from home as he does at the City of Manchester Stadium, City would probably be challenging for one of the Champions League places, but it was the same old story as far as the Brazil forward was concerned yesterday.

He wasted two glorious chances, blazed over a couple of free kicks and looked nothing like the player who terrorised Copenhagen at home in the Uefa Cup on Thursday. According to the transfer rumour mill, Robinho will be wearing a Chelsea shirt next season and it remains to be seen whether City’s billionaire owners are prepared to persevere with Hughes.

City have won only once away in the league this season — in August against Sunderland. “It was a decent enough performance, but our away form is a concern,” Hughes said. “We played too much like the home team and got caught on the break again.”

The pre-match build-up was all about Craig Bellamy, who was returning to Upton Park for the first time since his departure in January. The Wales forward had a quiet afternoon and seemed to be untroubled by the jeers and chants that echoed around the stadium every time he touched the ball. “You’re just a short, greedy bastard,” was one of the few insults directed at him that can be printed in a family newspaper.

Bellamy, who was playing with a knee injury, had been replaced by Elano when City fell behind 19 minutes before time. Jack Collison, 20, scooped the ball into the net for his third goal of the season after Shay Given could only parry a strike by Savio into his path. Bellamy will see a specialist in London today and Robinho (ankle), Micah Richards (hamstring) and Vincent Kompany (toe) are struggling to be fit to face Aston Villa on Wednesday.

West Ham United are also counting the cost of the victory, with Valon Behrami leaving the pitch on a stretcher and with an oxygen mask after he suffered suspected knee ligament damage when he tried to tackle Wayne Bridge on the stroke of half-time. “His studs got stuck in the ground,” Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, said.

West Ham’s financial problems forced them to sell Bellamy to City for £14 million, but Collison, another Welshman, but one who cost nothing, made the difference yesterday. “That is the beauty of football,” Zola said. “Collison is getting better and better. Sometimes if you work hard and show passion and belief you can be successful. I wouldn’t mind having Robinho in my team, though.”

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green 7 - L Neill 7, J Tomkins 6, M Upson 6, H Ilunga 6 - V Behrami 6, R Kovac 7, S Parker 7, J Collison 7 - D Di Michele 6, C Cole 7. Substitutes: Savio 7 (for Behrami, 42min), J Spector (for Kovac, 83), W López (for Di Michele, 86). Not used: J Lastuvka, F Sears, J Payne, J Stanislas. Next: Wigan Athletic (a).

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): S Given 5 - M Richards —, R Dunne 6, N Onuoha 6, W Bridge 6 - N de Jong 7, P Zabaleta 6, S Ireland 6, V Kompany 7 - Robinho 5, C Bellamy 5. Substitutes: F Caicedo 6 (for Richards, 14min), Elano 6 (for Bellamy, 65), V Bojinov (for De Jong, 88). Not used: J Hart, D Vassell, J Garrido, G Berti. Next: Aston Villa (h).

Referee: M Dean Attendance: 34,562.