The Robbie Fowler era started with a bang at Maine Road - and Manchester City's £6million striker wasn't even playing.

Fowler will leave the depths of Leeds' despair and sign on the dotted line for Kevin Keegan's rising stars in the morning with his first task simply to win a first-team place.

With Nicolas Anelka leading the charge, as he has most of the season, City overcame a dismal start and the loss of another early goal to record their biggest win of the season against a Fulham side who finished as badly beaten as the scoreline suggests.

Anelka slotted home his 11th of the season to level Steed Malbranque's early opener, then played a pivotal role after the interval as City swept to victory with second half goals from Ali Benarbia, Marc Vivien Foe and Shaun Wright Phillips.

While the debate over whether a new striker is really the priority Keegan has made it could be argued long and hard either way, there is no doubt Anelka has been a class apart at the head of City's forward line.

Shaun Goater and Darren Huckerby have both had a go at partnering the controversial French international at various stages of the season without too much success and on Wednesday it was the turn of Djamel Belmadi.

The Algerian, making his first start since signing on loan from Marseille until the end of the season, darted around and looked more of a threat than either of his predecessors - although it was the second half before he started to cause the Cottagers some damage.

Belmadi's initial contribution was to loft a volley high over the bar after Anelka's flicked header had bounced over Alain Goma's head.

That chance came at the end of a frenzied Fulham start, which raised all the old question marks about Keegan's tactical nous and defensive frailties.

With £3.5million newcomer David Sommeil given a berth in a three-man central defence, Richard Dunne was switched to right wing-back and endured a torrid start as Steve Marlet and Luis Boa Morte led him a merry dance.

After conceding inside 10 seconds on their last outing at Newcastle, City lasted a whole minute and a half longer this time round before Dunne deflected Steed Malbranque's attempted pass straight back into the Frenchman's path and then watched him despatch a 20-yard shot past Carlo Nash.

In contrast to the blunder which gifted the Magpies their opener at St James' Park, Nash was blameless on this occasion and wouldn't have been at fault either a few minutes later had Malbranque's next effort from a similar position found the bottom corner rather than the base of his left-hand post.

At that stage, Keegan must have been thanking his lucky stars Fowler had elected not to stay on and watch the game or a hasty change of heart might have been on the cards.

It took the straightforward build-up to Anelka's goal to spark City into life as Sommeil fed Benarbia who in turn gave the French striker a scoring pass and though the home defence still looked porous, Fulham couldn't muster the possession to take advantage.

Fowler has cited Keegan's impressive sales technique as one of the major factors behind his imminent move and the oracle worked its magic again at the interval as City opened the second half even more rapidly than Fulham had started the first.

It took them just 58 seconds to find the net, Belmadi breaking down the right and delivering the cross which fellow Algerian Benarbia mis-hit, but badly enough to totally deceive Maik Taylor, who was left flat-footed as it bounced over his shoulder.

Yet that effort was forced to concede second place in the 'fast' stakes, as Wright-Phillips found himself on the end of Dunne's flicked header and poked the ball past Taylor with his first touch of the game barely 30 seconds after his arrival as substitute.

The England under-21 international had replaced Benarbia, whose bravery had seen City extend their lead midway through the second-half, the City skipper diving amongst the Fulham feet to get his head onto Anelka's cross.

Taylor, again startled, could not cling on to the ball and Marc-Vivien Foe bundled the rebound home for his seventh goal of the campaign and leave Fowler in no doubt that life in Manchester promises far more than the sinking ship he leaves behind.

Postponements permitting, it was the last evening game ever to be played at the Blues' famous old home. If this is anything to go by, the City of Manchester Stadium will be the place to be next season.

Teams

Man City: Nash, Sommeil, Howey, Distin, Dunne, Benarbia (Wright-Phillips 70), Foe, Horlock, Jensen, Belmadi, Anelka (Goater 86).

Subs Not Used: Weaver, Jihai, Huckerby.

Booked: Foe, Sommeil, Jensen.

Goals: Anelka 21, Benarbia 47, Foe 61, Wright-Phillips 70.

Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Djetou, Goma, Brevett, Goldbaek, Davis, Legwinski, Malbranque, Marlet, Boa Morte.

Subs Not Used: Herrera, Melville, Inamoto, Sava, Harley.

Booked: Boa Morte.

Goals: Malbranque 2.

Att: 33,260

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).