Manchester City 5 Blackburn 0: The Beast tears into Rovers! Negredo double sparks free-scoring City and Aguero joins in the fun

To their ever expanding box of magic tricks, Manuel Pellegrini’s remarkable Manchester City team can now add another turn. They have mastered the art of not playing particularly well and still scoring five goals.

In a domestic season of surprises, intrigue and excitement, City are undoubtedly the star act. They may not win the Barclays Premier League but they remain the one team in the land capable of doing things others cannot.

Here at a sodden, half-empty Etihad Stadium, Pellegrini’s team stumbled blindly through the first half, not really creating a chance of note until Alvaro Negredo thundered in a header to reach 20 goals for the season in added time.

VIDEO: Manuel Pellegrini welcomes his striking options after Sergio Aguero's return

Deal breaker: Alvaro Negredo broke the deadlock just before the break to dampen Blackburn's spirits

Up and over: Negredo doubled his tally after the break, lobbing substitute keeper Simon Eastwood to score his 21st goal of the season

No mistake: Edin Dzeko coolly converted, lashing home Jesus Navas' cutback to make it 3-0 to the home side

Back int he swing: It took Sergio Aguero just 49 seconds to fire home City's fourth after his eagerly anticipated return from calf injury

Negredo scored again early in the  second period and that moment changed the script. By the 79th minute, Pellegrini’s team had five and were rampant. This is what City can do. This was an example of their remarkable power.

By the end of the night, City fell one short of a target that was on the lips of many supporters at kick-off, namely 100 goals for the season. 

In the final seconds, as James Milner’s free-kick whistled towards the corner, the century seemed set to come up in only the third week of January. 

As it was, Milner’s shot passed the wrong side of a post and one milestone will have to wait for another day. There are, though, other statistics of note to consider.

Sergio Aguero is no longer his club’s top scorer, despite striking with his first involvement after returning from injury as a late substitute last night. Negredo, that enormous, hulking Spaniard, now has 21 to his team-mate’s 20.   

City, meanwhile, have scored 45 times in 10 games since the start of November. That’s four-and-a-half goals per game and makes last night’s effort seem routine. Ridiculous but true. 

This was the 11th time this season Pellegrini’s team have scored four or more. That, therefore, makes it routine.

Slide away: Rovers keeper Paul Robinson looks relieved as Fernandinho narrowly misses out on a close-range effort

Clearing his lines: City keeper Costel Pantilimon manages to thrwart the attentions of a sliding DJ Campbell (right)

At the time, it seemed hard on Blackburn, who had contributed fully to the opening 45 minutes. Soon, though, things were to get worse, much worse.

Goalkeeper Paul Robinson was replaced by Simon Eastwood at half-time and within a couple of minutes the 24-year-old was beaten as captain Grant Hanley failed to cut out a cross from the left and Negredo poked the ball over him with a measure of calm.

This ended the contest. Blackburn  kept trying and briefly rallied as another substitute, forward Joshua King, wasted two chances just after the hour, heading one good opportunity over and driving another against Costel Pantilimon’s legs with his right foot from an angle.

Falling down: City's Fernandinho tangles with Lee Williamson to the despair of team-mate Tom Cairney

Watching brief: Manchester United coach Phil Neville was in the Etihad stands observing proceedings

A goal then may have woken the neutrals but as it was Dzeko finally found his range, moving on to a low cross from the impressive Jesus Navas to drill a first-time shot in off the bar with a devastating sweep of his right foot.

As somebody asked: Why does he only score the hard ones?

Aguero, of course, will take anything that comes his way and his return was only a couple of minutes old when Dzeko laid the ball into his path in the penalty area. The South American controlled the ball with his right foot before the second touch — with his left — drilled it wide of Eastwood. 

In essence, it looked like a training-ground goal but that’s part of Aguero’s majesty. He makes it all look so easy.

There was still time for one more, as Dzeko converted another Navas cross from six yards, even if the ton never arrived. Ninety-nine not out. It’s only January and City have a cricket score.