For most of this afternoon’s encounter with newly-promoted Portsmouth they were distinctly second best, unable to cope with the power and pace of Ayegbeni Yakubu, who gave the visitors a deserved lead midway through the opening period.

Even the introductions of Paulo Wanchope and Eyal Berkovic failed to bring them to life until they staggered into injury-time, when like a drunk getting a second wind, City suddenly revived.

Amid a frenzied spell of attacking, David Sommeil, whose mistake had gifted Yakubu his goal, rose in a packed penalty area to nod home a Joey Barton free-kick to salvage a precious point for Kevin Keegan’s men, who had been bidding to top the table for the first time in 13 years.

With wins over Barcelona, Total Network Solutions and, most importantly of all, Charlton behind them already this month, City were justified in approaching the dawn of a new blue era with confidence.

From chairman John Wardle down, the club appear to be on the brink of great things, maybe not quite to rival their near neighbours from Old Trafford, but certainly to make a concerted push for the top six.

However, until they stop shooting themselves in the foot, City will never realise their true potential.

After allowing Southampton to spoil their Maine Road farewell party last May, so they almost let another south coast club gatecrash their grand opening this afternoon.

It was not that Portsmouth were particularly brilliant, just that City were so abject, especially in the opening period.

Right from the first minutes, when Robbie Fowler and Shaun Wright-Phillips picked up knocks, they looked lacklustre.

With the exception of Barton, their midfield was non-existent and only Nicolas Anelka offered any threat to the Pompey defence.

Fowler’s half-time departure may have been injury enforced but time must be running out for the under-performing former Liverpool hit-man, who has scored just twice since arriving from Leeds in January.

Harry Redknapp’s men might have been in front before Yakubu struck had Steve Stone’s first touch not let him down when Nigel Quashie picked him out with a lofted pass over the City defence.

The visitors would certainly have doubled their advantage but for Teddy Sheringham’s glaring lack of pace, which cost him his chance of reaching Dejan Stefanovic’s firm header from the halfway line which inexplicably split the City defence apart.

It had been the same for Portsmouth’s goal, when somehow a routine Boris Zivkovic header from David Seaman’s clearance was allowed to bounce beyond the City defence by Sommeil, allowing Yakubu to shrug off Sylvain Distin’s challenge, then round Seaman to tap into an empty net.

Yakubu looked a threat every time he took possession, which could not be said of Wanchope, but at least his presence galvanised City into action, particularly Wright-Phillips, who had been way below par in the opening period.

The England Under-21 international weaved his way into the Pompey penalty area on one occasion and fizzed a shot narrowly wide, then did it again midway through the half, producing a back heel which would have set up Jihai Sun had the full-back not slipped as he entered the area.

Michael Tarnat was also heavily involved in the action, firing a long range free-kick narrowly wide, before finding himself cautioned for a tackle on Teddy Sheringham, whose reaction the German felt contributed greatly to his yellow card.

Barton had been booked as well by this stage, just ahead of the arrival of Berkovic as his new midfield partner.

Berkovic had been coveted by Pompey at one stage during the summer but despite still being on the transfer list, now seems set to stay with the Blues.

Like most of his team-mates though, the diminutive Israeli had little impact until the last few minutes when City laid siege to the Pompey goal.

Their efforts brought them an equaliser from Sommeil and Wanchope was inches away from flicking home a winner with virtually the last kick.

But that would have been harsh on Portsmouth, who look set to defy pre-season predictions of an early return to the Nationwide League.