However, it could have been all so different after Shaun Wright-Phillips electrified the City of Manchester Stadium and almost electrocuted Fulham with a devastating first-half performance in this season's opener.
England's lack of pace on the flanks during Euro 2004 was blatantly obvious and the 22-year-old right winger fits the bill to perfection.
In the opening 45 minutes, he was practically unstoppable and, although he faded a little after the break England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson in almost certain to select him for next week's friendly international against Ukraine.
As for City, it was the same old story, they had Fulham on their knees in the first period and for spells in the second, but failed to ram their advantage home and ultimately paid the price with two dropped points.
Yet, they allowed the Londoners back into the game with a soft equaliser and Fulham could easily have snatched all three points near the end.
City's goal in the 28th minute coming courtesy of a magical Robbie Fowler shot.
Full-back Danny Mills, a close season signing from Leeds United, produced a long throw into the Fulham box from the right.
The outstanding Antoine Sibierski forced his way between two Fulham defenders at the near post to head the ball on and Fowler made a goal out of nothing, when he hooked his right-foot shot over his shoulder and into the far corner of the net from 12 yards on the left side of the box.
It was just reward for a dynamic City opening.
In the second minute, Wright-Phillips had picked the ball up on the corner of his own penalty area and raced past Sylvain Legwinski and Collins John down the right before he was tackled by Moritz Volz on the edge of the Fulham box.
That move set the tone for City's first-half domination.
Nicolas Anelka twice saw efforts fly across goal and, in the 15th minute, the excellent Claudio Reyna teed up Wright-Phillips for a blistering 20-yard volley which fizzed inches over the bar.
City continued to plough forward after their goal. In the 32nd minute Mills released Anelka down the right, the Frenchmen knocked the ball back to Wright-Phillips on the edge of the Fulham box, whose shot was only parried by goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar.
Sniffing a second goal, Fowler went in for the loose ball, but a desperate clearance by Zat Knight saved the day for the visitors.
But, as City fans know from bitter experience one goal and the Lions share of the game is seldom enough.
Fulham levelled the scores 11 minutes after the break when new £2.5million signing from Charlton Claus Jensen curled the ball in from the right.
Mills held back on the right side of the box allowing new Dutch international cal-up John to control the ball and score with a low right-foot shot 12 yards out.
As the goal jolted City back to life, Anelka's 64th minute corner fell for Reyna 20 yards out and his ferocious shot was superbly tipped behind by Van Der Sar.
From the resulting corner, the giant Dutchman was forced to take compatriot Paul Bosvelt's deep header right on his own goal line.
Van Der Sar produced another a breathtaking save soon after when he tipped behind Sibierski's point-blank header at the near post, after the Frenchman had ghosted in unnoticed to meet a Reyna free-kick.
Legwinski almost put through his own net when he tried to clear Sibierski's mishit shot, but Fulham could have easily netted all three points nine minutes from time.
Andy Cole, having a horrendous debut following his move from Blackburn Rovers, produced a neat lay-off to send Jensen clear, but David James kept out the Dane's close-range shot with a superb one-handed save.
That save from England's first-choice keeper ensured that at least City earned a point, which could so easily have been either three or none at all.