This was supposed to be such an authentic mismatch that Martin Jol saw fit in his progamme notes to remind everyone: "We are not playing a team of reputations, we are playing 11 v 11."

The Manchester City circus act in town against the Premier League's bottom-placed team at the start of play? What could possibly go right?

That sentiment seemed even more pertinent as Fulham found themselves trailing by two goals, and clearly inhibited, with a little over half an hour left of the match. But such is the magic dust that sometimes flutters down over a football stadium. In the 74th minute, a swing of Danny Murphy's boot sent this story on its barely credible course, via a ricochet off Vincent Kompany, towards an equaliser that inspired a cheeky "Poznan" celebration in the Hammersmith End. Fulham had not enjoyed an uplifting start to the campaign, but with that strike, and that moment, and all that a comeback against illustrious opposition can do to a team, the season takes on a rosier hue.

It was a fightback that was hardly anticipated as City eased to a routine lead, with Sergio Agüero extending his extraordinary start to life in English football with both his team's strikes. It takes his tally to eight from his first five Premier League games, a feat not repeated since the rotund Mick Quinn rampaged through the division in the colours of Coventry City in the 1992-93 season.

The opener arrived in the 18th minute, when Gareth Barry nudged the ball to David Silva, and in the blink of an eye the cunning and speed of City's front line outfoxed Fulham. There were arms raised for offside in the white back four, and the wafer-thin decision was not an enviable one for the officials, but Agüero latched on to Silva's reverse pass to finish with customary smartness. So far, so comfortable.

City were controlling, without being scintillating. Roberto Mancini was irritated that, for the second weekend in succession, his team had been dominant in possession without turning it into a forceful scoreline by half‑time. "It could be a lesson for us. In the first half we had 75% possession and many chances to score," he said. If they were given a talking to about their casualness at half-time, Mancini's team duly clobbered Fulham with a goal 11 seconds after the restart. From the kick-off, Gaël Clichy pumped a pass up to Edin Dzeko, whose nod down invited Agüero to do what he does best.

After such a blow, the way Fulham roused themselves was as impressive as it was unexpected. They reduced the deficit and raised the spirits in the 56th minute when the productive Moussa Dembélé and the determined Clint Dempsey combined to release Bobby Zamora, who swivelled to direct a blurring drive past Joe Hart.

In a meek first half Fulham had looked afraid to go forward, as if they were constantly unnerved about what might happen behind them. Desire and furious energy suddenly coursed through Jol's team. A well-timed Micah Richards intervention in the penalty area stopped Dempsey from another sight of goal. The City keeper was suddenly feeling the heat and had to dive to his right to parry Dembélé's low shot on the turn. Then Fulham's persistence paid off when Murphy set the place on fire.

"It was awful being bottom," concluded Jol. "But to come back from the death, especially against a team like Manchester City, shows we had the belief and the mentality."

Not so City, who wilted under their first real pressure of the season. "I'm disappointed," rued Mancini, admitting that complacency might have been a factor. "It was difficult to see Fulham scoring two goals. But a football match is finished after 95 minutes. We conceded a few stupid goals."

The Italian summoned the chutzpah to curse the fact that his squad was lacking numbers. With a straight face. "I don't have players at this moment," he lamented. "I can only change the full-backs or the strikers."

With City having spent a shade over £300m on their squad in three years, the amount of people offering him sympathy may well add up to zero.