ADEPAYFOR; PORTSMOUTH 0 MANCHESTER CITY 1 PREMIER LEAGUE FROM FRATTON PARK.

Byline: ALEX CROOK

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR continued his transformation from incredible sulk to City's Incredible Hulk as England's richest club put paupers Pompey in their place.

Mark Hughes spent more to bring Adebayor to Eastlands than penniless Pompey have invested in their entire squad.

After scoring for the third league game in a row to maintain City's 100 per cent start to the season, the man who some Arsenal fans would have driven to Manchester themselves to get rid of is looking a pounds 25million snip.

The old cliche - you get what you pay for - will never be better illustrated than by comparing Adebayor's simple headed winner to Pompey's pounds 6m flop David Nugent's shocking late miss.

Adebayor stole the points for the visitors after being left unmarked to nod home Gareth Barry's 30th-minute corner.

But England striker Nugent was presented with just as good an opportunity to earn crisis club Pompey their first point two minutes from time.

Michael Brown's lofted ball set up substitute Nugent for a clear strike at goal six yards out but he hit his shot meekly into the ground and the ball struck Shay Given in the chest and bounced away.

In truth it would have been hard on Hughes's men had they been denied a fourth straight league and cup win after another dominant display.

Portsmouth's scattergun approach to the transfer market heralded five new signings in the space of 48 hours last week.

Only Watford striker Tommy Smith and Wigan midfielder Michael Brown were eligible to make debuts so Jamie O'Hara, Kevin Prince-Boateng and Aruna Dindane watched from the stands.

But it was City, who handed a first Premier League appearance to pounds 24m Joleon Lescott, who created the bulk of the chances.

Pompey were without David James because of a knee injury and stand-in goalkeeper Asmir Begovic threatened to gift the visitors an early lead.

Begovic spilt Barry's teasing free-kick but with the Bosnian left on his backside, Micah Richards somehow failed to force the ball over the line.

City benefited from more slapstick defending to take the lead 15 minutes later as Adebayor was left free six yards out to nod home.

The game should have been all but over five minutes before half time when Richards slid in to convert Craig Bellamy's cross but referee Howard Webb ruled the goal out because Barry was offside.

It took until 12 minutes from time for Portsmouth to threaten Given's goal when substitute John Utaka cut in from the right and fizzed a shot inches wide.

Nugent's howler crowned Portsmouth's worst start to a season since 1953. The home fans reacted in fury and even new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim could not bring himself to shake Nugent's hand as he made his way pitch-side to congratulate his players for their efforts.

Al Fahim had earlier impersonated Newcastle chairman Mike Ashley by donning a personalised replica Pompey shirt and baseball cap to pose for pictures with fans before taking his seat in the directors' box.

But there was little for the Dubai millionaire to smile about as he faced up to the daunting task of keeping his new club in the top flight.

PORTSMOUTH: Begovic 6, Vanden Borre 6, Kaboul 7, Mokoena 5, Belhadj 6, Smith 5 (Utaka, 68, 6), Brown 7, Mullins 6, Hughes 6 (Nugent, 87, 4), Kranjcar 5, Piquionne 6 (Kanu, 73, 6)

MANCHESTER CITY: Given 6, Richards 7 (Zabaleta, 60, 6) Toure 7, Lescott 7, Bridge 6, Wright-Phillips 6, Barry 8, Ireland 6 (de Jong, 75, 6), Bellamy 6, Adebayor 8, Tevez 6

REF: Howard Webb ATT: 17,826

ADEBAYOR ON FIRE FOR CITY

By ALEX CROOK

MARK HUGHES is backing Emmanuel Adebayor to fire Manchester City to a top-four finish and claimed the former Arsenal star has been rejuvenated by his pounds 25million move to Eastlands.

Adebayor bagged his third goal in as many Premier League games as big-spending City won 1-0 at Portsmouth to continue their 100 per cent start.

Hughes, above, said: "Adebayor was superb again today. There was a lot said about Ade as a player and as a person and a lot of it was KERBER AND BLACK negative. But he has come in and is very much wanting to be a success.

"He has got a good voice in the dressing room and a lot of things that were said before and I have not seen it. "He is enjoying what is around him, enjoying playing with good players and the fans love him. Maybe that was missing from his life before.

"He knows he is at the start of something special and wants to play a big part in that.

"He has got a big personality and is a huge presence on the field."

Are you Ashley in disguise?

RICH man of ample girth buys the team, dons a replica shirt and poses with fans for photos in the stands. Ring any bells, Pompey fans?

Portsmouth's new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim showed up at Fratton Park yesterday beaming from ear to ear.

But supporters must be on their knees praying the club isn't about to turn into this season's Newcastle United.

These pictures - taken during yesterday's home loss to Manchester City - are a frightening reminder of the early days of Mike Ashley's reign in the North-East.

No sooner had he paraded about in his shirt than Toon started losing games and players. Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself...

Rest of the weekend action See your No.1 Mania pull-out

CAPTION(S):

SINGING THE BLUES Nugent shoots weakly at City keeper Shay Given MEET THE FANS Al Fahim arrives at Fratton Park SIGN HERE The new chief dishes out autographs SMILE! Time to have a few pictures taken with fans GAME ON No smiles now as Pompey go down to City UNLUCKY CHARM Mike Ashley and his infamous shirt HUGHES A CLEVER BOY Adebayor is mobbed by his team-mates FIRST ADE Adebayor beats the Pompey defence to score NO WAY PAST City's Joleon Lescott battles with Kanu