Darren Bent has been called quite a few things in the wake of his controversial and dramatic transfer from Sunderland in the past week, and to the collection of brickbats and bouquets he can now add: The saviour of Aston Villa's season.
For yesterday at Villa Park was not the time to hold back on the hype.
If you leave a top-six team to join a club who have won just one Premier League match in 10 - perhaps even heading towards the Championship - for a sum as huge as £24million, then an immediate impact is required.
Quick off the mark: Darren Bent took just 18 minutes to open his Aston Villa account
And inspiring the defeat of billionaire title contenders Manchester City, who had lost one game in 17, is presumably what Villa manager Gerard Houllier had in mind when he suggested the move. As City's title ambitions took a heavy blow - one from which they may not recover - Villa's season seemed revived.
True, they rode their luck. Indeed, twice in the last 10 minutes deflected shots left goalkeeper Brad Friedel stranded, with the post coming to the rescue on the first instance when Nigel de Jong's shot deflected off the fallen Ciaran Clark as it headed goalwards.
And, of course, Villa relied on the counter-attack, ceding possesion to City and relying on stalwart performances from James Collins and Richard Dunne to shield them.
Yet, if they can play with the verve and vigour they displayed here, they will surely remain in the Premier League. Bent's big moment came on 18 minutes.It was not quite his first touch, but it was certainly his first significant contribution.
Making his point: Bent became an instant hit with Villa supporters
The reason he consistently commands enormous transfer fees became evident shortly after Kolo Toure's sloppy pass allowed David Silva to be dispossessed and Ashley Young began his run goalwards.
Young was clearly set on unleashing a shot and when he did it was a fine one, which Joe Hart only succeeded in pushing aside.
And yet, who should be first to react? Who had anticipated the rebound? Who was ever alert to the possibility of some goal scraps? Inevitably, it was the debut man.
Cool as you like, Bent struck his opening goal for Villa confidently past the sprawling Hart before saluting his new fans.
It is for moments such as this that Premier League chairmen blow millions in a blind panic when threatened with relegation. Bent's instincts and the goal itself transformed the mood at Villa Park.
'One Randy Lerner,' chanted the Villa fans, which has to be worth £24m of any man's money.
Still waiting: £27million man Edin Dzeko (left) is yet to score in England
Prior to that, City had looked much the better side. With a central midfield of Young and Stewart Downing, Villa had admirable attacking intent but were in danger of being swamped by the power of City, who dominated possession, even if their final delivery was lacking.
Gareth Barry embarrassingly overhit a free-kick high into the Holte End, much to the delight of his former admirers, who baited him at every opportunity until he was substituted in the second half.
Similarly, Carlos Tevez could only manage an air-shot when Barry fired over a corner, while Edin Dzeko, a £27m striker, could not connect with Aleksander Kolarov's bullet-like cross on 33 minutes.
The Bosnian made a number of quality contributions but could not match Bent's intervention. Dzeko almost managed to play in Tevez on 37 minutes only for Dunne to clear high into the Holte End.
City's best first-half effort came from a Jerome Boateng cross and a flicked header from Barry, which flew narrowly wide.
Villa, though, were holding their own, with Dunne and Collins resolute.
No love lost: Gareth Barry (centre) was routinely booed on his return to Villa Park
Dzeko almost opened his Premier League account on 50 minutes.
Kolarov drilled a corner towards the Bosnian who connected with a sharp header, only to see his attempt just clear the crossbar.
With the pace of Adam Johnson on for Barry, City continued to dominate but Villa remained unmoved.
When Boateng hit a tremendous half-volley from the edge of the box, Friedel parried it away. Villa's back four and holding midfielder Stiliyan Petrov stood firm.
When De Jong's shot came back off a post to safety it was clear it would be Villa - and Bent's - day.
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