London: Owen Hargreaves marked his return to competitive football with a debut goal for Manchester City in a 2-0 win over defending champion Birmingham in the League Cup on Wednesday.
The England midfielder, who struggled through three injury-plagued years before being released by City's neighbor Manchester United in the offseason, fired in City's opener from 25 meters (yards) in the third-round victory over the cup holders.
Hargreaves, who has had operations on both knees in recent years, managed to complete 57 minutes before being substituted. It was the Canadian-born player's longest appearance since completing United's match against Chelsea exactly three years ago.
On a night of comebacks, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard returned after six months out in a 2-1 victory over Brighton.
Two of Wednesday's games were settled by penalties. Chelsea beat Fulham 4-3 in the shootout after a 0-0 draw through 120 minutes, while Cardiff beat Leicester 7-6 on spot kicks after the second-tier clubs were level at 2-2 after extra time.
Everton also reached the fourth round by beating West Bromwich Albion 2-1 after extra time, and League Championship leader Southampton defeated Preston 2-1.
Hargreaves had managed just six minutes of playing time in the three years since that Chelsea match, and many thought his career was over at the age of 30 when his United contract ended.
But the former Bayern Munich midfielder posted videos on YouTube to prove his fitness, and was given a surprise contract across the Manchester divide at City.
Three weeks later, Hargreaves showed it was a gamble worth taking by Roberto Mancini.
It took him just 17 minutes to score against Birmingham, seizing on a loose ball as Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli had their route into the penalty area blocked and unleashing the ball from distance past goalkeeper Colin Doyle and into the top corner of the net.
Hargreaves was still on the pitch when Mario Balotelli scored his first goal of the season to make it 2-0 in the 38th minute.
The Italy striker steered Aleksandar Kolarov's low cross from the left flank into the bottom corner.
Former City striker Craig Bellamy rewarded new club Liverpool for its decision to re-sign him on Aug. 31 by scoring on his first start since returning after four years.
On the south coast at Brighton, Bellamy's shot went in off the post in the seventh minute from an awkward angle after linking up with strike partner Luis Suarez.
Gerrard came on as a substitute for the last 15 minutes after a recurring groin injury kept him out since March.
Dirk Kuyt doubled Liverpool's lead in the 81st before Ashley Barnes pulled one back from the penalty spot after Jamie Carragher fouled Vicente Rodriguez.
At Stamford Bridge, the match ended in disputed circumstances as the final penalty in the shootout from John Ruiz was adjudged to have not crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar.
In the first half, Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge found the net but was ruled to have been offside and he injured himself in the process.
Sturridge beat Stephen Kelly to the ball but the challenge forced him off with an apparent hamstring problem.
Goalkeeper Petr Cech was also hurt after colliding with Orlando Sa and was replaced at half time by Ross Turnbull.
In a third blow, Chelsea was reduced to 10 men two minutes into the second half after Alex brought down Karlm Fei. But Pajtim Kasami blasted the resulting penalty kick against the crossbar.
Fulham felt it should have been able to make amends three minutes later when Sa was tugged at by Oriol Romeu, but no spot kick was awarded this time by referee Chris Foy.
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