New Delhi: Manchester City ended the tie in the first half due to excellent playmaking from Stephen Ireland. The visitors suffered an embarrassing lesson and return to east Yorkshire with their tales firmly between their legs.
Prior to kick off the pressure was mounting at the City of Manchester Stadium as Mark Hughes' side struggled to string together a run of results.
Whether or not the club's Abu Dhabi-based owners would back Hughes in the transfer market would be largely dependent on the fixtures that precede the opening of the winter window.
Hull City meanwhile would have been confident of claiming a result as the last time they visited Manchester they scored three goals; over City's arch rivals Manchester United.
Things hardly ever pan out the way they should though, and Manchester City are capable of slaughtering their opposition (Portsmouth 6-0, Arsenal 3-0) just as much as they are of having results go against them (West Brom 2-1).
Friday's afternoon fixture against the Tigers was to follow the motif of the former as Robinho gave Hull a taste of what was to be in store as he lashed a shot toward goal, but missed the target, within the first minute of the game.
On the quarter hour mark Caicedo, who is on the cusp of a good goal-scoring run, got his third goal in three games, as Robinho linked up with on-form Stephen Ireland. The midfielder then sent in a delightfully weighted cross toward Caicedo, who was left with a simple tap in that would have been harder to miss, than to score.
Two goals arrived in two minutes just before half an hour of play as Ireland, again, broke up opposition play to start an attack of his own. He found Ecuadorian international Caicedo who duly slotted the ball into Myhill's net to double the Citizen's advantage.
Only moments later Robinho beat the usually rock-solid Michael Turner after being released by Ireland and cooly finished to effectively seal the tie before the closure of the half.
Hull's coffin for the day was nailed solid after 35 minutes when the electric pace of Shaun Wright Phillips gave way to space down the right flank, and cut inside, before playing Robinho in through the use of a pull back. The Brazilian forward made no mistake in front of goal and got his second, and City's fourth of the game.
It is not often that camera's are treated to the inside's of a team's dressing room, especially after Sir Alex Ferguson's infamous 'Big time Charlie' sentiments over Paul Ince many moons ago, but Phil Brown was so irate over his team's performance that he forced them to stay on the pitch at half-time while he gave them a public rollocking.
While the scoreline stayed at 4-0 for the majority of the second half, City were still on top.
Craig Fagan managed to save some face for Hull when he ensured that young England hopeful Joe Hart would not get his clean sheet. Marlon King sent in a low cross and Fagan tapped the ball in from close range after some discombobulated defending from the home side's rearguard.
It was to prove a meaningless goal though, as Stephen Ireland was quick to refute any audacious claims of an epic comeback when he again linked up superbly with samba star Robinho. This time it was the latter feeding the former, and Ireland walked off the pitch at full time having contributed three assists and one goal.
Line ups
Manchester City: Hart - Zabaleta; Dunne; Richards; Ball - Wright-Phillips; Ireland; Kompany; Elano; Robinho - Caicedo.
Hull City: Myhill - Mendy; Zayatte; Turner; McShane - Boateng; Geovanni; Ashbee; Marney - Windass; King.
Referee - Andre Marriner
Goals
Manchester City:
Caicedo, 15, 27.
Robinho, 28, 35.
Ireland, 82.
Hull City:
Fagan, 80.
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