Robinho produced a moment of magic as Mark Hughes's side got off to a winning start in UEFA Cup Group A.

The club's record buy curled a superb shot over grasping goalkeeper Sander Boschker in the 56th minute after being released by Stephen Ireland. Shaun Wright-Phillips and Benjani Mwaruwari were also on target but Twente proved stern opponents with goals coming from Eljero Elia and Robbie Wielaert.

Darius Vassell was recalled to the City line-up after injury while Jo, Javier Garrido and Gelson Fernandes were also included in Hughes's XI. Micah Richards was back in the centre of defence, with Garrido returning to left-back.

The breakthrough came in the second minute. After a neat one-two Wright-Phillips fired a right-foot shot into the corner for his fifth goal of the season. It was just the start Hughes was looking for after successive Premier League defeats.

Boschker did just enough to parry Robinho's effort two minutes later and Twente, managed by former England coach Steve McClaren, soon retaliated when Youssouf Hersi to fire a shot wide.

City were stunned in the 17th minute, though, when the Dutch side drew level. Elia got away from Pablo Zabaleta and showed a quick turn of pace before rifling a shot beyond Joe Hart.

City took a while to recover from the set-back as Twente began dictating the pace of the game. Robinho and Jo were being deprived of service, and their frustration was starting to show. Jo got away from his marker in the 41st minute but his effort on goal was weak.

City got into their stride at the beginning of the second half, though. Jo and Wright-Phillips both had decent efforts, before Robinho's spectacular strike in the 56th minute put the hosts back in front. The Brazilian latched on to Ireland's through ball and curled his shot beyond Boschker from just inside the penalty area.

Hughes introduced Mwaruwari for Jo shortly after and the move paid dividends as City went 3-1 ahead in the 62nd minute. Mwaruwari's effort took a deflection off Douglas to leave the goalkeeper wrong-footed.

Twente refused to lie down and pulled a goal back in the 64th minute via Robbie Wielaert's header Substitute Huysegems should then have pulled them level in the 71st minute but scuffed his shot wide from close range.

The closing stages were a frantic, end-to-end scrap. Robinho twice watched strikes of his come off the post and Huysegems squandered yet another great chance of securing a point for the visitors on the stroke of full time when he failed to find the target from four yards out.