Riyad Mahrez, a name possibly overlooked on occasion among Manchester City’s glittering array of attacking galacticos, returned to domestic duty with the minimum of fuss and maximum impact as his team coasted into the FA Cup fifth round.

Away with Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations since New Year’s Day, the winger scored a penalty, a deflected second goal and recorded an assist for City’s equaliser after the Championship leaders had shown the audacity to score the tie’s first goal after just four minutes.

It was Mahrez’s sixth consecutive City game in which he has planted his name on the scoresheet and while his contribution may sometimes be eclipsed by those around him, ostensibly at least, his value to Pep Guardiola’s team is beyond dispute.

“Riyad has such quality, and of course he has the mentality to score but, as a player, he has such special quality,” said Guardiola.

“He understands how to control, how he attacks opponents to make one against two or one against three and how he passes the ball to the free man. 

“And you always have the feeling he will score and we have had trouble the last years to score penalties but now, with him, it is a guarantee.

“I’m very pleased to be in the next round because this round today showed how difficult the FA Cup is, with many surprises until the last minute of games. And we faced a very, very top team.”

Mahrez scored the decisive third for City, eight minutes into the second half, to remove any lingering danger of an upset as a team that looks comfortably the best in the Championship was reminded of the gulf in class when compared to their equivalent a division higher.

Jack Grealish weaved his way into the Fulham area and was only halted by a clumsy trip by Joe Bryan; Mahrez, who has emerged as City’s undisputed penalty taker, stroking the spot kick home with no fuss.

After 57 minutes, Mahrez was again on the mark with a fourth goal that was possibly unkind on Fulham given their contribution to an entertaining first half.

But, again Marco Silva’s team contributed to their downfall as Harrison Reed mis-hit a pass into his own half, Kevin De Bruyne raced onto the loose ball, sprinted down the left and crossed perfectly for Mahrez.

The City man enjoyed a deflection off Fulham captain Tim Ream but it was no more than he and his side deserved for a disciplined, patient and convincing response to falling behind.

Fulham had drawn first blood in the fourth round tie and looked well capable of exorcising the memory of losing 4-0 at this ground at exactly the same stage of the competition two years ago.

But they were almost immediately punished for so doing – City quickly responding with two goals of their own inside the next six minutes.

Certainly, the manner of the visitors’ opening goal had offered early encouragement for the visitors, as they exposed huge gaps in the City defence after four minutes.

Aleksandar Mitrovic’s sweeping pass found Harry Wilson on the right wing and his perfect cross was turned in from close range by Fabio Carvalho, the young attacking midfielder who almost joined Liverpool in the recent transfer window.

But City had started strongly – Grealish missing a good opening inside 30 seconds – and, now, responded impressively.

Within two minutes, Joao Cancelo kept a City attack alive, crossing from the by-line for Mahrez whose accurate pass picked out Ilkay Gundogan to steer the equaliser past Paulo Gazzaniga from 12 yards.