Reading, who surged into eighth place in the Premiership, had the head of Icelandic defender Ivar Ingirmarsson to thank for the win at Madejski Stadium.

Ingirmarsson showed great courage to blast a header past the diving City captain Sylvain Distin and goalkeeper Nicky Weaver from a free-kick whipped in to the far post by Bobby Convey in the 22nd minute.

The result left Manchester City with just one goal in their opening four matches of the season, that a penalty, and the loss was the club's 15th in the the last 17 top tier away games.

Reading boss Steve Coppell expressed his delight after his team's second win of the season after the opening 3-2 upset of Middlesbrough.

"It was margins right throughout the game," Coppell said. "We scored the goal in the first-half and that gave us the incentive to hang on for the win."

Despite enjoying the lion's share of possession early on, City's marskmen were found to be woefully lacking.

But City boss Stuart Pearce said he had been happy with his side's passing football and insisted that the goals would come if his players continued to create chances.

"We passed the ball around very well, but we have not got a result tonight. It was one of those evenings when whoever gets the first goal wins," said Pearce.

Reading's American keeper Marcus Hahnemann was called into action in 13th minute palming away a shot from Paul Dickov, who then blasted an ambitious 25-yard effort well wide a minute later,

City upped the pressure and striker Bernado Corradi went close in the centre of the box after a great run by Warren Barton in the 21st minute.

But against the odds, it was Reading who took the lead through Ingirmarsson.

Corradi had a chance to draw the scores equal shortly after but the Italian's header was hit weakly into the ground in front of Hahnemann.

Ingirmarsson almost made it 2-0 after a deflection squirmed out to the left of the goal area, but the defender's well-hit shot was tipped over the bar by Weaver.

An unopposed Seol Ki-Hyeon then mishit his header over the bar just before half-time.

Georgios Samaras had a chance for City with his first chance after coming on as a replacement for Dickov in the 60th minute, but his bobbling shot was well dealt with by Hahnemann.

Samaras went close seven minutes later, beating Reading's imperious central defender Ibrahima Sonko with a shot that was tipped around the post.

But as City pushed so Reading hit back on the break with the fleet-footed from trio of Leroy Lita, Kevin Doyle and Convey causing more problems for the away side's back four.

City's night got worse when Ousmane Dabo was red-carded for an elbow-led challenge on Steve Sidwell with 10 minutes to play.

Samaras just failed to get a decent header on a Hatem Trabelsi cross in the dying minutes.

Weaver saved any further City blushes, brilliantly palming away a swerving shot by impressive Reading sub Brynjar Gunnarsson.

Doyle almost made it 2-0 four minutes into injury time, but Distin was on hand to slide his goal-bound shot behind the line.