Sane signs Hoff with double tops
League start for teenage midfielder Phil Foden, his first action since signing a five-and-a-half-year deal, and a makeshift back line with John Stones at right-back.
In contrast, Hoffenheim had something to play for with a Europa League spot up for grabs and that hunger showed in the opening exchanges with the visitors twice going close before eventually taking the lead after 16 minutes.
Former Leicester striker Kramaric proved a handful cutting in from the left, first firing narrowly over and then forcing a fine fingertip save from Ederson.
From the resulting corner, his muscular industry chasing a ball which spilled towards goal brought a foul from Aymeric Laporte and Kramaric despatched the penalty.
The jolt brought a decent response from City, who forged three decent chances to equalise, Stones heading straight at Oliver Baumann from a corner and Gabriel Jesus and Nicolas Otamendi denied by post and bar from headers.
Hoffenheim were content to sit back a little deeper as the half wore on, hitting City on the break when the chance presented itself.
Yet if they thought they had weathered the storm, a free-kick conceded in a central position after Jesus was manhandled 25 yards out saw City go in level. Sane had been a thorn in the side of the Germans throughout the first period and a curling effort proved unstoppable, curling away from Baumann inside his left-hand post.
Parity was probably due reward for both sides overall, but the fact momentum went in with City was also fair after they had bossed the game since going behind.
They might have grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck early in the second period when Laporte was twice denied from a corner, his powerful header at the far post blocked and his follow up shot gathered by Baumann.
But with the spaces opening up as Hoffenheim committed forward, City pulled clear.
Sane, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva had served notice of intent with a lung-bursting run, tearing at Hoffenheim’s solitary defender on the break only to overcomplicate the finish.
But they got their angles right just after the hour mark to put City ahead. Sane found Sterling on the right, Jesus took away the defender with a dummy run to put Sane clear on the left and he rounded the goalkeeper and clipped home to seal the victory.
MANCHESTER HOFFENHEIM (3-5-2): Goal: Referee: CITY (4-3-3):
Ederson; Stones (Walker 46), Laporte, Otamendi, Zinchenko (Delph 64); Bernardo Silva (Kompany 85), Gundogan, Foden; Sterling, Jesus, Sane. Sane 45, 61. Baumann; Brenet (Nelson 46), Nuhu, Hubner; Kaderabek, Grillitsch, Geiger (Amiri 63), Bittencourt (Belfodil 70), Schulz; Joelinton, Kramaric. Grillitsch, Joelinton. Kramaric 16 pen.
A Ekberg (Sweden).
Goals: Booked: