This meant Hart and Vincent Kompany were the sole survivors from that back five, with Jesús Navas and Edin Dzeko also being dropped ahead of an afternoon that would prove fine entertainment.
The contest pitted a Manchester City that hoped to avert a third consecutive defeat against an Everton seeking to maintain the division's only unbeaten record. By the time Sergio Agüero claimed his second, on 69 minutes, to give his gang a 3-1 advantage, it would be City who had accomplished their mission, though Everton continue to look a fair outside bet to challenge for a Champions League berth.
Although Hart was at fault for Everton's goal he would also be cheered for every regulation catch, save or kick he performed as the home crowd followed Pellegrini's decision to stand by his man by offering their support.
While Kompany would last only 34 minutes before an injury meant Nastasic was restored, the contest lit up just past the quarter hour mark.
This was when Romelu Lukaku collected a fourth of the season from a strike that will again focus scrutiny on Hart. The on-loan Chelsea forward took the ball, moved too easily past Joleon Lescott inside the area, then aimed an effort that went to the right of the goalkeeper. Hart got a glove to the ball but the failure to make the save will disappoint.
With the Etihad Stadium still digesting this, City moved up-field and equalised almost instantly through Alvaro Negredo.
Every time the "Beast of Vallecas" features for the Blues he makes an impact. In the hiding received from Bayern, Negredo entered as a second-half replacement ahead of pirouetting and potting sweetly beyond Manuel Neuer, for his team's consolation goal.
Selected in the starting XI on Saturday, the Spaniard was in the right place at the right time to finish an eye-catching move. Fernandinho drilled a pass into David Silva, who ensured Yaya Touré received possession precisely where he would want. The Ivorian, particularly disappointing against the Germans, found Negredo and he pulled the trigger to slip the ball under Tim Howard for a fourth City goal of his debut season.
Passages now ensued where City were given the runaround by this bright Everton side, though these became almost nonexistent during the second period.
Ross Barkley continues to impress, his ability to ghost past opponents with his head up reminiscent of a young Paul Gascoigne. An illustration came when, in a central position, the Everton No20 skipped forward and looped the ball on to Kevin Mirallas's head, who drew an impressive save from Hart, before Martin Atkinson blew for offside.
City's second came moments after Negredo and Seamus Coleman engaged in an argument near Everton's goal, which consisted of the latter accusing the former of going down too easily. Play had moved near City's end before, when it returned, Silva slid a cold-eyed ball along the inside right channel to Agüero. The diminutive Argentinian turned on the after-burners to gain half a yard, then rifled the shot past Howard.
Pellegrini, who had had an animated conversation with James Milner after Everton's opener, showed further disquiet following the incident that forced Aleksandar Kolarov off on 57 minutes.
After Steven Naismith shoved Nastasic into the left-back, Kolarov suffered a facial injury that meant Clichy should have been primed to enter, having warmed up. Instead, the Frenchman sat back on the bench to leave Pellegrini waving him back while asking his assistant Brian Kidd what, exactly, had occurred.
The same question might have been asked of Atkinson of the 68th-minute penalty he awarded. Coleman made minimal contact with Pablo Zabaleta yet the referee still pointed to the spot.
Agüero chose the nonchalant approach to execution and came close to coming unstuck: his spot-kick was a pea-roller that did not fool Howard, who palmed the ball on to his left post only for it to rebound from his head and in.
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