Manchester City moved into the top eight of the Champions League league phase with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund.
City boss Pep Guardiola described the game against Dortmund as massive in the race for qualification to the knockout phases as they look to avoid having an extra game in the play-off round by securing a top-eight finish.
Last season, the play-off round was where their competition ended at the hands of Real Madrid, but City look on course to avoid that this season after Phil Foden’s double, Erling Haaland’s 18th goal of the season and substitute Rayan Cherki’s late goal condemned Dortmund to just their second defeat of the season.
Erling Haaland celebrates with Foden after scoring against his former club
‘Foden back to his best’
Haaland’s outstanding form was all the talk in the build-up to facing his former side, but it was Foden who grabbed the headlines as City overcame the Bundesliga outfit at the Etihad Stadium.
The 25-year-old firmly enhanced his claim for an England recall as he struck two beautiful finishes either side of yet another Haaland effort to put himself firmly in the picture for Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad for next week’s final World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
Foden’s two finishes were sublime. He was back to his brilliant best.
Guardiola described Foden as being back to his best.
“I would say it [Foden’s best form] is already there,” he said to TNT Sports. “He scored some incredible goals and how many times have we seen that from Phil, the generosity of effort but also in the final third.
“We missed it a lot and I’m pleased other players scored goals and not just Haaland. Thomas [Tuchel] knows how good Phil is and I’m sure he will do the best for England.”
As ever, Haaland wasn’t to be totally outshined as he lashed home Jeremy Doku’s cross to take his tally for club and country this season to a staggering 27 goals from 17 appearances and his overall Champions League total to 54 from 52.
Dortmund rallied briefly as Anton made it 3-1 when he turned in Julian Ryerson’s cross from a set-piece, but City finished strongly and Rayan Cherki added a late fourth as victory lifted Guardiola’s to 10 points after four games of the league phase. putting them on course for comfortable progress to the knockout stages.
Guardiola: Win puts us in a good position
Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola to TNT Sports:
“For the first 10 or 15 minutes, we didn’t know where we were. But after that, it was better.
“We had 10 bad minutes and for 10 or 15 minutes after we conceded, it wasn’t good because they pushed, they put five, six, seven players up front. But after going to five at the back, we could arrive better and we finished the game with a good goal.
“Huge respect for these players and we’re in a good position. If we can make another one or two victories, maybe we can get close to finishing in the first eight.”
‘Playing like that, City will be a force’
Former Man City defender Danny Mills on Soccer Special:
“Foden’s two finishes were sublime. He was back to his brilliant best.
“It was a very professional performance from Manchester City.
“If they can continue in that vein and get Rodri back into the team as well, they will be a force.
“There are still one or two frailties, but it was a confident display from Guardiola’s team.”
Story of the match in stats
City’s fine home form continues…
Man City have now won 20 and lost none of their last 23 home group stage/league phase games in the UEFA Champions League (D3), with 16 of those wins coming by a margin of 2+ goals.
City have won 11 of their last 12 games at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions (L1), including their last six in a row, all by 2+ goals – their longest home winning run with all by two or more goals since May 2023 (9).
With an average age of 25 years and 53 days, City named their youngest Champions League starting XI since December 2020 away to FC Porto (24y 358d).
Borussia Dortmund have now lost seven of their last eight UEFA Champions League games away to English Premier League clubs, conceding at least twice in all seven of those losses.
