Manchester City 4, Club Brugge 1 (UEFA Champions League)
Manchester City scored four goals to sink Club Brugge to lift the mood after their surprise defeat to Crystal Palace at the weekend.
City took the lead through Phil Foden having already gone close a couple of times earlier – Joao Cancelo hit the post – but the Blues had barely finished celebrating when Club Brugge equalised through a freak John Stones own goal after Bernardo Silva’s attempted clearance hit him in the face and went in.
City finally got into gear in the second half when Riyad Mahrez was unmarked as he stole in to head home Cancelo’s cross.
City could relax after Raheem Sterling made it 3-1 after 72 minutes, tapping in from Ilkay Gundogan’s cut back from the left.
Pep Guardiola made a stack of substitutions by the end and Gabriel Jesus got his own morale boosting goal when he scored with the last kick of the game after Cancelo’s run and pass across the edge of the box.
There was a late boost for City after the game when news of Paris St Germain’s late draw against RB Leipzig came through and City found themselves top of their Champions League group.
A draw against the French on the next match day would leave City in control of their Champions League destiny.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 4, Club Brugge 1 (UEFA Champions League)
Ederson: 7. Big save from Charles De Ketelaere and an attempt to put Phil Foden through with a low flying missile in the second half – far from a quiet night.
Kyle Walker: 6. Pushed up high often, good cross in cleared.
John Stones: 6. Desperately unlucky to see the ball go in off his face after Bernardo Silva tried to clear it. Second half header was collected by Simon Mignolet and he recovered some composure as City saw out the win.
Aymeric Laporte: 6. Tough night up against Charles De Ketelaere.
Joao Cancelo: 8. Hit the post after a great ball up to his from Jack Grealish and then set up Phil Foden. Had a second half shot deflected before he set up Riyad Mahrez with a header to put City into the lead again..
Ilkay Gundogan: 7. Hit the side netting after reaching Joao Cancelo’s deflected effort. Couldn’t find the perfect pass against the massed ranks of Club Brugge defenders, fired over in the second half before cutting the ball back for Raheem Sterling to score.
Rodri: 7. Things ticked over in midfield with him there.
Bernardo Silva: 7. His attempted clearance went in off John Stones but he didn’t let it get hi down after another energetic display.
Riyad Mahrez: 7. Took up some good positions but over elaborated at times. Great timing for the close range header that put City back in the lead.
Phil Foden: 8. Dropped off into midfield frequently and battled for the ball. Had the ball snatched from in front of him by Simon Mignolet but poked hime the opener minutes later
Jack Grealish: 7. Great ball up to Joao Cancelo which deserved a better finish. Attracted players to him but kept running into traffic.
Raheem Sterling (on for Riyad Mahrez, 69): 7. Dawdled on the ball after being put through by Bernardo Silva but made no mistake soon after when Ilkay Gundogan cut the ball back for him to score from 3 yards out.
Gabriel Jesus (on for Jack Grealish, 69): 7. Worked hard to defend from the front but shot straight at Simon Mignolet before firing under the goalkeeper in injury time after the ball broke to him.
Kevin De Bruyne (on for Bernardo Silva, 75): 6. Feeling his way back into form, some nice touches.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (on for Kyle Walker, 80): No time to mark.
Cole Palmer (on for Phil Foden, 80): No time to mark
GOALS – Manchester City 4, Club Brugge 1 (UEFA Champions League)
Man City 1, Club Brugge 0: 15. Joao Cancelo’s raking cross from the left was turned in by Phil Foden.
Man City 1, Club Brugge 1: 17. John Stones own goal after the ball came off Bernardo Silva following a cross back in by Charles De Ketelaere – a couple of unlucky deflections
Man City 2, Club Brugge 1: 54. Riyad Mahrez was on hand to head home Joao Cancelo’s cross from the right as his run was missed.
Man City 3, Club Brugge 1: 72. Simon Mignolet was left on his backside after Raheem Sterling tapped in from 3 yards out after Ilkay Gundogan got on the end of a Phil Foden through ball and cut the ball back to him.
Man City 4, Club Brugge 1: 90+2. Gabriel Jesus arrowed the ball home under Simon Mignolet after the broke broke to him following Joao Cancelo’s run across the area.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 4, Club Brugge 1 (UEFA Champions League)
Man City: Ederson, Walker (Zinchenko 80), Stones, Laporte, Cancelo, Gundogan (C), Rodri, Bernardo Silva (De Bruyne 75), Mahrez (Sterling 69), Foden (Palmer 80), Grealish (Jesus 69)
Man City subs not used: Steffen, Carson, Dias, Ake, Fernandinho
Goals: Foden 15; Mahrez 54; Sterling 72; Jesus 90+2
Club Brugge: Mignolet, Mechele, Hendry, Nsoki, Sobol (Ricca 73), Mata (van der Brempt 78), Rits (Mbamba-Muande 78), Vanaken, Vormer (C), De Ketelaere (Sowah 87), Lang (Dost 78)
Club Brugge subs: Lammens, Wesley, Maouassa, Izquierdo
Goal: Stones og 17
Referee: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz