Manchester City 5, Luton Town 1
Mateo Kovacic, Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, and Josko Gvardiol scored as Manchester City smashed Luton Town to go top of the Premier League.
City’s big win ensured they to the Premier League summit for the first time since November 25 as they stand 2 points clear of their nearest rivals and ahead of Liverpool on goal difference having played first this weekend without ever getting out of third gear despite being only a goal ahead of Luton for three quarters of the game.
City got off to a flying start after Erling Haaland’s shot deflected off the luckless Daiki Hashioka to beat Thomas Kaminsky after just two minutes.
But to their credit the Hatters prevented City from opening the flood gates fully and a mix of last ditch defending and poor City finishing kept the scoreline respectable in the first half even though Luton could not lay a glove on their hosts.
The closest City went after the goal was a shot that came back off the post but Luton were indebted to goalkeeper Thomas Kaminsky and Hashioka for some brave saves and blocks to keep City out.
The siege continued in the second half as Luton were systematically penned in and City tried to score a second goal.
That goal eventually came from a short corner routine by Julian Alvarez – the Argentine cut the ball back to Mateo Kovacic who struck a rising volley which he rifled into the roof of the net to give City a 2-0 lead after 64 minutes.
Luton responded with a curling shot by substitute Cauley Woodrow which came back off the crossbar following a cutback by Fred Onyedinma.
Onyedinma was penalised in the 75th minute when he tripped Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland stepped up and sent Thomas Kaminsky the wrong way to tuck the spot kick into the bottom left corner.
Ederson saved from Alfie Doughty before Ross Barkley wrong footed Ruben Dias to put in a consolation for Luton in the 82nd minute.
But it was not finished as Jeremy Doku skipped in from the left, between two Luton defenders before shooting through Hashioka’s legs to restore City’s 3 goal winning margin with 3 minutes to go – a stunning solo effort.
And then Gvardiol added a fifth to City’s tally with a carbon copy of his Madrid goal in injury time, a right footed curling effort from the edge of the box.
Alvarez and Kovacic should have made it 5-1 after that but Luton somehow survived the City onslaught as they couldn’t force the ball past the mass of Luton defenders.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 5, Luton Town 1
Ederson: 6. Eased in after weeks long injury lay off. Tangled with Ross Barkley while trying to bowl the ball out. Superb save from Alfie Doughty late in the game.
Rico Lewis: 7. Pushed high up the right flank while looking after Tahith Chong.
Manuel Akanji: 7. Spare man at the back, hardly troubled.
Ruben Dias: 7. Combative spell in defence, had a shot saved and couple more go wide in the second half.
Josko Gvardiol: 8. Has gained in confidence when going forward. Headed a Kevin de Bruyne set piece wide and smashed in his second goal in as many games – a carbon copy of his Real Madrid stunner – after Thomas Kaminsky saved an earlier similar attempt.
Mateo Kovacic: 8. Relatively comfortable afternoon in the midfield engine room as Rodri got a rare day off. Scored an exceptional volley into the roof of the net to extend City’s lead.
Matheus Nunes: 6. Almost scored after his swept shot was spilled by Thomas Kaminsky who recovered from his initial error to catch the ball. Hit the post with another effort. Slipped after going clean through in the second half but taking his eye off the ball and his error led to Ross Berkley’s goal.
Julian Alvarez: 7. Quiet afternoon in midfield but hard working defensively to pick up the slack when needed and his short corner routine saw him pick out Mateo Kovacic in space for a great finish.
Kevin De Bruyne: 7. Fit and well, created plenty of chances but shooting a bit off target. A cross into the box deserved a better finish from Erling Haaland and saw Kaminsky save a couple of his chances.
Jeremy Doku: 8. Early shot blocked – kept trying but not everything came off early on. Improved in the second half. Claimed a penalty after getting tripped by Fred Onyedinma before a stunning solo effort to put the icing on the City cake before setting up Josko Gvardiol for his second goal in as many games.
Erling Haaland: 7. Saw early shot saved but forced an own goal off the luckless Daiki Hashioka after 65 seconds. Arrived a bit late to a great cross by Kevin De Bruyne and concerns might be raised about the number of big chances he’s missing. Hit a penalty – his 20th Premier League goal of the season – to boost his confidence before he was taken off.
Oscar Bobb (on for Erling Haaland, 81): No time to mark
Sergio Gomez (on for Kevin De Bruyne, 81): No time to mark.
TEAM NEWS – Manchester City 5, Luton Town 1
There were six changes for Manchester City with Rodri benched at his request, Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish rested, while Phil Foden and John Stones were also rested as precautionary measures following the draw at Real Madrid. Stefan Ortega also stepped down.
Ederson returned to the starting line up while Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, Jeremy Doku, Julian Alvarez, and fit-again Kevin De Bruyne started after a bout of food poisoning in Spain.
GOALS – Manchester City 5, Luton Town 1
Man City 1, Luton Town 0: 2. Calamitous defending by Luton as Erling Haaland’s shot was deflected into the goal off Daiki Hashioka’s face. Haaland had earlier seen his shot blocked by Thomas Kaminski while Jeremy Doku’s follow-up was also blocked but the loose ball looped up for the Norwegian to try his luck again with a volley.
Man City 2, Luton Town 0: 64. Mateo Kovacic struck a rising volley which he rifled into the roof of the net after a short corner routine by Julian Alvarez after Luton gave away a corner.
Man City 3, Luton Town 0: 76. Erling Haaland hit a confidence boosting penalty to the left of Thomas Kaminsky who dived the other way after Fred Onyedinma tripped Jeremy Doku.
Man City 3, Luton Town 1: 82. Ross Barkley wrong footed Ruben Dias to put in a consolation for Luton in the 82nd minute after a quick change of feet.
Man City 4 Luton Town 1: 87. Jeremy Doku rampaged through three Luton defenders after skipping in from the left before nutmegging Hashioka with his shot that crept in at the back post.
Man City 5 Luton Town 1: 90+2. Jeremy Doku cut the ball back and Josko Gvardiol showed the City fans how he scored in Madrid.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 5, Luton Town 1
Man City: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Nunes, Alvarez, De Bruyne (C) (Gomez 81), Doku, Haaland (Bobb 81)
Man City Subs not used: Ortega, Walker, Ake, Grealish, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Foden
Bookings: De Bruyne 43 (foul on Alfie Doughty)
Goals: Hashioka og 2; Kovacic 64; Haaland 76 pen; Doku 87; Gvardiol 90+2
Luton Town: Kaminski, Onyedinma (Nelson 88), Hashioka, Burke, Doughty, Clark (Nelson 88), Barkley, Berry (Mpanzu 77), Chong, Morris (C), Townsend (Woodrow 59)
Luton Town Subs not used: Shea, Krul, Johnson, Harris, Chigozie, Piesold
Goal: Barkley 82
Referee: John Brooks