A Phil Foden hat-trick powered Manchester City to a dominant 5-1 UEFA Champions League victory over AEK Athens at the Etihad on Tuesday night. Elliot Anderson and Rayan Cherki also scored as Enzo Maresca’s side, showing eight changes from Saturday’s win over Ipswich, strolled to three precious points.
The scorers
- Elliot Anderson 12′
- Phil Foden 34′, 65′, 76′
- Stavros Pilios (AEK) 52′
- Rayan Cherki 57′
Man City 5-1 AEK Athens | Attendance: 40,042
How City cruised to victory
With the clash coming in the middle of a relentless fixture schedule, Maresca made a plethora of changes to his starting eleven, yet there was still a welcome familiarity about City’s application and dominance.
Teenage striker Floyd Samba was among those given the chance to shine from the start, and it was the 17-year-old’s drive and desire that helped deliver City’s opener on 12 minutes. After Samba was upended on the edge of the AEK box, Enzo Fernández thundered in a dipping free kick that clipped the underside of the bar. Anderson had the foresight to reach the rebound, fending off Lazaros Rota to drill home his first goal for City.
Allan, another handed his chance, almost doubled the lead on 23 minutes, but the woodwork denied the Brazilian winger after he unleashed a thunderous shot from the left edge of the box.
The second goal was not long in coming. Foden struck just past the half hour, applying a superb close-range finish after great work by Rico Lewis. Having waited 10 months to find the target on his return against Ipswich last weekend, the Academy graduate was there again when it mattered.
After the restart, only a desperate block by AEK skipper Moukoudi stopped Fernández from extending the lead further.
Pilios gives AEK hope
AEK did find the target on 52 minutes. A sweeping counter-attack gave Stavros Pilios the time and space to drill a low shot past Donnarumma and inside the left-hand upright.
Cherki magic restores the lead
City responded in perfect fashion within five minutes through the latest slice of Rayan Cherki genius. Receiving the ball from Foden just inside the AEK box, the French maverick executed a delicious drag-back before a clinical finish sent the Etihad wild.
Foden completes the hat-trick
Foden struck again on 65 minutes, finishing off a terrific move in style after another superb Lewis assist. He then sealed a deserved hat-trick on 76 minutes, meeting a fine cross from substitute Ryan McAidoo. It was his fourth City career hat-trick.
Star player: Phil Foden
Maresca had insisted that Saturday’s goal against Ipswich was just the start for Foden, and the boss was again as good as his word. Foden was inspired against AEK and at the heart of so much that was good about City. He linked superbly with fellow Academy graduate Rico Lewis for two of his goals, and his hat-trick was no more than he deserved. It all augurs well for the rest of the season.
Foden: “I enjoyed that a lot”
“I enjoyed that a lot. The lads were great again. We showed determination again, it wasn’t pretty at times. We were giving sloppy passes away.
“But, we stuck at the game plan and we kept going and in the end we broke them down.
“I’m going in the right direction. Scoring along the way definitely helps. I’ve just got to keep working hard and try to be as best as I can for the manager and for the team.
“Overall I’m delighted.”
Squad depth shines
With fixtures coming thick and fast, the quality and depth of City’s squad was on full display. Allan, Floyd Samba and Rico Lewis all caught the eye with their quality and industry, and with plenty more games on the horizon, they will prove crucial additions as City go deeper into autumn and beyond.
Stat zone: 150 Champions League games
The night marked City’s 150th UEFA Champions League fixture, and it followed the pattern of so many others, with City both dominant and decisive when it mattered. The tie may not have carried the glamour of last week’s home meeting with Paris Saint-Germain, but it was no less important. The win secures a precious three points in City’s push for a top-eight finish and keeps the momentum going at home and in Europe.
Line-ups
Man City XI: Donnarumma, Lewis, Khusanov, Dias (C) (Braithwaite 81), Gvardiol (Aït-Nouri 73), Anderson, Fernández (Reis 73), Allan, Cherki, Foden, Samba (McAidoo 63).
Subs not used: Rulli, Bettinelli, Guéhi, Ndiaye, Haaland, Doku, Bouaddi.
AEK Athens XI: Brignoli, Rota, Moukoudi (C), Relvas, Pilios, Majer, Arriaga, Marin (Koita 45), Joao Mario (Zubkov 64), Varga, Jovic.
Subs: Balamotis, Kairinen, Gacinovic, Mantalos, Vida, Lykogiannis, Vitalis, Zini.
What it means
The win gives City six points from their first three Champions League matches. Ahead of Wednesday night’s fixtures, it leaves them sixth in the composite table.
What’s next
City’s next Champions League game is a trip to Germany to face RB Leipzig on Wednesday, November 4 (20:00 kick-off). Before that, the focus returns to the Premier League on Saturday, when City visit Aston Villa in their first early kick-off of the season, starting at 12:30 (UK) at Villa Park.