Manchester City picked up another three points in the Champions League with a 4-1 home win over German side Borussia Dortmund.
Pep Guardiola’s side scored twice in either half to propel themselves up to fourth in the table and maintain their unbeaten record.
City got into their groove pretty quickly at the Etihad Stadium. It took just 22 minutes for them to take the lead, with Phil Foden firing home from outside the penalty area into the bottom left corner.
Just seven minutes later, City had their second, and to nobody’s surprise, it was Erling Haaland who bagged the goal. Criminally, the Norwegian centre-forward was given acres of space in the box by his old side, slamming home his effort after Jeremy Doku pulled the ball back across the box.
Foden had his second goal just before the hour mark, once again tucking his effort into the bottom left corner. Dortmund pulled one back in the 72nd minute, but Rayan Cherki’s stoppage-time goal off the bench sealed the win for the Cityzens.
It was a strong showing from City, with Haaland and Foden two of the standouts for Guardiola’s side.
How Haaland and Foden downed Dortmund
Is there anyone who can stop Haaland? Well, his former side couldn’t, as he scored his 18th goal of the season in just 14 games. The striker, who captained City on the night, has bagged five times in the Champions League already this term.
His performance clearly impressed Simon Bajkowski, chief City journalist for the Manchester Evening News. He gave the Citizens number 9 a post-match rating of 8/10, and said his night’s work was “brilliant again.”
As for Foden, his two goals, which were carbon copies of each other, perfectly encapsulated what makes him so good.
Operating in the right half-space, the England international showed great technical ability to carve out both chances, which he took with great poise.
His stats from the game are a great reflection of how well he played. City’s number 47 was constantly involved, having 71 touches and creating three chances. He also worked hard off the ball, making five recoveries.
The City duo were standouts for Guardiola’s side on Wednesday, but one of their teammates also shone.
Man City star is as important as Foden & Haaland
Guardiola will surely be pleased to see such a big win against an opponent who could have proved to be a tough test. The performances from Haaland, Foden and Cherki off the bench are encouraging signs for the Citizens.
It was not just those three who impressed, though. Midfielder Tijjani Reijnders put in a strong showing at the Etihad Stadium. He set up both of Foden’s goals, pulling the strings from an advanced midfield position.
The Dutchman also has some impressive numbers from the game. Like Foden, Reijnders created three chances and looked after the ball well in midfield with a pass accuracy of 88%. He also won two out of three ground duels and made things tough for the visitors when they had the ball in the centre of the park.
Touches
41
Pass accuracy
88%
Passes completed
28/32
Opposition half passes completed
18/22
Ground duels won
2/3
Chances created
3
Assists
2
It was a superb performance from Reijnders, which stood out to Citizens fan page over on X, City Chief. They described it as a “masterclass” in the midfield, and said it was “easily his best performance in a City shirt so far.”
After a night’s work as good as that from the 27-year-old, it is easy to see why he can be as important as Haaland and Foden. He brings plenty of control and helps City sustain attacks.
On top of that, the Netherlands international has a good relationship with another great technical player, Foden. According to Squawka, it is the first time the England international has bagged twice in the Champions League match, and the first time Reijnders has assisted two in a game in the same competition.
That is surely no coincidence. That relationship, plus the creative influence and technical quality, Reijnders adds to the City side, makes him one of their most important players, as he showed against Dortmund.