Cole Palmer’s goal came with almost his first touch after coming onRiyad Mahrez scored twice and Cole Palmer got his first Champions League goal for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s side put in a superb performance to sweep aside Belgian side Club Bruges.
The visitors were slick and confident from start to finish as they moved to within one point of Group A leaders Paris St-Germain with their second win in the competition.
City had been dominant from the outset but their opening goal did not arrive until the 30th minute when Joao Cancelo latched onto Phil Foden’s brilliant ball to slot through the legs of former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Mahrez then added a second from the penalty spot just before the break after he had been fouled.
City did not ease up in the second half and the third goal arrived quickly as Mahrez found Kevin de Bruyne, whose one-touch ball sent Kyle Walker through and the full-back fired into the far corner.
Nineteen-year-old academy graduate Palmer then scored his side’s fourth just two minutes after coming onto the pitch, bending a fine shot into the back of the net from the edge of the box.
Hans Vanaken turned home a late cross for the hosts but City responded immediately to get their fifth, Mahrez running through before finishing coolly one-on-one.
The victory for City was the ideal response to defeat at PSG in their previous Champions League outing as they moved onto six points from three games.
‘You cannot cook a good dish if you don’t spend time in the kitchen’ – Guardiola wants Palmer patienceReaction to Manchester City’s win, plus the rest of the Champions League actionFoden dazzles in unusual role as Palmer makes his markPhil Foden’s assist was an incredible example of vision and accuracyAfter losing 2-0 at PSG on 28 September, Guardiola had shown his determination to get back to winning ways quickly in the Champions League by naming a strong XI for the trip to Belgium.
The one thing that did raise an eyebrow, however, was the decision to play Foden as a false nine in what was his first start in the competition this season.
Guardiola had previously said that finding a position for Foden would never be a problem because he could effectively play anywhere and once again the England international repaid his manager’s huge faith in him to deliver in any role.
His runs and link-up play were excellent throughout and it was of little surprise that he played a key role in the opener.
It is hard for words to do Foden’s assist justice as, from just inside the Club Bruges’ half, he spotted Cancelo’s run and played an inch-perfect ball for his team-mate to run onto, control superbly and then finish.
Foden flourishing under Guardiola after progressing from the academy will no doubt delight City fans and Palmer suggested he, too, could be on course to follow in Foden’s footsteps.
His first goal in Europe showed composure beyond his years as he became only the third teenager to score in the Champions League for Manchester City, after Foden and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Player of the match
HendryJack Hendry
with an average of 8.77
Club BrugesSquad number5Player nameHendry
Squad number4Player nameN’Soki
Squad number77Player nameClinton Mata
Squad number2Player nameSobol
Squad number90Player nameDe Ketelaere
Squad number20Player nameVanaken
Squad number72Player nameMbamba-Muanda
Squad number10Player nameLang
Squad number26Player nameRits
Squad number22Player nameMignolet
Squad number29Player nameDost
Squad number19Player nameSowah
Squad number25Player nameVormer
Squad number44Player nameMechele
Squad number3Player nameBalanta
Squad number28Player namevan der Brempt
Manchester CitySquad number47Player nameFoden
Squad number27Player nameJoão Cancelo
Squad number80Player namePalmer
Squad number2Player nameWalker
Squad number26Player nameMahrez
Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva
Squad number3Player nameRúben Dias
Squad number10Player nameGrealish
Squad number17Player nameDe Bruyne
Squad number16Player nameRodri
Squad number31Player nameEderson
Squad number14Player nameLaporte
Squad number8Player nameGündogan
Squad number6Player nameAké
Squad number25Player nameFernandinho
Squad number7Player nameSterling
Line-upsClub BrugesFormation 4-4-1-1
22Mignolet
77Mata Pedro Lourenco5Hendry4N’Soki2Sobol
19Sowah26Rits3Balanta10Lang
20Vanaken
90De Ketelaere
22Mignolet77Mata Pedro LourencoBooked at 24minsSubstituted forat 90+3’minutes5Hendry4N’SokiBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMecheleat 79’minutes2Sobol19SowahSubstituted forvan der Bremptat 56’minutes26RitsSubstituted forVormerat 56’minutes3BalantaBooked at 65minsSubstituted forMbamba-Muandaat 68’minutes10Lang20Vanaken90De KetelaereSubstituted forDostat 79’minutesSubstitutes11Maouassa18Ricca21Izquierdo25Vormer28van der Brempt29Dost44Mechele72Mbamba-Muanda91LammensMan CityFormation 4-3-3
31Ederson
2Walker3Rúben Dias14Laporte27Cancelo
17De Bruyne16Rodri20Bernardo Silva
26Mahrez47Foden10Grealish
31Ederson2Walker3Rúben Dias14LaporteBooked at 32minsSubstituted forAkéat 57’minutes27Cancelo17De BruyneSubstituted forPalmerat 64’minutes16RodriSubstituted forFernandinhoat 71’minutes20Bernardo SilvaSubstituted forGündoganat 57’minutes26Mahrez47FodenSubstituted forSterlingat 64’minutes10GrealishSubstitutes6Aké7Sterling8Gündogan9Gabriel Jesus11Zinchenko13Steffen25Fernandinho33Carson80PalmerReferee:István Kovács
Attendance:24,915
Live TextMatch ends, Club Brugge 1, Manchester City 5.
Second Half ends, Club Brugge 1, Manchester City 5.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Brandon Mechele.
Attempt blocked. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jack Grealish.
Clinton Mata went off injured after Club Brugge had used all subs.
Foul by Nathan Aké (Manchester City).
Bas Dost (Club Brugge) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Nathan Aké (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Simon Mignolet.
Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Eduard Sobol (Club Brugge).
Attempt missed. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by João Cancelo.
Attempt missed. Bas Dost (Club Brugge) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Hans Vanaken with a cross.
Attempt missed. Eduard Sobol (Club Brugge) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
Corner, Club Brugge. Conceded by Nathan Aké.
Goal! Club Brugge 1, Manchester City 5. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Fernandinho with a through ball.
Attempt blocked. Jack Grealish (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Raheem Sterling.
Jack Grealish (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Bas Dost (Club Brugge).
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