Gundogan puts ‘perfect’ City on verge of quarterfinals

BASEL, Switzerland: Ilkay Gundogan says there is still more to come from Manchester City after their “perfect” 4- 0 rout of Basel left them on the verge of the Cham

The runaway Premier League leaders destroyed Basel’s morale with a three-goal burst after just 23 minutes

a devastating nine-minute spell thanks to a header from Gundogan, a Bernardo Silva volley and

Gundogan added a fourth after the break and was only denied a hat-trick by the dogged determination of Basel

The tie looks all but settled ahead of the return leg at the Eti

Gundogan says City can do better and he threw down the gauntlet to their Champions

“The result was maybe perfect, but there are still plenty of things to improve,” said Gundogan

The 27-year-old German singled out City’s playmaker Kevin de Bruyne for his part in his open

“I had the opponent on my back so it was not really easy to head it, but the timing was perfect and the ball was perfect from

Pep Guardiola’s City starved Basel of the ball, enjoying

‘Clinical’

an amazing result, we are almost saying we are already there, out of

Basel’s Czech goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik (center) dives and takes a fourth goal scored by Manchester City’s German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan (centerright) during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Basel and Manchester City at the Saint Jakob-Park Stadium in Basel on Wednesday.

“We defended well and we were clinical—we had four chances and

that is already better than last sea

The Spaniard heaped praise team- mates, including David Silva who made a return off the

“Ilkay is a guy with special player who has a sense for goal,”

“He was out for six or seven months last season and we missed him, he is an outstanding player

“With De Bruyne and David Silva,

This was City’s 34th win in all competitions this season— one more than they managed in the

City’s captain Vincent Kompany appearance this season after a calf themselves a rousing victory mar

“If we have this game at the Etihad and it’s a 3-2 or a 2-2 draw that won’t give us a good feeling to go to the next round,” said the

Key returns

“We have showed we were the better team today and only for a lack of motivation or effort can we not

Guardiola said the return of David Silva and Leroy Sane, who both came on in the second half, boosts

They play Wigan away on Saturday, face Arsenal in back-to-back matches starting with the League

Sane’s return from an ankle injury after only two weeks was a surprise with the German back - a

“Leroy Sane lacks rhythm, but he showed a lot of courage to be

Both Kompany and Guardiola crit

“I thought the pitch was a bit said Kompany while Guardiola

Basel boss Raphael Wicky said -

few goals were given away too easy and when you are 3-0 down after 23 minutes, it’s obviously over,”