It’s PLAIN

Stroll for Guardiola’s men as deadly Torres

FERRAN TORRES may not offer a long-term solution as a stand-in striker but as a sticking plaster he did the job just fine last night as City made it two from two in Group C.

A goal fr om the 20-year-old Spain winger provided the platform for City to register a first win on French s oi l i n th e Champions League. Ilkay Gundogan knocked in a second to provide insurance on 76 minutes on a night City dominated from start to finish.

And with the game already put to bed Raheem Sterling tucked it up and read it a story with a tapin nine minutes from time.

For all the comfort of this win boss Pep Guardiola will have to get creative again back on home soil against more ambitious opponents given the injuries to Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus.

In truth, City did not have to extend themselves too much to get past a disappointing Marseille who are now on a run of 11 matches without a win in the Champions League.

This di splay of damagelimitation from the start from the only French team to win his competition back in 1993 and the runners-up in their league last season was poor. You might have thought the loss of Aguero on the eve of this contest for another month with a hamstring injury and the ongoing absence of Jesus might have given them a bit of hope.

Both Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne have filled in a withdrawn role i n the past, particularly in this competition, but it was Torres who was handed the keys to the toy cupboard last night.

The City boss had to wait just 18 minutes before that plan came off with the converted winger bagging a second goal in two games following his debut strike against Porto.

Torres got a helping hand from

their hosts although to be fair to City it was the result of pressure which built oppressively pretty much from the opening whistle.

Andre Villas-boas set up his side with five strung across the back but City applied such pressure they were virtually standing on the goalkeeper’s toes after 15 minutes.

And when one press broke on the edge, Valentin Rongier panicked and passed it to De Bruyne on the right edge of the box.

His square ball was met sweetly by Torres from near the penalty spot.

With plan A failing, the French side started to throw a few more bodies forward as the half wore on and enjoyed the odd foray into City’s half for all that they failed to test Ederson.

Afforded a little more leeway at the other end, City went hunting for the insurance of a second.

And they went close through leftback Oleksandr Z inch enko, who grazed a post with an angled shot from just inside after another failed clearance. City kept pressing and with Marseille becoming oming stretched the gaps finally appeared, ed,

Phil Foden n crossing f or r

Sterling to nod back for

Gundogan to fire home.

Fou r minutes later the i mpressive De Bruyne e crossed for or

Sterling to tap p in to complete the win and cap a fine all-round team m performance by City. y.

CALLING THE SHOTS Pep Guardiola was in total charge in Marseille

Torres was never going to miss his big chance to give Cityy the lead GUNNING FOR YOU Gundogan enjoys his goal in the Velodrome