Blues take lead role in FAST AND FURIOUS

GUARDIOLA’S HOT-SHOTS PROVE THE DOUBTERS WRONG AGAINST MONACO AS ATTACKING TALENT GIVES CITY THE EDGE IN EIGHT-GOAL CLASSIC

ASTONISHING. Beautiful. Deadly. Fast, flowing and frightening.

And that was just the Monaco attack – City were, in the end, even better!

Anyone who missed this game needs to get a video of the whole 90 minutes – the entire game was one big highlights package, with no dull moments to be had.

Two goals for Sergio Aguero, who was also wrongly booked for diving when he should have had a penalty, and one each for Raheem Sterling, John Stones and Leroy Sane told just part of the story.

In the build-up to the game we had been bombarded with foreboding messages about just how good Monaco were.

They had scored 76 goals this season, more than anyone else in Europe, we were told.

They have the deadliest strikers on the planet on current form in veteran Radamel Falcao and youngster Kylian Mbappe.

City would be lucky to escape without hiding, was the implication.

Well, people soon forget that the Blues possess some pretty impressive footballers themselves – and the goalscorers, plus the excellent David Silva and Yaya Toure – gave them a lethal reminder.

Everyone waxed lyrical about Bernardo Silva, Monaco’s excellent playmaker, but it was his namesake David who truly shone as City stepped on the power in the second half.

It was a game riddled with controversy, and pivoting on some questionable refereeing decisions, but to focus on them would be to do an injustice to two beautiful attacking sides.

The game flowed from end to end, we had a City penalty claim wrongly turned down, and a dubious Monaco one given – and then saved by Willy Caballero.

City’s opening goal was a picture. Sane gave evidence of his growing confidence with a brilliant weaving run from the left flank, a smart one-two with Silva and a precise cross for Sterling to finish.

But Monaco hit back, Caballero’s weak chop setting up an attack finished by Falcao before Mbappe lashed in the second.

City fought their way back into it as the pace of Sterling unhinged the visitors – not for the first time – and he slipped a pass to Aguero, whose shot flashed straight through Subasic.

But Falcao was on fire, and when he was left one-on-one with Stones, he was too quick for the defender – and the chipped finish from the Colombian was exquisite.

But City roared back, and when Kevin de Bruyne’s cross dipped neatly onto Aguero’s volley, we were all square again.

Then another corner, and this time Stones popped up at the far post to apply the finishing touch and nudge the Blues ahead again.

The fifth goal was an absolute masterpiece, a flurry of passes around the box ended with Silva dinking a stunning pass to Aguero who calmly controlled and squared it for Sane to knock into the empty net.

Full credit to Monaco – if they play like this in the return leg, this tie is a long way from over.

It could be another classic!