THE VERDICT: FC BASEL 0 CITY 4 Cruise for Blues after devastating first half...

CITY TORE INTO BASEL TO EFFECTIVELY PUT THIS TIE TO BED AND GIVE GUARDIOLA OPTIONS TO ROTATE AHEAD OF TOUGH LEAGUE FIXTURES

Surprise selection after a lengthy lay-off, but he justified with a determined, composed performance Plonked the ball on Gundogan’s head to start the rout, and even in second gear he was able to run the midfield Driving run set up Aguero goal, and any hopes that Basel had of getting a foothold in the game broke on Brazilian rock His slickness in possession and intelligent use of the ball have added another dimension to this City team The lovely chest control and volley for City’s second goal was just reward for his vital work His thumping goal was a match highlight but he also teed up Gundogan for the fourth THE Basel fans were vaguely confident going into this game, perhaps deriving misplaced boldness from the fact that they have already dispatched one Manchester team this season.

They also headed into this last 16 first leg with the knowledge that they have seen off Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs as well as United twice in recent years, in front of their passionate support – a great record against English teams.

The problem for the Swiss champions is that City, these days, are barely an English team.

They combine Spanish flair and technique, Italian tactical discipline and German drive and efficiency, all channelled by a master coach who tolerates no slacking.

The result was that they stormed to a victory which not only makes the second leg a formality, it also eases their fixture congestion and gives respite for weary legs.

City could afford to take long breathers during the game, just as they did at Cardiff, as beaten, bewildered and bedraggled Basel failed to take this game beyond being a light training session. The second leg falls on March 7 – and the decisiveness of this result means that Guardiola can now pour all his resources into Premier League clashes with Arsenal on March 1 and Chelsea on March 4, and play a skeleton team against Basel. They clearly decided to try to put this tie to bed at the first attempt, and swept into Basel. They were ahead on 14 minutes through a set-piece goal – a rich vein of success for the Blues in this competition this season. Unsurprisingly, it was Kevin De Bruyne’s whipped cross to the near post from the corner which caught the defence flat-footed, as Ilkay Gundogan darted in to head home. Basel, who had briefly threatened, visibly wilted and four minutes later the lead was doubled. Raheem Sterling sprinted down the left and clipped his cross, a defender’s head taking the pace off it neatly, and allowing Bernardo Silva to chest and then dip a volley over Tomas Vaclik’s weak attempt to Stuart Brennan None Gundogan (14, 53), B Silva (18) Aguero (23) 25% 75% 19 6 13 3 Serey Die

Gundogan, Fernandinho Jonas Eriksson 36,000 Xhaka, save. The Blues wrapped it up before half time as Fernandinho stormed forward, and when his advance was checked the ball broke to Sergio Aguero who lashed an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Gundogan made it four as Aguero’s scurrying run tore another rent in the tattered defence.

But City wound down in the second half, taking off De Bruyne, Aguero and Sterling.

They will have far tougher tests to come, but they are making their task easier game by game, by easing the burden of games.