CITY HIT SHAKHTAR FOR SIX!
Sterling and Jesus star as Blues sweep Shakhtar aside
THE City and UEFA love story is on.
On the day that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has claimed the two organisations helped to save football, they came together once more as referee Viktor Kassai gave the Blues a large helping hand into the last-16 of the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola had ended his prematch media duties by wryly asking his press officer if they were definitely playing Shakhtar, but if there was a lack of focus on Shakhtar Donetsk in a news-heavy week for City it is because the home side make such a procession of games at the Etihad.
Where it took 18 minutes to break Fulham’s defence six nights ago and six against Southampton on Sunday, City needed just 13 here to take an early lead as Riyad Mahrez wrongfooted a defender before squaring for a David Silva tap-in.
The lead was doubled on 24 minutes but only thanks to a spectacularly bad bit of officiating as Raheem Sterling kicked seven bells out of the turf and was awarded a penalty.
All goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov could do was laugh... then dive the wrong way as Gabriel Jesus slotted home.With that, a familiar carnival followed: Bernardo Silva nutmegs, David Silva plays defence-splitting balls and Ederson looks like he might need to bring a ball of his own to stand a chance of seeing any action.
And if Sterling’s miskick was farcical, his goal to kill the contest just after halftime was sublime.
Touch, control, strength, imagination all neatly rounded off with an emphatic finish.
With a Mahrez strike sandwiching another Jesus penalty and a cheeky chip for the Brazilian’s hat-trick, Guardiola could not have asked for a better evening.
The last 16 is almost guaranteed, top spot is firmly in City’s hands, Jesus got a hat-trick, the home support was superb in both numbers and noise, Ilkay Gundogan returned from injury and Silva, Fernandinho, Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Sergio Aguero were all spared at least some of the 90 minutes with Sunday’s derby at the Etihad in mind.
The Argentine was one of only three changes from Sunday’s win over Southampton, with the manager starting with a strong team to give themselves an excellent chance of three points at home.
It worked, and as derby preparations go the champions would have been feeling pretty pleased with themselves tucked up in bed last night while United were flying back from Turin after being run into the ground by Juventus - even if they did manage a comeback win late on.
As for the Champions League, this record-breaking win felt like a significant evening for the club in a competition they have not seen much joy in.
On this showing, it will take a special team in Europe to come and upset the Blues at the Etihad. And if Sterling’s miskick was farcical, his goal to kill the contest was sublime
CITY FANS MAKES THEMSELVES HEARD
PEP Guardiola has not held back with his thoughts on the atmosphere at the Etihad on Champions League nights, and the disconnect between the way the supporters and the manager view the competition is vast.
When the team doesn’t turn up, as happened against Lyon on the opening matchday of the season, that can be seen as a problem and there were pointed words last month about everyone at the club needing to do more to help the players push for Champions League glory.
Whatever the merits of those comments and their timing, the fans certainly made themselves heard in their first European home game since Lyon. They were loud from well before the first whistle, cycling through their catalogue of songs and engaging in the game, cheering high presses and jeering the errors they produced. They sang long after the game was ended as a contest, and Guardiola couldn’t have asked for any more.
ZINCHENKO SHOWS HIS WORTH
IF it was a shame for Aleks Zinchenko in the reverse fixture to buy 27 tickets for family and friends on returning to his old club only to find himself absent from the matchday squad, the utility player again showed his skill set last night. A competent left-back, he also looked comfortable moving forward and inside to form a triumvirate of defensive midfielders with Fernandinho and Kyle Walker.
As long as the Ukrainian is happy, there is a role for him in this squad for at least another season.
HOME RUN EXORCISED
GOING into this game, City had lost their last three Champions League matches at the Etihad.
Guardiola was only really counting the Lyon game, writing off the dead rubber against Basel and the second leg against Liverpool last season, but the statistics was still there hovering... but no more.
SILVA SCORES AGAIN
MERLIN bagged the winner at Hoffenheim and has now scored the opening goal in both games against Shakhtar.
Guardiola spoke before the game about how the Spaniard is a master at playing in ‘pockets’, but he has also turned into a more regular source of goals for the team.