City fall prey to Lyon in surprise defeat

● English champions pay the price for first-half mistakes as Guardiola forced to watch opening group game from stands

defenderwholeftcityrecently after five years at the club without making a senior appearance, blocked another effort from Laporte.

Lyon played on the counterattack and City contributed to their own downfall as they allowed former Manchester United forward Memphis Depay to break down the left. The Dutchman whipped in a low cross and Cornet – who had a strike disallowed for offside moments earlier – drove in the opener on 26 minutes as Fabian Delph lost his footing.

City responded well and Gundogan thought he had netted a quickfire equaliser but Sterling was flagged offside. Gabriel Jesus, starting up front in place of Sergio Aguero, had a penalty appeal turned down after a challenge from another ex-united player, Rafael.

But Lyon pushed for a second and Houssem Aouar and Ferland Mendy had shots blocked. City lost control and were punished for more sloppiness two minutes before the interval as Fernandinho lost possession. Fekir broke clear and fired home a low shot. Arteta introduced Aguero just after the hour but it was Bernardo Silva, pictured, who revived hopes, squeezing in a shot from Leroy Sane’s cutback.

Substitute Sane proved a handful for the Lyon defence but missed an opportunity when he failed to make contact on a Riyad Mahrez cross. Aguero shot at Lopes but missed the target with another effort and Sane also sliced wide as time ran out.

0 Maxwell Cornet wheels away in celebration after scoring Lyon’s opener past Manchester City keeper Ederson at the Etihad last night.

Pogba 35, 44 pen, Martial 66

Paul Pogba inspired Manchester United to a winning start to their Champions League campaign as Jose Mourinho’s men overcame Young Boys and their potentially problematic plastic pitch.

With tough assignments against Valencia and Juventus to come, United knew just how important it would be to get three points in their Group H opener on the Stade de Suisse’s synthetic surface.

United were not at their best early on in Bern but emerged