City ease past Cardiff in five-goal thrashing
Pep Guardiola praised Manchester City’s “exceptional group” after his players reacted to their midweek Champions League defeat by romping to a 5-0 win at Cardiff. Guardiola was serving a UEFA touchline ban and sat in the stands on Wednesday when Lyon claimed a shock 2-1 Champions League victory at the Etihad Stadium. But City bounced back in style with Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan all on target in the first half, before Riyad Mahrez
struck twice after the break. “The managers are there when they have little doubts, to support them,” said the City boss Guardiola, when asked if his return to the touchline had helped his players. “It’s the same group, they keep reacting, an exceptional group. “They know how, when the situation is not good in terms of results, the closer I am to them. “They deserve all my respect and that’s why I will always be with them.” Cardiff survived for over half-anhour in pouring rain, before Aguero, who had signed a contract extension on Friday to remain at City until 2021, marked his 300th appearance with a crisp finish. The lead was doubled within three minutes as Leroy Sane crossed from the right and Silva’s clever backward header looped in at the far post. Etheridge came to Cardiff ’s rescue to deny Aguero from close range, but a minute before half-time Gundogan played a one-two with Raheem Sterling and curled the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box. Cardiff’s misery should have got worse moments later when Joe Ralls caught Gundogan high with a challenge that evoked memories of Joe Bennett’s tackle on Sane. But referee Michael Oliver chose to show a yellow card rather than a red and Cardiff were spared the punishment of playing the second half with 10 men. Sane clipped the outside of a post with a diving header before Mahrez scored within six minutes of replacing Aguero. Sterling fed Gundogan down the left and his inch-perfect cross was rolled home by Mahrez. Sane and Sterling had further chances to extend the lead before Mahrez pounced on Bruno Manga’s mistake two minutes from time and score with an unerring low drive. “After a not-good result in midweek, we responded with the same level we had for the past 12 or 13 months,” said Guardiola, after City had scored five or more for the 10th time in his care. “The first 20-25 minutes is always complicated, not easy. But after one or two goals immediately it was easier. It’s important for him (Mahrez) to score, he’s an incredibly talented player. He deserves to play more minutes, like Phil Foden. But the season is too long and they have to be ready, prepared, because they are going to play a lot of minutes.” Cardiff ’s defeat was their heaviest during the two years Neil Warnock has been in charge. They have yet to win since their return to the top flight and are now one place off the bottom. “It’s very difficult for us against the top teams at the minute,” said Warnock, who expects to be without Peltier for a “few months” after the defender suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder. “So we have to make sure it counts against the other 13 teams we play. That’s where we’re going to get our points. These games are not going to define our season, but it will knock our chin to the floor.”