Foden shines on centre stage as Chelsea collapse

‘You’re not letting anybody else in, are you?’ a Manchester City official asked of the club’s stewards at the front entrance during half-time.

But by that point, the direction of travel was the other way. Plenty of Chelsea supporters had sloped off into the night and did not bother returning. Their bewildered team had been sent packing.

That was in part down to themselves — a rank display did nothing to calm talk around Graham Potter’s credentials — although City certainly had a say in it. After some stodgy performances this season, a 15-minute first-half blitz saw them saunter into round four and should set some form of standard during the trickier weeks to come.

It was certainly slicker through midfield than has been the case recently, more of an insistence on looking forward when receiving possession.

Phil Foden’s inclusion in a central role brought an improvement in that regard and his goal threat significantly improves in those areas. There is a great deal more to his game than acting as a left winger. When City do this, and do not overly worry about the opposition, they resemble the seam bowler who is just too quick, armed with that extra pace nobody can pick up. You can stand there trying to block all you like but eventually the stumps will scatter everywhere. Yet, sometimes City can forget how good they are. That was the case in the first 45 minutes when these teams met last Thursday. A little bit too much respect paid to Chelsea on the night. None here. ‘When we play in this way, with this incredible hunger — don’t give them time to think about it — it means we are alive,’ said City boss Pep Guardiola. ‘You realise something is dropping when we don’t do what we did today. This is who we are. ‘They know the guys who don’t do it, it doesn’t matter their name, they don’t play with us.’ Without Kevin De Bruyne and erling Haaland, wrapped up warm on the bench, it is fair to assume there were a few more gears, if required. really pressing down on the accelerator is the way in which City’s supporters will want the champions to attack Manchester united at old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime. They give up more chances playing like this — the sort of silly chances that have done for them in europe over the years, which is why Guardiola has become slightly more methodical in his set-up — but there ought to be the feeling that they can out-score anybody and everybody. It gives them considerably more chances to put games to bed and they have never before had Haaland on the end of those, either.

The positives continued for Guardiola, who claimed City were far better when drawing against everton than winning at Stamford Bridge last week. Kyle Walker completed his first full match since August; Julian Alvarez was sharp; riyad Mahrez came alive with purpose. ‘Today was addictive,’ Guardiola added. ‘We need the whole squad. If everyone is humble to accept their minutes, they are welcome. I need them to see in the mirror who they are.’