Guardiola moves quickly on to Real match after rout of Hatters
Manchester City 5 Luton 1
PEP GUARDIOLA immediately turned his attention to t he challenge of Real Madrid after his Manchester City side thrashed Luton yesterday. City enjoyed the perfect preparation for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter- final second leg against the Spanish giants as they cruised past the Hatters in a onesided encounter. An early own goal from Daiki Hashioka set them on their way before second-half strikes from Mateo Kovacic, Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Josko Gvardiol wrapped up a comfortable win.
With the three points taking City back to the Premier League summit, putting pressure on rivals Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of today’s fixtures, Guardiola could switch his focus to Real.
“The team is alive,” said the City boss, whose side played out a pulsating 3-3 draw with Real last Tuesday.
“It’s difficult against Real Madrid but, at the same time, let’s try and go to do it with our people. Whatever happens, we will give everything. There is not one minute when we won’t know what to do. We have all our desire to do it. I want the Etihad full, no seat empty.”
City are chasing an unprecedented second successive treble.
Guardiola said: “We have to admit it, what a privilege, still fighting for the Premier League, playing against Real Madrid with a chance to qualify for the semi-final, and the FA Cup next Saturday, a semi-final again.”
Although City won comfortably, Guardiola felt Luton had made things difficult.
He said: “It was really hard until the second goal. We played really good and had a lot of chances in the first half but we missed something in the finishing.
“How many times have I seen in world football that a team is better and doesn’t win the game? Many times. We know how difficult Luton are.”
Hatters boss Rob Edwards conceded he had not expected his relegation battlers to get anything from the game.
He said: “It was always going to be difficult. Without sounding very defeatist, I almost made peace with it.
“They were the dominant team, they were amazing, but we stayed in the game as long as we could. It’s tough but today was never going to derail us.”
Edwards bemoaned his side’s luck in conceding so early, with the own goal coming as a Haaland shot cannoned into the net off Hashioka’s head.
He said: “We wanted to try to be aggressive but then Haaland knocks out Hashy with the first goal – one of the few defenders we have left knocked out on the floor and we’re 1-0 down after a minute. What a start that is, that’s tough.”
Hashioka required treatment before continuing but Edwards later clarified he had not actually been knocked unconscious.
He said: “No, he was just lying flat. I was just saying that in jest. I was just worried that he was. He just got up and I thought, ‘thank goodness for that’. Otherwise we would have been putting a centre forward at centre-back.”
Victory was almost as routine as it comes, with City not getting anywhere near top gear in a one-sided cruise.
Rodri got his wish for a rest as Guardiola made six changes following Tuesday’s draw. Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and John Stones also sat out – the latter not even in the matchday squad – while goalkeeper Ederson replaced Stefan Ortega. Kevin De Bruyne returned after illness while Kyle Walker was on the bench after recovering from injury.
Luton’s task was daunting enough without the outrageous slice of misfortune that saw them concede the opener inside two minutes. Thomas Kaminski did well to save after Haaland had been played through by De Bruyne and Doku’s follow-up was also blocked. Haaland had City’s third attempt as the ball looped up but his acrobatic volley was heading well wide until it took a huge deflection off Hashioka’s head and ended up in the net.
It took until the 64th minute for City to double the lead with a Kovacic thunderbolt just after the hour. The Croatian had a first strike deflected wide but made no mistake from the resulting corner, hitting an unstoppable effort as the ball bounced along the edge of the area.
Twelve minutes later, Doku won a penalty after tricking and being brought down by Fred Onyedinma. Haaland calmly sent Kaminski the wrong way to register his 31st goal of the season.
Ross Barkley robbed Matheus Nunes to pull one back but City, despite taking off a frustrated-looking De Bruyne, finished with a flourish.
Doku claimed their fourth after weaving through the area in the 87th minute and Gvardiol followed up his fine strike against Real with another stunner in time added on.
We wanted to try to be aggressive but then Haaland knocks out Hashy with the first goal – one of the few defenders we have left knocked out on the floor and we’re 1-0 down after a minute. What a start