Manchester City cruised to a 5-0 victory over Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, with goals from Phil Foden, John Stones, a double from Erling Haaland and a late Matheus Nunes penalty ensuring Pep Guardiola’s team picked up an easy three points.
Haaland’s first goal was a spectacular acrobatic backheel that ranks among the best strikes in his sizeable collection and Stones’ header marked the first time in the 30-year-old’s career that he has scored in back-to-back games.
Here, Sam Lee analyses the key talking points from the match at the Etihad Stadium.
How on earth did Haaland manage that?
This ended up being a thrilling victory, although until the second goal it was heavy going for spectators, with City not quite at their sharpest, and Sparta, while sporadically threatening, not quite good enough to capitalise.
That all changed when Haaland lit up the occasion, and possibly the round, with arguably the best goal of his career. A couple of years ago he produced an acrobatic effort against Borussia Dortmund, which reminded Guardiola of an old Johan Cruyff goal, but this one was a real one-off.
It is tempting to say that Savinho did brilliantly to set him up with some old-fashioned wing play, although, that said, how many strikers in the world would have been able to do something with a cross that was delivered at such an awkward height?
Haaland scoring a truly special goal (Copa/Getty Images)
Luckily for City they have one of the very few that could, and Haaland was able to contort himself around and flick the outside of his left foot at it, a finish that made Bernardo Silva stand there and, like something out of a silent movie, place his hand on his head in amazement. This is one of those goals that will be shown around the world, but more importantly it set City up for an eventually thrilling performance.
Here is the video for readers in the United Kingdom:
What a finish from Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian striker doubles Manchester City’s lead with an acrobatic back heel.#UCL
🎥 @footballontntpic.twitter.com/ZHyVrAUqoB
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) October 23, 2024
And here is the video for those in the USA:
HOW!?! 🤯
Erling Haaland with an acrobatic finish to remember 💫 pic.twitter.com/DANwBX30JY
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 23, 2024
Guardiola has tweaked setup when attacking corners
In the previous Champions League game, away against Slovan Bratislava, City had 15 corners without really creating much. In fact, the biggest threat seemed to be to their own goal, with the Slovakian side occasionally springing a counter attack, something which continued into the following game when City beat Fulham.
The problem seemed to be that City had three players on the edge of the area, and when they were the smaller, less physical players — Rico Lewis, Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic was one trio — the opposition sensed an opportunity.
Back in Slovakia, by the end of the game the home side had left three or four players on the edge of their own box in preparation for a counter attack, which obviously forced City to adapt, matching those numbers and adding Kyle Walker, who had come on as a substitute, behind them.
In the first half there they brought Jeremy Doku into their last line of defence, presumably for a bit of extra pace, and by the time they played Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend they had three on the edge of the box plus one behind, building in an extra layer of support.
On Wednesday, City did that again, although were nearly caught out regardless by one direct ball in behind that led to Stefan Ortega having to make a fine save. Guardiola’s team have clearly been working to improve this element of their game in recent weeks but it is worth keeping an eye on as sides look for every advantage against an opponent that is always going to dominate possession.
Are City’s injuries beginning to mount up?
It seems to get earlier and earlier every year: a glance at the City bench tonight would have prompted a few questions about the depth in the squad. Since the weekend, Doku and Jack Grealish have been ruled out for a few games (Grealish seven to 10 days according to Guardiola, and Doku ‘longer’) meaning that in addition to Kevin De Bruyne, who still does not feel quite right, after six weeks on the sidelines, and Rodri, who is out for the season, the club have four pretty important players injured.
Grealish watching on against Sparta Prague (Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
City named seven substitutes (Sparta had 12) including two goalkeepers, two defenders, Kovacic and two academy graduates in James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly. A little bit of strain on the squad — as good and versatile as the fit players are — could start to show beyond the weekend, with four away games before the international break
What did Guardiola say?
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
What next for Manchester City?
Saturday, October 26: Southampton (H), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET
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(Top photo: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
