Champions League - Group A
Man CityManchester City6RB LeipzigRB Leipzig3

Manchester City 6-3 RB Leipzig: Last season's runners-up off to flying start

By Neil JohnstonBBC Sport
Nathan Ake heads Manchester City into the lead against B Leipzig in the Champions League
Nathan Ake scored his first Champions League goal since joining Manchester City for £40m from Bournemouth in August 2020

Jack Grealish scored a wonderful goal on his Champions League debut as Manchester City scored six past RB Leipzig to put the pain of losing last season's final behind them.

City produced a stunning attacking display to overcome last season's Bundesliga runners-up and get their Group A campaign off to a winning start.

Grealish, the British record £100m signing from Aston Villa, illuminated Etihad Stadium after cutting inside from the left before curling home to make it 4-2.

In an extraordinary game, Nathan Ake had put Pep Guardiola's side ahead with a powerful header - the 10th different player to score in a City shirt this season - before a calamitous own goal by Nordi Mukiele doubled the lead.

The France defender got his angles horribly wrong as his attempted header back to his keeper following Kevin de Bruyne's delivery ended up in the net.

City did not have things all their own way, however, and Mukiele made up for his error by playing a role in Christopher Nkunku's goal to make it 2-1 before Riyad Mahrez restored the two-goal cushion with a penalty after Lukas Klostermann handled.

Nkunku gave RB Leipzig hope with a header only for Grealish to his score his second for the club with a delightful finish.

Former Paris St-Germain player Nkunku completed his hat-trick, but Joao Cancelo added a stunning fifth and substitute Gabriel Jesus a sixth to set City up nicely for their biggest test in the group away to PSG on 28 September.

RB Leipzig finished with 10 men after former Manchester City player Angelino was sent off in the 79th minute for a second yellow card.

Free-scoring City building momentum

Guardiola had urged his players before the game to use the hurt from losing last season's final to spur them to go one step further this time.

In an astonishing match, they scored three times in each half to take their tally to 17 in the past four matches.

Nkunku's hat-trick means that Guardiola was not entirely satisfied with what he saw but there were plenty of positives as City's season continues to gather momentum.

De Bruyne did not look like a player making his first start of the season after injury, as the Belgium midfielder produced an electric performance, while Grealish looked like he belonged on the Champions League stage.

Manchester City's players celebrate scoring against RB Leipzig in the Champions League
This was Manchester City's highest scoring Champions League game, surpassing the eight goals in their 5-3 victory over Monaco in February 2017

The England midfielder continues to thrive in his new surroundings and delivered one of the game's outstanding moments with his stunning finish.

After delivering the corner for Ake to score the game's opening goal, Grealish became the first Englishman to both score and assist on their Champions League debut since Wayne Rooney in September 2004.

With Phil Foden coming on to make his first appearance for City since the Champions League final defeat, Guardiola's side are looking stronger each game.

Ever the perfectionist, he will not be happy with the goals his side conceded.

Guardiola, in charge of City for the 300th time, was at his animated best as he delivered instructions to both Grealish and Mahrez as his side closed in on victory.

There were some empty seats at the Etihad and Guardiola appealed for fans to turn out for Saturday's Premier League game with Southampton.

"We scored 16 goals in the last three games here. I'd like more people to come on Saturday. We will be tired. Southampton are so dangerous. I invite all our people to come 3pm to watch our game," he said.

Player of the match

NkunkuChristopher Nkunku

with an average of 8.05

Manchester City

  1. Squad number10Player nameGrealish
    Average rating

    7.17

  2. Squad number17Player nameDe Bruyne
    Average rating

    6.91

  3. Squad number26Player nameMahrez
    Average rating

    6.61

  4. Squad number47Player nameFoden
    Average rating

    6.51

  5. Squad number27Player nameJoão Cancelo
    Average rating

    6.49

  6. Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
    Average rating

    6.48

  7. Squad number6Player nameAké
    Average rating

    6.47

  8. Squad number21Player nameF Torres
    Average rating

    6.46

  9. Squad number3Player nameRúben Dias
    Average rating

    6.35

  10. Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva
    Average rating

    6.35

  11. Squad number16Player nameRodri
    Average rating

    6.19

  12. Squad number25Player nameFernandinho
    Average rating

    6.12

  13. Squad number31Player nameEderson
    Average rating

    6.06

  14. Squad number7Player nameSterling
    Average rating

    6.06

  15. Squad number11Player nameZinchenko
    Average rating

    6.04

  16. Squad number8Player nameGündogan
    Average rating

    6.00

RB Leipzig

  1. Squad number18Player nameNkunku
    Average rating

    8.05

  2. Squad number17Player nameSzoboszlai
    Average rating

    6.74

  3. Squad number9Player namePoulsen
    Average rating

    6.63

  4. Squad number8Player nameHaidara
    Average rating

    6.53

  5. Squad number21Player nameBrobbey
    Average rating

    6.38

  6. Squad number10Player nameForsberg
    Average rating

    6.28

  7. Squad number25Player nameOlmo
    Average rating

    6.27

  8. Squad number33Player nameAndré Silva
    Average rating

    6.10

  9. Squad number32Player nameGvardiol
    Average rating

    6.07

  10. Squad number27Player nameLaimer
    Average rating

    5.95

  11. Squad number14Player nameAdams
    Average rating

    5.95

  12. Squad number4Player nameOrban
    Average rating

    5.82

  13. Squad number16Player nameKlostermann
    Average rating

    5.80

  14. Squad number3Player nameAngelino
    Average rating

    5.74

  15. Squad number22Player nameMukiele
    Average rating

    5.69

  16. Squad number1Player nameGulácsi
    Average rating

    5.68

Line-ups

Man City

Formation 4-3-3

  • 31Ederson
  • 27Cancelo
  • 3Rúben Dias
  • 6Aké
  • 11ZinchenkoBooked at 12mins
  • 17De BruyneSubstituted forFodenat 71'minutes
  • 16RodriSubstituted forFernandinhoat 59'minutes
  • 20Bernardo SilvaSubstituted forGündoganat 59'minutes
  • 26Mahrez
  • 21F TorresSubstituted forSterlingat 72'minutes
  • 10GrealishSubstituted forGabriel Jesusat 81'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Walker
  • 7Sterling
  • 8Gündogan
  • 9Gabriel Jesus
  • 25Fernandinho
  • 33Carson
  • 47Foden
  • 80Palmer
  • 84Slicker
  • 90Lavia

RB Leipzig

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Gulácsi
  • 22Mukiele
  • 16KlostermannBooked at 45mins
  • 4Orban
  • 3AngelinoBooked at 79mins
  • 14AdamsBooked at 49mins
  • 27LaimerSubstituted forHaidaraat 60'minutes
  • 18NkunkuSubstituted forGvardiolat 81'minutes
  • 25OlmoSubstituted forBrobbeyat 72'minutes
  • 10ForsbergSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 61'minutes
  • 33André SilvaSubstituted forPoulsenat 60'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Simakan
  • 8Haidara
  • 9Poulsen
  • 17Szoboszlai
  • 21Brobbey
  • 26Kourouma Kourouma
  • 31Martínez
  • 32Gvardiol
  • 39Henrichs
  • 44Kampl
Referee:
Serdar Gözübüyük
Attendance:
38,062

Match Stats

Home TeamMan CityAway TeamRB Leipzig
Possession
Home50%
Away50%
Shots
Home16
Away10
Shots on Target
Home8
Away3
Corners
Home6
Away3
Fouls
Home9
Away17

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Manchester City 6, RB Leipzig 3.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Manchester City 6, RB Leipzig 3.

  3. Post update

    Attempt saved. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Fernandinho.

  4. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Willi Orban.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai with a cross following a corner.

  6. Post update

    Corner, RB Leipzig. Conceded by Rúben Dias.

  7. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Yussuf Poulsen.

  8. Goal!

    Goal! Manchester City 6, RB Leipzig 3. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner following a corner.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Rúben Dias (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  10. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  11. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Péter Gulácsi.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Nathan Aké (Manchester City).

  13. Post update

    Brian Brobbey (RB Leipzig) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Post update

    Offside, Manchester City. Fernandinho tries a through ball, but Nathan Aké is caught offside.

  15. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Lukas Klostermann.

  16. Post update

    Attempt missed. Brian Brobbey (RB Leipzig) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Josko Gvardiol.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, RB Leipzig. Josko Gvardiol replaces Christopher Nkunku.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Manchester City. Gabriel Jesus replaces Jack Grealish.

  19. Dismissal

    Second yellow card to Angeliño (RB Leipzig) for a bad foul.

  20. Post update

    João Cancelo (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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As It Stood

A

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1Man City11006333
2PSG10101101
3Club Bruges10101101
4RB Leipzig100136-30

B

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1Liverpool11003213
2Atl Madrid10100001
3FC Porto10100001
4AC Milan100123-10

C

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1Ajax11005143
2B Dortmund11002113
3Besiktas100112-10
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3Dynamo Kyiv10100001
4Barcelona100103-30

F

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1Young Boys11002113
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H

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