Match ends, Club Brugge 1, Manchester City 5.
Club BrugesClub Bruges1Man CityManchester City5
Riyad Mahrez scored twice and Cole Palmer got his first Champions League goal for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola's side put in a superb performance to sweep aside Belgian side Club Bruges.
The visitors were slick and confident from start to finish as they moved to within one point of Group A leaders Paris St-Germain with their second win in the competition.
City had been dominant from the outset but their opening goal did not arrive until the 30th minute when Joao Cancelo latched onto Phil Foden's brilliant ball to slot through the legs of former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Mahrez then added a second from the penalty spot just before the break after he had been fouled.
City did not ease up in the second half and the third goal arrived quickly as Mahrez found Kevin de Bruyne, whose one-touch ball sent Kyle Walker through and the full-back fired into the far corner.
Nineteen-year-old academy graduate Palmer then scored his side's fourth just two minutes after coming onto the pitch, bending a fine shot into the back of the net from the edge of the box.
Hans Vanaken turned home a late cross for the hosts but City responded immediately to get their fifth, Mahrez running through before finishing coolly one-on-one.
The victory for City was the ideal response to defeat at PSG in their previous Champions League outing as they moved onto six points from three games.
- 'You cannot cook a good dish if you don't spend time in the kitchen' - Guardiola wants Palmer patience
- Reaction to Manchester City's win, plus the rest of the Champions League action
Foden dazzles in unusual role as Palmer makes his mark
After losing 2-0 at PSG on 28 September, Guardiola had shown his determination to get back to winning ways quickly in the Champions League by naming a strong XI for the trip to Belgium.
The one thing that did raise an eyebrow, however, was the decision to play Foden as a false nine in what was his first start in the competition this season.
Guardiola had previously said that finding a position for Foden would never be a problem because he could effectively play anywhere and once again the England international repaid his manager's huge faith in him to deliver in any role.
His runs and link-up play were excellent throughout and it was of little surprise that he played a key role in the opener.
It is hard for words to do Foden's assist justice as, from just inside the Club Bruges' half, he spotted Cancelo's run and played an inch-perfect ball for his team-mate to run onto, control superbly and then finish.
Foden flourishing under Guardiola after progressing from the academy will no doubt delight City fans and Palmer suggested he, too, could be on course to follow in Foden's footsteps.
His first goal in Europe showed composure beyond his years as he became only the third teenager to score in the Champions League for Manchester City, after Foden and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Player of the match
HendryJack Hendry
with an average of 8.77
Club Bruges
Avg
- Squad number5Player nameHendryAverage rating
8.77
- Squad number4Player nameN'SokiAverage rating
6.38
- Squad number77Player nameClinton MataAverage rating
6.25
- Squad number2Player nameSobolAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number90Player nameDe KetelaereAverage rating
5.46
- Squad number20Player nameVanakenAverage rating
5.45
- Squad number72Player nameMbamba-MuandaAverage rating
5.41
- Squad number10Player nameLangAverage rating
5.28
- Squad number26Player nameRitsAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number22Player nameMignoletAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number29Player nameDostAverage rating
5.18
- Squad number19Player nameSowahAverage rating
5.17
- Squad number25Player nameVormerAverage rating
5.03
- Squad number44Player nameMecheleAverage rating
4.99
- Squad number3Player nameBalantaAverage rating
4.97
- Squad number28Player namevan der BremptAverage rating
4.97
Manchester City
Avg
Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating7.87
Squad number27Player nameJoão CanceloAverage rating7.76
- Squad number80Player namePalmerAverage rating
7.72
Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating7.68
Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating7.60
Squad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating7.59
- Squad number3Player nameRúben DiasAverage rating
7.51
- Squad number10Player nameGrealishAverage rating
7.49
Squad number17Player nameDe BruyneAverage rating7.43
- Squad number16Player nameRodriAverage rating
7.37
Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating7.34
Squad number14Player nameLaporteAverage rating7.19
Squad number8Player nameGündoganAverage rating6.69
- Squad number6Player nameAkéAverage rating
6.67
Squad number25Player nameFernandinhoAverage rating6.52
Squad number7Player nameSterlingAverage rating6.19
Line-ups
Club Bruges
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 22Mignolet
- 77Mata Pedro LourencoBooked at 24minsSubstituted forat 90+3'minutes
- 5Hendry
- 4N'SokiBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMecheleat 79'minutes
- 2Sobol
- 19SowahSubstituted forvan der Bremptat 56'minutes
- 26RitsSubstituted forVormerat 56'minutes
- 3BalantaBooked at 65minsSubstituted forMbamba-Muandaat 68'minutes
- 10Lang
- 20Vanaken
- 90De KetelaereSubstituted forDostat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 11Maouassa
- 18Ricca
- 21Izquierdo
- 25Vormer
- 28van der Brempt
- 29Dost
- 44Mechele
- 72Mbamba-Muanda
- 91Lammens
Man City
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 3Rúben Dias
- 14LaporteBooked at 32minsSubstituted forAkéat 57'minutes
- 27Cancelo
- 17De BruyneSubstituted forPalmerat 64'minutes
- 16RodriSubstituted forFernandinhoat 71'minutes
- 20Bernardo SilvaSubstituted forGündoganat 57'minutes
- 26Mahrez
- 47FodenSubstituted forSterlingat 64'minutes
- 10Grealish
Substitutes
- 6Aké
- 7Sterling
- 8Gündogan
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 11Zinchenko
- 13Steffen
- 25Fernandinho
- 33Carson
- 80Palmer
- Referee:
- István Kovács
- Attendance:
- 24,915
Match Stats
Home TeamClub BrugesAway TeamMan City
- Possession
- Home36%
- Away64%
- Shots
- Home5
- Away22
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away9
- Corners
- Home4
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Club Brugge 1, Manchester City 5.
Post update
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Brandon Mechele.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jack Grealish.
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Clinton Mata went off injured after Club Brugge had used all subs.
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Foul by Nathan Aké (Manchester City).
Post update
Bas Dost (Club Brugge) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Nathan Aké (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Simon Mignolet.
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Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Eduard Sobol (Club Brugge).
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Attempt missed. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by João Cancelo.
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Attempt missed. Bas Dost (Club Brugge) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Hans Vanaken with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Eduard Sobol (Club Brugge) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
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Corner, Club Brugge. Conceded by Nathan Aké.
Goal!
Goal! Club Brugge 1, Manchester City 5. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Fernandinho with a through ball.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jack Grealish (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Raheem Sterling.
Post update
Jack Grealish (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Bas Dost (Club Brugge).
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Comments
Join the conversation
Could he depart in January.....?
The lads did well today.
Hopefully RB can do us a favour later
Rahem...oops
Palmer….. what a goal and what potential. Pep must be pleased and proud of him. I can see him and Foden terrorising defences for years to come. Onward and upward.
No worries kev, you'll get back to your WC best anytime soon with more minutes & match fitness
1-5 : great performance lads 1 to 11. Let's do PSG(h) now & top Group !