Manchester City showed their ruthless and clinical edge once again as they tore past Bayern Munich with a 3-0 win to take complete control of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead in sensational fashion as Rodri’s 25-yard stunner broke the deadlock at a tense Etihad Stadium in the first half.
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Those nerves were allayed after the break as strikes from Bernardo Silva and – who else? – Erling Haaland gave City a comfortable cushion going into the second leg in Bavaria next week.
Image: Erling Haaland challenges Dayot Upamecano
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz rates the players who took the field in Manchester…
Manchester City
Ederson – 8
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After a first half where he was mostly a passenger, the City goalkeeper needed to be alert to smartly deny Leroy Sane three times in the second period. One particular bit of distribution – a smart long ball at the start of the second period, was a joy to watch.
Manuel Akanji – 7
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A nervy start from the City defender, but he grew in confidence along with his team-mates. One excellent ball forward to Ilkay Gundogan in the first half, then a lung-bursting run from deep in the second, shows he can be a real asset when in full flow.
Ruben Dias – 9
Image: Manchester City's Ruben Dias had a superb night at the back
The centre-half was also rarely tested due to a lack of a regular No 9 in the Bayern attack, with Dias showing his physical dominance by winning everything in the air. The defender put in one vital block to deny Jamal Musiala with the scores at 0-0, prevented Kingsley Coman from heading home in the second half with an off-the-line clearance, before a great last-ditch challenge to stop Serge Gnabry when collective focus was dropping.
Nathan Ake – 8
The Dutchman’s display was summed up by Coman, who was given nothing down the right in the opening stages of the game, swapping flanks just after half-time. Ake put in one crucial first-half intervention as Joshua Kimmich tried to release Leroy Sane down the wing. City’s defensive astuteness does not exist without Ake in this team.
John Stones – 7
Stones is making this right-back, centre-back, centre-mid role his own. The England defender would pop up in an advanced role when in possession, then simply slot in at centre-half if they lost it. An excellent assist for Haaland’s goal, while he stopped Sane from a one-on-one with good strength minutes later. A good example of a defender quietly going about his business before making the big impacts.
Rodri – 8
Manchester City’s metronome. His short bursts to find five yards of space are so crucial to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish getting on the ball, while he is always in the right place to stop attacks. His stunning goal was a work of art, his attacking prowess of late is adding to his status as one of the most complete midfielders in the world.
Image: Rodri opened the scoring
Kevin De Bruyne – 8
A cheat code at times. Man City’s best attacks came through this man finding the space to operate. De Bruyne put in dangerous crosses from both wings while also showing an ability to burst through the middle of the pitch. Unlucky to be substituted, Pep Guardiola was right to tell the Belgian midfielder to focus on the simple things.
Ilkay Gundogan – 7
The German midfielder caused Bayern problems with his late runs into the box from midfield but was let down with a poor final ball. Gundogan should have opened the scoring with a header inside the area and while he couldn’t do much more when Yann Sommer kicked away his effort – you feel he buries those chances nine times out of 10.
Bernardo Silva – 8
You feel Bernardo was selected for his industry in midfield against the threat of Alphonso Davies on the Bayern left. What the Portuguese possessed in the first two thirds of the pitch, in a positive night against the rapid Davies, he initially lacked the final ball. But then he showed that similar determination to head past Sommer for the second goal.
Image: Bernardo Silva celebrates his goal
Erling Haaland – 7
Not many touches from the Premier League’s top scorer, but he should have done better with two. Haaland was presented with a pair of first half chances in areas where he could find the net with his eyes closed, but blazed over then fired straight at Sommer. No wonder he squared for Bernardo in a rare unselfish moment from the Norwegian, before showing his usual poacher’s instincts for City’s third.
Jack Grealish – 8
It took Grealish just 20 seconds to start running at players, then putting them on their backside. But when he beat his man, he always played the right ball. The England winger’s ability to flick the ball round the corner effectively makes his team seem more unpredictable, while his off-ball work is improving dramatically. He really looks at home at this level.
Substitutes: Julian Alvarez (on for De Bruyne, 68) – 7
Excellent delivery from a short corner for Haaland’s goal, the Argentine is becoming a really good impact option off the bench in his debut season. Alvarez should have had a second on the break but fired agonisingly wide.
Bayern Munich
Yann Sommer – 7
One nervy moment when Haaland nearly tackled him on the goalline, but otherwise a very assured display from Sommer, who swept up well at times. The Bayern goalkeeper could do nothing for the three goals, while he showed his good instincts to deny Dias, Gundogan and Rodri from making the scoreline much, much worse.
Benjamin Pavard – 5
The Bayern right-back also had a very nervy game defensively. His task was not made easier by the presence of Grealish on that flank, with De Bruyne also venturing towards that wing to cause more problems. Pavard showed some promise going forward while put in some big challenges when required, but a booking shows some vulnerability that City can expose in the second leg.
Matthijs De Ligt – 6
The Dutch defender’s role was to be the muscle against the threat of Haaland and played his role well. A very assured physical display. De Ligt was let down by other defenders who showed less composure.
Dayot Upamecano – 4
In the first half, the Bayern centre-back was not afraid to carry the ball deep under pressure and was very effective in beating City’s first line of the press. But he was given a warning after one mix-up to allow Grealish in – with Haaland, Bernardo and City not willing to let him off a second time. That moment summed up a really clumsy spell for the Frenchman after the break.
Alphonso Davies – 6
Davies looked promising when in full flight and his pace via deep runs created some space for Bayern. But a mixed night up against Bernardo was summed up by an unnecessary booking early in the second half.
Joshua Kimmich – 8
A real joy to watch. Kimmich rivalled Rodri in the middle of the pitch in being absolutely everywhere. Some real slick passes deserved better while the Bayern midfielder made two important first-half interventions to deny Bernardo and Gundogan from going through.
Image: Bayern's Joshua Kimmich was a real joy to watch at times
Leon Goretzka – 7
The hard-working engine next to the flair of Kimmich. The midfielder launched a couple of good attacks by wining the ball and bursting forward. Goretzka was perhaps let down by those in front of him.
Leroy Sane – 7
The former Manchester City man gave his side a whole host of problems in the final third, finding the pockets of space well and could have walked away with the match ball at the start of the second half. He will be hoping to put things right in the second leg.
Image: Leroy Sane had a positive night back in Manchester
Jamal Musiala – 4
The former Chelsea academy product got in good areas but showed a lack of experience in the big games. Musiala was guilty of getting the ball stuck under his feet in promising areas in a couple of instances and should have done better with his big first-half opportunity. Rightly hauled off for Mane after little to no impact.
Kingsley Coman – 6
The French winger held the line well but struggled up against Ake and was not as effective as Sane. Coman carried the ball well at times but never got himself in any big goalscoring positions.
Serge Gnabry – 5
You can see why Thomas Tuchel put Gnabry in that false nine role. His link-up play was good at times, including a superb 60-yard spread of the play out to Sane in the first half. But the German forward never really had an influence in the final third and more of a presence was needed.
Substitutes: Sadio Mane (for Musiala, 69) – 6
You feel Mane’s experience of this opposition and stadium was needed here. The former Liverpool attacker would have surely done more than those who started.
Joao Cancelo (for Davies, 80) – n/a
Thomas Mueller (for Gnabry, 80) – n/a
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