Thanks to goals from Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku, Manchester City earned a 2-0 win against Napoli to kick off their Champions League campaign.
Kevin De Bruyne briefed Antonio Conte about Manchester City and their approach but he was taken off early after Giovanni Di Lorenzo was sent off in the first half.
Napoli managed to keep Pep Guardiola’s side at bay in the first 45.
However, cream rose to the top as Manchester City took home the all-important three points, leading to five lessons about them being learned.
Phil Foden is back
After starring in the Manchester Derby, Phil Foden looked in excellent touch once again as Manchester City beat Napoli.
Foden’s assist for Haaland’s opening goal was a delightful lob but throughout the contest, he created plenty of chances, stitched the attack and looked back to his virtuosic best.
Foden was keen to prove his doubters wrong this season and judging by his displays against Manchester United and Napoli, he is well on his way to doing so.
Jeremy Doku is becoming a star
Jeremy Doku got on the scoresheet in tremendous fashion, as he danced past Napoli’s defence and put the ball in the back of the net.
In his previous outing, the Belgian assisted Foden’s opening goal, which shows that this campaign, he is focused towards becoming productive in order to cement his status as a world-class winger.
Pep Guardiola has given Doku the license to drift into the half-spaces, a role that is churning out a much-needed level of productivity out of the 23-year-old as he is a nightmare to contend with in central areas.
Doku created a few chances on the night as well, as it seems like his game is becoming far more polished in the final third.
Erling Haaland is on fire
Erling Haaland looks like a man possessed, as he scored his sixth goal in five games this season.
The Norwegian cut an isolated figure for much of the contest but the star striker’s exquisite header to lift the ball over Vanja Milinković-Savić showed that he is in breathtaking form at the minute.
Guardiola believes Haaland is at his very best currently and it is difficult to disagree with him.
Rodri looked very assured
Rodri was taken off by Pep Guardiola at around the hour mark to preserve him for Manchester City’s contest against Arsenal but he was arguably the best player on the pitch until he was substituted.
The midfield maestro looked far more assured in possession than he did against Manchester United, breaking the lines at will, spraying inch-perfect passes and deeming Napoli’s press powerless up against him.
Rodri nearly scored with a rasping volley from outside the box but even off the ball, the Spaniard looked closer to his best self as he dominated the visitors by constantly being at the right place and at the right time.
- READ MORE: Bernardo Silva tells Rodri that Man City have a player who is just like one Real Madrid superstar
Tijjani Reijnders is a work in progress
Tijjani Reijnders was one of the few players who could not really make his mark on proceedings.
For all of the Dutchman’s desire to make runs inside the box to score goals, he could not manage to do so while being quite sloppy on the ball.
Manchester City will be hoping that sooner rather than later, Reijnders looks like the player who wowed the Premier League after starring on his debut against Wolves.
