Manchester City have lost a third game in a row after being destroyed 4-1 by Sporting in the Champions League on Tuesday.
What initially looked like a return to a typically dominant Manchester City soon descended into disaster with a calamitous few minutes after half-time and the continued plague of dreadful defending.
Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead after just four minutes when Phil Foden fired home and City were in complete control, other than a couple of counterattacks, for most of the half.
But when Viktor Gyokeres was sent clean through on goal for the third time, he finally capitalised on City’s generosity.
Things went from bad to worse as non-existent City defending saw Sporting take the lead within 22 seconds of the restart through Maximiliano Araujo and Gyokeres then scored again from the penalty spot moments later.
The Blues fought their way back into the game and got a golden chance with their own fortunate penalty but Erling Haaland smashed it against the bar before Gyokeres completed his hat-trick with yet another spot-kick.
City’s terrible defending continued but they managed to escape without conceding again and making one of the worst displays of Guardiola’s tenure even worse.
Here’s how the players rated on a humbling night.
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Ederson – 4
Came out well to stand up Gyokeres when he first went through but couldn’t do much the second time. Perhaps could have done better for the second goal, went the wrong way on the first penalty and was weak-wristed for the second one.
Rico Lewis – 5
Excellent moving into the midfield with some delightful one-touch passing, linking particularly well with Kovacic and getting forward to help win the penalty, but going backwards is a problem against pacey and aggressive attackers.
It’s not exactly his fault but his advanced positioning repeatedly leaves City’s disorganised defence and soft centre vulnerable to rapid turnovers, with Lewis’ side exposed multiple times.
Manuel Akanji – 3
The senior presence in the defence was found wanting with City’s back line cut through easily time and again. Was positionally poor for three goals and dragged all over the place by Gyokeres.
Jahmai Simpson-Pusey – 4
Fantastic defending one-on-one against Gyokeres the first time he faced the striker but he did not fare so well the second time. The teenager tried his best and wasn’t particularly bad but was clearly targeted as a weak link.
Josko Gvardiol – 2
An untypically quiet display descended into a terrible one from the full-back who is usually so involved and influential. He hardly got on the ball and needlessly gave away the penalty, after trying to make amends for giving the ball away, which all but killed the game.
Mateo Kovacic – 3
Some lung-busting defending and really nice forward passing at times but it’s hard to ignore how porous City’s midfield is when he is playing the solo holding role.
That was crystalised when he was easily beaten after the kick-off and Sporting were able to waltz through for the second goal. City’s midfield is an empty cavern without Rodri and Kovacic is not filling it.
Savinho – 5
Continues to be a live wire on the right looking to beat his full-back, though with mixed success in Lisbon. Was booked for a petulant, yet understandable, shove after rinsing a defender and being dragged back and was hooked shortly afterwards.
Phil Foden – 7
Great pressing and an even finer finish four minutes in as Foden continues to perform in the Champions League, if not domestically just yet.
That wasn’t all, though, as this was easily his best display of the season and the most creative a City player has looked in weeks. He ran the show in attacking areas and must now continue doing so in the central role.
That was in the first half, at least, as he naturally lost his influence after City were rocked by the two goals. He was still their best player and had more good moments but they weren’t enough.
Bernardo Silva – 3
Sloppy on the ball, with one wayward pass leading to Gyokeres being played through for the first time. Bernardo Silva was also wasteful in the box on occasion and left the midfield wide open without bringing any benefit of creative ideas in the middle. Didn’t take a chance to double the lead moments before the leveller. Taken off not before time.
Matheus Nunes – 4
Matheus Nunes looked to be having another strong display after a positive start, with some dangerous crosses and a good run to create space for Foden’s goal, but waned in the second half and then gave away the second penalty with a stupid foul.
Erling Haaland – 4
What looked like a good display in the first half turned into a costly one. He saw a header cleared off the line and some good efforts well-saved as he pressed well in the opening half.
But those squandered chances coupled with a luckily-awarded penalty being cracked off the bar drag his score down.
Substitutes
Ilkay Gundogan – 4
Did nothing after coming on.
Jeremy Doku – 4
Tried to inject some urgency but got little of the ball.
Kevin De Bruyne – 4
Brought on in his return from injury with seven minutes to go in a risky move and did nothing but get into a shoving match and send a cross out of play. At least he didn’t (seemingly) get injured.
