Manchester City dropped four points from home Champions League matches last season, which more than played its part in a laboured campaign, so when Pep Guardiola pressed home the importance of these home games, he really meant it.
Two victories from two, plus a win and a draw away, has all but seen City make sure they’ll find themselves in the knockout stages. Another two wins at the Etihad Stadium – against Bayer Leverkusen and Galatasaray – should provide a platform to finish in the top eight and avoid a playoff.
Phil Foden’s double either side of Erling Haaland’s 27th of the season – one new flag hanging behind a goal read “Erling The Great” with the striker depicted as a Viking – condemned Borussia Dortmund and there were patterns that Guardiola will have liked, even if a late rally from the Germans threatened a re-run of that Feyenoord horror show last year.
The patterns and telepathy between Foden and Tijjani Reijnders is certainly something City will want to harness more often. Twice Foden ghosted into space around the edge of Dortmund’s box and twice Reijnders chose exactly the right moment to find his man.
Both of Foden’s finishes were exquisite and Thomas Tuchel would be a very brave man indeed not to welcome him back in from the cold when England’s latest squad is announced on Friday morning.
Nico turns Dortmund’s plan on its head
There looked to be a very specific spot Dortmund planned to exploit when they countered, especially in the opening moments. And that was playing on Nico Gonzalez, attempting to isolate the holding midfielder. Gonzalez needed to earn the right to make City tick, Marcel Sabitzer trying to pick the Spaniard’s pocket.
City’s No 14 came through with no real problems and started dictating their build up, piercing balls through the lines, and that is a continuation of his positive arc in recent weeks that is really masking the injury problem Guardiola is having.
Rodri wasn’t in the matchday squad again, just days after returning to the bench, in what is fast becoming a season of true misery for the former Ballon d’Or winner. Guardiola says he doesn’t feel ‘perfect’ while also insisting the setback is not serious but City will need to take another look at how they manage Rodri from here.
The 29-year-old has made eight appearances so far this term and missed eight games through fitness issues. These have been interspersed throughout the opening three months of the season and there has come a suggestion that Rodri may have rushed himself back for the Club World Cup over the summer. He will know that this needs to be handled with care from now on.
Gonzalez’s performances undoubtedly buy City some time in that regard. That he completed eight recoveries in the first half, City going in two goals up, tells the story of somebody who is more in tune with his defensive responsibilities than ever before.
A pure shot stopper thriving in pressure moments
Gianluigi Donnarumma is certainly a bit different, a departure between the sticks for City, and – despite the groaning from home fans at him not catching a high ball before half time – offers a feeling of safety.
They will miss Ederson in certain aspects, even if Donnarumma is more adept with his feet than given credit for, but what the Italian offers is that additional level of security.
Proof of this came six minutes before the break. Donnarumma had nothing to do until that point, still alert to smartly prevent Karim Adeyemi with the visitors’ only shot on target before half-time.
By the time Waldemar Anton had netted a consolation from a quick free-kick, Donnarumma had also expertly saved from Serhou Guirassy. A pure shot stopper thriving in pressure moments should be something that gives teams an edge in the latter stages of this competition. This seemingly comfortable win could have taken a rather different complexion without him.
Lively Savinho still lacks final touch
One guy stood alone towards the bottom of the Colin Bell stand around 40 minutes before kick-off, draped in an Atletico Mineiro flag. Here to watch Savinho, presumably on a one-off trip and those who follow the Brazilian’s career closely will know there are a few gears he has left to go through.
The 21-year-old’s brief cameo during Sunday’s victory over Bournemouth was one to forget, a reel of mistakes, so this vote of confidence by Guardiola in starting the winger had to be repaid.
That he threatened is unquestionable. He scares and disorientates defenders and Daniel Svensson was shown up on a number of occasions – especially when booked for scything him down when clean through.
He does leave you wanting more though. Although flagged offside, Savinho ballooning a half-volley over the bar from six yards drew groans. And when flying down the right, slipped in by Foden, his centre for Haaland was not delivered with enough purpose. He didn’t keep his head over a volley from a Foden cross later on.
A difficult player to gauge sometimes: dangerous without inflicting enough regular pain on the opposition. Compare that to Rayan Cherki, on the pitch for 11 minutes and ends up scoring the fourth.
