Match ends, Manchester City 5, Atalanta 1.
Pep Guardiola hailed Raheem Sterling as an "extraordinary" talent after his 11-minute second-half hat-trick helped Manchester City demolish Atalanta and maintain their 100% start in Champions League Group C.
Sterling is City's leading scorer with 12 goals in 13 games in all competitions this season and this latest ruthless display demonstrated again what a potent finisher he has become.
Guardiola feels there is even more to his game than just his goalscoring however, explaining afterwards: "His physicality is incredible. He is strong - the day after the game, he could play another game - his regeneration is incredible.
"He can play both sides and he is fast so, defensively, he helps us a lot. He is an extraordinary, extraordinary player."
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Sterling's treble, which followed a first-half Sergio Aguero double, turned this game into another emphatic statement of City's attacking power but it was a far from perfect evening for Guardiola.
Rodri limped off with a hamstring injury before half-time and Phil Foden was sent off for the first time in his career for two late bookings.
There was another reminder of City's current defensive vulnerability too, when a Ruslan Malinovskyi penalty gave Atalanta a surprise lead after Fernandinho clumsily fouled Josip Ilicic.
City, who began with an unfamiliar three-man defence, had shown some early uncertainty at the back and took time to get into their stride going forward.
But Aguero quickly levelled from close range when he ran on to Sterling's in-swinging cross and the Argentine fired City ahead from the spot before half-time after Sterling was fouled by Andrea Masiello.
Sterling took over goalscoring duties after the break, firstly when he rounded off a fine move involving Riyad Mahrez, Kevin de Bruyne and Foden.
By now Atalanta's defence had completely crumbled and Sterling soon took full advantage, running on to an Ilkay Gundogan pass and cutting inside past Rafael Toloi before finding the net.
Five minutes later Sterling made it 5-1 when he ran on to a Mahrez cross, and he should have added to his tally before the end when he fired wide after running clear.
Foden, making only his second start of the season, saw red eight minutes from time after being booked for dragging back Marten de Roon as he shaped to shoot.
The 19-year-old's first yellow card had come six minutes earlier when he tangled with Malinovskyi in midfield, and appeared harsh.
It remains to be seen how serious Rodri's injury is, but Guardiola showed his frustration as John Stones prepared to replace him, slamming the back of one of the seats in his dugout.
He did have some good news, however. Shakhtar Donetsk's draw with Dinamo Zagreb earlier on Tuesday means a win in Italy when these two sides meet again on 6 November will seal City's progress to the last 16 for a seventh successive year.
City still have defensive difficulties
Earlier this week Guardiola called on his side to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to go deep into the competition this season, but it is their displays at the back that should be a more pressing concern.
Although he had two centre-halves on his bench in the shape of Stones and Nicolas Otamendi, Guardiola opted to play with three at the back against Atalanta, with a converted midfielder, Fernandinho, at the heart of his new-look backline and Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy on either side.
Rodri and Gundogan were supposed to give protection in the centre of midfield but the experiment did not work, with Atalanta finding all sorts of space down both flanks.
By the time the Italian side took the lead, City had already survived one scare when Robin Gosens escaped down the left and Timothy Castagne headed over from six yards.
A better team would have punished City, and Guardiola must go back to the drawing board to find the answer at the back, while any absence to Rodri will also give him a problem to solve in midfield.
Foden 'will learn', says Guardiola
Guardiola emphatically ruled out punishing Foden for his red card, the first of his fledgling career, instead focusing on his impressive performance in midfield before he was sent off.
"Will I fine him? Absolutely not," Guardiola said. "I have never fined a player except for when they did stupid things but for this part of the game, absolutely not. Maybe I should pay him, because of how well he played.
"The important thing with Phil is not the red card, it is the way he played. We know it - he can do it - and he played so good, at a high level.
"Now he will know after having one yellow card that he has to be more careful for the second but this experience is good and it is going to help him.
"People say 'you have to play him more minutes, more minutes'. Yes I want him to play but there are still things like this where he is far away from David Silva, Ilkay Gundogan or Kevin de Bruyne.
"He will learn. He has to live this kind of situation to understand that, with a yellow card, he has to be careful. Because the result was 5-1 it was OK, but if the score is 2-1 or 3-2 it can be difficult."
Man of the match: Raheem Sterling
What next?
It is back to the Premier League for City and they can narrow the gap on leaders Liverpool to three points - for 24 hours at least - when they host Aston Villa at 12:30 BST on Saturday.
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 16RodriSubstituted forStonesat 41'minutes
- 25Fernandinho
- 22MendyBooked at 4minsSubstituted forCanceloat 71'minutes
- 17De BruyneBooked at 63minsSubstituted forOtamendiat 67'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 8Gündogan
- 26Mahrez
- 47FodenBooked at 82mins
- 7Sterling
- 10Agüero
Substitutes
- 1Bravo
- 5Stones
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 21Silva
- 27Cancelo
- 30Otamendi
Atalanta
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 95Gollini
- 2Toloi
- 19Djimsiti
- 5MasielloBooked at 10minsSubstituted forPasalicat 45'minutes
- 21Castagne
- 15de Roon
- 11Freuler
- 8Gosens
- 18Malinovskiy
- 72IlicicSubstituted forHateboerat 72'minutes
- 10GómezSubstituted forMurielat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Muriel
- 13Arana Lopes
- 33Hateboer
- 41Ibañez da Silva
- 57Sportiello
- 88Pasalic
- 99Barrow
- Referee:
- Orel Grinfeld
- Attendance:
- 49,308
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home55%
- Away45%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away6
- Corners
- Home7
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City 5, Atalanta 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Rafael Tolói (Atalanta) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ruslan Malinovskiy with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Atalanta. Conceded by Fernandinho.
Post update
Attempt saved. Luis Muriel (Atalanta) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Booking
Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City).
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Luis Muriel (Atalanta) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt blocked. Luis Muriel (Atalanta) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ruslan Malinovskiy with a cross.
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Corner, Atalanta. Conceded by Ederson.
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Attempt saved. Remo Freuler (Atalanta) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Luis Muriel.
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Foul by Kyle Walker (Manchester City).
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Robin Gosens (Atalanta) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Timothy Castagne (Atalanta).
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Attempt missed. Ruslan Malinovskiy (Atalanta) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Timothy Castagne.
Post update
Foul by Fernandinho (Manchester City).
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Ruslan Malinovskiy (Atalanta) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Marten de Roon (Atalanta) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high following a set piece situation.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Rafael Tolói (Atalanta) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luis Muriel.
Comments
Join the conversation
Foden haa no wonder he hardly plays
Dirty little thug 🤣
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I'm not defending Foden but what are Liverpool fans doing on here posting hate?
I'm a neutral - and great win Man City - by the way.
Must be jealous that Sterling got a hat trick boo hoo.
Good job City, keep it up 👍
Sterling is on a different level!
A bit premature from Foden but harsh though, hoped he would get a goal his performance deserved tonight.
Any way the group is almost in the bag(one more win will do), so will be able to rest players in the remaining group games and prioritize the PL for that time.
#he.is.STERLING
Post removed for saying Carragher spat at a car with a child in it?
That's not offensive, or untrue. He did.
Ah, off topic. I suppose it is that.
Have you not been watching Sterling’s England performances for the last few years? Or have you been living in a cave with no access to TV?
He left his boyhood team Liverpool “to join a big club”
Respect.
well he is nowhere near like the thugs that throw stones at coaches trying to hurt the team coming to play your beloved Littlewoods FC
the blues are back on the march what out Littlewoods FC 30 years and counting
CTID
You are a sad bunch of people. You keep hoping klopp will coach origi in the same way.