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Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden delivered a brilliant performance, scoring a brace, which, combined with Erling Haaland’s goal against his former club, propelled City to a decisive 4-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, lifting the team to fourth in the Champions League standings.
Foden’s two expertly taken goals came at the perfect moment, offering a timely reminder of his talent ahead of England manager Thomas Tuchel’s final squad announcement of the year on Friday.
Haaland, wearing the captain’s armband for the evening, showed no hesitation in punishing the team where he made his name, taking his tally to 27 goals for club and country this season in just 17 appearances.
Waldemar Anton’s late finish gave Dortmund a sliver of consolation for their late pressure, but Rayan Cherki sealed the result for City in stoppage time. The defeat – Dortmund’s first in Europe this season – leaves them sitting in 14th.
Pep Guardiola opted to rest Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias ahead of Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash with Liverpool, promoting Haaland to captaincy.
Dortmund had been beaten only once in their previous 14 games this season, but City’s superior attacking threat proved decisive once again in a Champions League campaign dominated so far by English clubs.
For the first time, six Premier League sides are competing in Europe’s top competition, with City joining Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea inside the top dozen at the halfway stage of the new league-style format.
Guardiola has consistently called for more contributions from his forward line to reduce reliance on Haaland’s prolific scoring. Foden responded superbly, rekindling the form that earned him multiple player of the year honours two seasons ago.
He opened the scoring after 22 minutes, spinning neatly before sending a precise left-footed effort into the bottom corner.
Haaland, having failed to score in only two matches all season, powered in a second at the back post after Jeremy Doku dazzled Julian Ryerson with flair and speed. Tijjani Reijnders tested Gregor Kobel soon after, with City threatening to overwhelm their opponents.
At the other end, Gianluigi Donnarumma’s alert save denied Karim Adeyemi a lifeline for the visitors before the break.
Foden will soon learn whether his recent omission from England duty will continue, having been left out of the past two squads.
On this evidence, leaving out the 25-year-old again would be a bold move even from Tuchel, himself a former Dortmund manager.
The midfielder added his second with sublime control and a curling finish that left Kobel no chance. City then appeared to lose focus, with thoughts drifting towards their weekend showdown, allowing Dortmund hope as Anton converted from Ryerson’s low pass.
Guardiola introduced Dias and Silva to regain control, yet it was Cherki who had the final say, driving forward and slotting home for his first Champions League goal and City’s fourth.
