Key stats
- Erling Haaland has scored in each of his last nine games in all competitions for Manchester City, only between August and October 2022 (10 games) has he enjoyed a longer run in his top-flight club career.
- Pep Guardiola's side have kept a clean sheet in two of their three games in the UCL this term - only Inter Milan (three) and Arsenal (three) have gone one better.
- Villarreal have failed to win in their last six games in the Champions League. Their last longer winless streak was from 7th April 2009 to 29th September 2021, a run of 10 games.
Highlights
Analysis
Erling Haaland is keeping some good company at the top of the Champions League standings.
Match report
Villarreal squandered a two-goal lead late on at the weekend, and they were similarly leaky at the back in the opening stages here. Not even 30 seconds were on the clock when City missed a gilt-edged opportunity, as only a stunning one-handed save from Luiz Júnior prevented Jérémy Doku from opening the scoring.
City were irrepressible in the early stages, and the customary Erling Haaland goal soon arrived when some neat link up play down the Cityzens’ right ended with Rico Lewis cutting the ball back for the Norwegian to sweep home and score in a 12th successive game for club or country.
The Yellow Submarine offered precious little in an attacking sense throughout the first half, owing largely to City’s dominance.
But they were able to manufacture a half chance shortly before the half-hour mark when Pape Gueye worked a yard on the edge of the area and flashed a left-footed effort narrowly wide.
City, though, managed to make their dominance pay five minutes before the break as they doubled their advantage. Savinho was at the heart of everything good about the visitors, and it was his cross which was headed into the corner by the unmarked Bernardo Silva.
The second half was a bit of a non-event in the opening stages, with City content to just toy with their hosts. Yet they subsequently showed that when they turn it on, they are frighteningly good as Savinho tested Luiz Júnior on the hour mark.
It took Villarreal until the 70th minute to work a clear sighting of the City goal, but when they did, they twice went close to halving the arrears within a 30-second spell.
Gueye was first to try his luck, stinging the palms of Gianluigi Donnarumma from the edge of the area, before former Arsenal man Nicolas Pépé ghosted into the area and headed inches wide of the post from six yards out.
Haaland twice almost added some extra gloss to what was a comfortable City win, with only Luiz Júnior standing in his way on both occasions.
The Norwegian’s failure to add to his tally for the evening was immaterial in the grand scheme of the result, as Pep Guardiola’s men were untroubled in seeing out what was only their fifth away win in their last 15 UCL away games against Spanish opposition. Defeat for Villarreal means they remain winless in the UCL this term after three matchdays.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Savinho (Manchester City)
Post-match comments
Pep Guardiola was beaming after his side's victory, reserving particular praise for Rico Lewis.
"Tough place to come. We played really good," he told TNT Sports. "At the end they had one or two chances but we played a fantastic game. A good step for us in this tournament.
"I'm sure that 90% of people see Rico Lewis line up there and know what he will do. I love this player. I love this type of player - offensively, defensively. He knows perfectly when he has to move and I'm really pleased with his game.
"It's good that not just Erling (Haaland) scored and we had more chances for others. Impact from Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders good too. Little disappointed with result in Monaco, we created chances and didn't win and played the same as today but today got the goals. Teams in La Liga are really tough and a top class manager. Really pleased."
Meanwhile, Lewis told TNT Sports his side felt in charge of the game for large swathes.
"We felt in control for most of the game," he said. "There's always better things we can do and we think there were a few spells that they had that we could've prevented but we have to be harsh on ourselves we want to win the competition. Happy with a clean sheet and a win."
On describing Erling Haaland, he said: "Impossible, amazing. To play with him in the team, he helps us more than people realise. He draws defenders to free other people and then that frees him up to score. He's impossible to defend. He's such a hard worker and never stops wanting to score."