It was a goal straight out of the Pep Guardiola coaching handbook.
Phil Foden was Manchester City ’s two-goal hero and his first was a thing of beauty to show the Premier League champions will take some stopping this season. They are into the FA Cup quarter finals, in the thick of the Premier League title race and have half an eye on the Champions League.
But they also showed that they have got more than one way of playing as they did not even need 33 top goal scorer Erling Haaland on a freezing cold night at Ashton Gate. Instead, Foden’s opener was a beautifully crafted goal, made by Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez and it was the most typical Guardiola goal.
So much for being too reliant on Haaland or playing a more direct way. This was a fabulous pass and move, the City slickers tore the Championship side apart. Then Foden got another for good measure late on before De Bruyne rounded it off with a long range to finally kill off Bristol City.
The visitors were too good, too strong and they look in the mood again as Guardiola has always embraced the domestic trophies - and has got his sights set on another.
Bristol City’s hopes of an upset were always slim but the strength of the visitors’ line-up showed they were in for a tough night as Haaland only being among the substitutes and No2 keeper Stefan Ortega starting ahead of Ederson were the only real surprises.
Kalvin Phillips signalled their intent as he crashed a shot against the crossbar after just a minute to warn the Championship side. The reprieve did not last long. De Bruyne played a slide rule pass to release Mahrez who put in a low cross to the back post and there was Foden to score from close range. It was a dream start.
But in great credit to Bristol City, the Championship side did not drop their heads. They came back at the visitors and caused Guardiola’s men all sorts of problems down their right.
Teenage right back Rico Lewis is encouraged to step into midfield in Guardiola’s system but that does leave a big gap behind and the home side did their best to take full advantage.
Bristol City’s Mark Sykes got in behind, Lewis pulled him back and yet referee Andre Marriner waved away penalty appeals. Poor VAR cannot win. Video technology has come in for plenty of stick recently but we soon miss it when it is not used at Championship grounds.
It looked a clear penalty and maybe Marriner, along with other Premier League referees, have become too used to VAR bailing them out on difficult decisions.
Mahrez, Ruben Dias and De Bruyne all went close for the Premier League champions who were then forced into a half time substitution as Ederson came on for Ortega as the City keeper went off after having lengthy treatment in the first half.
The visitors dominated after the break but it was not until the 75th minute than Foden steered his second into the net with a low shot. Then De Bruyne smashed a long range effort to wrap up a comfortable win for Guardiola’s side before tempers frayed at the end with a mass brawl but that was probably the home side’s frustrations spilling over.
