Foden and Haaland boost City's hopes of automatic qualification

If Phil Foden performs so do Manchester City is a truism reiterated by this two-goal show that helped sweep Pep Guardiola's improving team to 10 points from four games at the stage's halfway juncture.

- Jamie Jackson

Factor in Erling Haaland who decorated his captaincy for the eve with a 27th goal (for club and country) and Waldemer Anton's 72nd-minute jab home was solely an irritation.

But after the strike Borussia Dortmund had more moments - Karim Adeyemi missed at pointblank - and so despite Rayan Cherki's fourth in added time, Guardiola is sure to remind his charges not to allow the opponent to wrest the initiative as the visitor did for the closing phases.

The bottom line, though: City are close to the cohesive proposition that makes them formidable and the ceiling is again high for the 2022-23 treble winners.

Guardiola trained the squad yesterday morning, preferring to give players Tuesday off following Sunday's “so demanding” 3-1 win over Bournemouth here. This rare move - “I’ve done it a few times” - caused the eye to look for any discernible impact on their rhythm seven or so hours after being put through the drills.

By halftime, the answer was a definite no. Dortmund monopolised the ball in an opening passage that pinned their hosts back and a loose Josko Gvardiol pass allowed Adeyemi to be played through along the right and momentarily threaten Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal. Adeyemi was soon breaking again along the same flank and zipping in a ball from which Maximilian Beier failed to prosper.