Sevilla 1 Manchester City 3
An impressive victory by Manchester City took them into the last 16 of the Champions League with two games to spare and with it created the sense of a significant step having been taken in the quest to become a force in the competition.
Borussia Mönchengladbach’s draw with Juventus confirmed City’s passage with six points still available in Group D. It is the first time they have done so and, having leapfrogged the Italian club, they now have a real chance of finishing top and facing a group runner-up in the knockout stage.
By the close City had managed the contest expertly, snuffing out Sevilla to the delight of the City fans, who had begun the game by booing the Champions League anthem once more.
City required 11 minutes to cause their support to break into a raucous rendition of Blue Moon. By then they were 2-0 ahead and rampant.
Each goal derived came from the dazzling Raheem Sterling, as he scored the opener and tore the Sevilla defence open for the second. The 20-year-old was bought for nights like these. A criticism has been that he does not score enough goals but this charge against Sterling's claim for a place among the continent's elite players fades with each goal registered.
A fifth of the season showed a dead-eyed finishing ability as Sterling took Fernandinho's pass into a left channel and fired beyond Sergio Rico with his weaker left foot. Another three minutes had elapsed when Sterling skated beyond the home defence and passed to Wilfried Bony. The latter's shot was parried by Rico, and Fernandinho scored.
This silenced the home support and had the City fans singing their favourite ditty. They were still doing so as the team roved forward again and City might have doubled the advantage.
Aleksandar Kolarov forced Rico into a save as the left-back advanced, then the former Sevilla favourite Jesús Navas smacked the ball against the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.
Soon, City would rue this lack of ruthlessness. The slackness that plagues their defence was again costly as Coke looped the ball over a helpless Joe Hart and Benoît Trémoulinas headed into the empty net.
This had become a riveting Champions League tie. When pouring forward City created problems and chances at will, as Fernandinho snapped into tackles and grabbed possession, and Bony, Sterling, Navas and Yaya Touré posed questions of Unai Emery’s team.
Yet when Sevilla moved into City territory they continued to lack conviction. A Yevhen Konoplyanka corner from the left was taken then dropped by Hart, who was relieved to recover the ball.
Bony had come into the game requiring a goal for his confidence‚ the City manager said. Nine minute before the interval the Ivorian had one. This was simple stuff as Navas waltzed beyond Trémoulinas down the right, rolled the ball to Bony, and he beat Rico.
City may have ended the half with a two-goal margin but the match was far from over and Manuel Pellegrini’s team talk may well have focused on tightening their defence.
From the side who beat Norwich City on Saturday, Kevin De Bruyne had been dropped to the bench, and Kelechi Iheanacho did not travel. In came Sterling and Fernando,to play alongside Fernandinho, as Touré pushed into a forward role.
To explain De Bruyne’s exclusion, Pellegrini said: “For different reasons I chose this starting XI – I think it is best for the game. Tactically, physicality, different things.”
Emery brought on Michael Krohn-Deli for Vincente Iborra and he slotted into the latter’s midfield berth. This stiffened Sevilla as they camped near City’s goal for a period. Here was a test of the visitors’ ability to soak up pressure as is required at times in Champions League games. They came through this and were soon threatening Rico’s goal.
Fernandinho, who turned in a storming display, banged the ball at the goalkeeper, who did well to repel it. Then Sterling slipped Bony in and he scuffed a shot wide.
As the contest entered its final stages the requirement was to jam the door shut. In doing so City served notice of a growing maturity in the Champions League, as they become a proposition few opponents will relish facing.
Guardian services
