MANCHESTER CITY might have gotten a serving to hand from the person within the masks.
However there was no disguising their superiority as they swept to a tenth straight win within the Champions League.
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Former Liverpool keeper Kamil Grabara was left pink confronted as he fumbled a cross shot from Julian Alvarez into his internet early on.
But fortunately for the Pole his face was lined up – so his blushes have been spared.
What would Pep Guardiola give for a clanger like that from one of many present Reds squad in Sunday’s title showdown at Anfield?
Not less than his staff will make the quick journey down the M62 to their bogey floor filled with confidence – and in lots of instances totally rested.
As a result of lots of his stars who put Manchester United to the sword on Sunday got a night off to arrange.
Erling Haaland wasn’t one among them – he nonetheless feels recent after a two month harm break in his season and performed 88 minutes .
For sure the Norwegian obtained the objective you nearly count on from him on this competitors to take his tally for the season to 29.
If the primary leg in Denmark three weeks in the past was a stroll in The Parken – then this was extra of a meander.
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Phil Foden’s objective in stoppage time in Denmark had just about put this final 16 tie past any doubt.
It made this second leg a formality however that was no dangerous factor for Pep Guardiola because it fell between key Prem matches towards Manchester United and Liverpool.
He was capable of make seven modifications – fielding the membership’s second youngest facet ever on this competitors.
But the understudies clearly fancied it as they blew away any lingering doubts inside the primary 10 minutes.
Lower than 5 had handed when Alvarez – again on set items with Kevin De Bruyne on the bench – curled a nook from the suitable.
Defender Manuel Akanji swung his proper boot at it and his effort fizzed into the highest nook.
The Swiss was a team-mate of Haaland at Borussia Dortmund in addition to right here at Metropolis and it was a end the Norwegian would have been happy with.
Grabara by no means noticed that one – however he had no excuses for the nightmare he endured shortly afterwards.
Rodri directed his header towards the bar however the rebound fell to Alvarez out on the left flank.
The Argentine fizzed over a cross shot that ought to have been straight down the throat of the Polish keeper – however he by some means let it squirm via his arms.
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Alvarez appeared nearly embarrassed as he ran off celebrating whereas there was no hiding place for Grabara.
Copenhagen’s Scotland worldwide Scott McKenna should have been fearing the worst at that time.
On his final journey right here – with Nottingham Forest in 2022 – he was on the mistaken finish of a 6-0 hiding.
But with their passage to the quarter finals safe for seventh straight season, Metropolis took their foot off the gasoline.
It was all the time going to be an enormous ask for the Danes – who got here straight off their winter break into the conflict with the holders final month.
However their followers have been decided to get pleasure from themselves and simply earlier than the half hour they obtained the objective they craved.
Former Southampton ahead Mohammed Elyounoussi ran onto a intelligent flick from Orri Oskarsson and completed clinically previous Ederson.
That was their first ever objective within the knock-out phases of this competitors – so at the very least they’d made just a little little bit of historical past.
Elyounoussi is a world team-mate of Haaland and perhaps the Metropolis ahead was feeling a bit overlooked.
As a result of first half stoppage time he plucked a move from Rodri out of the night time air, drifted previous McKenna earlier than wrong-footing Grabara from the sting of the field.
That made it 29 for the season for the £51.4 million ahead – and don’t overlook he missed two months of it attributable to a foot harm.
It was additionally his forty first objective in a contest he loves a lot – equalling the tally of a sure Sergio Aguero, who didn’t do too badly round these components.
Guardiola’s males have scored three or extra in 9 straight Champions League house matches now – no person will fancy coming right here within the final eight.
Rodri had executed sufficient to increase his private unbeaten run to 60 and at half-time he was given a nicely earned breather by Guardiola.
To be honest the Spaniard didn’t miss a lot – Ederson made a flying save to disclaim sub Magnus Mattson – whereas Oscar Bobb’s deflected shot hit the bar.
In the meantime Metropolis’s summer time signing Matheus Nunes was pressured off with what regarded a particularly sore dislocated finger
However in any other case it was as comfy as you might have wished for Metropolis – to arrange for his or her greatest recreation of the season.
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