Phil Foden scored one and assisted another in Manchester City's 4-0 win at Slovan Bratislava. EPA
Phil Foden scored one and assisted another in Manchester City's 4-0 win at Slovan Bratislava. EPA

Uefa Champions League: 'Rusty' Phil Foden leads Manchester City rout, Arsenal ease past PSG



Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden said he's still working towards peak fitness after playing a leading role in his team's comfortable 4-0 victory away to Slovan Bratislava in the Uefa Champions League on Tuesday night.

The scoreline did little justice to City's dominance as Ilkay Gundogan and Foden struck within the first 15 minutes to set City on their way in the Slovak capital. Erling Haaland added his 42nd Champions League goal in 41 appearances before James McAtee registered his first goal for the club.

After opening their European campaign in a goalless draw at home to Inter Milan, the Premier League champions are up and running in the competition's new format.

Foden has been gradually introduced by Guardiola after his exertions in England's run to the Euro 2024 final and illness in the opening weeks of the season.

The 24-year-old's stellar performances saw him earn Premier League player of the year awards last season and his return to form is a timely boost with Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri ruled out by injury.

"I had more chances to score, on another night it could've been more, but we're delighted to win 4-0. It's been a slow start to the season for me, so it was nice to get back out there and score," Foden told TNT Sports. "Very happy with the performance, I know there's still things I can work on and get better. I'm still a little bit rusty."

Slovan had already suffered a baptism by fire in a 5-1 thrashing at Celtic in their opening match and were given another lesson by the 2023 winners. Guardiola could even afford the luxury of making six changes from the side that drew 1-1 at Newcastle on Saturday.

Gundogan opened the floodgates with his first goal since returning from Barcelona. The City captain for the night's powerful shot from the edge of the area deflected into the top corner. Foden then curled home City's second into the bottom corner with customary precision on 15 minutes.

"He's still not at his best, but made a fantastic goal, had more chances and step-by-step he is coming back," said Guardiola. "We had to do our job and we did it. Lots of chances and first three points of the competition."

The visitors should have been further in front even before half-time as a combination of good fortune and the woodwork kept the score down.

The one thing missing from City's dominant first-half display was a Haaland goal. It duly arrived on 58 minutes as the Norwegian easily raced onto Rico Lewis' pass and rounded the goalkeeper before tapping in his 11th goal in eight games this season.

Guardiola was able to give Haaland a rare rest for the closing stages but City still added to their lead, Foden's inventive through ball given the finish it deserved from McAtee.

Saka on target in Arsenal win over PSG

Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in their heavyweight duel, while last season's beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund gave Celtic a brutal reality check with an emphatic 7-1 win in Germany.

The clash between Arsenal and French champions PSG in London was the big game of the day, and the hosts were worthy winners. Kai Havertz headed in from a Leandro Trossard cross to open the scoring on 20 minutes and Bukayo Saka doubled their lead before half-time as his free-kick from the right evaded everybody on its way in.

It is a first win in the Champions League this season for Mikel Arteta's side, who drew 0-0 away to Atalanta on matchday one two weeks ago.

"Really, really happy with the performance," Arteta told broadcaster Amazon Prime. "The Champions League brings different demands but I think we handled it really well."

Dortmund dominate Celtic

Dortmund are currently on top of the 36-team league after they followed a 3-0 win at Club Brugge in their first game by trouncing Scottish champions Celtic in Germany.

Karim Adeyemi scored a hat-trick in the first half for Dortmund, who were 5-1 ahead at half-time. Emre Can opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Daizen Maeda equalised, but Adeyemi then took centre stage.

Serhou Guirassy netted a penalty before the interval and made it 6-1 midway through the second half, with substitute Felix Nmecha wrapping up the victory late on.

It is Dortmund's biggest winning margin in the Champions League alongside a 6-0 win away to Legia Warsaw in 2016.

"There's no such thing as a perfect game, but it was very, very good," said Can. "This has to be the standard we aim to set."

Barcelona too strong for Young Boys

Barcelona beat Swiss champions Young Boys 5-0 to bounce back from a 2-1 loss at Monaco a fortnight ago and their first defeat of the season in La Liga last weekend at Osasuna.

Robert Lewandowski scored twice, either side of goals by Raphinha and Inigo Martinez before a late Mohamed Ali Camara own goal wrapped up the victory.

"We knew after the game against Monaco in the Champions League we had to give a quick reply in the next game, which was this one, and we did that well," Raphinha told broadcaster Movistar.

Inter, who lost to City in the final in Istanbul two seasons ago, won 4-0 at home to Red Star Belgrade.

Hakan Calhanoglu set Inter on their way with a stunning early free-kick before Marko Arnautovic, Lautaro Martinez and Mehdi Taremi all netted in the second half, the latter from a penalty.

German champions Bayer Leverkusen got their second straight win in this season's competition as a Victor Boniface goal early in the second half allowed them to beat AC Milan 1-0.

Brest extend fine start

Abdallah Sima scored twice for Brest in their 4-0 win at Red Bull Salzburg. Reuters

Meanwhile Brest, the French Champions League newcomers, also made it two wins out of two with a remarkable 4-0 victory away to Salzburg in Austria.

Senegal striker Abdallah Sima, the forward on loan from Brighton who got their winner against Sturm Graz two weeks ago, scored twice.

Mahdi Camara and Mathias Pereira Lage also found the target with Brest scoring three of their goals in the space of 10 second-half minutes.

VfB Stuttgart and Sparta Prague drew 1-1 with Enzo Millot putting the German side ahead and Finnish international Kaan Kairinen equalising before the interval.

PSV Eindhoven and Sporting Lisbon also drew 1-1. Jerdy Schouten's opener for the Dutch champions was cancelled out by Daniel Braganca's late leveller.

Updated: October 02, 2024, 6:15 AM