The Citizens bounced back from their shock last weekend to cruise to a dominant away win in their first Champions League match of the campaign.
Michael Brown has spoken very highly of Manchester City’s performance in their Champions League opener against Shakhtar Donetsk, with Pep Guardiola’s charges running out 3-0 winners in Ukraine (BBC Sport).
The Etihad Stadium side bounced back from their shock Premier League defeat at Norwich City as Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring midway through the first half, netting on the rebound after Ilkay Gundogan’s curling shot came back off the post.
Mahrez then repaid the favour by turning provider for his teammate to toe-poke the ball past Andriy Pyatov, and although Man City spurned multiple chances to run away with it, a third did come the visitors’ way when Gabriel Jesus weighed in with a neat finish from Kevin de Bruyne’s pass.
Only Dinamo Zagreb’s 4-0 thrashing of Italian side Atalanta in Croatia prevented Man City topping Group C but Brown, who came through the ranks at what was then Maine Road and played for their first team between 1995 and 1999, was thoroughly impressed with the night’s work for the reigning Premier League champions.
“It was very comfortable for City, they were very professional,” Brown told BBC 5 Live. “It was the work-rate, it was brilliant.
“As soon as the ball came out of possession they got in the correct shape and made it difficult for Shakhtar Donetsk to get anywhere. They were setting traps and were clinical going forward, with the amount of runs and timing of the runs. They should have scored more goals but it was a great team performance and a great away win.”
Up next for Man City is a return to the Etihad to face Watford in the Premier League on Saturday, while next week brings two fairly close away trips in Preston North End in the Carabao Cup third round and Everton at Goodison Park in the league.
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