Manchester City put on a six-star show as they bulldozed past Al Ain 6-0 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to book their place in the Club World Cup knockout stages in emphatic style.
Ilkay Gundogan was the architect-in-chief, netting twice and running the midfield, while new boys Claudio Echeverri and Rayan Cherki both got their first goals for the club.
Oscar Bobb and Erling Haaland also got in on the act in a game where City barely had to leave second gear.
City opened the floodgates in the 8th minute as Gundogan’s attempted cross curled over a stranded Khalid Eissa and nestled into the far corner.
Echeverri made it two with a sublime free-kick on his full debut, before Haaland slotted in a penalty just before half-time after a VAR review penalized Ramy Rabia for a trip on Manuel Akanji.
The second half brought more misery for the Emirati side. Gundogan grabbed his brace with a cheeky dink, Bobb smashed home a fifth after a clever cut inside, and French teen sensation Cherki capped the rout with a low drive on 87 minutes.
It was a ruthless performance from Pep Guardiola’s side, who produced 21 shots and 11 on target, with an expected goals tally nearing 4.00. Al Ain managed just one shot on goal, barely troubling Ederson between the sticks.
City now sit second in Group G behind Juventus, and must beat the Italian giants in their final group game to avoid a potential last-16 clash with Real Madrid, who are flying high in Group H.
For now, Pep Guardiola maintains his perfect record in the Club World Cup, extending it to 10 wins and a staggering 33-2 goal difference. The message is clear: Manchester City mean business.
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