Man City 3-1 Club Brugge: Pep's side fight back to keep their UCL dream alive

The Fire Brigade were called to a blaze outside the Etihad but it was Manchester City’s Champions League hopes which nearly went up in smoke.

Match Report

The scoreline makes it look comfortable than it was because this was an almighty scare for Pep Guardiola’s men who eventually squeezed through into next month’s play-offs. Luckily, a fire in one of the merchandising stands outside the stadium was put out but, for a while, the flames were fanned on another nervous night in a turbulent season.

City boss Guardiola went through the whole range of emotions, from despair when Club Brugge took an unlikely lead, getting booked in frustration and then celebrating wildly when, finally, Savinho put the game to bed.

It was hardly an easy passage for City who look so far away from the team which won the Treble less than two years ago. Now, they look vulnerable and the air of invincibility has gone.

Guardiola thanked everyone before the game for their concern in a sarcastic way suggesting everyone wants to see them fail. But it’s actually probably more the fascination of how on earth the former European champions with the best squad and best manager have found themselves in this spot. Just squeezing through in the play-offs. And facing a potentially tricky opponent next time.

This is not how it is supposed to be for the team which starts every year as the Champions League favourites… but it is hard to see them living up to that tag this year.

One of those so-called supercomputers calculated at the start of the competition there was a 0.4 chance of City finishing on eight points and going out at the first hurdle. That is what they would have faced if they had lost.

Those odds probably went up markedly again when Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis raced clear down the left wing after an embarrassing mix-up in the City defence left Guardiola with his head in his hands.

Tzolis chose the wrong pass and City got away with it but it was still enough to give Guardiola’s men a reminder this had all the hallmarks of a dangerous night for City. City just did not create clear cut chances. They looked vulnerable on the break and pretty toothless in attack. It was not a good combination.

Then disaster struck just before half time. Club Brugge saw off another attack, Ferran Jutgla led the charge forward and the sidestepped Matheus Nunes with embarrassing ease before sending over a low cross.

Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika then drilled in a brilliant shot which gave City keeper Ederson no chance and left the Etihad shell-shocked. Guardiola could barely believe his eyes. The same for City’s crowd which had been flat all night and the goal was met with a stoney silence from the home crowd.

City sent on Savinho for Ilkay Gundogan at half time but John Stones headed wide from a great chance to put Guardiola’s men on level terms. Finally, City got themselves level after 53 minutes. Incredibly, it was their first shot on target. Mateo Kovacic ran unchallenged from the halfway line before passing the ball into the far corner.

Mind you, while City struggled to score themselves - they suddenly got a helping hand from Club Brugge to put them ahead. Savinho played the ball down the line, Josko Gvardiol pulled back a low cross and defender Joel Ordonez put through his own net.

Finally City could breath a bit easier. Then Savinho got a third after 77 minutes and the game was done. Stones, with another assist, played the ball over the top, Savinho controlled the ball on his chest and drilled it past keeper Simon Brugge.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

3' Brugge looking for a counter attack but Gvardiol makes a crucial block

12' Match Event for Man City vs Club Brugge

16' Gundogan has the ball in the back of the net but it's ruled out for offside!

19' Haaland opts to head back across the face of goal and it doesn't pay off

25' Bernardo Silva drags his left-footed shot wide

28' De Bruyne takes a shot on but he blasts it over the bar

39' Tzolis is in acres of space and gets a shot away but can't get it on target

45' Onyedika scores! Man City 0-1 Club Brugge, on the edging of being out of UCL

46' Pep Guardiola has brought on Savinho for Gundogan

47' CLOSE! John Stones' header goes across the face of goal and wide!

53' WHAT A GOAL! Kovacic slots in to take City back! Man City 1-1 Club Brugge

57' Pep Guardiola goes into the book for his protests

60' Tzolis looks sure to find the back of the net but drags his low effort wide

62' Gvardiol forces Ordonez score an own goal! Man City 2-1 Club Brugge

74' Haaland uses his strength one v one and shoots but his effort is parried away

77' Savinho doubles the lead for the hosts! Man City 3-1 Club Brugge

Line-ups

Man City XI: Gundogan, De Bruyne, Kovacic, Stones, Ederson, Bernardo Silva, Akanji, Haaland, Foden, Matheus Nunes, Gvardiol

Subs: Carson, Ortega, Grealish, McAtee, Lewis, Savinho, Nico O'Reilly, Jacob Wright, Max Alleyne

Club Brugge XI: Mignolet, Vanaken, Mechele, Ferran Jutglà, Maxim De Cuyper, Christos Tzolis, Ardon Jashari, Raphael Onyedika, Joel Ordóñez, Chemsdine Talbi, Joaquin Seys

Subs: Casper Nielsen, Nordin Jackers, Gustaf Nilsson, Hugo Vetlesen, Michal Skoras, Hugo Siquet, Dani van den Heuvel, Zaid Romero, Romeo Vermant, Jorne Spileers, Kyriani Sabbe