Ipswich vs Man City LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Phil Foden sparks thrashing
The champions ran riot at Portman Road with Foden grabbing a double and Erling Haaland celebrating his new deal with a goal
Manchester City's Phil Foden scored twice and created another goal in an outstanding first-half display as they hammered Ipswich Town 6-0 at Portman Road on Sunday to roar back into the Premier League's top four.
The comprehensive win moved City to 38 points and into fourth position on goal difference ahead of Newcastle United, but they are still 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and six behind Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
Ipswich, who remain 18th on 16 points, had a couple of good early chances but City shook off the shackles of recent poor performances with a superb display of attacking football, and once they got the first goal, there was no way back for their hosts.
It came in the 27th minute as Jeremy Doku combined with Kevin De Bruyne, and he in turn worked the ball on for Foden to take a touch before drilling it home to break the deadlock.
That trio tormented the Ipswich defence as Mateo Kovacic doubled the lead three minutes later. Doku was again involved down the left, feeding the ball for Foden to set up Kovacic, and the Croat needed no second invitation to fire into the net from the edge of the box.
City continued to attack down the left and their perseverance paid off in the 42nd minute as Foden added his second, his shot squirming under the body of Ipswich keeper Christian Walton and across the line.
There was no let-up after the break as Doku scored four minutes into the second half before setting up Erling Haaland, who signed a lucrative 10-year contract in midweek, to make it 5-0.
Substitute James McAtee completed the rout in the 69th minute with a looping header, much to the delight of coach Pep Guardiola, whose side look to be back to something resembling their best.
Foden was left in no doubt as to how well his side had played in brushing aside Ipswich.
"Probably the best this season, in terms of all-round play. Keeping possession at important times and we defended well. One of our best performances this year," he told Sky Sports.
"We are building momentum, keeping players fit is important. I put it down to people being in better shape and the team is bonding better."
City may be back, but Foden is not making any wild predictions about reining in Liverpool.
"You never know what can happen. The aim is to stay in the top four," he said.
Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
Manchester City run riot and return to winning ways, hammering Ipswich Town 6-0 at Portman Road to climb into fourth spot in the Premier League thanks to three goals on either side of the interval - outperforming their xG of 2.90 (compared to the hosts’ 0.65). McKenna’s side’s early resistance was broken after 27 minutes, when Foden’s swivelled shot beat an up to that point impressive Walton, which seemingly opened the floodgates, with Guardiola’s side finding the back of the net twice more in the ensuing quarter-hour thanks to Kovacic and a second from Foden. It was more of the same after the restart, with Ipswich Town not able to stem the tide or create quality chances at the other end. Doku’s curling effort, which took a deflection to get past the goalkeeper put the visitors up by four just 240 seconds after the second half kicked off, and goals from Haaland and McAtee from close range would seal the deal with a full 21 minutes left in the game. The incumbent Premier League champions travel to play PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday, ahead of a game with Chelsea in the league on January 25, while 17th-placed Ipswich Town take on Liverpool next Saturday. That concludes our commentary of the Premier League fixture between Ipswich Town and Manchester City - we hope you’ve enjoyed it!
Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
The fourth official indicates three minutes will be added to the end of the match for stoppages.
Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
Gundogan switches play with a lovely diagonal out to the far post for McAtee, who can only send his off-balance header into the side-netting from an acute angle.
Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
Guardiola will be grateful to have this opportunity to rotate his team, as he did with 30 minutes to go, with matches against PSG, Chelsea, Club Brugge and Arsenal on the horizon. With a number of players still out injured, today’s visitors have been given the opportunity to take it relatively easily in the latter stages of today’s game, with the tempo of play not at the usual high level of the Premier League given Ipswich Town’s deficit.
Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
Ipswich Town’s fight to stay in the Premier League doesn’t get any easier, with McKenna’s side slated to take on Liverpool next weekend, before a crucial six-pointer against Southampton. With 16 games left to go in the season there’s still lots of time for movement in the table, though their three Premier League wins is only better than the aforementioned Southampton.
Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
Manchester City are moving the ball around effortlessly as we approach the final five minutes, meeting little resistance as they look to see out the clock. Ipswich Town look to be ready for full-time as well, with the fourth official not likely to add on many minutes at the end.
Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
Today is the 13th time Manchester City have scored six or more goals in a Premier League game under Pep Guardiola, as many times as Arsene Wenger's Arsenal did so, with only Alex Ferguson's Manchester United (14) netting six or more on more occasions in the competition.
Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
Johnson’s free-kick is initially repelled by Manchester City’s defence but it’s put only as far as Morsey, who scuffs his low strike from distance, allowing Gundogan to put in a block.
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