Kevin De Bruyne orchestrates easy win over Marseille for Manchester City

There were only a few minutes of normal time remaining, his team coasting 3-0, the game under lock and key, but still Pep Guardiola was imploring his Manchester City players to hunt down Marseille. There was, he demanded, to be no let up. “Press, press, press,” the City manager bellowed. At times during City’s sluggish start to the campaign, Guardiola has looked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders but he was intense in the best sense of the word here. Driven, focused, unrelenting, much like his team. Was this the moment City’s season really got started?

Saturday’s visit to Sheffield United will tell us more but there was a glint back in Guardiola’s eye and a spring back in the step of his players as they made light of the absence of Sergio Aguero to brush aside Marseille courtesy of goals from Ferran Torres, Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling to gain a firm foothold at the top of Group C.

Kevin De Bruyne, back in the starting line-up after injury, set up two of them with another performance of enduring class but there were many impressive displays. Phil Foden and Sterling excelled on the flanks, Torres put in a real shift as a false nine and, at the back, Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias carried a formidable air.

This felt more like the old City. With no pre-season and a catalogue of injuries to contend with, it was always optimistic to think Guardiola’s side would hit the ground running but they had fallen well below their high standards. This, though, looked more like the side that won back to back Premier League titles. Not at their very best - it is hard to believe a meek, ultra defensive Marseille would have lasted until the 76th minute trailing only by a solitary goal if that had been the case - but City were fitter, slicker and there was more intensity to their press than we have seen at any point this term. De Bruyne’s ability to find space and pick a pass are two of life’s small pleasures but Foden’s cunning and running also stood out and everyone took to their task with relish.

• Kyle Walker's durability and versatility have made him one of Manchester City's most important players

Some of Marseille’s problems were self-inflicted but they found themselves hurried into mistakes by a team eager to pin them back and win the ball high up the pitch. Navigating a path through Andre Villas-Boas’ five-man rearguard and defensive midfield was not easy and, if there was a frustration for City, it was that they had to wait as long as they did for the second goal but they were always in control.

Indeed, few would have been surprised if City had added a second and third soon after taking an 18th minute lead such was their superiority. The goal came about after Valentin Rongier played a blind pass into the path of De Bruyne on the inside right of Marseille’s penalty area. Bearing in mind the Belgian needs no invitation to pickpocket a defence, it was always likely to prove a costly mistake and De Bruyne nonchalantly rolled his pass into the path of Torres to coolly sidefoot home for his second goal in as many Champions League games. The Spain forward is an intelligent footballer and was totally unfazed by the task of leading the line with Aguero and Gabriel Jesus out injured.

It was the 600th goal City have scored in Guardiola’s 242 matches in charge, an average of almost 2.5 goals per game.

There was a let off for Marseille a little later after another mistake. Leonardo Balerdi overran the ball under pressure from Torres, who intercepted and nudged it to Oleksandr Zinchenko but his low shot brushed the outside of the far post.

Perhaps with a vociferous crowd behind them, Marseille would have offered more going forward but this felt like an exercise in damage limitation from very early on. They also seemed to have resolved that the best way to try to stop De Bruyne was to kick him. Alvaro caught him thick on the foot with his studs in the first half and Duje Caleta-Car was booked in the second for a crude lunge but not before De Bruyne had helped orchestrate a sweeping passing move that deserved a better finish from Ilkay Gundogan. There was at least a better one to come from the Germany midfielder, though.

A lovely drop of the shoulder allowed Foden to wheel away from his marker from Laporte’s pass and clip over a cross to the far post. Sterling’s header was deflected into the path of Gundogan who prodded home.

Two soon became three with the best move of the game. De Bruyne instigated it, having found a pocket of space on the right channel. He slipped the ball into Mahrez, who held on to possession well, drawing in two men as he waited for De Bruyne to make his run before threading a lovely pass on his inside into the path of his team-mate to square for Sterling to pass home. Cue Guardiola’s demands for even more.

 

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09:52 PM

Full time: Marseille 0 Man City 3

That's the lot. An extremely comfortable win for the visitors, who looked a cut above. Whether AVB will reflect ruefully on his tactics or not I cannot say. I think sitting back and trying to cling on might not have been quite right, this City team have shown themselves to have a flakey defence that can be got at. But they have also shown themselves to have a fellow called Kevin De Bruyne, to say nothing of Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden, and OM's technique of sitting back and let them run and dart and glide at them manifestly failed. Three to nil. City are unbeaten in 13 group stage games. Marseille have lost 11 in a row in this competition and are making up the numbers to be fair. That'll do it for our blog I think unless something exceptional happens in the post match, and I'll hand you over to James Ducker for the report.

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09:52 PM

90 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 3

There's a late run out for young Cole Palmer. 

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09:51 PM

85 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 3

City not resting though, they're pushing hard for a fourth

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09:42 PM

GOAL! Marseille 0 Man City 3 (Sterling 81)

That's the capper! Kevin DB with the assist, City having it large now. It's vintage Pep Man City, the slick pace of the movement and the passing is a joy to watch, it really is. Down the right, KBD and Mahrez, cross from the Belgo Boy and that's a nice little gift for Raheem as he glides in to tuck it away.

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09:41 PM

81 mins - third for City?

Man City, or specifically Raheem Sterling, have the ball in the goal. Offside check.

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09:40 PM

80 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 2

Subs time! Laporte, Torres and Gundogan off. John Stones, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez on. Payet on for OM. Benedetto two.

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09:37 PM

GOAL! Marseille 0 Man City 2 (Gundogan 75)

That's it! Nice ball down the channel, Foden motors onto it and delivers an excellent cross. That well known towering centre forward Raheem Sterling is up with a mighty headed knockdown. Gundogan the man who applies the finish and the prospects of this rather unmemorable game being stirred by a madcap last 15 recede alarmingly.

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09:30 PM

69 mins : Marseille 0 Man City 1

Gundogan has a shot but no power behind it. Ref books Caleta-Car for an earlier foul on De Bruyne.

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09:30 PM

69 mins : Marseille 0 Man City 1

OM are still in this.

Joao Cancelo for Oleksandr Zinchenko.

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09:27 PM

66 mins : Marseille 0 Man City 1

Sansom wide to Amavi, his cross in causes more panic that it ought to have done in the City defence. Be quite funny if they managed to not win this, having been in complete conmmand.

Another enjoyable update from elsewhere as Borussia M put another one past Real Madrid.

Monchengladbach rinsing Real Madrid is a lot of fun.

Are they going to play this European Super League on Thursday nights? #UCL

— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) October 27, 2020

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09:25 PM

63 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Amavi is into the book for fouling Raheem. Get off our man, Amavi. Decent freekick in but Zinchenko dogs the shooting chance.

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09:22 PM

60 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Sterling shoots, it is blocked by Amavi. KDB the man who played it through.  Think that was offside.

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09:19 PM

59 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

The Gun Dog  and La Porte both make fouls, Laporte is going to see yeller for his scissor tackle on Balerdi. 

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09:16 PM

58 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Thauvin! He's let rip with the left and Ederson seems a bit slow to react. It's a lot nearer the target than he first thought, and he sticks out a mitt and deflects it wide. 

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09:13 PM

52 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Foden puts on the turbo and gets down the left, gets around and crosses but there's not really enough City presence in the opponent's area to take advantage.

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09:11 PM

50 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Strange things are afoot: Kevin De Bruyne has misplaced his pass not once but twice since half time.

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09:10 PM

48 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Thauvin tries to get a cross into the City area but Laporte is there and solid.

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09:05 PM

46 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

No changes that I can see, and no change in the OM approach on that early evidence. A flat back five, and the rest of the team also defending doggedly.

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09:05 PM

Over on our other blog

Liverpool are being held by FC Midtjylland. 

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09:02 PM

The excellent Pat Nevin on the BBC

"The home team aren’t coming out - it feels like damage limitation and it shouldn’t be like that in a Champions League game."

67% possession, and City have completed 359 passes, to OM's 147.

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09:00 PM

Around the grounds

Porto are leading Olympiakos, the other game in the group.

Probably the story of the night though is that Real Madrid are a goal down at Monchengladbach.

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08:49 PM

Half time: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Not one to race the pulse. All felt a bit like a training exercise in the cavernous empty stadium. Especially in that it was basically attack vs defence. City in total command and the only thing you can really say in favour of OM is that they stuck at it, bar a couple of individual errors, one of which led to a goal. And there's only one goal in it.

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08:47 PM

44 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

City pressing hard to get the second that their dominance deserves but it does not come.

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08:47 PM

43 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Marseille's Nemanja Radonjic has an effort from outside the box. Ederson gathers that with ease. He's not exactly been run off his feet, it's fair to say.

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08:46 PM

40 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Laporte gives it away, Rongier with a quick ball but the sweeper keeper sensation Ederson is out like a flash.

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08:37 PM

35 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

OOh, OM nearly undone again. And again it was a defensive error, trying to do too much at the back. They over-elaborate, lose out, and Zinchenko drags his shot just wide. Leonardo Balerdi blunders, KDB robs him and then Oleksandr Zinchenko has that chance.

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08:33 PM

30 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Sterling giving these a time of it down the right flank. He looks like he's moving at double time, OM struggling to keep up.

Marseille coming out a bit more now, which should a) make the game more entertaining and b) make it more likely that Man City score again.

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08:28 PM

25 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Thauvin, who flopped at Newcastle but is often in the national side for France and scores plenty, is fouled by Gundogan. Sore one.

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08:24 PM

22 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 1

Valentin Rongier and Duje Caleta-Car team up again, this time to sandwich Raheem Sterling. A very good freekick is whipped in and the goalie is grateful to clutch it.

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08:20 PM

GOAL! Marseille 0 Man City 1 (Torres 18)

Marseille under real pressure here and they make the mistake. A dreadful misplaced pass, City have been handed this on a plate. De Bruyne with the simple pass, Torres cannot miss and that's the effect of the constant pressure OM have been under: they have cracked.

Marseille tried to play their way through the City press but got it all wrong.

Valentin Rongier tried to play it to Duje Caleta-Car who was sold a pup but didn't exactly cover himself in glory either.

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08:18 PM

17 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 0

A decent break from OM but City have enough back.

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08:18 PM

16 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 0

Zinchenko fizzes a cross, well, across the OM area and that's crying out for a touch. Jermaine Jenas: "I bet Aguero's tearing his hair out - that was begging for a tap in." Ha. Just so.

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08:16 PM

13 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 0

Foden's been looking really dangerous down the left, electric talent this young man is. Gets his shot in.

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08:12 PM

9 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 0

Lovely little jinky run from Sterling as he tries to navigate through a packed box. Sets up KDB, whose shot is charged down.

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08:11 PM

8 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 0

OM started by pretty much camping in their own box, albeit that they were being put under pressure. But they're pushing out a bit more now, and pressing a bit rather than just standing off.

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08:05 PM

3 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 0

Hot start from City, who look like they mean business. Sterling wins another corner. KDB takes it. Dias with the header! Over. 

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08:03 PM

2 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 0

Laporte up well from the corner but there's a foul on an OM player.

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08:02 PM

1 mins: Marseille 0 Man City 0

It's Marseille in the white, they feel the MCFC press coming and hit it forward. 

A good move from City, crisp passing, knockdown to De Bruyne and he hits a volley that's deflected over.

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07:59 PM

Payet is left out

Looks like a back five and then another back five in front of it for OM, who look to be set up to defend.

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07:58 PM

Great shame

to see these majestic grounds empty, I think. I mean, when it's Turf Moor or something it doesn't seem so bad somehow. But the huge, rolling curves of the Stade Velodrome deserve better.

OM are in terrible form in this comp - they've lost ten in a row

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07:55 PM

Where's your money for this one?

City recovered from being one down to beat Porto in the last match. Bookies make them a warm 2-5 fav to make it two wins from two. 

Exciting for them to have Kevin de Bruyne back in business.

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07:40 PM

Awfully sad story, this, about City

Raheem Sterling leads tributes to Jeremy Wisten, former Manchester City youth player who died aged 17

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07:39 PM

Good row brewing about the PPV

Some clubs are saying that is should be scrapped. Even Mike Ashley (!!!!?@£$QWFSDC)SD) reckons that it's a cheek. PL resists request from some clubs to cancel PPV

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07:35 PM

Here's Jason Burt on PPV

 

Morally and ethically pay-per-view is wrong, the Premier League needs to do right thing and end it

 

Do you agree with Jason?

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07:25 PM

Wild down there

The people of Marseille are always with us ⚪️🔵

📲 @Toto_RiinaOM pic.twitter.com/qQYNfidsb0

— Olympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@OM_English) October 27, 2020

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07:23 PM

That City team

So much talent but no question, there are some weaknesses there.

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07:00 PM

Team news!

Marseille: Mandanda, Sakai, Balerdi, Alvaro, Caleta-Car, Amavi, Rongier, Kamara, Cuisance, Thauvin, Radonjic. Subs: Ngapandouetnbu, Strootman, Sanson, Benedetto, Payet, Luis Henrique, Pele, Gueye, Ake, Nagatomo, Germain.

Man City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan, Foden, Sterling, Torres. Subs: Stones, Steffen, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez, Joao Cancelo, Carson, Garcia, Nmecha, Doyle, Harwood-Bellis, Palmer, Bernabe.

Referee: Tobias Stieler (Germany)

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06:48 PM

Marseille vs Manchester City coming up!

Champions League action to be had on our live blog tonight. M'coll JJ Bull is on the ones and twos for the Liverpool match, on this page you can follow the trip of Pep Guardiola's men to the South of France. God I miss France.

Anyway. Always had a soft spot for Marseille since the days of Le Waddler, at the end of the 1980s. Many years later, my own team - Hibs - signed Franck Sauzée,  who'd had two spells with the French giants at the same time. Franck was the best player I've seen at Easter Road. He'd been a midfielder earlier in his career but played as a sweeper for us, a magnificent reader of the game, a thinker, a really cultured player who was also not above the requisite physicality if the need arose.

I for one will be hoping Marseille can do the business tonight, although I cannot say that I pay much attention to French football. OM are managed by former Tottingham boss  André Villas-Boas, Dmitri Payet, who also has experience of football in London of course, is among their bigger names. 

As for Manchester City, well, perhaps a chance to put together a European run again this season, but there seem to be plenty of headaches for Pep to sort out. Without Aguero they look lacking up front, and with the defence he's got, they look lacking at the back. Obviously still enormous quality throughout the XI and the squad but you do wonder if the best days of the Pep project might be in the past. We shall see. 

In the shorter term, we shall see what teams the two managers name - and we'll get to that ahead of the kick off at 8pm.