Foden's hat-trick, and the Champions League is fun again
Phil Foden scored three. Manchester City 5–1 AEK Athens at the Etihad on Tuesday, a week after PSG put four past you at home (1) (2). Rico Lewis, Rayan Cherki and Ryan McAidoo got the other goals (1).
The context matters. Foden's first goal of the season came in the 3–2 win over Ipswich Town on October 17 (1). Now he has four in five days.
City sit top of the Premier League on 21 points from seven games. Form reads W W L W W.
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Haaland was on the bench, and that is the real news
Erling Haaland did not start on Tuesday. He was named among the substitutes after an injury scare, and Enzo Maresca handed Floyd Samba the start (2).
Maresca did not use Haaland, and City still scored five. Samba now has a Champions League appearance nobody saw coming a week ago.
Aston Villa away on Saturday at 13:30 CEST is the test. Watch the team sheet.
Maresca shuts down the Ballon d'Or talk
"I don't know, the only thing I can say, this is a team sport not a single sport," Maresca said when asked about Rayan Cherki and individual awards (2).
"Erling is a top player, so is Rayan and Elliot. We have to think about the 20/25 players that are in the squad" (2).
Cherki has six goals in 11 appearances this season (2). He also ran the show against AEK after a quiet night against PSG.
Arsenal circling Julian Alvarez
Your old striker is a wanted man. Arsenal have made Julian Alvarez an attacking priority and would consider including Viktor Gyökeres in a deal with Atlético Madrid, with Alvarez valued around €120m (3).
Alvarez reportedly prefers Barcelona (3). Not City, in case you were wondering.
Fan reactions
City fans have gone full stat-nerd on Foden after Tuesday night. One thread tracks him at one goal behind Raheem Sterling in City's all time Champions League scorers, and two behind outright third behind only Haaland and Sergio Agüero. Another is a two-word verdict on Cherki after his dribbling and finish against AEK: he is back.
