A Jack Grealish goal is just one of six that City put past RB Leipzig. The German team respond with Nkunku’s hat-trick, but that is nowhere near enough, as City win 6-3.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City produced a fine attacking display to defeat last season’s Bundesliga runners-up and get their Group A campaign off to a great start.
Grealish, the British record £100m signing from Aston Villa, lit up the Etihad Stadium and it was his cross onto the head of Nathan Ake that opened the scoring.
A disastrous headed own goal by Nordi Mukiele doubled the lead with the clock on 9 minutes. It was unclear if he was attempting to nod back or to head over. In the end, he put the ball past his own keeper Péter Gulácsi and into the net.
City did not have complete control of the game, however, and Mukiele made up for his own goal by playing a role in Christopher Nkunku’s header to make it 2-1 before Riyad Mahrez restored the two-goal lead with a sweetly struck penalty after a Lukas Klostermann hand-ball in the area.
Nkunku gave Jesse Marsch’s RB Leipzig hope with another header only for Grealish to bag in his second for the club with a beautiful curling finish.
Former Paris St-Germain (PSG) player Nkunku completed his hat-trick, but João Cancelo added a stunning 5th that was expertly smashed in from outside the area. Substitute Gabriel Jesus then netted a 6th to complete the victory. City must now prepare for their fiercest test in the group, away to PSG on the 28th of September.
RB Leipzig had to finish the match with 10 men after former Manchester City player Angelino was sent off in the 79th minute for a second yellow card.
The results sees Manchester City sitting on top of an embryonic Group A, with RB Leipzig currently at the foot of the table. PSG and Club Brugge have 1 point each, after last night’s 1-1 draw in Belgium.
