Manchester City 6, Nottingham Forest 0
Erling Haaland scored his second consecutive hat trick and Julian Alvarez hit a brace as Manchester City smashed six past Nottingham Forest.
PLAYER RATINGS
Ederson: 6. Not much to do after Renan Lodi hit the side netting – and a single solitary save during the rest of the match.
Kyle Walker: 6. Didn’t like the cross field ball in towards his side, allowed Renan Lodi space to shoot into the side netting. Moved to centre back after second half reshuffle.
Ruben Dias: 6. Good run out for the defender who wasn’t challenged.
John Stones: 7. Ruined a potential hat trick for Haaland after he touched his goal bound shot to rule it offside but made up for it when his header set up Haaland for his second hat trick in as many games.
Joao Cancelo: 7. Did his defensive work but also found time to stride forward and got a great goal early in the second half.
Rodri: 7. A very effective shield in front of the back four but wasn’t needed after City effectively won the game.
Ilkay Gundogan: 8. Neat passing and probing in midfield.
Bernardo Silva: 8. In irresistible form – outstanding control on the right wing up against Renan Lodi and an assist in the second half after more of his trickery. Had a shot saved after moving to defensive midfield berth where he was less effective going forward.
Julian Alvarez: 9. Ostensibly Haaland’s strike partner but also dropped deep to help with the build-up and counter pressing. Hit the post with a curling shot and tried to set up Haaland in the second half before getting a deserved brace for City.
Phil Foden: 7. Another assist for the nimble midfielder.
Erling Haaland: 9. Only one touch in the first 12 minutes – and he scored with it. After 4 touches he had 2 goals but his third goal after half an hour was ruled out for offside. John Stones laid on a point blank header for his second hat trick in as many games.
Riyad Mahrez (on for Phil Foden, 55): 6. Set up Julian Alvarez for his first goal, missed a sitter later.
Cole Palmer (on for Rodri, 55): 6. Some neat skill after coming on in a left wing role.
Sergio Gomez (on for Joao Cancelo, 68): 6. Spent a lot of time in attacking positions.
Kevin De Bruyne (on for Erling Haaland, 68): 6. Gave the Norwegian a rest. Tried an audacious low free kick which didn’t come off.
Rico Lewis (on for John Stones, 75): 6. Good minutes at right back.
Embed from Getty ImagesGOALS – Manchester City 6, Nottingham Forest 0
Man City 1, Nottingham Forest 0: 12. Erling Haaland stretched out a leg to stab Phil Foden’s left wing cross into the box past Dean Henderson after a short corner routine
Man City 2, Nottingham Forest 0: 23. Erling Haaland stabbed home a second when Dean Henderson’s poor clearance went to Bernardi Silva who found Julian Alvarez. Erling Haaland tried to play in Phil Foden but got the ball back after he was tackled and finished it himself.
Man City 3, Nottingham Forest 0: 38. City played the ball into the Forest box, a cut back wasn’t defended and John Stones rose to head the ball square across the face of goal for Erling Haaland to nod home from close range.
Man City 4, Nottingham Forest 0: 50. Joao Cancelo hammered in a fourth goal from the edge of the box after a square pass from Bernardo Silva set up him from the right.
Man City 5, Nottingham Forest 0: 65. Riyad Mahrez controlled a lofted ball from defence before slipping it to Julian Alvarez who only had eyes for goal, slotting home his first goal for City.
Man City 6, Nottingham Forest 0: 88. Julian Alvarez was at hand, running up from deep to cut home the rebound after Riyad Mahrez was put through by Kevin De Bruyne on a fast break but had his shot blocked.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 6, Nottingham Forest 0
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones (Lewis 75), Cancelo (Gomez 68), Rodri (Palmer 55), Gundogan (C), Bernardo Silva, Alvarez, Foden (Mahrez 55), Haaland (De Bruyne 68)
Man City Subs not used: Ortega, De Bruyne, Gomez, Gomes, Knight, Wilson-Esbrand
Goals: Haaland 12, 23, 38; Cancelo 50; Alvarez 65, 88
Nottingham Forest: Henderson, Worrall (C), Kouyate (Biancone 78), McKenna, N Williams, Yates (Colback 69), O’Brien, Lodi (Toffolo 69), Johnson (Awoniyi 58), Gibbs-White (Dennis 58), Freuler
Nottingham Forest Subs not used: Hennessey, S Cook, Lingard, Surridge
Booking: Dennis 76 (foul on Kevin De Bruyne)
Referee: Paul Tierney