Man City player ratings vs Sporting

Pep Guardiola went against Ruben Amorim but it wasn’t the Manchester derby. The two coaches met before the arrival of the Portuguese manager on the red side of Manchester. And, the red side will be dancing with joy as the score shows Sporting 4-1 Man City.

Yes, this Sporting vs Man City game in the Champions League was supposed to be a preview of what we would see when the two Manchester sides meet in the Premier League. And, if things happen like tonight, the Old Trafford will be buzzing.

Manchester City took an early lead through Phil Foden but that was the solitary moment of joy for the Premier League champions as Sporting cut through the defence of Man City like hot knife through butter. And, the result was Sporting 4-1 Man City.

It was a night to forget for Pep Guardiola and his men. But they will take lessons from this game and look to improve in their upcoming games in the Premier League. So, how did the Citiyzens perform in this Sporting vs Man City game? Here are the Man City player ratings vs Sporting in their humiliating 4-1 loss in the Champions League.

Man City player ratings vs Sporting - Champions League (4-1-4-1)

Goalkeeper: Ederson (4/10)

Started well, making an early save from Gyokeres, but found himself exposed with minimal support from the defence. Solid under pressure, but couldn't prevent the flood of goals.

Right Back: Rico Lewis (3/10)

Struggled with his passing accuracy in the first half but picked up his game later on. Showed determination and worked hard to help City regain momentum.

Centre Back: Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (3/10)

A challenging debut, with a mix of promising moments and a few shaky plays. He'll have learned a lot from this Sporting vs Man City game in the Champions League.

Centre Back: Manuel Akanji (4/10)

Tried to contain Gyokeres and took responsibility in defence but was often left watching as Sporting broke through City's back line.

Left Back: Josko Gvardiol (3/10)

A night to forget. Compounded a misplaced pass with a mistake that led to a penalty, mirroring some of the defensive issues City have faced.

Defensive Midfielder: Mateo Kovacic (3/10)

The absence of Rodri was evident, with Kovacic unable to replicate the Spaniard's control and influence in the holding role in this Sporting vs Man City game in the Champions League.

Right Wing: Savinho (4/10)

Showed flair and energy but couldn’t produce a final product. His decision-making in the final third became increasingly frustrating.

Attacking Midfielder: Phil Foden (6/10)

Excellent start with a well-taken goal to give City the lead. Remained City’s driving force but couldn’t carry the team alone.

Attacking Midfielder: Bernardo Silva (3/10)

He was creative as always, but his missed chance before Sporting’s equalizer proved costly. Couldn’t make a decisive impact in the end.

Left Wing: Matheus Nunes (3/10)

Not his best performance; struggled to impose himself and conceded a costly penalty in this Sporting vs Man City game in the Champions League.

Centre Forward: Erling Haaland (2/10)

Unlucky with a few attempts in the first half, but the penalty miss was a turning point. He couldn’t recover from that setback.

Man City substitutes vs Sporting

Ilkay Gundogan (4/10) - Silva 77’

Tried to influence the game after coming on but was unable to alter the outcome.

Jeremy Doku (3/10) - Savinho 77’

Injected energy into City’s attack late on, but it was too little too late.

Kevin De Bruyne (5/10) - Kovacic 83’

Encouraging to see him back on the pitch, though he had little time to make an impact.

Man City manager vs Sporting

Pep Guardiola (2/10)

One has to question Pep’s team selection. Certain players in the starting Xi for Manchester City made things worse for the Cityzens. Also, he might have taken this game lightly. But, Ruben Amorim was far superior tactically in this Sporting vs Man City game.

Man City player ratings vs Sporting (4-1-4-1): Starting XI - Ederson (4/10); Lewis (3/10), Simpson-Pusey (3/10), Akanji (4/10), Gvardiol (3/10); Kovacic (3/10); Savinho (4/10), Foden (6/10), Silva (3/10), Nunes (3/10); Haaland (2/10). Substitutes - Gundogan (4/10), Doku (3/10), De Bruyne (5/10). Manager - Guardiola (2/10).

What are your Man City player ratings vs Sporting in their humiliating 4-1 loss in the Champions League?