Phil Foden scored twice and Erling Haaland celebrated his new record signing with another goal as Manchester City beat woeful Ipswich this afternoon.
City were at their confident best at Portman Road, although Ipswich offered little resistance in a one-sided encounter.
Foden, who also scored a brace in the 2-2 draw at Brentford in midweek, opened the scoring and Mateo Kovacic doubled City’s lead after half an hour.
Foden made it 3-0 before half-time and goals from the impressive Jeremy Doku, Haaland, who signed a nine-and-a-half-year contract on Friday, and James McAtee completed the defeat.
Manchester City have FIVE!
Erling Haaland puts his name on the top scorer list 📋 pic.twitter.com/tLqFQhHGfM
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 19, 2025
It was a sobering afternoon for Ipswich, who remain in the relegation zone after their 12th defeat in 22 games since gaining promotion. The magnitude of City’s victory saw them overtake Newcastle and finish in fourth place.
City on the rise
City’s miserable form before Christmas appears to be a distant memory, although they gave up their progress too late to challenge for the title.
Foden admitted as much beforehand and it seemed as if City were playing with a degree of freedom as they took on the hosts from the start.
Haaland should have taken the lead after 14 minutes, but Christian Walton made an excellent save from Kovacic’s beautiful through ball.
Kovacic then fired over the visitors, City stayed in front and it was no surprise that they took the lead after 27 minutes.
Kevin De Bruyne was the architect, taking a pass from Doku and crossing it to Foden, who controlled and fired a left-footed volley past Walton.
Three minutes later, Kovacic went one better and shot powerfully into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.
De Bruyne fired wastefully across goal before the Belgian managed Foden’s second shot, which was almost a carbon copy of his first goal. The England international shot a cross from the left into the goal.
Phil Foden doubles his tally 💥
Manchester City rages in East Anglia! pic.twitter.com/Bj67biie9f
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 19, 2025
After the break the defeat continued
Ederson saved well from Ben Johnson on a rare Ipswich foray before City scored a fourth in their next attack. Doku, whose pace and power tormented Ipswich all afternoon, came from the left and fired a shot that hit the foot of Dara O’Shea on the way past Walton.
The last thing Ipswich wanted was to lend a helping hand to an overpowering City, but that’s exactly what Jack Clarke did after 57 minutes.
Following his move from Sunderland in the summer, the winger struggled to make an impact at Portman Road and did little to endear himself to the home fans when he intercepted a poor crossfield pass that Doku intercepted and he Haaland passed to put it into the goal.
With the points in hand, Pep Guardiola withdrew De Bruyne, Haaland and Foden and one of the substitutes promptly scored City’s sixth goal, with McAtee nodding in Kovacic’s superb pass.
