‘Man City Are Back’, Says Guardiola After Thrashing Ipswich

Published

11 months ago

January 19, 2025

Pep Guardiola claimed Man City are back to their best after Phil Foden starred in a 6-0 rout of struggling Ipswich on Sunday.

Foden netted either side of Mateo Kovacic’s eye-catching goal as City blew Ipswich away with three first-half goals at Portman Road.

Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland and James McAtee scored after the interval to give fourth-placed City their biggest league win this season.

Guardiola’s side have won three of their last four league games as they begin the long climb back to respectability after a dismal start to the season.

“We are really pleased, we are back in many things that have defined this team in the last decade, the last years,” Guardiola said.

“Really pleased for the players, they deserved it a lot. We recovered some identities that we lost in this path.

“Really pleased for the three points and to climb a little bit because qualification for the Champions League next season will be really tough.”

Sterner tests lie in wait for City, including a vital Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday and looming Premier League clashes with Chelsea and Arsenal.

But this was the kind of confident display City used to make look routine during their march to four successive English titles.

Winning is almost certain to prove beyond them as they trail leaders Liverpool by 12 points.

Guardiola will settle for restoring City’s pride this term as he rebuilds a team that suddenly grew old and inconsistent before his eyes.

“The most important thing is that the players, they saw themselves recognise what we are, so that is the best thing I can say,” he said.

Haaland, who has scored 112 goals in just 127 appearances for City, this week committed himself to the club until 2034 when he signed a new nine-and-a-half year deal.

But Kyle Walker was again absent from the City side amid reports that AC Milan are ready to bid for the unsettled England right-back.

In City’s first visit to Portman Road for 23 years, the champions emphasised how powerful they can still be at peak form.

– Ruthless City –

Haaland scored a hat-trick when City beat Ipswich 4-1 in August and he threatened to net in the opening moments in Suffolk.

Kovacic’s pass split the Ipswich defence and sent Haaland clean through on goal, but the Norway striker’s shot was pushed away by Christian Walton.

Omari Hutchinson almost put Ipswich ahead against the run of play with a stinging strike from just inside the area that hit Haaland and flashed just over.

But City’s pressure was rewarded in the 27th minute when Doku and Kevin De Bruyne combined to set up Foden for a clinical close-range finish.

Foden turned provider as ruthless City doubled their lead three minutes later.

Kovacic strode onto Foden’s pass on the edge of the area and smashed a superb low strike past the flat-footed Walton for his first goal since October.

Guardiola’s men were rampant and they struck again three minutes before half-time.

Set free by Doku, De Bruyne raced into the area and cut the ball back for Foden, whose shot from five yards evaded Walton’s weak attempted save.

The England forward’s fifth goal in his last four games maintained his recent improvement.

City have scored 25 first-half goals in 22 games, more than any other team in the Premier League this season.

Ipswich were powerless to stem the tide. Doku danced through their defence to score City’s fourth with a low shot that hit Dara O’Shea on its way past Walton in the 49th minute.

City showed no mercy and Haaland joined the party in the 57th minute.

Jack Clarke conceded possession and Doku teed up Haaland to drill past Walton for his 22nd goal in all competitions this season.

McAtee came off the bench to bag City’s sixth in the 69th minute, the 22-year-old looping a header over Walton from Kovacic’s cross.
VANGUARD

Related Topics:Guardiola Manchester City

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AFCON 2025: Lookman Scores Winner As Super Eagles Start Campaign With 2–1 Victory Over Tanzania

Published

5 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Ademola Lookman scored what proved to be the decisive goal as Nigeria beat Tanzania 2-1 in their opening game at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles came into the match as heavy favourites to win and dominated the opening exchanges.

After coming close a few times, the three-time champions took the lead through Semi Ajayi.

The ball was recycled following a corner-kick, before Alex Iwobi crossed it into the area for Ajayi to head home.

Tanzania equalized after Charles M’Mombwa found himself unmarked inside the area.

But two minutes later, Nigeria struck the winner through Lookman, who took a few touches and finished with his left foot.

JUST IN: Dembélé Named FIFA Best Men’s Player, Bonmatí Wins Women’s Award

Published

2 weeks ago

December 16, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has been awarded the FIFA Best Men’s Player for 2025, following a season in which he contributed significantly to both his club and the France national team.

Dembélé, known for his pace, creativity, and goal-scoring ability, played a central role in Paris Saint-Germain’s campaigns across domestic and European competitions. His performances for the national team also helped France secure notable results in international fixtures.

Speaking on the recognition, Dembélé said, “It is a great honour to receive this award. I could not have achieved this without my teammates at PSG and in the national team, whose support has been invaluable.”

In the women’s category, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí was named FIFA Best Women’s Player for 2025. Bonmatí was influential in Barcelona’s domestic and European campaigns, providing leadership, vision, and creativity in midfield. She also played a key role in Spain’s international successes.

“This award reflects the hard work of my teammates and coaches,” Bonmatí said. “I am grateful for their guidance and support throughout the season.”

The announcements reaffirm FIFA’s recognition of individual excellence in football while highlighting the contributions of players to both club and country.

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Court Fixes Date To Hear Sala Compensation Dispute

Published

3 weeks ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

A commercial court examining the long-running dispute between Cardiff City and French club Nantes over compensation for the death of Emiliano Sala in a plane crash said Monday it would give its decision on March 30 next year.

Sala, a 28-year-old Argentine striker, died when the light aircraft taking him to the Welsh capital came down in the English Channel on January 21, 2019, two days after he had signed for the then-Premier League side. He and pilot David Ibbotson were killed.

The Welsh club took the case to the Nantes commercial court in 2023 to claim compensation for loss of income and other damages suffered by the club as a result of the player’s death.

Following an analysis conducted by an expert appointed by Cardiff City, the club estimated their losses at over 120 million euros ($139.5 million). Lawyers for both clubs made their cases at Monday’s hearing.

The Welsh club argue that Nantes, through their intermediary, agent Willie McKay, were the organisers of the private flight on which the footballer was travelling and that, if the transfer was effective at the time of the accident according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), it is the organisation of this flight that is at issue.

Cardiff City’s lawyer, Olivier Loizon, told the court Monday, Willie McKay “could not have been unaware of the illegality of the flight”, and argued that the agent had acted with “negligence”.

“Whatever the ultimate cause of the accident, (Sala) should not have been on the flight,” he added.

Nantes’ lawyer, Jerome Marsaudon, insisted Monday the only agent authorised by the club in connection with the transfer was Mark McKay, the son of Willie McKay.

The elder McKay “was simply helping his son, given his extensive experience”, the lawyer said.

“It is sad to see that Cardiff have exploited this tragedy and turned it into a genuine legal farce,” he added. “Nothing in this case justifies holding FC Nantes liable.”

Prior to the start of the hearing, a Nantes representative said the club “have no doubt that Cardiff’s claims will be rejected outright, just like all the others”.

In another case related to the dispute between the two clubs, CAS ruled in 2022 that Sala’s transfer had definitely been finalised at the time of his death.

In 2023, world football’s governing body FIFA ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes the balance of Sala’s transfer fee, which at the time amounted to just over 11 million euros out of a total of 17 million euros.