In an incredible display following Manchester City’s disappointing opening-day defeat to Tottenham, City thrashed newly promoted Norwich 5-0 as Jack Grealish scored in his home debut.
More from Game Review
- Manchester City keep unbeaten streak alive with 1-1 draw vs Brighton
- Manchester City march towards the title with 3-0 win over West Ham
- Manchester City “tear cockneys apart again” in masterclass 4-1 Premier League win
- Manchester City produce a professional performance to reach the FA Cup Final
- Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich: the Etihad brought all the Champions League drama
Right from the start of the match, City clearly overmatched the opposition, with a Tim Krul own goal in the seventh minute opening the flood gates. From there, Grealish opened his account with the Citizens in an incredible moment with the return of fans to the Etihad, before three second half goals from Aymeric Laporte, Raheem Sterling, and Riyad Mahrez polished off an incredible result.
Although beating Norwich at home is an expected result, this was nevertheless an important three points for the team. With many questions about the team’s ongoing striker crisis following the defeat to Tottenham, City put on a classic momentum-building result that has become their trademark under Pep Guardiola.
The return of Aymeric Laporte to the team was particularly encouraging after links away from the club this summer. He had an incredibly strong Euros at the heart of the Spanish defense, and at his best, is a better defender than John Stones. Much like last season, if the opportunity arises due to injury or poor form, Laporte could form one of the strongest partnerships in the world alongside Rúben Dias.
Overall, this was an incredibly strong day for City and a big performance with matches against Arsenal and Leicester City up next in the league. While City will learn much more about their title credentials in games like these than they will against Norwich, the team sent a message today that they are the defending champions and will not go down without a fight.