What the future holds for Manchester City isn't clear, of course. The club has been found guilty of breaking financial fair play rules, and yet City refuses to lose in Premier League play. The only real option is for Erling Haaland and friends to keep winning.
That meant making up for a Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain last week by pouncing on the visitors from AEK Athens on Tuesday. They are a good club, of course, and one of the consistently best in the Greek Super League, but PSG they aren't.
Still, the match didn't shape up to be an easy one. In the end, City won 5-1. Here are some things fans might have learned from the match.
Immediate reactions to Manchester City versus AEK Athens
The match was everything as expected, thankfully
At the half, City led 2-0, and it seemed as if the ball rarely reach the Blues' side of the pitch. The reason that was is because that is what actually happened. The match was over after Elliot Anderson scored the first goal 14 minutes in, but maybe even before then.
The AEK Athens fans were great and supported their club in full, but had no chance even against an XI that wasn't City's best. Otherwise, by the half, it might have been 5-0.
Enzo Maresca had it pegged, but the club got slightly lazy
Jumping on the back of that, it was a wise move by the Man City manager to determine he didn't need to play some key players against an Athens team that appeared to be in desperation mode, even though they weren't quite there until the 14th minute.
Players like Haaland and Jeremy Doku are far more valuable in more important matches. If they were needed, Maresca would have subbed them in. He knew he didn't and gave them rest during a period of time when the Blues are playing 4,239 matches in October (only a slight exaggeration).
Still, Athens never gave up and had more spirit throughout, and when the score was cut to 2-1 early in the first half, those who remained on the pitch for City needed a wake-up call.
Many Manchester City fans called it an early night too soon
By halftime, many coming to the match had left, and empty seats could be seen all around. The problem is that a lot of Premier League teams will point to that and say, "See! Even City fans aren't engaged in their club!"
Obviously, that isn't true, and a late-Tuesday match is an odd one, especially when the opponent is so overwhelmed, but still. We don't know what the future holds, and staying and cheering for City in a Champions League match when the club could soon be relegated because of being found guilty of breaking financial fair play rules is important.
When AEK Athens scored to make it 2-1 in favor of City, one could hear the Athens fans far louder than any supporting Manchester City, and the match was being held at the Etihad Stadium.
Thank goodness for Rayan Cherki
After Athens had scored their goal, Phil Foden set up Rayan Cherki for a brilliant goal to make it 3-1. It was two veterans taking their time and making the most of the opportunity.
The young lads involved might not have done the same and rushed, which only further proves Cherki's excellence. The goal ended any trending drama in the match that City would go on to win exceedingly easily.
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