Sporting CP 0-5 Manchester City: Bernardo Silva shines in City stroll

Goals from Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva (2), Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling helped Manchester City to a convincing first-leg win away to Sporting in their round of 16 tie in Lisbon.

Match in brief: Five-star City

Phil Foden (right) wheels away after making it 3-0Manchester City FC via Getty Ima

Manchester City scored five for the third time in this season's UEFA Champions League as they brushed aside Sporting in a one-sided first-leg in Lisbon.

Riyad Mahrez grabbed the opener, an effort which was initially ruled out for offside before being overturned by VAR, before Bernardo Silva crashed a shot in off the crossbar.

Phil Foden prodded in a third and Silva struck again before the break as City took a strangehold on the tie with less than a quarter of it played.

Raheem Sterling curled in the fifth – the pick of the goals – just before the hour to give his side a big advantage ahead of next month's second leg.

PlayStation® Player of the Match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

"Not only did he score two goals – one of which was amazing – but it was a brilliant performance from the midfielder on his return to Lisbon. He moved forward to be a false 9 after Foden's withdrawal and continued to be a threat. A superb performance."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Carlos Machado, Sporting reporter

Sporting always knew this would be a huge challenge and that was quickly confirmed, the home side's defence breached twice inside the first 20 minutes. With Pedro Porro and Ricardo Esgaio well shackled by João Cancelo and John Stones, Pep Guardiola's plan thwarted Sporting's attacking game and then, the world-class talent of City's players did the rest. Like coach Rúben Amorim said yesterday, City are in university and Sporting in kindergarten.

Matthew Howarth, Manchester City reporter

Bernardo Silva celebrates again on his return to LisbonGetty Images

City are often easy on the eye, but they don't always score the goals to match their free-flowing football. In Lisbon, they did just that. Mahrez's opener came at the end of a fabulous move and Sterling's curling effort was a thing of beauty, but the pick of the bunch was Bernardo Silva's sublime half-volley to make it 2-0. Guardiola said before the game that he wasn't looking beyond the last 16, but the 51-year-old can surely start planning for a fifth successive quarter-final appearance.

Reaction

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva: "It's a very good performance. I honestly think in the first half we weren't good enough to be 4-0 up. Sometimes we were a bit sloppy, but we were very clinical to score those goals with not so many chances. To win 5-0 away is a good result. I'm Portuguese, I'm from the other side of the city. My mum is Sporting, my dad is Benfica. It was special to score here in my home town."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: "It's just one game. We had a fantastic result. You have to have one more game to be in the quarter-finals. The players, they know me. The way we work, we can do better. I’m incredibly happy, please understand me, but we can do better."

It was a tough night for Ricardo Esgaio and Sporting Getty Images

Rúben Amorim, Sporting coach: "I wanted to give my players a hug, they gave everything they had. I have to say that I'm very proud of the players and the fans because what happened in the end, there's not much explanation. But we have to be aware of who we played against. We need time, we took a big step compared to last year. We still have one more game to grow, this isn't over today."

Key stats

• Raheem Sterling's goal was the 200th Manchester City have scored in the UEFA Champions League (group stage to final).

• Riyad Mahrez has now scored ten UEFA Champions League goals as a 30-year-old. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 16, scored more in his 31st year.

• Sporting Lisbon failed to score for only the second time in all competitions this season, the other being their Matchday 2 defeat to Dortmund.

Raheem Sterling enjoys his goal with Bernardo SilvaGetty Images

Fantasy star performers

Bernardo Silva – 19 points
Raheem Sterling – 12 points
Riyad Mahrez – 11 points

Line-ups

Sporting: Adán; Ricardo Esgaio, Coates, Gonçalo Inácio; Pedro Porro (Lúis Neto 82), João Palhinha, Matheus Nunes, Mathues Reis; Sarabia (Bruno Tabata 75), Paulinho (Slimani 75), Pedro Gonçalves (Ugarte 50).

Man. City: Ederson; Stones (Zinchenko 61), Rúben Dias, Laporte (Aké 84), João Cancelo; Bernardo Silva (Delap 85), Rodri (Fernandinho 73), De Bruyne; Mahrez, Foden (Gündoğan 61), Sterling.