Phil Foden scored twice and Erling Haaland celebrated his bumper new contract with another goal as Manchester City crushed sorry Ipswich this afternoon.
City looked back to their imperious best at Portman Road although Ipswich put up little resistance in a one-sided encounter.
Foden, who also grabbed a brace in the 2-2 draw at Brentford in midweek, opened the scoring and Mateo Kovacic doubled City’s advantage on the half-hour mark.
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 rout.
Manchester City have FIVE!
Erling Haaland gets his name on the scoresheet 📋 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 suffering their 12th defeat in 22 games since promotion. The size of City’s win saw them jump above Newcastle and into fourth.
City on the charge
City’s woeful form before Christmas now seems a distant memory although they have left their improvement too late to make a title challenge.
Foden admitted as much in the build-up and it seemed as though City were playing with an element of freedom as they set about the hosts from the off.
Haaland ought to have opened the scoring after 14 minutes but Christian Walton made a fine save following Kovacic’s lovely through ball.
Kovacic then fired over as City remained on the front foot and it came as no surprise when they went ahead after 27 minutes.
Kevin De Bruyne was the architect, taking a pass from Doku and crossing for Foden to control and fire a left-foot volley past Walton.
Kovacic added a second three minutes later, firing powerfully into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
De Bruyne shot wastefully over before the Belgian created Foden’s second in a near carbon copy of his first, the England international prodding home a left-wing cross.
Phil Foden doubles his tally 💥
Manchester City are running riot in East Anglia! pic.twitter.com/Bj67biie9f
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 19, 2025
Rout continued after the break
Ederson saved well from Ben Johnson on a rare Ipswich foray before City added a fourth from their next attack. Doku, whose pace and power tormented Ipswich all afternoon, cut in from the left and fired in a shot that clipped the foot of Dara O’Shea on its way past Walton.
The last thing Ipswich wanted was to give a rampant City a helping hand but that’s exactly what Jack Clarke did after 57 minutes.
The winger has struggled to make an impression at Portman Road following his summer move from Sunderland and he did little to endear himself to the home supporters with a poor crossfield pass that was intercepted by Doku and he slipped it to Haaland to slot home.
With the points in the bag, Pep Guardiola withdrew De Bruyne, Haaland and Foden and one of the replacements promptly came up with City’s sixth, McAtee nodding in Kovacic’s delightful pass.