Slovan Bratislava 0-4 Manchester City: Erling Haaland and Phil Foden score as the English champions celebrate Champions League victory

Phil Foden scored his first goal of the season and Erling Haaland also scored as Manchester City secured a 4-0 UEFA Champions League win at Slovakian giants Slovan Bratislava.

2023-24 Premier League Player of the Season Foden has struggled with illness this season but capped a rare recent start with a clinical finish after 15 minutes.

This was followed by Ilkay Gündogan's opener when the German hit the net with a deflected volley for the first time since returning to the club in the summer.

Slovan struggled to break free from his own half and was grateful to see City thrice thwarted by the crossbar in as one-sided a first half as you are likely to witness.

The pattern continued after the restart and Haaland inevitably came into action just before the hour mark, when he broke through quickly, rounded the goalkeeper and scored his 42nd goal of the competition in just his 41st appearance.

Substitute James McAtee added the fourth goal with his first goal for the club 16 minutes from time.

All in all, it was a sobering experience for Slovan, who were hosting their first Champions League game, but they will be happy to have kept the result down on a night when it could have been anything if City were really up the carotid artery would have set.

Manchester City next host Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.

City are now unbeaten in 12 UCL away games and a sixth win in the series was never in doubt from the moment Gündogan scored an eighth-minute volley.

It was a mismatch that left the likes of Haaland licking their lips, but it could also be of greater significance for Foden.

It wasn't the start to this campaign he was hoping for, especially after last season and a European Championship where he didn't quite get going, but this game helped him revive his mojo.

The 24-year-old is completely wrong in only his second start this season. His absence has gone somewhat under the radar given Haaland's form and Rodri's injury, but there is no doubt that a fit and dismissal of Foden will be a huge positive and tonic for Pep Guardiola going forward.

The City boss will also be happy to give players such as Matheus Nunes, Rico Lewis and McAtee further minutes in what was a near-perfect night for the Premier League champions.

Phil Foden (Man City). The striker enjoyed the space he was given, produced a sharp finish, hit the woodwork and tried to end periods of slow build-up with a burst of pace. A late assist was added to round off a promising effort.

SLOVENIAN: Takac 7, Blackman 6, Kashia 6, Bajric 6, Wimmer 6, Savvidis 6, Ignatenko 6, Barseghyan 6, Tolic 6, Weiss 6, Strelec 6. Subs: Szoke 6, Zuberu 6, Marcelli 5, Pauschek 5, Mak n /A.

MAN CITY: Ortega 7, Lewis 8, Stones 8, Akanji 7, Gvardiol 7, Gündogan 8, Nunes 7, Savinho 7, Foden 8*, Doku 8, Haaland 7. Substitutes: Dias 6, McAtee 7, Grealish 6, Walker 6.

08' – GOAL! – Slovan Bratislava 0-1 Man City: (Gundogan). The German fired a deflected shot from the edge of the box to score his first goal since returning to the club.

15' – GOAL! – Slovan Bratislava 0-2 Man City: (Foden). Doku comes in from the right and rolls the ball to Foden, who almost effortlessly directs a low shot into the far corner from 14 meters away.

58' – GOAL! – Slovan Bratislava 0-3 Man City: (Haaland). The Norwegian pushes freely through the middle, goes around the goalkeeper and pushes the ball into the empty goal.

74' – GOAL! – Slovan Bratislava 0-4 Man City: (McAtee). The young substitute controls Foden's pass in the penalty area and shoots into the goal at the near post.