Football writer Alex Keble reports on the Matchday 6 action for Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League.<\/p>\n
Automatic qualification beckons for Man City after statement win
\nReal Madrid 1-2 Man City<\/p>\n
A frenzy of attacking and counter-attacking football at the Bernabeu could have seen plenty more than three goals scored, but in the end it was a familiar story of recent weeks for Manchester City: a superb attack just about outscoring a leaky defence.<\/p>\n
Real took the lead in the 28th minute from a scything attack finished by Rodrygo, the wide-open Man City midfield typical of their tactical performance on the night and worth highlighting in this stark image from the build-up.<\/p>\n
Playing Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden together as twin No 8s was a huge risk against such brilliant counter-attackers as Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, and so it proved.<\/p>\n
But after endless twists and turns, Man City came out on top thanks to Nico O\u2019Reilly\u2019s 35th minute tap-in and an Erling Haaland penalty eight minutes later, scored after former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger needlessly wrestled the Norwegian to the ground, a sight to make Blues fans roll their eyes in recognition.<\/p>\n
Haaland\u2019s 51st goal in his 50th Champions League appearance – the most goals of anyone ever to play 50 games in the competition \u2013 leaves Man City on 13 points and needing just three more, at Bodo\/Glimt or at home to Galatasaray, to qualify automatically.<\/p>\n
Opta\u2019s analysis of the league phase in 2024, simulating matches 50,000 times, found that in 98 per cent of instances, 16 points was enough for a top-eight finish.<\/p>\n
Pep Guardiola\u2019s side have presumably done enough, then, with a superb result in Madrid that piles the pressure on Xabi Alonso.<\/p>\n
But questions can and should be asked of how open Man City have become; how easily teams are pouring through the middle, as Fulham and Leeds United did last week to score a combined six goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could be better,\u201d Guardiola told TNT Sports after the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cFour, five, or six players played their first game here, so maybe we are not completely ready to play in the [stadiums] like this.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut winning here \u2013 you have to be happy, especially in terms of points.\u201d<\/p>\n
See: Man City match report and line-up<\/a><\/p>\n Madueke\u2019s lethal touch shows why he was well worth the money When Arsenal paid a reported \u00a350million for Noni Madueke in the summer, eyebrows were raised, and not just because of the high fee. The winger managed just 14 goal contributions in 44 matches in all competitions for Chelsea last season, sometimes appearing to flatter to deceive.<\/p>\n But Mikel Arteta saw something in Madueke \u2013 and nights like tonight tell us what that was.<\/p>\n Madueke\u2019s brilliant 25th-minute opener – a twist and a change of pace on the halfway line that floored a defender, followed by a 25-yard strike that went in off the bar \u2013 showed the surge of energy he can provide to break through stubborn defences like Club Brugge\u2019s.<\/p>\n Arsenal drew 14 Premier League matches last season and often struggled against defensive teams who put men behind the ball. Club Brugge are of that type, as we saw in their 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in this competition last season.<\/p>\n Madueke\u2019s brace (a second came in the 47th minute, killing the contest, before Gabriel Martinelli became the first Arsenal player ever to score in five consecutive matches in the 56th minute) is evidence of the new squad depth at Arteta\u2019s disposal and of the value, no matter the monetary cost, of having creative dribblers like Madueke in the squad.<\/p>\n Arsenal are the just the second English side to win 10 consecutive group stage\/league phase games in the UEFA Champions League, after Liverpool.\u00a0<\/p>\n There will be tougher challenges ahead. But the confidence and swagger here, and the latest show of the creativity in their ranks, suggests Arsenal can go all the way\u00a0\u2013 even with the defensive injuries that meant Christian Norgaard had to start in the backline this evening.<\/p>\n \u201cRight now it is about managing the situations we have in the backline,\u201d explained Arteta after the match.<\/p>\n \u201cSome players were there, but could not play more than 45 or 30 minutes. To manage that has been tough.<\/p>\n \u201cBut with the attitude that the players have, I know that if I ask anyone to play there then they could do it, and they have done a great job.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nClub Brugge 0-3 Arsenal<\/p>\n