Phil Foden’s hat-trick headlined Manchester City’s emphatic 5-1 Champions League win over AEK Athens on Tuesday, as the England midfielder delivered a timely reminder of his quality with Erling Haaland watching from the bench.
Elliot Anderson opened the scoring in the 12th minute with his first goal for the club, pouncing after Enzo Fernández’s free-kick hit the crossbar. Foden doubled the lead in the 34th minute, finishing a neat move involving Rico Lewis, and City were cruising.
AEK briefly threatened when Stavros Pilios pulled one back in the 52nd minute, but Rayan Cherki restored the two-goal cushion five minutes later before Foden took over — striking in the 65th minute and completing his treble in the 76th from substitute Ryan McAidoo’s cross.
Foden finds his form
After two difficult seasons and a sending-off in last month’s Manchester derby, Foden has roared back to life. His strike against Ipswich on Saturday was his first since last December, and Tuesday’s treble was his first Champions League goals in almost 12 months — and the fourth hat-trick of his career.
“I enjoyed that a lot!” Foden said afterward. Head coach Enzo Maresca was equally pleased: “It’s good news for me because he’s doing well, and this is what we want… we have one more weapon that we can use.”
Depth on display
City’s squad depth was the other story. With Haaland rested after an injury scare, 17-year-old Floyd Samba led the line, three academy players made their European debuts, and Josko Gvardiol played through a back problem picked up in the warm-up.
The win was City’s second of the league phase and moved them onto six points, firmly in the hunt for the top eight.
Foden’s treble was the fourth hat-trick of his Manchester City career, and it came with Erling Haaland rested entirely — a luxury few clubs on the planet can afford. Enzo Maresca praised his side’s ruthlessness afterward, while 17-year-old Floyd Samba’s first senior start leading the line offered a glimpse of the future. With nine points from nine, City sit alongside PSG and Liverpool among the early pacesetters, and the depth on display suggests the holders will take some stopping.
