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Attendance: 43,500
Feyenoord
Champions League | Group Stage
Sep 13, 2017 at 7.45pm UK
 
Manchester City logo

0-4

FT(HT: 0-3)
Stones (2', 63'), Aguero (10'), Jesus (25')

Live Commentary: Feyenoord 0-4 Manchester City - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live coverage of Manchester City's 4-0 victory over Feyenoord in the Champions League.
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Manchester City have cruised to a 4-0 victory over Feyenoord in their Champions League opener in the Netherlands.

John Stones, Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus all netted inside the first 25 minutes of the game, effectively ensuring that maximum points were wrapped up before half time.

City added a fourth - and his second of the night - shortly after the hour before City eased off during the closing stages against the Dutch champions.

Read below to see how the action unfolded at De Kuip.


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Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Feyenoord and Manchester City.

Yesterday, we witnessed a couple of one-sided matches involving English teams but it promises to be a little bit different tonight. While Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool entertain Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla respectively, City are in the Netherlands were they face a Feyenoord side who upstaged Ajax and PSV Eindhoven to win the league title. City are the clear favourites to prevail, but this is Feyenoord's first match back in the big time. They are going to be up for it.

The game in this group features Napoli and Shakhtar Donetsk so while Feyenoord are certainly no slouches, they are probably the weakest team in this group. Even at this early stage, Pep Guardiola's team can't really afford to drop points, especially if they want to emerge as winners of the group.

Anyway, without further ado, let's take a look at who Guardiola and Giovanni van Bronckhorst have selected for the game at De Kuip.

FEYENOORD XI: Jones, St Juste, Botteghin, Va Der Heijden, Nelom, Amrabat, El Ahmadi, Vilhena, Berghuis, Kramer, Boetuis

FEYENOORD SUBSTITUTES: Bijlow, Diks, Geertruida, Tapia, Toornstra, Larsson, Vente

MANCHESTER CITY XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Mendy, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Silva, Jesus, Aguero

MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Bravo, Danilo, Sterling, Gundogan, Mangala, Delph, Sane

We are going to start with the visitors because the big news coming out of the City changing room is that Ederson starts, despite the injuries sustained from Sadio Mane's high boot at the weekend. Bernardo Silva has been given a start in place of Danilo, who drops to the bench. It appears that Guardiola may revert to four at the back with Vincent Kompany still out injured and Eliaquim Mangala only among the replacements.

Van Bronckhorst has selected the strongest side available to him, with former Middlesbrough and Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones taking his place between the sticks. Michiel Kramer leads the line for the Dutch side, with captain Karim El Ahmadi featuring in midfield. Wondering why that name sounds familiar? It's because the Moroccan spent two years with Aston Villa before returning to Feyenoord.

As we have alluded to in our introduction, this is the first time in which Feyenoord and Manchester City have met in a competitive fixture, but Feyenoord have faced English opposition on nine occasions. with six defeats being suffered. Feyenoord have also not featured in European football's premier competition since 2002/03 - a 15-year absence!

It is quite the scene at De Kuip. Those clouds look like they want to make some noise...



The main talking point from the team news is the inclusion is Ederson. We were all aware that the Portuguese stopper had made himself available for selection but realistically, we thought that Claudio Bravo would deputise. However, the summer signing has shown his character and the club's supporters won't forget that. This potentially marks cult-hero status for Ederson. He just needs to produce the performances to go with his new standing.

Further forward, Guardiola has persisted with the pairing of Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero and why wouldn't he? The pair were in ruthless form against Liverpool - Guardiola could even afford to rest Jesus for the majority of the second half - and all the signs are that Guardiola will work with a two in attack throughout this campaign. The movement of both players helps with that and with other offensive-minded players having freedom in the final third of the pitch, it makes it pretty difficult for the opposition to deal with.

Before we move on to our prediction, you will notice that there is again no Yaya Toure. Guardiola has remained tight-lipped over his exclusion - and lack of minutes this season - but his agent has come out in defence of the Ivorian by saying that he is ready to play and it is a decision of Guardiola's to leave him out. We wonder what has been going on there...

While City have dropped two points in domestic action, Feyenoord have won each of their four games in Eredivisie. Twelve goals have been scored in the process, but Van Bronckhorst's side are yet to face anyone of any real note. This most certainly represents their biggest test of the season.

PREDICTION! There is an obvious gulf in class between the two sides but we expect Feyenoord to give as good as they get this evening. City are yet to show they are comfortably comfortable at the back this season and Kramer may cause them some issues but overall, we cannot see City netting less than a couple of goals. The Premier League outfit to prevail by a 4-1 scoreline.

It's time for the two teams to emerge at De Kuip. There are flares and smoke bombs everywhere! You could easily be mistaken for thinking it is a foggy evening in January.

Feyenoord get us underway.

GOAL! Feyenoord 0-1 Manchester City (Stones)

What a start from City! Feyenoord are caught asleep at a corner and City take full advantage. Silva crosses for Stones from the byline and the defender's header should be cleared off the line by Vilhena. However, it goes through his legs and over the line!

CHANCE! City almost score another, again from a cross! An inswinger from the right finds Jesus and his header is going to loop into the corner before a defender gets back to clear. Feyenoord are all over the place.

Before that opening, we were going to bring you news of goals elsewhere so we will do that now! Tottenham Hotspur aree leading Borussia Dortmund thanks to Son Heung-min, while Sevilla lead Liverpool through Wissam Ben Yedder! Another goal in the Netherlands...

GOAL! Feyenoord 0-2 Manchester City (Aguero)

Is this game over already? Most probably. Walker gets down the right and picks out the run of Aguero, who sweeps the ball into the far corner from around eight yards out. Easy as that.

BOOKING! It is difficult to keep up with this game and look at scores from other games!. De Bruyne goes into the book for a late challenge on Vilhena.

Spurs now lead at Wembley by a 2-1 scoreline! Harry Kane has got on the scoresheet. Also, Shakhtar lead Napoli - that will probably be considered good news by City.

SHOT! Better from Feyenoord, who get a shot on goal when Berghuis fires straight at Ederson fro distance with his weaker left foot.

SHOT! Feyenoord are turning this into a game. The hosts just broke forward and gave Kramer a chance to shoot from the left-hand side of the penalty area, only to see Ederson tip the ball wide of the post. This is brewing up nicely. Feyenoord are now the better side, it's just that they are two goals behind!

GOAL! Feyenoord 0-3 Manchester City (Jesus)

Well that is definitely game over. Mendy's shot is well saved by Jones and everyone is expecting offside when Jesus nonchalently volleys the rebound into the net from 10 yards. However, the Brazilian was comfortably onside - Otamendi wasn't but he wasn't interfering - and the goal stands. What a game.

There's such a surreal atmosphere at De Kuip. Feyenoord look a threat going forward, but abysmal at the back. City can literally score as many as they wish, although they have decided to slow down the tempo and let Feyenoord come on to them.

CHANCE! There has been no need for De Bruyne to be at his creative best tonight, but the Belgian almost sets up a fourth. Aguero, however, could only find the side-netting from an acute angle.

City threw men forward at the start of this game but they can now afford to slow things down and tire Feyenoord out. That said, Walker just accelerated down the right flank and attempted to get a cross in from the byline. While the pace has slowed, City still want goals.

BOOKING! Ouch. St Juste kicks out at Jesus on the touchline and it is a simple decision from the referee. Frustration is getting the better of Feyenoord.

BOOKING! Another shocking tackle from a Feyenoord player, this time from Kramer on Walker. There's been another, too...

BOOKING! In literally the same area of the pitch, Vilhena has done the same to De Bruyne. This is horrible from Feyenoord. Blatantly just trying to kick at City.

The home fans are jeering their side. Mainly for going backwards with the ball, but also for the petulance they are showing towards their opponents, I'd like to think.

HALF TIME: Feyenoord 0-3 Manchester City

The half-time whistle goes at De Kuip and City are almost home and hosed. Stones, Aguero and Jesus have given their side a practically unassailable lead and it now feels a matter of how many the Premier League side will score, rather than whether Feyenoord will find a way back into this match.

Feyenoord have made a change with Jens Toornstra replacing Berghuis.

City get us back underway.

I'm not too sure what we are going to get in this second half. There's little point of City chasing this. They also face Watford as early as Saturday afternoon so resting three players will be on Guardiola's mind.

To City's credit, they are now forcing the pace but in fairness to Feyenoord, they certainly haven't given this up, No more chances to speak of, but we are now getting back up to speed.

Feyenoord have just managed to win a corner, which was curled straight out of play. You can imagine the groans inside De Kuip. City are getting ready to make a change...

SUBSTITUTION! Raheem Sterling is being introduced for Aguero. That makes sense. Aguero played the full match against Liverpool, while Jesus only featured for just under an hour.

There has been another goal in the Ukraine where Shakhtar Donetsk have doubled their advantage over Napoli! That scoreline wasn't expected and it is likely to be considered a bonus by City.

GOAL! Feyenoord 0-4 Manchester City (Stones)

Very little had been happening but Stones changes that with a second goal of the night. The centre-back rose in the middle of the penalty area to sent a bullet header past Jones after meeting De Bruyne's wonderful delivery.

CHANCE! Nearly a fifth for City, with Sterling being denied from an acute angle by Jones after being picked out by De Bruyne.

SHOT! The resulting corner was only half-cleared to Bernardo Silva, whose low volley was saved by Jones.

BOOKING! Botteghin becomes the fourth Feyenoord player to be booked after a crude challenge on Bernardo. Moments after that, Fabian Delph replaced David Silva.

I'm impressed with the mentality of City. They haven't rested on their laurels and want to score as many goals as possible, regardless of the need to save some energy for the trip to Watford.

SUBSTITUTION! City's final change sees Leroy Sane replace Fernandinho.

In Ukraine, Napoli have halved the deficit and now only trail by 2-1. The Italians have the momentum now but can they earn what would end up being a credible point?

There's not much happening now. It would be the greatest comeback of all time if Feyenoord netted four goals from here, but it is not going to happen.

You can tell that City want a fifth, but Feyenoord are playing more defensively because they do not want to concede any more goals.

All things considered, Sane should do better with his cutback here but at the same time, it is phenomenal defending from a Feyenoord defender who diverts the ball behind for a corner.

I wouldn't expect much added-on time. We had none in the first half even though City scored three goals!

Yep. Just the two minutes of added-on time.

FULL TIME: Feyenoord 0-4 Manchester City

The full-time whistle goes at De Kuip and City have confirmed their 4-0 win over Feyenoord. It was far too easy for Guardiola's men and I am sure that there are stiffer tests to come.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this game. Thank you for joining us this evening, and we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye for now.

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