National media verdict as Manchester City beat Olympiacos

Manchester Metropolis continued their 100% profitable begin to this season’s Champions League marketing campaign courtesy of a 3-Zero victory over Olympiacos on Tuesday night.

Having already swept apart Porto and Marseille of their opening two group matches, Metropolis noticed off their Greek opponents on the Etihad Stadium.

Objectives from Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus and Joao Cancelo ensured an excellent night time’s work for Pep Guardiola’s males.

Here is how a few of our colleagues from the nationwide media reported on the motion.

BBC Sport

Torres has proved an ready deputy up entrance previously couple of weeks however the sight of Jesus again in motion – and again in scoring type – was absolutely probably the most satisfying a part of Guardiola’s night time.

Within the absence of Jesus and fellow striker Sergio Aguero, who continues to be sidelined, Metropolis have used Torres and Raheem Sterling to guide their line with combined success.

The best way Torres took his purpose, amassing De Bruyne’s cross and taking the ball previous Pape Abou Cisse earlier than slotting dwelling, was an indication of his burgeoning confidence in addition to his ending means.

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However the 20-year-old Spaniard is a winger not a pure striker, and the return of Jesus is a well timed one, particularly earlier than Liverpool’s go to this weekend.

Jesus doesn’t all the time present targets to go along with his trade when he’s the fulcrum of Metropolis’s assault, definitely not on the price of Aguero in any case.

However he appeared sharp and vigorous when he got here on with round 20 minutes remaining, and his end was a reminder of what Metropolis have been lacking with out both of their first-choice centre-forwards.

Sky Sports activities

Torres tormented the Olympiakos defence, dropping deep and arriving late within the field throughout one other spectacular show which included three key passes for his team-mates.

Moved to the correct following Jesus’ arrival, the 20-year-old returned to his pure place having proven his versatility and capped one other vigorous show along with his third purpose in 4 video games – certainly one of 5 photographs, greater than some other participant.

Aged 20 years and 248 days, the Spaniard is the third-youngest participant in Champions League historical past to attain in 4 consecutive appearances, behind Kylian Mbappé (18y 120d) and Erling Haaland (19y 107d).

Each day Telegraph

Manchester Metropolis should not but at that time the place scoring targets appears to be like as simple and enjoyable because it as soon as was and, given the way in which they’ve suffocated opposition defences underneath Pep Guardiola, any deviation from that was all the time going to really feel pronounced.

This was one other a type of video games the place, regardless of the ultimate scoreline, Metropolis once more appeared a bit of clunky in assault however, whereas Guardiola has clear chinks to iron out and tough edges nonetheless to clean, there have been two apparent causes for optimism on an evening when his facet took an enormous step in the direction of qualification for the Champions League knockout levels.

The sight of Gabriel Jesus coming off the bench after six weeks out to bludgeon a shot into the roof of the online and provides Metropolis the respiratory house they wanted in opposition to Olympiacos may have been most welcome for Guardiola forward of the go to of Liverpool this Sunday.

With Sergio Aguero unlikely to be obtainable, the return of the Brazil striker is a fillip however, then once more, the person (Torres) who has been filling in for each of them in current weeks has been doing a superb job and underlined his burgeoning credentials with one other properly taken purpose and tidy exhibiting right here.

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The Guardian

Manchester Metropolis have a most 9 factors in a gaggle stage that’s going completely. Consider a superb show from Ferran Torres at centre-forward and Gabriel Jesus’s goal-scoring look instead following an extended lay-off and Pep Guardiola was left happy. His crew are rolling alongside impressively, exhibiting indicators of the formidable pressure they are often.

After this victory over Olympiakos a draw within the reverse fixture in Greece ensures passage to the knockout part. “We’d like another level to qualify,” Guardiola mentioned. “Now now we have 4 or 5 days to get better properly, have someday off, and put together for Liverpool (on Sunday). It’s excellent news that Gabriel is again. And, within the first half, we have been actually good.”

The spectacular Torres’s opening purpose made it a 3rd scoring sport in a row for him within the Champions League. “He moved rather well with out and with the ball,” mentioned the supervisor.

Each day Mail

Unusual sport, soccer. Manchester Metropolis solely scored as soon as after they have been pummelling Olympiacos and scored twice when the unfancied Greeks ought to have pressured a shock draw. Work that one out.

Pep Guardiola will in all probability not hassle agonising and analysing an excessive amount of, Metropolis now solely requiring a draw over in Piraeus later this month to breeze into the knockout levels.

It appears to be like like a doddle on paper, after all, however they’ve needed to grind out two dwelling outcomes– first in opposition to a feisty Porto after which an Olympiacos crew who rued Mathieu Valbuena’s evident late miss when this was 1-0. Perhaps that grit and perseverance will find yourself being essential in the long run. One other clear sheet, too.

Most related, although, was the most important optimistic: Ferran Torres. This younger man already appears to be like the half, and never simply as a winger or mere cheap deputy by means of the center.

The Solar

What a purchase Ferran Torres is proving to be.

At £21million he must be the steal of the season.

OK he solely had a 12 months left of his contract at Valencia however their bookkeepers should nonetheless be questioning who did the deal.

Together with his purpose previous Olympiacos he turned the third youngest participant, at 20 years and 248 days, to attain in 4 consecutive Champions League video games – one for Valencia and now three from three for Manchester Metropolis.