EPL: Manchester City Thrash Cardiff 0-5

EPL: Manchester City Thrash Cardiff 0-5

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola described Riyad Mahrez as an “incredibly talented” player after he scored his first goals for the club to help them thrash Cardiff City.

Mahrez, who signed for £60m in the summer, tapped in his first goal – and Manchester City’s fourth – after a patient, incisive team move, before whipping in his second late on.

“It’s good to get the first goals,” Guardiola said. “Of course it’s important for him. He came here, he’s an incredibly talented player. He deserves to play more minutes, like Phil Foden.”

The 18-year-old Englishman played for around 25 minutes as a substitute. “It’s a pleasure to watch Phil play football and of course Riyad as well,” Guardiola continued. “But the season is too long and they have to be ready, prepared, because they are going to play a lot of minutes.”

The stylish visitors were already out of sight by half-time, leading 3-0 thanks to Sergio Aguero’s sweeping finish, a clever looping header from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan’s delightful curling effort.

Cardiff simply could not live with an irresistible City side and, as they are still searching for their first win this season, the Bluebirds now find themselves second from bottom of the table.

For Manchester City, this was an instant and convincing riposte following Wednesday’s shock defeat at home to Lyon in the Champions League.

That loss was made to look like an aberration by this performance, even if it was against a newly promoted Cardiff side who look ill equipped to cope with the Premier League’s leading teams.

City asserted their dominance from the first minute and, once Aguero had opened the scoring in his 300th appearance for the club after half an hour, this match became a procession.

Guardiola’s players passed and moved with grace and speed, leaving their opponents bewildered.

Cardiff, a physically imposing side, will have been disappointed to allow one of the shortest players on the pitch, Bernardo Silva, to score the second with his head – but it was still a goal to marvel at, as the Portuguese arced his neck to generate the dip required to loop the ball backwards over goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

There was even more to admire in the third goal, as Gundogan neatly exchanged passes with Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling before stroking the ball into the top corner.

Gundogan then turned provider for the fourth – and arguably the best – goal of the afternoon, with a sustained period of City possession freeing the Germany midfielder to square the ball for Mahrez to convert from close range.

The win has moved Manchester City up to second in the Premier League table.