Man City 6-0 Al Ain: Rayan Cherki scores on debut in Club World Cup rout as Pep Guardiola's men qualify for the round of 16 with one game to spare
Manchester City flexed their squad strength at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday night by thrashing Al Ain 6-0 after making 11 changes to their starting XI.
Ilkay Gundogan netted twice for Pep Guardiola 's men, including an aesthetically pleasing fluke of an opener, against the best team from the United Arab Emirates.
Nineteen-year-old Claudio Echeverri scored his first City goal direct from a free-kick, Erling Haaland netted from the penalty spot and Oscar Bobb also found the net.
Rayan Cherki completed the scoring on his debut, but City were still left a little frustrated at full-time. That is because they had needed one more goal to move above Juventus on goal difference.
City are still guaranteed to reach the round of 16, even if they lose to Juventus in their final group game on Thursday.
However, City must beat Juve if they are to finish top of Group G.
More to follow.
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Update: Date: 10:01 BST Title: Juventus beat Wydad in Philadelphia heat Content: Juventus 4-1 Wydad With Manchester City and Juventus gearing up for a table-topper showdown on Thursday, how did the Italian side get on in their game against Moroccan side Wydad on Sunday? They won - 4-1. Turkey forward Kenan Yildiz scored two - his second a thunderbolt from the edge of the area in the 69th minute - while an early Abdelmounaim Boutouil own goal and a late Dusan Vlahovic penalty made it a comfortable (result wise, now weather wise) day for Juventus in Philadelphia. Thembinkosi Lorch scored Wydad's only goal of the game but the enthusiastic flares celebration from fans resulted in the game being interrupted. Update: Date: 09:56 BST Title: Get Involved - your thoughts on the Club World Cup so far Content: WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) My issue with the CWC is that I don't like the way football is trying to push out other sports and become an all year round sport. We already have the Euros and the World Cup every other summer, let's please leave the summer in-between alone so the players can rest. Young fans, dominated by the marketing power of football, can be given the time to seek out tennis, cricket, athletics. Basically, football needs to give us all a break once in a while! Tom, London Update: Date: 09:51 BST Title: When could Man City face Real Madrid? Content: If things don't go to plan for Pep Guardiola's side against Juventus, and Real Madrid get the job done in Group H, the two teams would play each other in the last 16 on Tuesday, 1 July at 20:00 BST at the Hard Rock Standium in Miami. 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Update: Date: 09:42 BST Title: How it stands in Group G Content: Emlyn BegleyBBC Sport Journalist Juventus and Manchester City are both through after winning their first two games. City need to win the game between the teams to finish top. The winners of Manchester City's group face the runners-up in Real Madrid's group, with the team second in Group G playing the winners of Group H. Update: Date: 09:36 BST Title: Get Involved - your thoughts on the Club World Cup so far Content: WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Maybe it will pick up in the later stages, but the group stages have been miserable. Total lethargic mismatches, with hardly any crowds, and it's either been too hot or too rainy. They may have the "best teams" playing. Seemingly a few teams, like title winners Liverpool and Napoli, just don't exist in Infantino's eyes. It's been very Americanised with the individual walk-ons. 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Echeverri signed for City in January 2024 but remained at River Plate on loan for another year and was given a surprise debut as a substitute in May's FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace. "Since he arrived and [in] the three or four months with us, at the end of training sessions he was practising free-kicks with the goalkeeper, wall and alone," Guardiola said. "The other ones did not practise. He was practising and practising and the work pays off. Fantastic goal and incredible player." Update: Date: 09:15 BST Title: Get Involved - your thoughts on the Club World Cup so far Content: WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Just to counter the negative attitude towards this tournament, I've watched quite a few games and have enjoyed them on the whole. In a few weeks time, all these "fans" will be glued to their phones watching for the outcome of their team's pointless friendly games, which will be all over the world by the way. Dave Update: Date: 09:08 BST Title: Where does Gundogan fit now? Content: Tijjani Reijnders is capable of playing anywhere in midfield, so Rayan Cherki will likely play in an advanced role just behind Erling Haaland in the Premier League next season. Rodri - you would imagine - would be one of the first names on Pep Guardiola's team sheet once fully fit, which would leave Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic on the bench. Gundogan re-signed for City last season after previously departing for Barcelona in 2023 and has a year left on his current contract. He has been linked with a move to Galatasaray but the 34-year-old, who scored twice against Al Ain, said: "I have one more year left on my contract and I'm very happy here. I think everybody knows that." Last season he made 33 league appearances scoring one goal, which is less goals but in more games than in the three seasons prior to his departure. Does Gundogan still have a role to play in Guardiola's newly formed midfield? Use the thumbs below. Update: Date: 09:03 BST Title: Get Involved - your thoughts on the Club World Cup so far Content: WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) I've got time for it (highlights and keeping up with the permutations). The problem is we are 'football snobs' and don't value any clubs/leagues outside of Europe. Watching the South American clubs has been a refreshing change to our increasingly dull game of structures and limiting individual brilliance. Jeremy, Grantham Update: Date: 08:58 BST Title: Cherki 'has that swagger' Content: BBC Radio 5 Live Described as "one of the greatest technicians in Europe," Rayan Cherki's arrival at Manchester City has been a big talking point of the transfer window so far. Cherki can play as a winger but his preference is a more central number 10 role, and he has been viewed as a possible replacement for club legend Kevin de Bruyne, who left for Napoli on a free transfer. And while the Frenchman has already played down the idea of filling the De Bruyne shaped-hole, he is already catching the eye of those watching the Club World Cup. Commentator Conor McNamara told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: "He's so good. People are aware of him but he's not become a superstar yet. "He has that swagger, little flicks and touches. He scores the goal and I'm sure that's going to propel him forward. "City fans will rightly be excited to see what he can go on and achieve once he really gets to know his teammates." Update: Date: 08:53 BST Title: Get Involved - your thoughts on the Club World Cup so far Content: WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) CWC - Cold Worthless Corporate. I'd rather watch non-league football. John, Doncaster Update: Date: 08:48 BST Title: Guardiola's midfield re-build Content: Following a difficult Premier League campaign and the departure of Kevin de Bruyne, Pep Guardiola is re-building his Manchester City midfield this summer. Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders have come through the door and Rodri is working his way back to full fitness after suffering an ACL injury. But City already have the experienced trio of Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic and the promising talent of Nico O'Reilly - so Guardiola could have quite the selection dilemma when all fit. Update: Date: 08:41 BST Title: 'Intelligent' Ait-Nouri displays attacking impetus Content: Man City 6-0 Al Ain Shamoon HafezBBC Sport football news reporter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Manchester City have been without a recognised left-back since the departure of Benjamin Mendy, but Pep Guardiola seems to have found the perfect solution in former Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri. "Wow," said Guardiola of Ait-Nouri's performance. "He had to defend a back four, then make a back five. He played really, really good, not for the first time. "It was his first game but he has played in the Premier League for many years." Playing at the incredible Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ait-Nouri showcased the class he possesses with driving runs up and down the left flank. He played the full game and highlighted why he will be such an asset with a total of 92 touches of the ball, including seven in the opposition box, second only to Erling Haaland. Update: Date: 08:38 BST Title: Post Content: Lorraine McKennaBBC Sport Journalist Great to have your thoughts in so quick, folks. But if you can, please put your name on your messages so we can say hello to you. For the trio of Anons, I'm going to call you Rod, Jane and Freddy. Update: Date: 08:34 BST Title: Get Involved - your thoughts on the Club World Cup so far Content: WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) I'd rather watch grass grow. Anon Personally I think the competition is nothing but a nonsense! It's only designed to eventually replace the World Cup. It's for a handful of ignorant people. Anon As a neutral, I watched one half of the tournament on the second day. I really struggled to get into it because the lack of fans and the somewhat corporate atmosphere conjured images of the pandemic games for me. That's not something I ever want to relive. Anon Update: Date: 08:31 BST Title: Post Content: Lorraine McKennaBBC Sport Journalist The Club World Cup is getting the cold thumb from you lot so far - those down votes are coming in thick and fast. Update: Date: 08:23 BST Title: Get Involved - your thoughts on the Club World Cup so far Content: WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Maybe the first question should be: Have you watched any of the tournament yet? Some of the kick-off times across the pond don't lend themselves to us here in UK but even if your team is taking part, has the competition in the United States passed you by? On the flip side, now that we're getting to the end of the short group phase and heading into the knockout stages, is this when your interest will perk up? Would Manchester City meeting Real Madrid in the last-16 be a good thing to entice viewers? Get in touch with us via the usual channels on WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply). Update: Date: 08:16 BST Title: Cherki scores first City goal Content: Katie StaffordBBC Sport Journalist If you scored your first goal for your new team, and it was the sixth goal of the game, then you would probably want to milk the moment - I definitely would. But for summer signing Rayan Cherki, his Manchester City teammates had other ideas. A quick high five with Ruben Dias and back to the centre-spot they went because City wanted that seventh goal. Bernardo Silva, Pep Guardiola's newly appointed captain, even tapped an imaginary watch from the bench!
