Man City Score Five Champions League Goals Without Haaland

Manchester City Score Five Champions League Goals Without Haaland

Manchester City have demonstrated their attacking depth after scoring five goals in a single UEFA Champions League match without Erling Haaland contributing a goal for the first time since the Norwegian joined the club in 2022.

City produced a dominant performance to defeat AEK Athens 5–1 at the Etihad Stadium on October 20, 2026. Haaland remained on the bench and was not brought into the game, leaving his teammates to deliver an impressive attacking display without their leading striker.

Phil Foden was the star of the night, scoring a brilliant hat-trick to help City return to winning ways in Europe. Elliot Anderson opened the scoring in the 12th minute after reacting quickest to a rebound from Enzo Fernández’s free-kick, which struck the crossbar.

Foden doubled City's advantage in the 34th minute, finishing a move involving Rico Lewis. The England international continued his outstanding performance after the break, while AEK Athens briefly threatened a comeback through Stavros Pilios in the 52nd minute.

However, Rayan Cherki restored City's two-goal cushion five minutes later with a composed finish. Foden then scored twice more, in the 65th and 76th minutes, completing his hat-trick and sealing a convincing victory.

The result underlined City's ability to create goals through several attacking options rather than depending exclusively on Haaland. Foden's performance was particularly encouraging, while Anderson and Cherki also showed their ability to influence matches in the final third.

For manager Enzo Maresca, the victory offered a positive response following City's previous 4–2 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The performance also highlighted the value of squad rotation, with City making eight changes to their starting line-up.

Haaland's absence from the scoring action does not diminish his importance to the team. Instead, the match provides a reminder that City's attacking threat can come from different players when opportunities arise.

With the Champions League campaign continuing, City's ability to find goals beyond their prolific Norwegian striker could prove valuable in their pursuit of European success. Foden's hat-trick, in particular, gave the team an encouraging boost and demonstrated the quality available throughout the squad.

Source: Manchester City's official match report and Sky Sports' coverage of the 5–1 victory over AEK Athens.