Pep Guardiola's Man City substitute inspiration gives him last laugh vs Atletico Madrid

Pep Guardiola had his joke about his “stupid” tactics in Europe this week - but it was a good old-fashioned triple substitution that gave Manchester City the edge in their Champions League quarter-final. Against an Atletico Madrid side who, predictably, combined defensive solidity with extreme gamesmanship, physicality and time-wasting skulduggery, it was Phil Foden who stepped off the bench to make the difference and provide Kevin De Bruyne with the only goal.

Until he, Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus trotted onto the field, Atletico had been reasonably comfortable as City huffed and puffed their way around the final third without seriously testing keeper Jan Oblak. Guardiola has added his voice to the campaign for more substitutions in the Premier League - and it was successful, with news this week that five will be allowed next season.

Oddly, Guardiola rarely uses his full complement from the bench, but with this game goalless he did so with dramatic effect. The dynamic of the game changed drastically within seconds of the three pairs of fresh legs entering the pitch. Grealish drew a yellow card from Rodrigo De Paul after Atletico had managed to tread a fine line between the foul and the fair - and his ability to win free-kicks gave the visitors a taste of their own gamesmanship.

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Foden’s impact was even more effective. In his first real involvement, he picked out De Bruyne’s run down the side of the defence, and the Belgian expertly picked out the far corner. In normal circumstances, it would be a slender lead to take away to the Wanda Metropolitano in eight days, but Atletico will have to be more adventurous, and that will suit City just fine.

Guardiola denied that this would be a clash