Phil Foden hat-trick helps Manchester City cut through noise to crush AEK Athens

Enzo Maresca has called for Manchester City to make their own noise on the pitch to drown out the cacophony surrounding them but maybe a quiet night at the Etihad Stadium was what they needed all along. AEK Athens were easily dispatched in a businesslike manner, as Phil Foden announced his return to form with a hat-trick to get City’s Champions League campaign back on track after being pummelled by Paris Saint-Germain.

The match was uneven throughout as Foden shone on the wing and later down the middle, with goals from Elliot Anderson and Rayan Cherki helping to ease City to victory in front of half-full stands. Stavros Pilios’s consolation was more a reward for the boisterous fans in yellow and black than for the overall efforts of the visitors.