Manchester City looked like their old selves as they recorded the biggest Premier League win of the season by thrashing struggling Ipswich at Portman Road to move back into the top four.
After letting slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Brentford in their last Premier League outing, Pep Guardiola’s side returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion.
Phil Foden was particularly excellent as he scored twice and assisted another of the six goals, with his double coming in the first half.
The England forward got his first goal of the game when he deftly controlled Kevin de Bruyne’s 28th-minute cross inside the box before sweeping the ball in.
City added another just three minutes later through Mateo Kovacic’s crisp strike from the edge of the box, with Foden providing the assist, before he grabbed a third two minutes before the break.
De Bruyne was again the provider as he picked out Foden inside the box and his low shot squirmed under Christian Walton and into the net.
Manchester City endured a dreadful run of form towards the end of last year and their players looked determined to remind doubters of their ability with a high-scoring win.
Jeremy Doku got their fourth goal shortly after the break, darting into the box before his low drive was deflected into the net, and Erling Haaland – fresh from signing a new nine-and-a-half-year deal at the club – made it 5-0 just before the hour mark, driving in from Doku’s pass after an Ipswich mistake at the back.
Substitute James McAtee rounded off the resounding victory with a delightful looping header from Kovacic’s cross.
The victory means Manchester City are fourth on 38 points, while Ipswich remain in the bottom three with 16 points.
Ipswich Town 0 – 6 Manchester City
Foden shines as side look like City of old
This season has not panned out like many Manchester City fans would have expected, with the reigning champions sitting 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.
A dreadful run of form through November and December effectively took them out of the title race as they lost six out of nine games during that period, but there have been signs of their old selves in more recent outings.
This win was the third in their past four games, a run during which they have scored 14 goals and conceded just three.
That run of form has also coincided with Foden looking more like the player who claimed a career-best 17 goals and eight assists last season, with his double against Ipswich meaning he has now scored six goals in his past six games.
Foden showed a hunger to be involved in City’s attacks that will have been encouraging for City fans, who will also have been enthused by his link-up play with De Bruyne, who assisted both his goals.
Foden suggested this week, external that City are out of the title race – but they have been capable of putting together long winning runs before.
A few more performances like this and Foden, among others, might reassess that view.
Delap unable to deliver against former side
There had been plenty of focus on Ipswich striker Liam Delap as he prepared to face his former side.
The 21-year-old, who moved from Etihad Stadium to Portman Road last summer, has been a shining light for Ipswich this season with his eight Premier League goals keeping them in the fight for survival.
But he was never really able to remind City of his talents as he was kept largely quiet by a visiting defence boosted by the return from injury of Ruben Dias, offering little after having an early strike blocked.
This was never going to be a game that will decide whether Ipswich stay up or go down, but it does not get any easier for Kieran McKenna’s side with a trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool up next.
