Manchester City's Jérémy Doku and Josko Gvardiol complete Luton's rout | first division

As a set-up for Real Madrid this Wednesday, this victory that they take city ​​of manchester The top, at least until Arsenal and Liverpool play on Sunday, got better and better as the game grew.

When Jérémy Doku outplayed Fred Onyedinma and caused the right-back to bring him down in the box and win a penalty, Manchester City led 2-0 with 15 minutes remaining. Erling Haaland scored the penalty to make it 3-0 and the Norwegian, anonymous in the Champions League on Tuesday. 3-3 draw in the first leg of the quarterfinals at the Santiago Bernabéu, he had an injection of confidence ahead of the return.

Matheus Nunes, however, felt the opposite emotion when a clumsy touch on an Ederson pass outside the box gave the ball to Ross Barkley, who, with a five-style dribble, leaped and beat the City goalkeeper to his left.

Pep Guardiola walked away in disgust, but the concession had no material effect. Doku and Josko Gvardiol scored other City goals as Rodri watched from the bench the midfield fulcrum had longed for. Of those who should start against Real, Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden and, possibly, Nathan Aké had the same surveillance assignment, and a day off, since the coach did not use any of them as alternate.

Haaland was in the XI and 66 seconds helped give City a lead that already made this a long afternoon for their guests. Guardiola has recently stated that the Norwegian is not being found enough by his teammates. At Real, De Bruyne's “vomiting,” as the coach characterized it, meant he was left out of the lineup. Now reinstated, the Belgian's rolling ball behind the Hatters sent Haaland galloping. An initial attempt was stopped by Thomas Kaminski and Doku's follow-up was blocked by Alfie Doughty. The ball spiraled down towards Haaland, but the volley from his trusty left foot deflected and he headed towards the corner flag before coming painfully off Daiki Hashioka's face and in.

This was the 66th league goal Rob Edwards' side conceded this season. Soon, City threatened the 67th. Gvardiol scored a great goal against Madrid and now tried the same play from his left side, launching the right foot that created it, although this time Kaminski saved.

Gvardiol possesses impressive technical excellence, so when De Bruyne curled a free kick from the right onto his head at the far post, seeing it miss was a surprise. It followed that De Bruyne found Haaland with a similar delivery and the 23-year-old slipped through.

At times Luton formed a six-man backline in their area, but De Bruyne was still able to drill this, a pass to the onrushing Nunes setting up the midfielder for an attempt that brushed Luton's right post.

For some reason Álvarez and not De Bruyne was on guard in the corner and the one on the left who dove into the ceiling net summed up how the contest was calm for a long phase; another, from the right, was also wasted.

When Rúben Dias was hit in the box, John Brookes was not interested, but the referee fouled De Bruyne. This brought the yellow card out of his pocket and caused Guardiola, in the mean way he can have, to “congratulate” Darren Bond, the fourth official, by putting his arms around his waist.

The fact that it was still 1-0 when the second half began signaled City's tepidity in front of goal. A push and run by Doku that deflected the ball, Nunes's hapless collapse while running in and Alvarez launching a wide cross suggested this 45th would be a repeat.

It turned out to be a false omen for what would end as a four-goal run in the second half. The first was from Mateo Kovacic. This time Alvarez impressed from the left corner quadrant: a quick one-two with Doku was followed by a cross that bounced once, perfectly, for Kovacic to finish, his right foot cutting the ball into the right corner.

Guardiola was delighted but almost saw Cauley Woodrow score for the visitors immediately when Onyedinma skated around Gvardiol and found the substitute, his attempt exploding off his right boot and onto Ederson's crossbar.

But then, after Haaland's penalty and Barkley's shot, Doku and Gvardiol noticeably improved City's goal difference. The winger cut in from the left before a definition as expert as that of the Croatian, who, entering from the same wing, beat Kaminski with a shot with his right foot, equaling what was done in the Spanish capital.