Phil Foden grabs double as Man City hit Ipswich for six to return to top four

Pep Guardiola’s side find top gear again after recent struggles

Soccer Football - Premier League - Ipswich Town v Manchester City - Portman Road, Ipswich, Britain - January 19, 2025 Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their fifth goal with Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Manchester City's Phil Foden REUTERS/Tony O Brien EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .

James McAtee of Manchester City scores his team's sixth goal. Getty Images

Manchester City's James McAtee celebrates after scoring his side's sixth goal. AP

Manchester City's Erling Haaland scores their fifth goal. Reuters

Manchester City's Jeremy Doku scores their fourth goal. PA

Phil Foden of Manchester City makes it 3-0. Getty Images

Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic scores to make it 2-0. Getty Images

Phil Foden of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Mateo Kovacic. Getty Images

Phil Foden scored twice and Erling Haaland celebrated his bumper new deal with a goal as Manchester City romped to their biggest Premier League win in more than two years.

Foden, a key part of City’s recent mini-revival, took his tally to five goals in his last three matches in a 6-0 thumping of relegation-threatened Ipswich.

Haaland helped himself to a goal at the end of a week in which he committed himself to the club for the best part of a decade, while Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku and James McAtee were also on target as Pep Guardiola's side, who kicked off in eighth place, moved above Newcastle into fourth on goal difference.

It was their biggest league win since hammering Nottingham Forest by the same scoreline in August 2022 and means Guardiola’s side are back in the top four for the first time since December 1.

They should have gone ahead after 15 minutes when Kovacic’s through-ball carved Ipswich open and sent Haaland clean through, but his shot was saved by Christian Walton.

Ipswich briefly threatened when former City youngster Liam Delap was shoved over on the left and Leif Davis took the free-kick short to Omari Hutchinson, whose shot was deflected narrowly over.

Ederson, back in the City goal after Stefan Ortega received on-pitch dressing down from Guardiola when they blew a two-goal at Brentford in midweek, then held Dara O’Shea’s header from the resulting corner.

But, just as belief was starting to grow among the home fans at Portman Road, City struck and they never looked back.

Doku fed Kevin De Bruyne down the Ipswich right and his cross bounced kindly for Foden, who took a touch before swivelling and firing home inside the six-yard box.

Three minutes later City doubled their lead, with Foden teeing up Kovacic to drill a low shot through a crowded penalty area into the net.

“You’re going down with United,” came the chant from the City end, their fans revelling in their neighbours’ demise against Brighton in the early kick-off.

Suddenly City looked like scoring with every attack and De Bruyne skied one chance before squaring for Foden to roll number three underneath the dive of Walton.

The half-time whistle offered Ipswich some respite and they almost pulled a goal back after the restart when Ben Johnson’s shot was kept out by Ederson.

But seconds later they were four down, with Doku cutting inside from the left and seeing his effort deflected past Walton by O’Shea.

Haaland got his goal just before the hour, with Ipswich’s Jack Clarke the fall guy after his square pass went straight to Doku.

The Belgian winger slid the ball through to Haaland, who calmly slotted his 22nd goal of the season past Walton.

Haaland was promptly given the rest of the afternoon off, so substitute McAtee rounded off the scoring by heading in Kovacic’s cross with 20 minutes left.

Memories of Ipswich’s 9-0 humiliation by Manchester United 30 years ago must have come flooding back but, mercifully for them, City declared on six.

Goalscorer Foden told Sky Sports: “Probably the best this season, in terms of all-round play. Keeping possession at important times and we defended well. One of our best performances this year.

“We are building momentum, keeping players fit is important. I put it down to people being in better shape and the team is bonding better.

“When we score we are not rushing it. We are keeping possession and build-up play was important today.”

On scoring six in the last six Premier League games, he said: “I learnt everything from it [poor form].

“It is good to see me back scoring goals with a smile on my face and enjoying football. I want to keep going and adding to that. You never know what can happen. The aim is to stay in the top four.”