Manchester City celebrated Bonfire Night with a sparkling 4-1 win against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, featuring two rockets from Phil Foden.
Borussia Dortmund started the brighter of the two sides, but Manchester City soon grew into the game and struck twice in quick succession through Foden and Erling Haaland - against his former team - giving the hosts a comfortable advantage heading into the half-time break.
Tijjani Reijnders and Foden combined again to virtually copy and paste Man City's opening goal and add the third, but it proved to be a far from comfortable end to the game for the hosts as Borussia Dortmund pulled one back through Waldemar Anton and continued to push for a way back into the match.
However, Man City stood strong to defend their two-goal advantage as the game progressed towards the final whistle, and substitute Rayan Cherki put any doubts to bed by adding a fabulous fourth in the first minute of stoppage time, sealing a superb 4-1 victory for the Citizens.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Erling Haaland celebrates alongside Tijjani Reijnders and Nico O'Reilly after scoring for Manchester City on November 5, 2025
Borussia Dortmund actually had an encouraging start to the match, with Karim Adeyemi and Maximilian Beier holding huge width, spreading the Manchester City defence and causing problems in wide areas - particularly down the right wing through the pace and trickery of Adeyemi.
Their positive start was quickly halted as Manchester City grew into the match and began to take control, and it did not take long for the Citizens to turn on the style, quickly taking a two-goal lead into the half-time break thanks to Foden and Haaland's strikes, and it arguably should have been more.
Man City were able to virtually pin Borussia Dortmund inside their own half for large periods of the game thanks to their intense pressing high up the pitch, winning the ball back from forced clearances or errors in Dortmund's build-up, while their only successful out ball appeared to be making use of Adeyemi's pace.
Man City were caught out for Dortmund's goal to make it 3-1, and the Citizens looked vulnerable for a period of time before Pep Guardiola's substitutes and a change in system solidified the side and allowed them to see the game out, as well as score a 91st-minute fourth.
Ruben Dias was introduced into the backline to form a back five, Bernardo Silva joined Nico Gonzalez at the base of midfield, while Cherki was virtually given a free role, picking up the ball in various positions all over the pitch, and that decision certainly paid off as the French international scored a fantastic solo goal.
MANCHESTER CITY VS. BORUSSIA DORTMUND HIGHLIGHTS
Phil Foden goal vs. Borussia Dortmund (22nd min, Manchester City 1-0 Borussia Dortmund)
Beautiful goal from Phil Foden ?
Lovely placed effort from the England star from outside the box gives Manchester City the lead!
Watch on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/EMlZotXids
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2025
Foden gives Manchester City the lead with a beautiful finish!
The ball is played to Reijnders on the right side of the pitch, and the midfielder quickly fizzes the ball forward to Phil Foden outside Borussia Dortmund's area.
Foden takes the ball on the turn, takes another couple of touches to get the ball out of his feet and wonderfully passes the ball into the bottom left corner - a truly sublime goal.
Erling Haaland goal vs. Borussia Dortmund (29th min, Manchester City 2-0 Borussia Dortmund)
He's inevitable ?
Captain Haaland doubles Manchester City's lead, with a powerful finish from Doku's cut back.
Watch on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/dLZBokZe0Y
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2025
Haaland thumps in a second!
Borussia Dortmund's attempted clearance is a poor one, falling to Jeremy Doku just outside the area, and the winger takes a touch and bursts past Julian Ryerson towards the byline.
Doku pulls his low cross back towards the penalty spot, and Haaland is there to devastatingly smash in Manchester City's second.
Phil Foden goal vs. Borussia Dortmund (57th min, Manchester City 3-0 Borussia Dortmund)
"It's Foden fireworks on Bonfire Night" ?
In very similar fashion to his 1st, Phil Foden doubles his tally with a beautiful finish into the bottom corner, to put City 3 ahead.
Watch on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/0avub8w9GY
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2025
Foden has done it again! Sensational strike!
Reijnders receives the ball in a right wing position, taking one touch and driving a pass into Foden in a more central area just outside the penalty area.
Foden opens up his body with his first touch, creates the space for a shot with his second and sends his effort curling into the bottom left corner - almost an identical goal to his first.
Waldemar Anton goal vs. Manchester City (72nd min, Manchester City 3-1 Borussia Dortmund)
A lifeline for Dortmund? ?
Waldemar Anton finishes brilliantly from Ryerson's cross to reduce the deficit to 2 goals.
Watch on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/9mEzJuV1MT
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2025
Anton pulls one back - could there be a comeback on the cards!
Borussia Dortmund have a free kick on the right side of the pitch, and they quickly play it short to Ryerson on the right wing, catching Man City sleeping.
Ryerson swiftly fires a low cross into the area, finding Anton at the near post, and the defender clinically finishes into the near corner.
Rayan Cherki goal vs. Manchester City (91st min, Manchester City 4-1 Borussia Dortmund)
Rayan Cherki seals the game for Manchester City, rising from the bench to expertly put fire the ball into the Dortmund net to make it 4-1 ?
Watch on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Q2diuUrReh
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2025
Cherki seals the win with a fabulous fourth!
Man City win the ball back just inside Borussia Dortmund's half, and the ball is quickly moved to Cherki, who turns and drives towards the opposition penalty area.
Cherki glides past two Dortmund defenders into the box and drives a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner - a wonderful solo goal.
MAN OF THE MATCH - PHIL FODEN
Phil Foden celebrates after scoring for Manchester City on November 5, 2025
Rather fittingly, Foden struck two rockets on Bonfire Night.
The attacking midfielder stunningly passed his first into the bottom left corner, and Foden virtually replicated the same goal to net his brace in the second half.
Foden not only demonstrated his clinical finishing in tonight's match, with the midfielder also creating the most chances of any player on the pitch (three).
MANCHESTER CITY VS. BORUSSIA DORTMUND MATCH STATS
Possession: Manchester City 50%-50% Borussia Dortmund
Shots: Manchester City 18-12 Borussia Dortmund
Shots on target: Manchester City 11-4 Borussia Dortmund
Corners: Manchester City 4-4 Borussia Dortmund
Fouls: Manchester City 11-17 Borussia Dortmund
BEST STATS
Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Phil Foden has scored 11 goals from outside of the box.
It's the most of any player from a Premier League club in that time ? pic.twitter.com/kzhGaewStY
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2025
2 - Phil Foden is only the second player to score two goals from outside the box in a single UEFA Champions League match played on Bonfire Night, after Alessandro Del Piero for Juventus v Real Madrid in 2008. Rocket. pic.twitter.com/pSa8bYXJM7
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 5, 2025
WHAT NEXT?
Manchester City have now won all of their last three matches, and they will endeavour to extend that streak when they take on Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday in their final outing before the international break.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund's four-game winning run is comprehensively ended, and they will be looking to enter the international break after returning to form with a win against Hamburger SV on Saturday in the Bundesliga.
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