Gundogan, Cherki, and Haaland score as Manchester City destroy Al Ain in savage 6–0 rout

Manchester City stormed into the Club World Cup knockout stage with a merciless 6–0 demolition of Al Ain, a result that saw several new signings step up under the spotlight. Rayan Aït-Nouri, making his full debut, dazzled down the left flank and earned an impressive 8/10 rating, matching midfield maestro Ilkay Gundogan, who netted twice.

The evening began with intent. Gundogan opened the scoring early after ghosting into space from a corner, and moments later, Claudio Echeverri curled a free-kick around a flimsy wall to double the lead. Al Ain barely managed to settle before Erling Haaland buried a penalty on the stroke of half-time, putting City 3–0 up and effectively ending the contest before the break.

After the interval, City refused to ease off. Gundogan struck again with a tidy finish—set up brilliantly by Bernardo Silva—before two of Pep Guardiola’s young substitutes made headlines of their own. Oscar Bobb netted coolly from a Rodri assist, and Rayan Cherki, looking more confident than in previous appearances, scored his first goal for the club late on.

Aït-Nouri caught the eye throughout the night, relentlessly charging forward and cutting inside with purpose. The young full-back, signed to bolster City’s depth, justified his selection by driving City’s attacks from deep. He repeatedly had the Al Ain defence scrambling, jinking inside with quick feet and showing no hesitation to shoot or pass under pressure.

Elsewhere in defence, Stefan Ortega stayed alert and pulled off a solid save early on to keep Al Ain at bay. Manuel Akanji won the penalty for Haaland’s goal, albeit from a soft challenge. Josko Gvardiol looked dominant in the air and composed on the ball, making a strong case for a regular starting spot.

Midfielder Matheus Nunes saw plenty of action, coming close to scoring a superb solo goal in the second half. Bernardo Silva, while tidy, left some questions unanswered about his best position as he continues to operate from the right flank. Gundogan, however, ran the show—his movement, vision and finishing earning him a well-deserved 8/10.

Echeverri, eager and inventive, frequently found dangerous pockets of space. Though replaced at half-time by Phil Foden, his first-half display showed real promise. Foden himself was quieter, but the game had long been decided by then.

From the bench, Rodri showed signs of rust after recent injuries but still managed to assist Bobb with a smart pass. Ruben Dias returned to action for his first minutes in the tournament, while Cherki, replacing Silva late on, made an immediate impact with a goal and some sharp passing.

City now face Juventus on Thursday to decide who tops the group. Guardiola is likely to rotate again, but performances like these from Aït-Nouri and Echeverri will surely give him selection headaches—in the best possible way.

With the defence barely tested, midfield dominant, and the attack purring, City made a statement. Six goals, two standout performances, and one ruthless message sent to the rest of the tournament.