Manchester City ended pre-season with a 100% record after a convincing 4-1 victory over Blackpool at the Academy Stadium.
Sam Edozie and Riyad Mahrez both scored for the third consecutive game, either side of Luke Garbutt’s penalty, with Ilkay Gundogan’s second half brace ensuring the score line reflected City’s dominance.
CITY+ | SIGN UP TO ACCESS EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Pep Guardiola’s men took the lead in the third minute, with Edozie calmly lifting the ball over Stuart Moore after Gundogan’s blocked shot dropped into his path six-yards from goal, but Garbutt fired an emphatic spot-kick into the top left corner to level things up after Ruben Dias tangled with Shayne Lavery.
Mahrez restored the home side’s lead three minutes into the second half, with substitute and former City goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw unable to keep out his angled drive following a brilliant lofted pass from Fernandinho.
The third goal was the pick of the bunch for Guardiola’s men as the visitors were undone by the quick thinking of Mahrez and Gundogan, with the latter ghosting unmarked into the area to steer a first-time finish under Grimshaw following the winger’s pinpoint delivery from a free-kick wide on the right.
A similarly accurate cross from Cancelo teed up the German’s second as he got in behind the Tangerines’ defence again and converted a smart side foot finish from six-yards.
FA COMMUNITY SHIELD: TICKETS ON SALE
A CITY+ subscription costs just £1.99 per month and includes the live stream of selected Women’s, EDS and Academy matches throughout the season, as well as full-match replays of all Men’s and Women’s games.
It also grants access to exclusive CityTV productions, including the Shaun Wright-Phillips: City’s Homegrown Hero and Kevin De Bruyne: Made in Belgium.
For further details about how to subscribe visit mancity.com/city-plus