Kevin De Bruyne scored one goal and produced two assists as Manchester City maintained their perfect start to their UEFA Champions League defence with an impressive 3-1 win in the first leg of their last-16 tie at FC Copenhagen.
De Bruyne opened the scoring after 10 minutes but Magnus Mattsson levelled on his Champions League debut before Bernardo Silva restored City's lead on the stroke of half-time.
Phil Foden netted a late third goal - his 15th in all competitions this season - to give Pep Guardiola's side a two-goal advantage going into the second leg. It was City's 11th win in a row across all competitions and their ninth consecutive victory in the Champions League, a record by an English club.
There was concern, however, as midfielder Jack Grealish went off after 22 minutes with what appeared to be a groin injury, while Silva also sustained an ankle injury.
"Bernardo has a big knock on his ankle," Guardiola told the club's official website. "I didn't speak with the doctor but it looks muscular for Jack.
"It's a pity because, in the last few days, his mood in training was much better, he was playing really good, really good. Hopefully he will recover quickly."
City take control of Champions League tie with win in Copenhagen
How the match unfolded
Guardiola made four changes to the side that started against Everton on Saturday, with Silva, Kyle Walker and Grealish joining De Bruyne in the starting XI.
De Bruyne, making his first UEFA Champions League appearance since last season's final, took only 10 minutes to make his mark with a low angled finish following Foden's excellent run and cross.
It was De Bruyne's 15th Champions League goal for Man City, 12 of which have come in the knockout phase.
A jinking Silva run ended with Denis Vavro heading against his own bar, while Erling Haaland went close with a spectacular overhead kick and substitute Jeremy Doku had an effort scrambled away as City dominated long spells.
But Ederson gifted Copenhagen an equaliser against the run of play on 34 minutes. The goalkeeper passed straight to former Southampton midfielder Mohamed Elyounoussi. His shot was blocked but the ball fell to Mattsson, who lashed his finish into the top corner.
City were back in front, however, on the stroke of half-time courtesy of Silva's delightful flicked finish after the ball ricocheted into his path following De Bruyne's challenge on Mattsson.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with both De Bruyne and Doku denied further goals by superb saves from home goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, who was once on Liverpool's books.
Grabara came to the rescue with a 1v1 save to thwart Haaland, but he was finally beaten for a third time in the second minute of stoppage time. Foden played a neat one-two with De Bruyne before finishing with aplomb.
City will host Copenhagen in the second leg on Wednesday 6 March, three days after facing Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium and four days before a trip to title rivals Liverpool.
Man City's fixtures
| Date | Opp. | Comp. |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Feb | Chelsea (H) | Premier League |
| 20 Feb | Brentford (H) | Premier League |
| 24 Feb | Bournemouth (A) | Premier League |
| 27 Feb | Luton (A) | FA Cup |
| 3 Mar | Man Utd (H) | Premier League |
| 6 Mar | Copenhagen (H) | Champions League |
| 10 Mar | Liverpool (A) | Premier League |
Guardiola's side will now turn their attention back to the Premier League and Saturday's match at home to Chelsea. City's 2-0 victory over Everton last weekend keeps the pressure on leaders Liverpool, who have 54 points to City's 52.
A win at home to Chelsea could send Guardiola's side top of the table if the Reds and Arsenal drop points in their respective matches at Brentford and Burnley.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Man City
MCI
|
38 | +62 | 91 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
38 | +62 | 89 |
| 3 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
38 | +45 | 82 |
