Incoming Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim condemn Manchester City to a third successive defeat for the first time since April 2018 as Sporting hammered the English champions 4-1
It was City’s heaviest defeat since September 2020 and only the second time in his trophy-ladened spell at City that Pep Guardiola has been beaten in three consecutive games in a single season.
To cap a thoroughly depressing night for City, star striker Erling Haaland blasted a second-half penalty against the crossbar.
Sporting’s own Scandanavian superstar Viktor Gyokeres – formerly of Coventry City – did much of the damage with a superb hat-trick.
The Swede drove home a 38th-minute leveller to Phil Foden’s early opener and then kept his cool after the break to beat Ederson twice from the spot.
The first of those penalties came in a disastrous start to the second half for City as they went behind seconds after the restart when Maximiliano Araujo raced onto a through ball and fired into the corner.
The injury issues City are wrestling with meant Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was handed his first senior start in central defence, less than a week after his first-team debut. Simpson-Pusey only turned 19 the day before the game and he was given a baptism of fire by Gyokeres, who used all his experience to full effect.
Gyokeres’ name was linked with United before Amorim’s appointment was confirmed by the Old Trafford club, so it is only natural the speculation has intensified in recent days.
The 26-year-old has plenty of experience in the English leagues following spells with Brighton, Swansea and Coventry.
However, it is with Sporting that the Swede has really shot to prominence.
He now has an impressive 66 goals for the club in all competitions and 12 in his last six games following four strikes against Estrela last Friday.
