Sergio Aguero scored 10 minutes into his return from injury as Manchester City cruised to a comfortable Champions League triumph against Marseille.
City were already ahead, after Ferran Torres slid in his fourth goal in five group-stage outings, when Aguero was introduced for Riyad Mahrez midway through the second period.
The prolific Argentina forward has made just four appearances in almost six months – and been restricted to a solitary 12-minute substitute appearance in City’s past 10 games – by a combination of knee and hamstring injuries.
Aguero’s comeback is significant – City’s official Twitter feed heralded it as the ‘return of the king’ – and evidently he has lost none of his legendary scoring instinct, judging by the way he reacted quickest to bury the rebound after Nathan Ake’s header had been saved.
It moved the 32-year-old onto 41 Champions League goals and level with Neymar, who got a hat-trick earlier in the day, in the battle to be the competition’s top South American goalscorer – with the obvious exception of Lionel Messi, who has 118.
More importantly, it puts Aguero in line for a start in Saturday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford as City, who wrapped up victory through Raheem Sterling in the final minute, look to take advantage of a United side reeling from their Champions League exit on Tuesday.
Record-breaking City
The victory earned City a number of notable milestones.
A group points tally of 16 from six games is their biggest haul and matches the most achieved by any English club at this stage.
However, while Arsenal (2005-06) and Tottenham (2017-18) also managed the same tally, only Manchester United (2007-08) used it as a springboard to win the competition.
City also conceded only one goal in topping Group C, a feat last achieved by fierce rivals Manchester United among English clubs, in 2010-11.
Before a trip to Old Trafford, Pep Guardiola could not have asked for a more straightforward assignment, although it was not without one negative.
The City boss has been one of the most vocal managers expressing concern about the physical demands expected of the players this season.
So he probably was not surprised to see defender Eric Garcia, whose contract expires at the end of the season, unable to continue after suffering what seemed to be a hip injury midway through the opening period.
Garcia’s exit brought John Stones into the fray.
From looking like he had no City future when he went two months without a Premier League appearance following the £65m arrival of Ruben Dias from Benfica, Stones has suddenly muscled his way back into Guardiola’s plans.
And, in a first half devoid of any real goalmouth action, Stones slid in to deny Valere Germain a shooting chance in one of the few moments of danger around the City goal.
The lack of activity was bittersweet for USA keeper Zack Steffen, who was making his Champions League debut.
Steffen was only called upon once in the first half, to block a Pape Gueye effort from an acute angle that was probably going wide anyway.
He had even less to do in the second half, when he was reduced to the role of spectator, which is almost certain to be his role at the weekend, with Ederson due to return to the starting line-up.
Torres second only to Raul – the stats
Manchester City have progressed as group winners in each of their past four Champions League campaigns.
Marseille have lost eight consecutive Champions League away games for the first time – a run that stretches back to 2012.
Ferran Torres has scored four goals in five Champions League games for Manchester City, twice as many as he netted for Valencia in the competition (two goals in nine appearances).
Among Spanish players, only Raul (eight) scored more Champions League goals before turning 21 than Torres (six, level with Cesc Fabregas).
Manchester City’s Ederson is the first goalkeeper to keep five or more clean sheets in the Champions League group stages for an English team since Pepe Reina for Liverpool in 2005-06.
Raheem Sterling has scored seven goals in all competitions this season, more than any other Manchester City player.
What next?
Manchester City face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday, 12 December (17:30 GMT).
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