Phil Foden had waited ten months for a goal. By the time the England international completed his treble against AEK Athens on Tuesday night, he had put four goals together across his last two matches: one against Ipswich at the weekend, then three more at the Etihad.

Elliot Anderson opened the scoring in the 12th minute and Foden struck his first in the 34th. Stavros Pilios briefly pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 52nd minute, before Rayan Cherki and two further Foden finishes carried the hosts to a 5-1 win, Enzo Maresca’s second Champions League win of the campaign.

Erling Haaland was rested, with 17-year-old Floyd Samba deputising in his place up front. Maresca said the result showed the attack could function without its first-choice centre-forward.

Foden’s previous hat-trick had come in April 2024. His own verdict on the night was unusually guarded for a treble-scorer.

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“Slowly, but surely. Still got a long way to go, but I’m going in the right direction.”

Maresca’s answer on his number 47 was warmer.

“I’ve said since day one, I consider him one of the best English players.”

‘A team sport, not a single sport’

Cherki also scored on the night and provided an assist, and the obvious follow-up question in the press room was about the Frenchman’s growing profile and the first whispers of a future Ballon d’Or push.

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Maresca refused to indulge it.

“I think Rayan like the others, had a good game. He made an impact in some moments like the goal.”

“I don’t know, the only thing I can say, this is a team sport not a single sport.”

“We have to think about the 20 or 25 players that are in the squad.”

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The brush-off was in step with Cherki’s own position. In an interview with Telefoot in late September while on international duty with France, the playmaker said he was “not dreaming of the Ballon d’Or” and preferred to focus on performance and the pleasure he gave fans rather than individual statistics.

“I can still do better with Man City, I’m here to give my best, there are a lot of games I didn’t play well.”

Four goals in two games for Foden

Four goals in two matches is a sharp turn after ten months without one. For Foden, who has been pushed closer to a central role under Maresca, the sequence matters more than the total: back-to-back scoring games, with a Champions League hat-trick to anchor it.

“Scoring along the way definitely helps. I just want to keep working hard and trying to be the best I can for the manager and the team.”

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The AEK Athens result was Manchester City’s second win of this Champions League campaign.

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