Phil Foden rediscovered his scoring touch with a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed AEK Athens 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, October 20, to claim their second victory in the UEFA Champions League league phase.
Foden scored three times in a dominant display, with Elliot Anderson and Rayan Cherki also finding the net as City overwhelmed the Greek visitors despite conceding early in the second half.
The result strengthened City’s position in the league phase after their previous defeat to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Anderson opened the scoring in the 12th minute, reacting quickest after Enzo Fernández’s free-kick struck the crossbar. The midfielder, who joined City during the summer transfer window, scored his first goal for the club to give the hosts an early advantage.
City continued to control proceedings and doubled their lead in the 34th minute through Foden. The England international combined with Rico Lewis before finishing to put the hosts in a comfortable position heading into the break.
The goal was another encouraging moment for Foden, who had ended a lengthy goal drought with a strike against Ipswich Town over the weekend. His performance against AEK marked a significant return to form for the City academy graduate, who had struggled to reproduce his best scoring form in recent months.
AEK briefly threatened to change the direction of the contest after the restart. Stavros Pilios pulled a goal back in the 52nd minute, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and giving the visitors renewed hope of mounting a comeback.
City responded almost immediately. Cherki restored the hosts’ two-goal cushion in the 57th minute with a composed finish after creating space for himself inside the attacking area. The French playmaker’s goal halted AEK’s momentum and put City back in control.
Foden then took charge of the closing stages. He scored his second goal of the night in the 65th minute after another move involving Lewis, who helped create the opportunity for the forward to finish.
The midfielder completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, converting from close range after substitute Ryan McAidoo delivered the ball into the danger area.
The strike sealed City’s emphatic victory and capped a performance in which Foden contributed three goals and an assist.
The treble was particularly significant for Foden, whose previous hat-trick had come in April 2024. After going without a goal for around 10 months before scoring against Ipswich, he had now found the net four times across two consecutive appearances, underlining his growing influence in City’s attack.
City’s attacking display was also notable because Erling Haaland did not feature, with the striker left unused as manager Enzo Maresca rotated his squad. Maresca made eight changes to the side that defeated Ipswich, giving opportunities to other players while maintaining City’s attacking threat.
The victory was City’s second in the Champions League campaign and provided a response after their loss to PSG. AEK, meanwhile, remained on three points following their third league-phase fixture.
City will next face RB Leipzig away on November 4 as they continue their pursuit of a strong finish in the league phase. AEK are scheduled to host Real Madrid on the same date as they look to recover from consecutive defeats.
