According to a report by BBC Sport on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Manchester City produced an impressive display to defeat AEK Athens 5-1 in their UEFA Champions League encounter at home.

Elliot Anderson, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki were among the goalscorers as City dominated large periods of the contest. Foden delivered a particularly influential performance, scoring twice and contributing an assist as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a convincing victory.

Manchester City began the match with attacking intent, controlling possession and putting the visitors under pressure. Their efforts paid off in the 12th minute when Anderson reacted quickly to a rebound inside the penalty area and fired home to give the hosts an early lead.

City continued to threaten, with Enzo Fernandez striking the crossbar from a free kick. Cherki and Allan Elias also came close to extending the advantage as the home side maintained their attacking momentum.

The hosts eventually doubled their lead in the 34th minute. Rico Lewis provided an excellent pass into the penalty area, allowing Foden to finish confidently and give City a comfortable advantage heading into half-time.

AEK Athens returned from the break with renewed determination and managed to reduce the deficit seven minutes into the second half. In the 52nd minute, Stavro Pilo received a precise pass that split the City defence before calmly placing his effort into the bottom-right corner.

However, the visitors’ hopes of mounting a comeback were quickly disrupted. Five minutes later, Foden turned provider, setting up Cherki to finish neatly into the bottom-left corner and restore City’s two-goal cushion.

Foden struck again in the 65th minute to make it 4-1. Receiving another pass from Lewis, the England international found space inside the penalty area and sent a first-time effort into the top-left corner to complete his brace.

Manchester City continued to push forward and added a fifth goal in the 76th minute. Ryan McAidoo supplied the decisive pass, allowing Foden to finish into an unguarded net and cap an outstanding individual performance.

AEK Athens attempted to find another goal, but City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made important saves to preserve his side’s advantage. The hosts also had a potential penalty appeal rejected following a VAR review.

The final whistle confirmed a commanding 5-1 victory for Manchester City, giving Guardiola’s side a valuable boost in their Champions League campaign. Foden’s two goals and creative contribution proved crucial, while City’s overall attacking display demonstrated their ability to respond strongly after their previous defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.