Manchester City vs AS Monaco preview

After Aguero made it 2-2, thanks to some bad goalkeeper by Danijel Subasic, Falcao made up for his miss with a stunning goal, brushing aside John Stones and chipping Caballero from close range.

Cutting City’s lead to one and having four away goals in the bag would have put a very different complexion on the second leg.

The answer? Two: Nice, in a French league match in September, and Bayer Leverkusen, in a Champions League match in December. It’s a marriage that’s definitely in need of some hard work, though Pep Guardiola is proving to be one of the best counsellors for the job.

Monaco right-back Fabinho has opened the door to a future move to England by admitting the “Premier League interests me”.

Pep Guardiola believes Monaco’s free-flowing attacking style is the key ingredient in Radamel Falcao’s late career resurgence ahead of his Manchester City side tackling the Ligue 1 leaders in the Champions League.

This was the time for game management but City continued to push.

The Colombian forward struggled to make an impact at either Manchester United and Chelsea, and many felt his injuries had finally caught up with him for good. Mauricio Pochettino’s side were soon bundled into the Europa League, where they’re now scrapping to stay in the competition against unknown Gent. By full time, nobody could argue it wasn’t a deserved victory.

City won 5-3, despite trailing 2-1 and 3-2. Kylian Mbappe, a highly ballyhooed 18-year-old winger making his first Champions League start, then exposed more poor defending from City by latching onto Fabinho’s free kick and lifting a shot past Caballero.

Manchester City (4-1-4-1): Caballero; Fernandinho (Zabaleta 62), Otamendi, Stones, Sagna; Y Toure; Sane, D Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling (Navas 89); Aguero (Fernando 87).

Despite the loss of Gabriel Jesus, City were still lively going forward.

A successfully converted spot kick would have given the Ligue 1 side a 3-1 lead, but a brilliant save from Caballero thwarted the Colombian global.

Winning by two will make City feel a bit more comfortable.

Sergio Aguero equalised soon after and although Monaco restored their lead when Falcao beat Caballero with a sublime chip, City roared back with three goals in the space of 11 minutes.

First goal will be vital in the second leg “Some people might look at Falcao’s goal and think “nah it is not that good, he just chipped the keeper” but he did it from 12 or 13 yards out, when the keeper was six or seven yards away”.

Sergio Aguero scored twice while Raheem Sterling, John Stones and Leroy Sane also got on the scoresheet.