Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City opened their Champions League campaign by thrashing a dismal Sevilla side.

He added to his tally after the break when he was again on hand to score from close range after home goalkeeper Yassine Bounou parried Phil Foden’s shot into his path.

In between, England midfielder Foden had given City a healthy cushion in their Group G opener, teasing his marker Nemanja Gudelj before sweeping a left-foot effort into the bottom-right corner of the net.

Ruben Dias underlined the gulf in class between the Premier League champions and the side that finished fourth in La Liga last term late on, side-footing Joao Cancelo’s cross into the middle of an empty net.

“When they were playing better we scored the second one with a brilliant action from Phil [Foden]. Then after it was easier – we gave more passes,” City manager Pep Guardiola told BT Sport.

“Sometimes we want to rush so quick because Erling is there. You have this attraction of him, we want to attack it sometimes. We have to be more patient. I think his numbers across his career, not just here, is quite similar.

“So he has an incredible sense of goal. We have incredible numbers in scoring goals, so we want to continue like that.”

The manner of City’s victory and final scoreline was not unduly flattering, with the visitors dominant throughout.

Julen Lopetegui’s side looked short of attacking ideas and bereft of confidence after their winless start to the La Liga season.

With John Stones and Kyle Walker missing because of minor injuries Guardiola handed a debut to Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji, but aside from a wild first-half effort from Alejandro Gomez, the hosts barely threatened.

The comprehensive win sends City top of their group, with Borussia Dortmund second on goal difference after beating FC Copenhagen 3-0 in their opening match.

Haaland’s incredible start continues

City’s only previous trip to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium came almost seven years ago when Wilfried Bony scored in comfortable 3-1 win.

This performance was even more assured, with Guardiola’s side monopolising possession against their hosts who offered little threat to counter.

Predictably Haaland, who is seen by many as the man who can be the final piece of the jigsaw as City chase European glory, came to the fore again.

The forward maintained his incredible start to his City career as he knocked in goals 11 and 12 from his eight appearances for the club.

Neither were remarkable, but both owed to his exceptional ability to read the game and anticipate the cross from De Bruyne, as well as Bounou’s mistake.

Both his finishes were from no more than eight yards out, again underlining his capacity to operate with clinical efficiency from a limited number of touches (19), and they contributed to City’s biggest ever win against Spanish opposition.

Player of the match

HaalandErling Haaland

with an average of 8.68

Sevilla

1. Squad number5Player nameDolberg

   Average rating

   5.44

2. Squad number13Player nameBono

   Average rating

   5.13

3. Squad number16Player nameNavas

   Average rating

   4.97

4. Squad number30Player nameCarmona

   Average rating

   4.90

5. Squad number7Player nameSuso

   Average rating

   4.89

6. Squad number12Player nameRafa Mir

   Average rating

   4.83

7. Squad number8Player nameJordán

   Average rating

   4.78

8. Squad number19Player nameAcuña

   Average rating

   4.74

9. Squad number10Player nameRakitic

   Average rating

   4.66

10. Squad number14Player nameNianzou

    Average rating

    4.58

11. Squad number18Player nameDelaney

    Average rating

    4.56

12. Squad number24Player namePapu Gómez

    Average rating

    4.56

13. Squad number22Player nameIsco

    Average rating

    4.49

14. Squad number6Player nameGudelj

    Average rating

    4.46

15. Squad number11Player nameJanuzaj

    Average rating

    4.08

16. Squad number3Player nameAlex Telles

    Average rating

    3.93

Manchester City

1. Squad number9Player nameHaaland

   Average rating

   8.68

2. Squad number47Player nameFoden

   Average rating

   8.33

3. Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva

   Average rating

   8.09

4. Squad number17Player nameDe Bruyne

   Average rating

   8.05

5. Squad number3Player nameRúben Dias

   Average rating

   7.97

6. Squad number8Player nameGündogan

   Average rating

   7.69

7. Squad number7Player nameJoão Cancelo

   Average rating

   7.68

8. Squad number21Player nameGómez

   Average rating

   7.65

9. Squad number25Player nameAkanji

   Average rating

   7.63

10. Squad number4Player namePhillips

    Average rating

    7.60

11. Squad number16Player nameRodri

    Average rating

    7.59

12. Squad number19Player nameÁlvarez

    Average rating

    7.49

13. Squad number31Player nameEderson

    Average rating

    7.37

14. Squad number80Player namePalmer

    Average rating

    7.37

15. Squad number26Player nameMahrez

    Average rating

    7.18

16. Squad number10Player nameGrealish

    Average rating

    7.02

Sourced From BBC