Premier League leaders Manchester City pulled off a sensational last-minute victory against Bristol City as they maintained their 16 game winning streak at home.
The Sky Blues had to come from behind, after conceding the opener in the first half, to win 2:1 against a disciplined Bristol side in the semi-final 1st leg of the Carabao Cup.
Even though Bobby Reid’s first-half penalty caused a lot of fear among the Man City supporters but Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero’s second-half strikes were enough for the home side to snatch the win against the Championship outfit.
Here are the Manchester City players rated and slated in their win over Bristol City.
Claudio Bravo (9/10): The Chilean keeper was probably Man City’s best player in the defensive department as he made some stunning saves in the first half to keep out Bristol City from scoring the opener. His clever use of the ball helped Man City initiate the counter-attack which led to the equalizer in the second half.
Danilo (7.5/10): Had an average night out against the marauding fullbacks of Bristol City. His versatility allowed Pep Guardiola make some swift changes in the second half.
John Stones (7.5/10): Looked very uncertain at times but remained pretty solid throughout the game. His composure with the ball helped his team efficiently circulate the possession at the back.
Ellaquim Mangala (7.5/10): Didn’t have the best of outings as the Frenchman duly struggled against Bobby Reid. However, Mangala’s defensive astuteness helped Man City to prevent conceding the second goal.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (8/10): Looked very tidy in possession which was coupled with some excellent movements and sublime passes in the final third. The young Ukrainian is definitely making an impact in the Manchester City first team this season.
Yaya Toure (7.5/10): Always an intimidating figure in the centre of the midfield, Toure’s presence helped the hosts dominate the opposing midfield. He was replaced by match-winner Sergio Aguero later in the game.
Ilkay Gundogan (8/10): Despite an injury-plagued campaign, Ilkay Gundogan looked very positive in possession and was really impressive when making those darting runs into the box. A few sloppy passes here and there affected his overall rating, however.
Kevin de Bruyne (9.5/10): It was captain leading from the front, as the Belgian superstar once again showed why he’s regarded as one of the best midfielders in world football when he netted the equalizer in the 55th minute. His overall performance throughout the match was one of the reasons behind Man City’s utter dominance against their opponents.
Bernardo Silva (8/10): Although the Portuguese struggled to impose himself in the first half, Bernardo Silva’s second-half performance was excellent. His neat use of space coupled with some clever through balls caused a lot of trouble for the Bristol defence.
Raheem Sterling (8/10): Showed incredible resilience to constantly heed for that goal-scoring moment which could have turned the game on its head.
Leroy Sane (8/10): Sane also failed to make a big impact in the first half but his second-half performance made a huge difference. His runs behind the defence unsettled the Bristol City defence more than once.
Substitutes
Sergio Aguero (9/10): Brought on for Yaya Toure in the 69th minute, Sergio Aguero showed why he’s regarded as one of the most feared attackers in world football after scoring the winner at the last minute. His presence in the attacking department was a huge bonus for the Man City playmakers during the final phase of the game.
Kyle Walker (NA): Replaced the tiring but impressive Zinchenko with just eleven minutes left on the clock.
