Sporting Lisbon delivered a sensational 4-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring a brilliant hat-trick. The result served as a reminder of Ruben Amorim’s managerial prowess as he prepares to take over at Manchester United.
Amorim, who has accepted United’s offer to replace Erik ten Hag, will officially start his tenure at Old Trafford on November 11. The 39-year-old’s strategic acumen was on full display as Sporting exploited City’s defensive vulnerabilities, exacerbated by several key injuries.
The match at the Jose Alvalade Stadium kicked off with an early lead for Manchester City. Phil Foden put City ahead just minutes into the game after pouncing on a defensive lapse by Sporting. However, City was unable to capitalize on their dominance. Despite a series of missed opportunities, Sporting bounced back.
Gyokeres equalized for Sporting before the halftime break, and after the interval, Maximiliano Araujo gave Sporting the lead. Gyokeres then sealed the win with two successful penalties, including one in the 80th minute after a foul on Geny Catamo. City had a chance to respond when Erling Haaland’s penalty hit the crossbar, denying City a potential lifeline.
Amorim, whose departure for United is imminent, made a brief comment before the match, saying United fans might feel as though “the new Alex Ferguson has arrived” should his team defeat Manchester City.
Sporting’s win marked an emotional farewell for Amorim in his final Champions League match at the helm of the club. Despite conceding early, Sporting grew into the match, with Gyokeres and Araujo making the difference in the second half. The two goals from Gyokeres came after a penalty decision was awarded to Sporting, first following a foul by Josko Gvardiol on Francisco Trincao, then after a handball by Ousmane Diomande.
Manchester City, missing several key players such as Rodri, Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Oscar Bobb, have struggled in recent weeks. Their 4-1 defeat was their first loss in this season’s Champions League after three victories, and it comes on the back of a tough stretch in domestic competition.
City’s recent three-game losing streak has raised questions about their form, particularly as Pep Guardiola will now look to get his side back on track ahead of their weekend match against Brighton.
For Sporting, Amorim’s departure leaves a sense of optimism for the future, as his leadership helped the team to a perfect 10 points from their first four Champions League matches this season. Amorim, who led Sporting to two Portuguese league titles during his tenure, will begin his new role at United with a match against Ipswich Town on November 24, followed by a crucial Manchester derby on December 15.
Guardiola and City now face a challenging period as they aim to recover from their unexpected losses and find solutions to their defensive issues ahead of the Premier League and Champions League matches to come.
