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English clubs enjoyed a goal-filled night in the UEFA Champions League, with Manchester City thrashing AEK Athens 5-1 and Liverpool securing a thrilling 4-3 victory over Villarreal after coming back from two goals down.
Phil Foden scored a hat-trick as City cruised to victory at the Etihad Stadium, despite resting star striker Erling Haaland because of injury concerns.
Elliot Anderson opened the scoring for City in the 12th minute before Foden doubled the lead in the 34th minute.
AEK Athens reduced the deficit through Stavros Pilios in the 52nd minute, but Ryan Cherki restored City’s two-goal advantage just five minutes later.
Foden then took centre stage, scoring his second goal in the 65th minute before completing his hat-trick in the 76th to seal City’s emphatic win.
Liverpool, meanwhile, had to fight hard for their victory after falling two goals behind against Villarreal.
Georges Mikautadze put the visitors ahead in the fourth minute, capitalising on a mistake by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. Sergi Cardona doubled Villarreal’s advantage in the 29th minute.
However, Liverpool mounted a comeback before the break. Alexis Mac Allister pulled one back in the 36th minute, and Ronald Araujo equalised in first-half stoppage time at 45+2 minutes to make it 2-2.
Liverpool took control after the interval, with Mac Allister scoring his second goal in the 65th minute to put the hosts ahead for the first time.
Florian Wirtz extended Liverpool’s lead to 4-2 in the 69th minute, putting the home side in a commanding position.
Villarreal refused to give up, as Tani Oluwaseyi scored in the 87th minute to set up a tense finish. Liverpool, however, held on to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory.
