Manchester City looked like their old selves as they recorded the biggest Premier League win of the season by thrashing struggling Ipswich at Portman Road to move back into the top four.
After letting slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Brentford in their last Premier League outing, Pep Guardiola’s side returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion.
Phil Foden was particularly excellent as he scored twice and assisted another of the six goals, with his double coming in the first half.
The England forward got his first goal of the game when he deftly controlled Kevin de Bruyne’s 28th-minute cross inside the box before sweeping the ball in.
City added another just three minutes later through Mateo Kovacic’s crisp strike from the edge of the box, with Foden providing the assist, before he grabbed a third two minutes before the break.
De Bruyne was again the provider as he picked out Foden inside the box and his low shot squirmed under Christian Walton and into the net.
Manchester City endured a dreadful run of form towards the end of last year and their players looked determined to remind doubters of their ability with a high-scoring win.
Jeremy Doku got their fourth goal shortly after the break, darting into the box before his low drive was deflected into the net, and Erling Haaland – fresh from signing a new nine-and-a-half-year deal at the club – made it 5-0 just before the hour mark, driving in from Doku’s pass after an Ipswich mistake at the back.
Substitute James McAtee rounded off the resounding victory with a delightful looping header from Kovacic’s cross.
The victory means Manchester City are fourth on 38 points, while Ipswich remain in the bottom three with 16 points.