Manchester City have taken a 5-0 lead against Sporting in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg encounter.

Pep Guardiola’s men started the game in a bullish fashion and got an early lead through Algerian attacker, Riyad Mahrez (7′).

Homeboy, Bernardo Silva doubled the lead ten minutes later before Phil Foden made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute.

Determined to end the encounter in the first leg, the Premier League giants made it 4-0 with a minute to the half-hour mark when Silva got on the score sheet again.

City registered five shots on target with before the hour mark as Rúben Amorim’s side who had zero goal attempts desperately seek a lifeline or miracle to turn the encounter around before the second leg in England.

Like Oliver Twist, Guardiola’s side kept asking for more and got exactly what the wanted in the 58th minute when Raheem Sterling made it 5-0.

City cruised to a comfortable 5-0 trouncing of their opponents though manager Guardiola felt that it was far from a perfect team performance.

He said, “Nooo… Some players, they underperform. We lost some easy balls, but today we were so clinical – every time we arrive in the first 20 minutes, we score. The difference is not 0-5 but they attacked with a lot of players in front of the ball, we defended well, and we were clinical.”

”There is one rule in football – when you have the ball, try to don’t lose it. Especially the easy ones.”

Guardiola however reserved praise for Sporting midfielder, Matheus Nunes, whom he described as “One of the best players, I would say actually, in world football.”

On his team’s performance, he noted, “I’m very happy – don’t misunderstand me.”