Manchester City have spent years building an attacking identity around relentless possession, intelligent movement and the exceptional goalscoring ability of Erling Haaland. Against AEK Athens, however, a different player became the centre of attention—and offered a glimpse of how City could attack when their Norwegian striker is not on the pitch.
Phil Foden hat-trick inspired Manchester City to a commanding 5–1 victory over AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. The England international scored three goals, provided an assist for Rayan Cherki and demonstrated an ability to influence the game from both wide and central positions. ([Manchester City official report](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/foden-post-aek-athens-reaction-ucl-20-oct-63928096))
The performance was particularly significant because Haaland remained on the bench and did not play. City also had to manage an injury crisis, with Antoine Semenyo expected to be unavailable for up to eight weeks following a knee injury. ([Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/citys-injured-semenyo-out-eight-weeks-haaland-may-be-fit-face-aek-2026-10-19/))
Rather than relying on one recognised centre-forward, City used movement, combinations and contributions from several attacking players to dismantle their Greek opponents.
Elliot Anderson opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Foden struck in the 34th. AEK briefly threatened a comeback through Stavros Pilios shortly after half-time, but Cherki restored City’s two-goal advantage in the 57th minute. Foden then completed his hat-trick with goals in the 65th and 76th minutes. ([Sky Sports match report](https://www.skysports.com/football/manchester-city-vs-aek-athens/report/577636))
The result gave Manchester City their second victory in three Champions League league-phase matches, following their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the competition. ([Manchester City official report](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/city-v-aek-athens-match-gallery-ucl-20-oct-63928096))
But the most interesting aspect of the evening was not simply the scoreline. It was how City adapted their attacking approach to the players available.
Could Foden’s performance encourage City to develop a more flexible attack—one capable of succeeding with Haaland, without him, or with the England international operating as a false nine?
The evidence offers four important tactical lessons.
Phil Foden Hat-Trick: Lesson 1 — A False Nine Can Give City More Attacking Freedom
One of the most revealing details from the match was Foden’s changing role.
He began in a wide attacking position, operating on the right and combining with Rico Lewis. As the match developed, he moved into a more central role as a false nine, allowing him to receive possession between the lines and link City’s midfield with their attacking players.
Foden explained the appeal of the position after the game.
Speaking to Manchester City’s official media team, he said:
“Especially when I changed into the false 9 role, I really enjoyed it a lot. In between the lines and in the pockets where I like to be and linking the play.” ([Manchester City](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/foden-post-aek-athens-reaction-ucl-20-oct-63928096))
That explanation highlights why the role suited him.
A conventional centre-forward usually occupies the opposition’s centre-backs, looks for runs behind the defence and provides a focal point inside the penalty area. A false nine instead moves into deeper spaces, encouraging defenders to decide whether to follow him or maintain their defensive positions.
If a centre-back follows the false nine into midfield, a gap may open behind him for a winger or attacking midfielder to exploit. If the defender stays in position, the false nine can receive the ball with more time to turn and create chances.
Foden is well suited to that type of football because he combines close control, quick decision-making and an understanding of space.
Against AEK, he demonstrated that his movement could create opportunities for himself and his teammates rather than depending entirely on traditional striker play.
This does not mean Manchester City should abandon the conventional centre-forward position. Haaland remains an important attacking option whose movement, finishing and penalty-area presence provide qualities that Foden cannot simply reproduce.
Instead, the lesson is that City can develop another attacking structure for situations in which Haaland is unavailable, being rested or facing an opponent whose defensive shape makes central combinations particularly valuable.
A false nine gives City a different way to create chances, but it requires coordinated runs from the surrounding players. Without those movements, the team risks having no player consistently occupying the penalty area.
Lesson 2 — Rico Lewis Can Turn Right-Sided Possession Into a Goal Threat
Foden’s hat-trick attracted the headlines, but Rico Lewis was an important contributor to the attacking structure.
The full-back provided the assists for Foden’s first two goals, showing how the relationship between a wide defender and an attacking midfielder can become a decisive weapon. ([Manchester City official report](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/city-v-aek-athens-match-gallery-ucl-20-oct-63928096))
For Foden’s first goal in the 34th minute, Lewis combined with him on the right before the England international finished into the roof of the net. Their second combination was similarly effective, with Lewis again supplying the ball for Foden to score in the 65th minute.
These goals illustrate the value of an attacking full-back who understands when to advance and how to support a winger or inside-forward.
Lewis can offer width, move into central spaces or combine with a teammate to create a numerical advantage. His movement forces opposing defenders to make decisions about who should close down the ball and who should protect the space behind them.
That uncertainty can create opportunities for Foden.
If the opposing full-back moves towards Lewis, Foden may find additional space to receive possession. If the defender concentrates on Foden, Lewis can advance into the space outside him and deliver a pass or cross.
The advantage is not simply that City have another player attacking. It is that they can create two threats from the same area, making it harder for the opposition to defend through individual marking.
The match against AEK showed how effective that combination can be when the timing is right.
However, this approach also carries a defensive risk. When a full-back advances, City must ensure that midfielders and defenders provide sufficient cover in case possession is lost.
The tactical challenge is to maintain the attacking benefits of the overlap without leaving too much space behind the player.
Foden’s goals were individual achievements, but Lewis’s contribution demonstrates how Manchester City’s wider attacking structure helped create the opportunities.
Lesson 3 — Rayan Cherki Gives City Another Creative Route to Goal
Manchester City’s third goal demonstrated that Foden did not have to finish every attack himself.
In the 57th minute, Foden supplied the ball to Cherki, who shifted onto his left foot and placed a precise finish into the bottom corner. The goal restored City’s two-goal lead after Pilios had briefly reduced the deficit for AEK. ([Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/manchester-city-vs-aek-athens/report/577636))
That sequence highlighted the benefits of combining players with different attacking qualities.
Foden’s movement attracted attention and helped create the conditions for Cherki to receive the ball in a promising position. Cherki then used his close control and ability to finish under pressure to turn that opportunity into a goal.
For City, the important point is that their attacking threat can come from several positions.
An opponent that concentrates primarily on Haaland must also consider the threat posed by Foden arriving from deeper areas, Cherki receiving between the lines and midfielders advancing from behind the ball.
When multiple players can score or create goals, a defensive system becomes more difficult to organise.
Defenders must decide whether to protect the penalty area, close down the player with the ball or track runs from midfield. Each decision can create opportunities elsewhere.
Cherki’s involvement also makes a false-nine structure more attractive. If Foden drops deeper to connect play, another attacker can move beyond him, while players arriving from wide areas can attack the spaces left by retreating defenders.
The result is an attack based on fluid movement rather than a single fixed focal point.
Nevertheless, this flexibility will be tested more severely against stronger opposition. AEK allowed City to enjoy considerable periods of controlled possession, and not every opponent will concede the same spaces.
To make the system effective against elite European clubs, City must maintain quick passing, accurate movement and enough players in the penalty area to turn possession into meaningful opportunities.
Lesson 4 — Manchester City Can Rotate More Aggressively Without Losing Attacking Quality
The victory also demonstrated the value of squad depth.
Manager Enzo Maresca made eight changes to the starting line-up, while Haaland remained on the bench. City also gave several young players opportunities in the Champions League, including 17-year-old Floyd Samba. ([The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/20/manchester-city-aek-athens-champions-league-match-report))
This was an important decision because modern football places substantial demands on players across domestic and European competitions.
Managers must balance performance, fitness and availability. Rotation can help prevent fatigue, but excessive changes can disrupt the relationships and understanding that make a tactical system effective.
Against AEK, City maintained their attacking threat despite the changes.
Foden was supported by Lewis, Cherki and Anderson, while academy players contributed to the team structure. Ryan McAidoo provided the cross that allowed Foden to complete his hat-trick in the 76th minute. ([Manchester City official report](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/city-v-aek-athens-match-gallery-ucl-20-oct-63928096))
The fact that several different players contributed suggests that City can maintain quality across a wider selection of attacking combinations.
It also provides an opportunity to develop young players without requiring them to carry the entire responsibility for creating and scoring goals.
Yet one match should not be treated as proof that every rotated line-up can reproduce the same performance.
AEK did not match City’s quality across the full 90 minutes, and more challenging opponents may exploit the lack of familiarity that sometimes accompanies extensive rotation.
The key for Maresca is to identify which combinations work best and preserve enough experienced players to maintain balance when the game becomes difficult.
Rotation should support the tactical plan, not replace it.
What the 5–1 Scoreline Does—and Does Not—Prove About Haaland
The absence of Haaland naturally raises questions about City’s dependence on their leading striker.
His presence usually provides a focal point for through-balls, crosses and attacks that require someone to occupy the centre-backs. He also creates a constant threat inside the penalty area, forcing opponents to devote significant defensive attention to his movement.
SEE ALSO: Haaland Manchester City Verdict: Why Relegation Could Trigger an Exodus
Foden’s performance showed that City can score freely without using Haaland in that role.
But it would be premature to conclude that the Norwegian is becoming unnecessary.
The match against AEK was one fixture against an opponent that struggled to contain City’s combinations. More difficult matches may require a different type of attacking plan, especially when opponents defend deep or force City to attack through crowded central areas.
A false nine can help City control possession, but it may also leave fewer players occupying the penalty area. Without a conventional striker, the team needs more coordinated runs from midfield and wide positions to ensure that crosses and cutbacks have targets.
There is also an important physical dimension.
Haaland’s movement forces defenders to react to a direct goal threat. Even when he does not touch the ball, his presence can create space for teammates by influencing the positioning of opposing defenders.
Foden offers a different type of threat: he can move into midfield, combine with teammates and arrive in the box at the right moment.
The two profiles can complement one another rather than compete for the same role.
City’s long-term advantage may therefore come from being able to use either approach according to the opponent, rather than committing exclusively to a system with or without Haaland.
Phil Foden’s Return to Form Is Important for Manchester City
The hat-trick was especially encouraging because Foden had experienced a difficult period before the match.
The Guardian reported that his goal against Ipswich at the weekend was his first since mid-December. His three goals against AEK therefore continued a sudden improvement in output, giving him four goals across two matches in four days. ([The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/20/manchester-city-aek-athens-champions-league-match-report))
Foden’s comments after the match suggested that he sees the performance as part of a gradual return to his best level rather than proof that every problem has disappeared.
He told City’s official media:
“Slowly but surely [getting back to my best], still got a long way to go. I’m going in the right direction.” ([Manchester City](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/foden-post-aek-athens-reaction-ucl-20-oct-63928096))
That measured assessment is important.
A hat-trick can restore confidence, but sustained form depends on regular performances, fitness and the ability to reproduce good decisions against different opponents.
For City, a confident Foden offers greater flexibility. He can play wide, operate centrally or function as a false nine, giving Maresca more ways to adapt the attack without making several substitutions.
The manager’s challenge is to build on this performance while ensuring that Foden’s responsibilities remain clear.
A player who moves between positions can create tactical problems for opponents, but he needs reliable support from the surrounding players to avoid becoming isolated.
If Foden maintains his confidence and develops greater consistency, he could become an even more valuable attacking option for City.
The Football Xtra Verdict: A New Manchester City Attack, Not the End of Haaland
Phil Foden’s hat-trick against AEK Athens offered Manchester City a welcome reminder of the attacking quality already within the squad.
His changing role demonstrated the benefits of tactical flexibility. Lewis provided the overlapping runs that helped create two goals, Cherki supplied a different route to goal, and the academy players contributed to a performance that remained productive despite extensive rotation.
The result also showed why City should not be limited to one attacking structure.
When Haaland is unavailable or needs rest, a false nine can provide more movement between the lines and create opportunities for midfielders to advance. When the opposition requires a direct penalty-area presence, Haaland can offer a different solution.
The strongest conclusion is not that City are better without their leading striker. It is that they have the potential to become less predictable by using different attacking combinations.
There are important limitations. AEK were unable to match City for long periods, and the same approach will face greater challenges against opponents with stronger defensive organisation. The success of the false-nine system will ultimately depend on how well City create space, occupy the penalty area and protect themselves against counterattacks.
The Football Xtra verdict: Foden’s brilliant hat-trick has given Maresca another tactical option—not a reason to abandon Haaland, but a reason to make Manchester City’s attack more adaptable.
If Foden can maintain his form, City may discover that their most dangerous attacking system is not a single fixed formation, but the ability to change their approach according to the demands of each match.
Can Foden become the key to a more flexible City attack, or will Haaland remain indispensable in the biggest games? Share your opinion in the comments and follow The Football Xtra for more Premier League reporting and Champions League tactical analysis.
