Manchester City defeated Al Ain 6-0 to set up a deciding group game against Juventus to determine which side will face Real Madrid in the Club World Cup last 16.

Ilkay Gundogan put City ahead when his chip from the edge of the box ended in the back of the net and Claudio Echeverri made it two with his first goal for the club, a free-kick from about 20 yards.

Pep Guardiola’s side were 3-0 by half-time when Erling Haaland scored a stoppage-time penalty and though Al Ain, owned by Sheikh Mansour’s brother, resisted for a long period of the second half, Gundogan got his second on 73 minutes, Oscar Bobb added a fifth on 84 minutes and Rayan Cherki a sixth on 89 minutes.

Juventus and City, who had further chances, now have six points each and are level on goal difference but the Italian team have scored one more goal, meaning City must win on Thursday in Orlando to finish top and avoid the top team in group H, which at present is Real Madrid.

Here The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell explains the games key talking points.

Did Gundogan mean it?

If it occurred to him, with so many bodies around him and such little time to get his shot away, that he could dink the keeper from eight yards out, then all you can do is applaud.

In reality, he was probably more likely that he caught a glimpse of several white jerseys running in at the back post and saw fit to chip the ball into their general direction.

For most players, neither would have registered as a possibility but Gundogan’s cerebral play in the penalty area remains even at 34 years old.

The finesse he showed with his weak foot earned applause from his team-mates, particularly Nico Gonzalez who looked like he had been expecting a rifled shot across goal.

Most were, considering Gundogan had picked up a headed clearance and chopped onto his left foot to evade a defender and buy himself time to get a shot off.

Gundogan said afterwards he was “stuck” between shooting and crossing but “I’ll take it”.

 

Gundogan’s future has been the subject of speculation in the last week. Guardiola did not rule out an exit on Saturday, saying “no news was good news” but admitting that he has to cut the size of his squad somehow.

City have bled experience with the last two captains Kyle Walker and Kevin de Bruyne no longer involved (Walker was left at home after being sent on loan in January) and Rodri’s injury keeping him out for so long.

To lose Gundogan would be another big presence but gone and one that can still provide these flashes of brilliance, which he also showed on the last day of the season when he produced an overhead kick finish and a pirouette to win a penalty for the second goal.

What does Ait Nouri offer as a wing back?

Out with the old and in with the… West Midlands wing-backs?

That was the order of the day as Guardiola started with two former Wolves players on either flank.

He stayed true to his word that he would change the entire team from the side that beat Wydad 2-0 but he also trialled a back three with new signing Rayan Ait-Nouri at left wing-back and Matheus Nunes on the other side.

Much like Tijjani Reijnders on Wednesday, this was a very strong debut in which his technical polish really came to the fore.

There was a clear attempt from City to switch play to the wing-backs earlier in build-up as they were pinging diagonals to Ait-Nouri whenever they could.

Ait-Nouri impressed as a wing back (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

He is so direct and two-footed that Al Ain struggled to read whether he was going down the line or cutting inside. There is such unpredictability to his dribbling, which added a new dimension to City’s attacks.

In the first-half the two wing-backs combined when Nunes burst past his men and overhit a cross to the back post. Ait-Nouri retrieved the ball and skipped by two players as he drove into the box but slipped at the crucial moment.

It was the only time his feet deserted him. In the second half he produced an outrageous nutmeg while running to keep the ball in play but he also had several jinking runs that nearly ended in a goalscoring opportunity, including a cross which would have found Erling Haaland had he expected the ball to be crossed so early.

His addition should have Haaland licking his lips, though. Rather than having to find space in a crowded penalty area, the Algerian’s quicker deliveries are likely to lead to more open chances for him.

Will Echeverri stay in the squad?

The 19-year-old Argentine was thrown in at the deep end five weeks ago when he was brought on for his debut to help save the day against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.

He had City’s best chances of the game towards the final whistle but squandered them, leading to many questioning the decision to bring such a young player on in those circumstances.

Guardiola defended it, pointing to the chances as evidence his movement in tight areas was effective to impact such a high level game.

After sitting out the opening game at this competition, Echeverri was given a start playing off Haaland.

He is still raw but he fizzed around relentlessly for 45 minutes and scored a well taken free-kick to make it 2-0, gently curling the ball over the wall.

He has had to bide his time since he was signed in January 2024 from River Plate and loaned back for 18 months but he is being given the chance to impress now.

Echeverri celebrates his first City goal (Photo: Waleed Zein/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A goal will have helped his case, even if he does have to improve his awareness at times to avoid being dispossessed with his back to goal.

With Guardiola looking to cut numbers from his squad, it remains to be seen what the plan is for him but he has the quality of the ball always seemingly coming to him inside the penalty area, which is something that does not happen by chance.

What next for Manchester City?

Thursday, June 26: Juventus, Club World Cup group stage (Orlando), 3pm ET, 8pm UK

What next for Al Ain?

Thursday, June 26: Wydad, Club World Cup group stage (Washington), 3pm ET, 8pm UK

(Photo: Shaun Botterill – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)