MAN CITY PLAYER RATINGS: Bernardo Silva thrives in ‘false nine’ role, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes make compelling cases for regular starts… but Manuel Akanji frustrates again

• MATCH REPORT: Man City set up chance to win a FIFTH trophy of the year
• Urawa Reds dug in to start with but City soon turned on the style to win easily
• IAN LADYMAN: I’d rather watch a match at my local school than watch Man City in the Club World Cup – It’s All Kicking Off 

Manchester City can cap off a memorable 2023 with a fifth title after cruising into the FIFA Club World Cup final. 

This was expected to be a routine semi-final against Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds, and so it proved. 

An own goal set City on their way before goals from Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva added gloss to the victory in Jeddah. 

Mail Sport’s Jack Gaughan provided his numerical ratings from Saudi Arabia, while Nathan Salt delivers verdicts after Tuesday night’s 3-0 rout. 

Manchester City punched their ticket to the Club World Cup final with a dominant display

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MAN CITY (4-3-3)

Ederson – 7

The Brazilian could have got the deckchair out for large spells of this match but he was given a few hair-raising moments when City got complacent knocking it around the back. Was lucky to get away with the two big flash-points. 

Kyle Walker – 7

Was culpable for one poor backpass that left Ederson exposed but was generally sound, scampering forward at will in the sweltering Jeddah heat. 

John Stones – 7.5

As he always is, Stones is brilliantly composed and is ideal for the football Pep Guardiola wants to play. Barely put a foot – or a pass – wrong before he was withdrawn midway through the second half. 

Manuel Akanji (right) was booked for a cynical foul to stop a counter-attack early in the game

Manuel Akanji – 6.5

Was rightly booked for a blatant pull-back to stop a Urawa Reds counter-attack and was the weakest element in City’s back-line on the night.

Nathan Ake – 7.5

There will be far tougher assignments for Ake and his team-mates this season than Urawa Reds, but this was still a totally dominant outing from the Dutchman. Helped create ample overloads with Jack Grealish.  

Mateo Kovacic – 7.5

A three-time Club World Cup winner, this was a brilliant outing for Kovacic in a more freed-up role. 

Took his goal really well and showed a burst of pace to clear his marker that some may have questioned if he still had.  

Mateo Kovacic scored a brilliant goal and he is aiming to win this tournament for a fourth time

Rodri – 7.5

Manchester City look a totally different team whenever he isn’t in it and it is clear to see why. 

The midfield metronome makes the game look so, so easy. Was given the official Man of the Match award by organisers.  

Matheus Nunes – 7.5

Pushing for regular starts on the back of performances like this. It was his cross in first half stoppage time that broke the deadlock thanks to an own goal, and he was a livewire thereafter. 

Had had to be patient with a mix of injury and poor form hampering his season but he had lift-off here and will want to back it up in Friday’s final.  

Bernardo Silva – 8

Not just his goal, but the all-round game of the Portuguese means he was and often is the best player on the pitch. 

Deployed in a false nine role, he took to it with aplomb and also showed versatility to go out wide after Phil Foden tried his hand centrally, coming in from the right, for a short while. 

Here it was no different. Talk of interest from Saudi Arabia in the build-up only highlights what a crying shame it would be to see someone of his talent leaving English football.  

Bernardo Silva (middle) was the best player on the pitch – as he often is for Manchester City

Phil Foden – 7

Has had better nights but this was an evening for team-mates like Kovacic and Nunes to prosper.  

Jack Grealish – 7

Should have had an assist chalked up against his name after clipping in a beauty of a cross for Matheus Nunes, only for his team-mate to inexplicably nod it wide. 

He got so much room to roam about the left side, which was an accident waiting to happen for the Japanese side. A constant threat. 

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, with a show every Monday and Thursday this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

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Subs: 

Josko Gvardiol – 6

Oscar Bobb – 7.5

Julian Alvarez – 6

Kalvin Phillips – 6

Sergio Gomez – 6

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