Manchester City Falls To Lyon 2-1 At Home

French side Olympique Lyonnais has clipped the wings of Manchester City, as they beat the English side 2-0 at home, leading to a disappointing start for Man City.

The Premier League champions, favourites with some bookmakers to win Europe’s top club competition this season, were well below their best throughout the match.

Man CIty will now have to put in more effort for them to have a leeway as they fight for a place in the next stage of the group F fixtures.

City manager Pep Guardiola, serving a suspension, was forced to watch the game from the stands as his assistant Mikel Arteta took charge and it was a frustrating night for the pair.

Maxwel Cornet of Lyon gave the visitor the lead in the 26th minute, when Fabian Delph made a hash of clearing a Nabil Fekir cross from the left.

Ilkay Gundogan had an effort disallowed after Italian referee Daniele Orsato ruled that Raheem Sterling was offside but City’s frustrations in attack were not their only problems.

Fekir, who was strongly linked with a move to City’s Premier League rivals Liverpool in the close season, then made it 2-0 to the French side in the 43rd minute.

But after that let-off, City earned themselves a lifeline through Bernardo Silva, who produced a smart finish after a superb jinking run from substitute Leroy Sane.

City’s attempts to get an equaliser, however, were foiled by a combination of a well-drilled Lyon defence, which kept chances to a minimum.

The defeat was a fourth straight Champions League disappointment for City, who lost both legs of last season’s quarter-final against Liverpool and the second leg of their last-16 clash against Basel.

“Really disappointing. To concede two goals like we did is very frustrating,” said City defender John Stones.

“We came in at halftime a bit deflated. We picked ourselves up and played a better second half but it was frustrating.”