IPSWICH: Manchester City`s Phil Foden scored twice and created another goal in an outstanding firsthalf display as they hammered Ipswich Town 6-0 at Portman Road on Sunday to roar back into the Premier League`s top four.

The comprehensive win moved City to 38 points and into fourth position on goal difference ahead of Newcastle United, but they are still 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and six behind Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

Ipswich, who remain 18th on 16 points, had a couple of good early chances but City shook off the shackles of recent poor performances with a superb display of attacking football.

The first goal came in the 27th minute as Jeremy Doku combined with Kevin De Bruyne, and he in turn worked the ball on for Foden to take a touch before drilling it home to break the deadlock.

That trio tormented the Ipswich defence as Mateo Kovacic doubled the lead three minutes later. Doku was again involved down the left, feeding the ball for Foden to set up Kovacic, and the Croat needed no second invitation to fire into the net from the edge of the box.

City continued to attack down the left and their perseverance paid off in the 42nd minute as Foden added his second, his shot squirming under the body of Ipswich keeper Christian Walton and across the line.

There was no let-up after the break as Doku scored four minutes into the second half before setting up Erling Haaland to make it 5-0.

Substitute James McAtee completed the rout in the 69th minute with a looping header, much to the delight of coach Pep Guardiola, whose side look to be back to something resembling their best.

`We are really pleased, we are back in many things that have defined this team in the last decade, the last years,` Guardiola said. `Really pleased for the players, they deserved it a lot. We recovered some identities that we lost in this path.

`Really pleased for the three points and to climb a little bit because qualification for the Champions League next season will be really tough.

`The most important thing is that the players, they saw themselves recognise what we are, so that is the best thing I can say.`-Agencies