Manchester City 2-0 Galatasaray: Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki score as City book UEFA Champions League league phase top-eight spot

Goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki helped Manchester City finish in the top eight of the UEFA Champions League league phase and book their spot in the last 16 with a 2-0 victory over Galatasaray.

Haaland ended his goal drought in the 11th minute when he coolly lifted the ball over the Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir before Cherki doubled City’s lead midway through the first half.

Galatasaray offered very little going forward and City could have extended their lead further but some wayward finishing meant their lead remained at two.

There was a nervous wait for results following the conclusion of City’s game to ensure they had finished in the top eight but, thanks to Real Madrid’s loss to Benfica, they finish eighth with 16 points from their eight games, a point ahead of Real and Inter Milan.  

They are joined by four other English sides in the top eight, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea all reaching the last 16 automatically.

The results are in and Manchester City have secured a top eight spot in the UEFA Champions League league phase.

Benfica's dramatic 4-2 victory over Real Madrid means City have one point more than the Spanish giants and as a result, they finish in eighth position and book their automatic qualification spot for the round of 16.

TNT Sports pundit Joleon Lescott spoke about how important avoiding the play-off round was for his former team.

"Massive, especially with the injuries. It also allows the new signings to be registered for the next phases of the competition. So it's huge," he said. "No manager wants to play additional games when its this end of the season, the business end of the season."

One of tonight's goalscorers, Rayan Cherki, says he and his teammates will watch out for the scores having wrapped up the victory over Galatasaray.

"We are really proud because Galatasaray are a very good team," Cherki told TNT Sports. "We had a good game, we won. That is very important for us and now we wait for the scores."

Cherki also praised the unique system City manager Pep Guardiola deployed this evening.

"Yeah, all the players love when the manager does this system because we have a lot of players inside and for us, it's very good."

It's a job well done for Manchester City who did what they had to do and secure three points to give them a chance of booking their spot in the top eight.

Goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki were enough to put away Galatasaray on the evening and now they must wait to see if they have earned that automatic qualification spot to the last 16.

With this result seemingly wrapped up, the City fans have turned to their phones to check the scores elsewhere.

With the current results, City have secured a top-eight spot but that could all change in the next few minutes.

The result and performance hasn't dampened the noise coming from the Galatasaray fans who have been singing and chanting all evening long.

As their side take their chance to hold onto possession of the ball, they continue to serenade their players.

City have the chance to wrap up the result - again - but an errant cross from Phil Foden just sails past the outstretched foot of Haaland.

TNT Sports' Robbie Savage says Foden has "got to do better" with his pass.

Galatasaray might've improved this second half, but it's still pretty straightforward for Manchester City.

Most of the game is being played in front of their defensive line and there have been very few openings for the away side.

As it stands, City will secure a spot in the top eight.

There's a brief pause in the game as Davinson Sanchez and Tijjani Reijnders clash heads and receive treatment.

Both have bandages round their heads and are back on the pitch.

And just like that, Osimhen has his "first big chance," as TNT Sports' Robbie Savage says.

The ball drops to him in the box and the Nigerian striker contorts his body to smash his effort to goal but it's straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Galatasaray might've started the second half better but it's City who could have had this result wrapped up.

They nip the ball back again high up the pitch and Omar Marmoush has he chance to sweep home the ball but his effort is easily saved.