Sky Blue News: City Top Dortmund, Stones Stunner, Haaland Heroics, and More...

Another spectacular comeback win on the strength of top quality goals for Manchester City from Johns Stones and Erling Haaland. Catch up on all the action right here, as Sky Blue News brings you all the headlines from City’s UEFA Champions League defeat of Borussia Dortmund.

Man City 2-1 Dortmund: Player ratings & man of the match as Erling Haaland rescues the win - Michael Plant - Sports Mole

A slow first 45 gave way to an action packed second half, and another 3 points from a losing position for City.

It was Dortmund who also had the first decent chance of the second half, with Marco Reus slicing wide after cutting inside on his right foot inside the box.

But in the 57th minute Dortmund found the breakthrough, with Bellingham reacting quickest just a few yards out, to Reus’ shot. The England international’s touch gave Ederson no chance of reacting and ensured Dortmund grabbed the lead.

Haaland’s first chance of the game came after 65 minutes, but he placed his shot wide of Alexander Meyer’s near post.

Yet when the goal did come it was via an unlikely source. Stones’ excellent strike from around 25 yards swerved and dipped on its way into the back of the Dortmund net, although Meyer will be disappointed he didn’t get a hand to the ball at his near post.

And then suddenly it was City who were leading. Joao Cancelo picked out Haaland with an outrageous pass with the outside of his foot. The ball sat up about shoulder height for City’s No.9, yet somehow he managed to get his leg high enough and unconventionally flick it into the back of the net.

Match Report: Manchester City 2-1 Borussia Dortmund (UEFA Champions League) - Shruti Sadbhav - City Xtra

Stones’ equalizer reminded some of Vinny’s wonder strike against the Foxes.

The Bundesliga side started the second half with high intensity and had the ball in the back of the net in under ten minutes, courtesy of Jude Bellingham. Borussia Dortmund capitalised from a poorly cleared corner, as Marco Reus lifted the ball over the top of Manchester City’s defence, before Bellingham headed it past Ederson.

Conceding the goal prompted immediate substitutions from Pep Guardiola, who replaced Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez, and Ilkay Gundogan with Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, and Bernardo Silva.

Their arrival on the pitch forced urgency in the other Manchester City players.

The three substitutes did a brilliant job at stretching out Borussia Dortmund’s defence.

John Stones, who had contributed to Manchester City’s attack all game, found a beautiful equaliser for his team from distance. His calculated shot from outside the box resulted in the ball flying into the top corner, as Meyer stood helpless at the goal line.

The rocket shot - carrying the glimpse of Vincent Kompany’s infamous goal against Leicester City in the 2018/19 season - breathed a new life into his team that now looked far from giving up.

STONES: ‘I JUST DECIDED TO PULL THE TRIGGER!’ - Abdullah Mulla - ManCity.com

The England Defender’s rocket from distance pumped real energy back into the Etihad.

John Stones has delivered his verdict on his thunderous strike which inspired City to a 2-1 comeback victory over Borussia Dortmund.

The Englishman struck a superb equaliser with ten minutes remaining at the Etihad Stadium, his fifth in the competition in his career, after Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for the visitors.

The goal sparked Pep Guardiola’s men to life, with Erling Haaland netting the winner four minutes after the leveller to keep City top of Group G in the Champions League.

Stones admitted that his advanced positioning meant he decided to have a go.

“I try and take up those positions,” he said. “The manager wants us in those sorts of areas for things like that and to control the counter attack as well.

What Guardiola told John Stones and Erling Haaland to inspire Man City win vs Borussia Dortmund - Jack Flintham - Manchester Evening News

The halftime talk was taken to heart, and the lads got it done in the end.

After the match, Stones revealed exactly what Guardiola had told his City side. “Try and take up those positions [Guardiola said], the manager wants us in those sorts of areas for things like that,” the centre back told BT Sport.

“Control the counter-attack as well, we were in good positions for balls outside the box. It was one of those things, getting a few shouts [I] just decided to pull the trigger.

“It was difficult. We were definitely not at our best tonight, we made it difficult, we didn’t play at the tempo we should’ve, we had a lot of sloppy passes. At half-time we had some stern words between each other and tried to change that for the second half.”

Haaland haunts Dortmund! Man City’s winners, losers and ratings as striker again proves unstoppable - Jonathan Smith - Goal.com

Dortmund find themselves on the receiving end of the Haaland treatment.

If you think you know how to stop Erling Haaland, then you’ve made a huge miscalculation.

His former club Borussia Dortmund, knowing him better than anyone, kept the Manchester City striker quiet for 84 minutes and yet he still emerged the hero.

The Norwegian twisted and contorted his body to brilliantly steer in Joao Cancelo’s cross and snatch a dramatic 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium. He chose not to make an over-the-top celebrate as a mark of respect for a club that helped launch his career - but inside, he was surely euphoric.

The German side had looked on their way to a shock victory when Jude Bellingham gave them a surprise lead in their Champions League clash. But John Stones hit a stunning equaliser before Haaland, yet again, had the final word.

Result: Erling Braut Haaland hits late winner as Manchester City overcome Borussia Dortmund - Matt Law - Sports Mole

He is inevitable. Erling Haaland, Scorer of Goals.

The home side continued to force the issue, and Mats Hummels did brilliantly to beat Haaland to a dangerous cross inside the Dortmund box, with the visitors keeping their lead intact heading into the final 20 minutes.

Man City levelled with a spectacular strike 10 minutes from time, though, with Stones smashing the ball home from distance to set up a grandstand finish.

Haaland then won it for the Citizens in the 84th minute, the Norway international converting with an acrobatic finish after Joao Cancelo had delivered a stunning cross into the box, and the 22-year-old now has 13 goals in all competitions for Guardiola’s side this term.

Donyell Malen came close to a leveller for Dortmund in the final exchanges when he danced into the penalty area before unleashing a powerful strike, but his effort just dropped wide of the post, with Haaland coming back to haunt his former side.

Pep Guardiola and David Silva laugh and joke at Manchester United’s expense in Manchester City reunion - Freddie Pye - City Xtra

And finally... El Mago dropped by the training ground and shared a laugh with his old boss before heading back to Spain.

In a night to remember, the former Manchester City star played a pivotal role in guiding his side towards a memorable 0-1 victory against Erik ten Hag’s side.

However, the trip to Manchester would not have been totally complete without revisiting his former home on the other side of the city.

As revealed by Manchester City this week, David Silva - alongside the entire coaching set-up and Real Sociedad team - trained at the City Football Academy after the game, giving the legendary Spanish midfielder an opportunity to link-up with a few familiar faces.

After taking a look at the mosaic and statue to commemorate his service to the football club, David Silva then met up with current player, John Stones.

The pair had a brief exchange at the club’s training ground, before David Silva reunited with a number of Manchester City’s coaching staff, as well as Txiki Begiristain and Pep Guardiola.

But it was the exchange with the latter that has got everyone smiling.

“I wasn’t sure you were going to come by,” Pep Guardiola opened, before swiftly moving on to laugh and joke at Manchester United’s expense following the result just hours prior.

Guardiola continued while embracing his former player, “Winning at Old Trafford again? Winning at Old Trafford again?!”

David Silva responded, “Yeah, another one!”

There you have it. Next up for City is a trip to Molineux to face Wolves. Stay with us at Bitter and Blue for all the build up, and check back daily for more Sky Blue News.