Manchester City up to fourth after hitting Ipswich Town for six

NINE AND A HALF MORE YEARS: Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring his side's fifth goal. Pic: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.

Ipswich 0 Manchester City 6

Manchester City are back. In the top four at least, for the first time since December 1, after Phil Foden sparked a goal-fest at third-bottom Ipswich.

Foden netted twice to bring his personal tally to six in the his last six Premier League games. Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku and substitute James McAtee were also on target.

As was Erling Haaland, fresh from signing a new deal of almost a decade in length, as City moved above Newcastle and into fourth place on goal difference.

City have now won three and drawn once in the league since an extraordinary spell from the end of October to the end of December that featured just one win in 13 games in all competitions reduced the champions to an object of ridicule.

Ipswich, too passive in Thursday's 2-0 defeat by Brighton, made a robust start with Liam Delap, their summer signing from City, seeing a shot blocked.

It was not long before Haaland was presented with his first chance since signing that jaw-dropping nine-and-a-half-year deal. Kovacic played him through with Dara O'Shea chasing in vain but goalkeeper Christian Walton came out and saved with his left glove.

Another Delap burst forward saw Omari Hutchinson's shot deflected on to the top of the bar by Haaland's head and O'Shea planted a free header at Ederson from the corner.

Home hopes were quickly extinguished however when Foden slotted City ahead in the 27th minute. Doku found Kevin de Bruyne in space on the left of the box and Foden took down the Belgian's pass to net from close range on the turn.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 when Foden set up Kovacic for a low drive into the bottom corner from inside the D and it was pretty much game over three minutes before the break when Foden replicated his earlier strike.

Again it was Doku with the pass, again to de Bruyne on the left of the box and again to Foden from a few yards out. This time however Walton was guilty of letting the shot squirm under him.

Ben Johnson forced Ederson into a save early in the second period but within seconds Doku had made it 4-0 at the other end. The winger cut in at speed from the left and his shot went in off O'Shea.

Calamity followed for Ipswich and specifically Jack Clarke, who gave the ball straight to Doku. This time Doku advanced to the edge of the box before slipping Haaland in for an easy slot past Walton.

Both sides made a raft of subtitutions and McAtee, on for Doku, nodded in number six in the 69th minute after Kovacic had picked out his run.

Ipswich Town (3-4-2-1): Walton 5; Godfrey 5 (Tuanzebe 64, 3), O'Shea 5, Burgess 5; Johnson 6, Morsy 5, Cajuste 5 (Luongo 64, 3), Davis 6; Hutchinson 6 (Taylor 73, 3), J Clarke 5 (Philogene 64, 3); Delap 7 (Hirst 73, 3).

Subs (not used): Muric, Burns, Townsend, Broadhead.

Manchester City: Ederson 6; Nunes 6, Akanji 7 (O'Reilly 72, 3), Dias 7, Gvardiol 6; Kovacic 7 (Lewis 72, 3), Gundogan 6; De Bruyne 8 (McAtee 63, 4), Foden 8 (Grealish 63, 4), Doku 8; Haaland 6 (Mubama 63, 4).

Subs (not used): Ortega, Silva, Savinho, Alleyne.

Referee: Sam Barrott 6.