With a double in Tuesday's 3-0 victory over Swiss team Young Boys, Erling Haaland put doubts about his fitness to rest as Manchester City stormed into the Champions League knockout stages.
With two games remaining, Pep Guardiola's team has won all four Group G games, guaranteeing their passage to round 16.
After suffering an ankle injury during the first half of City's 6-1 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday, Haaland was able to start at the Etihad Stadium.
The striker from Norway further demonstrated that there was no persistent injury problem by raising his total of Champions League goals to an incredible 39 in 34 games.
He gave City a penalty kick in the first half and doubled the lead for the holders with a spectacular long-range effort after Phil Foden's eye-catching strike.
Did you read this?
In a lopsided match, Young Boys had Sandro Lauper sent off in the second half, continuing City's remarkable run of winning all 23 of their home games in 2023.
Since 1891 and 1892, Sunderland has won 24 straight home games, setting an English record.
Guardiola can choose to rest players in the final two group games and focus on the Premier League matches against Tottenham and Crystal Palace, as City has also gone undefeated in their previous 17 Champions League games.
"Of course we are incredibly happy to have qualified with two games left. Finish first in the group? We have time to think about it," Guardiola said.
"Maybe we were not sweet enough in the last moment to score more goals. But the word that defines this group for many years is consistency.
"We have high standards and that is why we are still in the Premier League up there and qualified from the Champions League."
The only clouds hanging over Guardiola's career were injuries to John Stones, who will be sidelined for an extended period following a first-half injury, and Manuel Akanji, who was substituted for Kyle Walker following a back injury he sustained during the pre-match warm-up.
"Manu had a problem in the back. Unfortunately John, he felt (injured) again. I feel so sorry for him," Guardiola said.
"It is a big loss for us. He is so important for what he does. He will recover, the season is long."
City defeated Young Boys 3-1 in Bern a fortnight ago, and it didn't take long for the treble winners to reestablish their supremacy.
