A free flowing second half performance from Manchester City helped them beat Sparta Prague at the Etihad Stadium and move to third place in the overall UEFA Champions League table.

Erling Haaland's two goals helped City to victory, with his first effort - an early contender for Champions League league goal of the season - being what can only be described as a flying back-heel volley.

Phil Foden, John Stones and Matheus Nunes also scored as City eased to victory in a relatively comfortable affair.

Here are three things we learned as City smashed the Czech champions:

Erling Haaland is a freak of nature

First off, credit must be given to Savinho; the 20 year old Brazilian was frustrating at times with his end product but did fantastically to beat his man on the outside and cross it into Haaland.

The 24 year old then leapt high in the air and backheeled the ball at head height from near the penalty spot into the back of the net.

It has been widely described as Zlatan Ibrahimovic-esque, but not even the legendary Swedish striker scored a goal anything like that in his career.

It was a remarkable piece of improvisation from a top class striker, and whilst he may have got a stroke of fortune no-one else in world football could've scored that goal.

His agility and athleticism are unprecedented for a man of his height and build in football, which combined with his super strength and blistering pace makes him a biological exception.

His second goal was nicely dispatched too, cutting inside on his right foot and lashing home to make it 13 goals in 11 games this season, and he was happily replaced with Nico O'Reilly in the closing stages so he could be wrapped in cotton wool ahead of Southampton on Saturday.

Nunes has a big role to play

The Portuguese international got two assists and scored from the penalty spot to help City on their way to three points, but it was the position he was playing that really stood out.

Nunes lined up on the left of a front three, with Foden and Bernardo Silva inside him and Savinho on the other flank.

The frontline was fairly fluid as Nunes constantly swapped positions with Bernardo as Jack Grealish and Kevin de Bruyne did earlier this season against West Ham United.

He fits City's system well in numerous positions and with six players currently injured - including De Bruyne, Grealish and Jeremy Doku - I expect this means he'll keep his place in the side for Southampton at the weekend.

Gundogan and counter pressing help City better defend transitions

The German had a good game at the base of midfield as City conceded fewer counter attacks than in their last few games.

Part of that was due to a lack of threat posed by Sparta, but Bernardo and particularly Gundogan were well positioned to sweep up when needed.

Credit should be given to Foden too, who made a few lung busting sprints towards his own goal to track back and help defend against counter attacks.

Another reason for City's better transition defending was more aggressive pressing high up the pitch, which Gundogan and Foden can be praised for again.

Foden, along with Haaland, led the press on the goalkeeper and centre backs whilst Gundogan and Bernardo provided the second line of defence.

At 34, Gundogan isn't at his peak level of fitness in terms of stamina but he is as intelligent as ever, which allows him to hold his own in the centre of the park.

He never did rely on pace, more so on his technical ability and world class football brain that have helped him impose his presence on football games.

In Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic, City have two very good defensive midfielders that will do a perfectly good job of carrying them to the end of the season even if no signings are made in January.