It was City’s heaviest defeat since September 2020 and only the second time in his trophy-ladened spell at City that Pep Guardiola has been beaten in three consecutive games in a single season.

To cap a thoroughly depressing night for City, star striker Erling Haaland blasted a second-half penalty against the crossbar.

Sporting’s own Scandanavian superstar Viktor Gyokeres – formerly of Coventry City – did much of the damage with a superb hat-trick.

The Swede drove home a 38th-minute leveller to Phil Foden’s early opener and then kept his cool after the break to beat Ederson twice from the spot.

The first of those penalties came in a disastrous start to the second half for City as they went behind seconds after the restart as Maximiliano Araujo raced onto a through ball and fired into the corner.

Sporting regulars in the media tribune said the victory was the greatest single game of Amorim’s reign, which has one more match to go, at Braga on Sunday.

The fear in this part of Lisbon must be that momentum from seven successive victories in all competitions cannot be maintained. Not that it tempered the celebrations at the final whistle.

As for Amorim, he joked on Monday that a victory might mean United fans start comparing him to Sir Alex Ferguson.

That might be a stretch. But, there could not have been a better way to shove a huge amount of credit in the bank.

The Ghanaian talent has had an impressive stint with the FOXES, arriving on loan from Sporting Lisbon last summer.

In 39 appearances, Issahaku contributed six goals and 13 assists in the league, becoming Leicester’s second-highest assist provider, trailing only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Ruben Amorim, manager of Sporting Lisbon, confirmed the impending transfer, expressing confidence in the club’s ability to profit from talented players who may seek opportunities elsewhere.

“We will make money. Talented players who don’t adapt here will move to other clubs and give us added value, it’s our system,” said Amorim.

Issahaku’s journey began with Sporting Lisbon in 2022, following a move from Ghanaian club Steadfast FC, which stands to receive €7.9 million from the transfer fee, thanks to a sell-on clause.

Despite high hopes, Issahaku’s tenure at Sporting Lisbon didn’t meet expectations, leading to his loan to Leicester City at the start of the 2023/2024 season.

Meanwhile, Leicester City secures a return to the Premier League following their relegation in the 2022/2023 campaign, achieving promotion at the first attempt.

Reports earlier this week claimed the Portuguese coach had provisionally agreed to move to Anfield this summer.

Amorim, 39, does not want the speculation to be a distraction during his side’s title run-in.

“There’s been no interview with any club, no agreement with any club,” said Amorim. “This is the last time I’m going to talk about my future.”

He added: “The only thing we all want is to be champions with Sporting. Nothing will change.”

Sporting are top of the Primeira Liga table and have a four-point advantage over rivals Benfica with seven matches to play.

Klopp announced in January that he would be stepping down as manager, having joined the Reds in October 2015.

Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool midfielder, had been an early favourite to replace Klopp but announced in March he wants to remain at Bayer Leverkusen next season.

Liverpool host Atalanta on Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.

Gabriel Martinelli’s spot-kick was saved by goalkeeper Adan to spark celebrations among Sporting’s players at full-time following an eventful and entertaining tie.

A sensational long-range chip by Pedro Goncalves from 46 yards forced extra time after Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka had earlier pounced on a rebound for the opener.

Arsenal defender Gabriel came agonisingly close twice in the final minutes of extra time when his header was tipped over the bar, and then he had an effort cleared off the goalline.

Sporting’s Manuel Ugarte was also sent off after a dangerous sliding tackle on Bukayo Saka minutes before their shootout victory.

There were chances throughout in this frenetic second leg as Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard hit the post in extra time when he was gifted possession and ran through one-on-one with the goalkeeper, only for Adan to touch it onto the woodwork.

Sporting forward Marcus Edwards, previously at Tottenham, was also denied by goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale minutes after Goncalves made it 1-1 in normal time.

The visitors will find out their quarter-final opponents in Friday’s draw (11:00 GMT).

France defender William Saliba put the Premier League leaders ahead with a towering header before Sporting took advantage of poor defending to score through Goncalo Inacio and Paulinho.

An own goal by the hosts’ Japanese midfielder Hidemasa Morita ensured Arsenal will start on level terms when the teams meet in the return leg at Emirates Stadium next Thursday (20:00 GMT).

However, Arteta was unimpressed his side had conceded two goals for the second successive game.

“It’s true that it’s something that we must improve massively if we want to keep winning games,” said the Spaniard.

“When you concede two poor goals like we did away from home in Europe it’s very difficult to get a positive result.

“We gave too many simple balls away. We need to defend our box much better.”

In an absorbing game in the Portuguese capital, Arsenal’s first-half lead lasted just 12 minutes before Inacio nodded home the equaliser after hesitancy from keeper Matt Turner.

Paulinho fired Sporting ahead from close range only for Arsenal to equalise through a wicked deflection off Morita.

Both teams created numerous chances in a free-flowing encounter.

Sporting’s former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards was denied by Turner when the score was 1-1, while Paulinho wasted a great opportunity to make it 3-1.

Arsenal had a chance to take a lead back to London but Fabio Vieira’s header was kept out by Antonio Adan.

Late goals from Paulinho and Arthur Gomes saw the Portuguese side maintain their perfect start in Group D as Spurs unravelled.

The visitors started the game brightly but Sporting quickly grew into the game and began to control possession.

After a fairly uneventful first half, the game kicked into life with minutes to go before the break. Richarlison thought he had given Spurs the lead when he rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into an empty net, but he had strayed offside, before ex-Spurs man Marcus Edwards almost scored a sensational solo effort down the other end.

Tottenham started the second half much stronger as Antonio Adan was called into action on a couple of occasions early on, but it was the hosts who emerged victorious thanks to some last-gasp heroics.

The 18-year-old has put pen to paper on a five-year deal at the club and has a release clause of 60 million euros.

Issahaku was presented at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy in Alcochete on Wednesday, April 6.

“I’m very happy to be here, it’s fantastic. They received me very well,” he told Sporting’s newspaper and Sporting TV in his first official interview.

“I really like to end it [shot], especially from afar. It will make me grow more. Everyone has helped me by telling me what I have to do,” he added while explaining what playing in Portugal would mean for him.

The teenager grabbed the headlines in the U-20 AFCON, after being named the player of the tournament and started 2021/22 season with Ghana Premier League side, Dreams FC.

The forward has been at the club since February and has been training with Sporting’s B team but will later join the senior team for the summer pre-season ahead of 2022/23 campaign.