City head coach Pep Guardiola said on the eve of the game his squad needed trimming and that was reflected in his decision to rotate his entire starting 11 from the opening win over Wydad Casablanca.

In came superstar striker Haaland, new arrival Rayan Ait-Nouri, and exciting prospect Echeverri, among others.

Serbian coach Vladimir Ivic's Al Ain were defeated 5-0 by Juventus in their opening fixture and the 10-time English Premier League champions offered another unforgiving challenge.

After a disjointed opening, City took the lead in the ninth minute in fortuitous fashion, with Gundogan's chip towards Haaland at the back post floating into the net of its own accord.

Al Ain had a good chance to pull level when the dawdling Nico Gonzalez had his pocket picked and the UAE side sprang forward, but Nassim Chadli's effort was superbly tipped wide by Stefan Ortega.

Debutant Ait-Nouri brought City fans out of their seats with one daring dart into the box before he slipped at the crucial moment.

City's 19-year-old Argentine attacker Echeverri, on his first start for the club, doubled their lead after 27 minutes with a perfect free-kick that swerved around the outside of the wall and left goalkeeper Khalid Eisa rooted to the spot.

With the stadium mostly full apart from the top ring of seats, fans began sending a Mexican wave around the ground.

It came to a standstill when Bernardo Silva's corner was headed against the post by Josko Gvardiol, before starting back up.

Haaland rolled a shot narrowly wide when he might have scored the third after a one-two with Silva sent him galloping through.

The Norwegian hitman eventually got his goal in first-half stoppage time after Manuel Akanji was hauled to the ground by Ramy Rabia and City were awarded a penalty following a VAR review.

Haaland sent Eisa the wrong way with a low spot-kick for his first goal of the tournament.

Haaland should have scored again after the hour mark but Eisa denied him with a good double save. Instead it was Gundogan who got his second, with a well-taken dinked finish. 

Substitute Oscar Bobb showed fleet footwork before rolling in the fifth at the near post before Cherki sealed the win.