Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick sent Manchester City top of the Premier League as Pep Guardiola’s men thrashed Watford 6-0 at Vicarage Road.
Aguero spearheaded this rampant triumph, laying on a goal for Gabriel Jesus and inching ever closer to City’s all-time goalscoring record.
Kevin De Bruyne conjured two assists from his limitless stock of tricks, while Nicolas Otamendi’s header and Raheem Sterling’s penalty completed City’s muscle-flexing rout.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
STAR MAN
Sergio Aguero. City had plenty of outstanding performers on display but, with a hat-trick and an assist, the Argentinian striker just edged out influential midfielders De Bruyne and David Silva.
On fire: Aguero.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
De Bruyne’s free-kick delivery for City’s 27th-minute opener was superb. The Belgium midfielder curled the ball into the box with pace and accuracy, providing Aguero with the relatively easy job of glancing the ball into the bottom left corner.
VIEW FROM THE BENCH
This was always going to be the toughest test of Marco Silva’s short spell in charge of Watford and so it proved as City ended his unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign in emphatic fashion. Guardiola’s side won 5-0 at Vicarage Road on the final day of last season and they were impressive all afternoon as they bettered that result.
DATA POINT
Sergio Aguero has now scored in eight consecutive away Premier League starts, only Robin van Persie (nine) has had a longer run.
RATINGS
WATFORD
Heurelho Gomes: 6
Darryl Janmaat: 6
Christian Kabasele: 6
Adrian Mariappa: 6
Jose Holebas: 6
Tom Cleverley: 5
Nathaniel Chalobah: 6
Abdoulaye Doucoure: 6
Richarlison: 5
Andre Carrillo: 5
Andre Gray: 6
Substitutions
Roberto Pereyra (on for Cleverley, 64): 5
Etienne Capoue (on for Chalobah, 70): 6
Troy Deeney (on for Gray, 74): 5
Dismal Watford
MANCHESTER CITY
Ederson: 6
Kyle Walker: 7
John Stones: 7
Nicolas Otamendi: 7
Benjamin Mendy: 7
Fernandinho: 7
Kevin De Bruyne: 9
David Silva: 8
Raheem Sterling: 6
Sergio Aguero: 9
Gabriel Jesus: 8
Substitutions
Bernardo Silva (on for Jesus, 65): 6
Ilkay Gundogan (on for de Bruyne, 66): 6
Leroy Sane (on for D. Silva, 78): 6
Manchester City shine
WHO’S UP NEXT?
Swansea v Watford (Premier League, September 23)
West Brom v Manchester City (Carabao Cup, September 20)