Sergio Aguero moved within a goal of Manchester City’s all-time record as Pep Guardiola’s men thrashed bottom side Crystal Palace 5-0 in the Premier League.
Aguero headed a Leroy Sane cross through the grasp of Wayne Hennessey for his 176th goal in City colours during the second half of another commanding display at the Etihad Stadium.
Leaders City were already well on the way to victory when Aguero struck their fourth in the 79th minute after an opener from Leroy Sane and a quickfire double from Raheem Sterling. Substitute Fabian Delph added a superb late fifth.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
BBC’s Match of the Day account @BBCMOTD highlights how prolific Sterling has been of late.
STAR MAN
Sane. Sterling may have got a brace but in front of watching Germany manager Joachim Low it was Sane who really stood out having been preferred to Gabriel Jesus in City’s XI. Sane’s pace down the left caused Palace issues throughout and he showed a touch of class with the opening goal, which arrived after he lifted the ball over Scott Dann and poked beyond Wayne Hennessey.
Sane’s performance will have impressed both his managers.
AGUERO MADE TO WAIT
Aguero started the day just two goals shy of equalling City’s all-time scorer Eric Brook’s record of 177 for the club. The crowd certainly knew how close he was but it took him 79 minutes to get in on the act with his 176th City goal. Though there was not time for another, his day will come.
STAT OF THE MATCH
By failing to score in their their sixth successive game, Palace set a new record for the longest goalless start to a top-flight season ever. Up next, a daunting trip to the other free-scoring Manchester club…
Zero league goals for Christian Benteke – and all of his teammates – this season
PLAYER RATINGS
MANCHESTER CITY
Ederson 6
Kyle Walker 6
John Stones 6
Nicolas Otamendi 6
Benjamin Mendy 5
Fernandinho 7
Leroy Sane 9
David Silva 8
Kevin De Bruyne 8
Raheem Sterling 8
Sergio Aguero 7
Substitutes
Danilo (on for Mendy) 6
Bernardo Silva (on for Sterling) 6
Fabian Delph (on for Stones) 7
Smiles all around for Man City after another comfortable win.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Wayne Hennessey 6
Patrick van Aanholt 5
Mamadou Sakho 5
Scott Dann 5
Timothy Fosu-Mensah 4
Luka Milivojevic 5
Yohan Cabaye 5
Jeffrey Schlupp 4
Ruben Loftus-Cheek 6
Andros Townsend 6
Christian Benteke 5
Substitutes
Jason Puncheon (on for Cabaye) 5
Bakary Sako (on for Benteke) 5
Palace still can’t find a win – or a goal.
WHO’S UP NEXT?
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk (Champions League, September 26)
Manchester United v Crystal Palace (Premier League, September 30)