Guardiola pleased as City bounce back to winning ways

Pep Guardiola says it was important for Manchester City to get back to winning ways against Newcastle as Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick restored their 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Guardiola also said he hopes his side can pick up a record number of Premier League points this season after Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick saw off Newcastle United 3-1.

City, who won the title in 2012 and 2014, are 12 points clear at the top of the table with 65 points from 24 matches. Secondplaced Manchester United are on 53 points.

Chelsea collected 95 points when they became champions in 2004-05, and City will surpass that if they win 10 and draw one of their remaining 14 games. City’s latest victory came via Aguero’s 11th hat-trick of his City career and his second of the season - he also scored three in the 6-0 win at Watford on September 16.

The Argentina striker claimed City’s first goal when he got the faintest of touches to head in from Kevin de Bruyne’s goal-bound strike, before he converted a penalty after Javier Manquillo tripped Raheem Sterling. Jacob Murphy pulled one back with a chipped finish over Ederson, but Aguero powerfully finished after Leroy Sane’s jinking run to seal the victory, his 11th City hat-trick and his second treble this season.

“We need 10 more wins to be champions, and we’ll try for more points,” said Guardiola.

“It was an outstanding performance, often against 11 players behind the ball [but] we were patient, and we found the space really well. They crossed the halfway just once and scored, but we’re so happy.”

It was a return to winning ways for Guardiola’s side after they suffered their first league defeat of the season when they lost 4-3 at Liverpool last Sunday.