SIX-GOAL MANCHESTER CITY ON TOP Liverpool held by Burnley
English Premier League
Manchester City stormed to the top of the English Premier League as Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick inspired a 6-0 demolition of Watford while Philippe Coutinho’s return couldn’t lift Liverpool in a 1-1 draw against Burnley on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead in the 27th minute when Aguero headed in from Kevin de Bruyne’s free-kick for his seventh goal in five games against the Hornets.
Aguero wasn’t finished inflicting pain on Marco Silva’s men and he struck again four minutes later, tapping in after Watford goal-keeper Heurelho Gomes couldn’t hold David Silva’s cross-shot.
Having notched his fifth goal of the season, Aguero turned provider in the 38th minute, slipping in Gabriel Jesus for a nonchalant finish.
It was City’s 12th goal of a memorable week that also included a 5-0 thrashing of Liverpool and a 4-0 win at Feyenoord.
Nicolas Otamendi added to that tally when he headed in the fourth from Silva’s cross in the 63rd minute before Aguero completed his 10th City treble with nine minutes left.
There was still time for Raheem Sterling to win and convert an 89th-minute penalty to cap City’s swaggering display.
Meanwhile, at Anfield with Sadio Mane suspended, Coutinho made his first Liverpool start since his failed attempt to force a move to Barcelona.
Brazil forward Coutinho missed the first five games of the season with a back injury before coming on in Wednesday’s 2-2 Champions League draw against Sevilla.
But despite his return, Jurgen Klopp’s team was rocked when Scott Arfield put Burnley in front in the 27th minute. Liverpool drew level three minutes later through Mohamed Salah’s cool finish from Emre Can’s pass, but the Reds couldn’t find a winner with Coutinho substituted in the closing stages.
Roy Hodgson was unable to stop Crystal Palace hitting a historic low as Steven Davis sealed Southampton’s 1-0 win at Selhurst Park.
Former England boss Hodgson was taking charge of Palace for the first time following his appointment on Tuesday as successor to the sacked Frank de Boer.
But Hodgson couldn’t inspire an immediate upturn in Palace’s fortunes, with Davis’s goal condemning the Eagles to a piece of unwanted history.
Palace sit bottom of the table after becoming the first English top-tier team to lose its opening five fixtures without scoring a single goal.