Sterling a pasta master as City dish up a rout
ITALIANS STUNNED BY HAT-TRICK
The England man was at his unplayable best, hitting three second-half goals as City put Group C rivals Atalanta to the sword.
He should have grabbed a fourth had he had more composure when one on one with goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini deep in the second half.
Only a hamstring injury to Rodri and a late red card to Phil Foden, below, took the gloss off an emphatic victory.
Pep Guardiola’s side were given an early jolt after Atalanta converted a penalty.
But the response from two-goal Sergio Aguero and Sterling was devastating.
With Sterling in the sort of form he showed last night, City could probably do without a defence until meeting better opposition deeper in the competition.
Boss Guardiola praised rival Gian Piero Gasperini on the eve of the game and acknowledged the goal threat from Atalanta – which made his decision to operate early on with just one centre-half a bit puzzling.
The team sheet suggested Fernandinho and Rodri would operate in tandem, but the latter started the game at the base of the midfield.
It was a tactic that invited Atalanta forward into the gaps and it was the Italians who took the lead after Fernandinho halted a surging run from Josip Ilicic with an outstretched leg just before the half-hour mark.
There was no doubt about the award of a penalty and no doubt about the execution either, Ruslan Malinovskyi despatching his spotkick convincingly.
The lead lasted only six minutes, with Sterling lofting a ball through for Aguero to score. City were in front four minutes later. Sterling was clipped by Andrea Masiello and Aguero added a second from the spot.
But it was not all plain sailing to the break, with Rodri adding to a growing injury list. The defender pulled up and John Stones replaced him. City then put Atalanta to the sword, Sterling finishing a move started by Kevin De Bruyne.
His second came on 64 minutes as he latched on to a pinpoint through ball from Ilkay Gundogan and Sterling completed his hattrick after excellent work by Riyad Mahrez.
Foden received his second yellow card with eight minutes to go after grabbing at Marten de Roon’s sleeve. It was a poor end to a fine show from the youngster.
MAN CITY (4-3-3): Ederson 6; Walker 6, Rodri 5 (Stones 41, 6), Fernandinho 5, Mendy 5 (Cancelo 71); De Bruyne (Otamendi 67, 5), Gundogan 7, Foden 7; Mahrez 5, Aguero 6, Sterling 9. Goals: Aguero 34, 38 pen, Sterling 58, 64, 69.
Sent off: Foden 82
ATALANTA (3-4-3): Gollini 4; Tolol 5, Djimsiti 4, Masiello 6 (Pasalic 45, 6); Castagne 4, de Roon 5, Freuler 5, Gosens 7; Ilicic 7 (Hateboer 72, 6), Malinovskyi 7, Gomez 7 (Muriel 45, 6). Goal: Malinovskiy 28 pen. Aguero slides in the opener, above, while Sterling completes his treble