SERGICAL AGUERO

City’s superstar shrugs off miss and responds with devastating treble to fire out a title warning

HE was a couple of yards out, no more, in glorious isolation, left only with a formality to complete.

And one of the finest strikers in Premier League history, a record-breaker, a natural born goalscorer, a king of the close-range finish, missed.

He did not just miss, he casually tapped Bernardo Silva’s invitation into the wrong face of the side-netting.

Pep Guardiola, looking for the quick insurance of a second goal after Raheem Sterling’s thumping opener, collapsed theatrically to the technical area deck. As he does.

Less than an hour later, Sergio Aguero was walking from the field, with another standing ovation, another hat-trick in his collection and Guardiola’s smile sending him to his seat.

You don’t think an embarrassing sitter-miss is going to affect arguably the greatest player in a club’s history, do you?

You can make arguments for others to hold that title, but few have as compelling a case as the man who now has 11 hat-tricks in the Premier League and 15 for Manchester City in all competitions.

His scoring rate in terms of minutes-per-goal is outstanding and he is a scorer of important goals, a scorer of goals against the best, against the elite.

Not that Chelsea were anything like the best, not that they were anything like the elite. They were atrocious.

But better to dwell on City’s magnificence. Look around the Etihad Stadium on any given match day and you will see a blue smattering of empty seats.

It is something of a mystery. And if you find yourself at a loose end and it is not too inconvenient or too pricey, get yourself a ticket some time.

Go and see the unplayable Sterling showing the sort of improved finishing that bookended this battering, firstly after Kevin De Bruyne’s quickthinking free-kick had allowed Bernardo Silva to assist and lastly after David Silva’s dreamy pass started a move which ended with another precise close-in conversion.

Treat yourself to the

relentless, tireless

talent of Aguero. Unperturbed by the indignity and shock of that fluffed formality, he crashed one right-footed into the top corner from 25 yards, pounced left-footed on a bizarre headed backpass from Ross Barkley, and nonchalantly rolled in the 160th league goal of his City career – the new record – from the penalty spot after Cesar Azpilicueta had hacked Sterling.

Enjoy the contributions of slightly less heralded members of a scoring machine.

Players such as Bernardo Silva, whose energy is twinned with creativity and players such as Ilkay Gundogan, whose crisp strike from just outside the area put City four up after just 25 minutes.

The only surprise was that they had to wait until the second half to put more gloss on the final outcome and stretch their goal difference advantage.

The ramifications for Maurizio Sarri could be severe, but the ramifications for the title race are sumptuous.

This is going to be some run-in. The past eight days were billed as a formidable test of City’s mettle.

Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea in quick succession. The outcome? Played three, won three, scored 11, conceded one.

And if Liverpool do come out on top, it will be some achievement.

Because if you finish ahead of City, you will be finishing ahead of a fantastic team.

A fantastic team led off the pitch by a fantastic coach and led on it by a fantastic striker.

If you can, go and see them some time.

BREAKING RECORDS Aguero celebrates as his three goals made it 15 hat-tricks for City

GIVE ME THE BALL Aguero goes to claim the match ball – but has to get past ref Mike Dean first