THE VERDICT: CITY 6 HUDDERSFIELD 1
CITY fans were only joking when they demanded ten goals, a la 1987.
But the mood this Blues team is in, in the end it probably should have been double figures.
While some fans of other teams have reacted with glee to the long-term loss of Kevin de Bruyne, this was the perfect response as Sergio Aguero’s fabulous hat-trick was bolstered by further goals from Gabriel Jesus, David Silva and Town defender Terence Kongolo.
After you have produced a blitz of a season, smashing records and taking Premier League football to new heights, the big question is all about how you can possibly improve.
The simple answer was on show at the Etihad Stadium – Pep Guardiola’s capacity for innovation knows no boundaries, and his players perform with ceaseless intelligence.
The first goal looked like a training ground triumph, allied to the video analysis staff doing their homework with precision.
But with this set of players, you never know, it could just have been Ederson’s eye for an opening allied to Aguero’s ever-present sharpness and acute finishing powers.
City had not exactly huffed and puffed to break the Terriers down – it had all been about the creative nous of David Silva, in perfect tandem with Bernardo Silva, providing for the darting danger of Aguero and the non-stop Jesus.
But Huddersfield flooded the box whenever City crossed the halfway line, backing themselves to come up with the blocks and tackles.
It was noticeable that when they attacked, they committed plenty of numbers – and that had clearly not escaped the backroom staff and/or Ederson.
The keeper took a swift goal-kick after a rare Terriers forward foray, and arrowed a pass to pick out Aguero’s run into space, 80 yards upfield with just one defender tracking the run.
This time Aguero was on his own, and he seemed to have delayed too long, turning back inside after spurning a chance to shoot. But he was simply backing his own ability and lofted his shot over the keeper and into the empty net.
The Terriers’ stern resistance crumbled at that moment, and within ten minutes it was 3-0, and the City fans were demanding a ten-goal show to match their 1987 Maine Road rout.
Jesus had fluffed a couple of early opportunities, but after a surging, trademark run by Benjamin Mendy had punched a hole in the defence, the Brazilian lashed the second goal.
Aguero claimed the third, with Mendy again doing the damage, storming to the byline and firing in a cross which Hamer spilled – Kun was first to react. Aguero (25, 35, 75), Jesus (31), Silva (48), Kongolgo (84og) Stankovic (43) 77% 23% 32 10 5 3 None Schindler, Billing Andre Marriner 54,021
The Yorkshiremen introduced an element of doubt when Steve Mounie glanced a corner across goal and Jon Gorenc Stankovic stabbed it in.
That doubt was extinguished as City stepped up a gear in the second half, and David Silva curled a beautiful 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.
Then Aguero scored his third goal with a marvellous side-footed finish to yet another run and cross from Mendy.
City took the mickey by bringing on Leroy Sane, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden, an expression of strength.
And it was Sane who forced the sixth, a fleet-footed burst down the left ending with his cross-shot being palmed by Ben Hamer against Kongolo and into the net.