Special K
Super De Bruyne is the architect of Man City’s EIGHT-goal spectacular
AT least the scoreboard hid some of Watford’s humiliation. It read: Manchester City 8 Visitors 0.
No particular mention of the opponents who had just been ritually torn apart by the Premier League champions.
A nod to City’s 125th anniversary celebrations required an old-school scoreboard for the day, and that was about the only thing that went Watford’s way.
In all those years, City had never before won by eight goals in the top flight. Only Manchester United, who stuck nine past Ipswich in 1995, have scored more.
Perhaps the only surprise is that Pep Guardiola’s team haven’t done this sooner. There have been sixes, sevens and now an eight. As shellshocked Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster said later, it’s only a matter of time before they hit double figures.
When City are in this kind of mood, the opposition doesn’t really matter; it could be just about anyone. Maybe they should keep ‘visitors’ up there on the scoreboard after all.
Floored by another team in yellow a week earlier, they responded to defeat at Norwich and questions over an injury-hit back-four by ruthlessly dismantling Watford.
Like an injured boxer using attack as the best form of defence, City came out swinging. They were a goal up inside 53 seconds, five up in 18 minutes, seven by the hour and eight at the end.
Bernardo Silva took the match ball to mark the first hat-trick of his career but Kevin De Bruyne was the real star of the show. He scored the best goal of the day, a rocket into the top corner to make it eight, and had a hand in another five including a sublime cross for David Silva’s opener. Two more assists ended with Sergio Aguero hitting the post.
One of the more remarkable aspects of City’s success last season in winning a domestic Treble and holding off a relentless challenge from Liverpool in the title race is that they did so largely without De Bruyne, arguably the best player in English football right now.
Injuries restricted the Belgian to just 22 starts in City’s 61 games and 11 in the Premier League. How many other teams could absorb that kind of blow and still do what City did?
‘We did an incredible season,’ acknowledged Guardiola. ‘We missed him a lot last season because he is a special player. He sees something the other guys cannot see on the pitch — and not even off it. He is an incredibly talented player.’
He isn’t the only one, of course. The two Silvas were outstanding here, Riyad Mahrez brilliant. Aguero became the first Premier League player to start the season by scoring in six games in a row, and the third after Wayne Rooney and Thierry Henry to hit 100 goals in one stadium.
Watford, thrashed 6-0 by City in the FA Cup final four months ago, must have felt they were in a recurring nightmare. In the last seven games against these opponents, they have shipped 33 goals.
For manager Quique Sanchez Flores, this was a brutal reality check after marking his return to the club with a 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
For Foster, it was awe-inspiring. ‘You could see chances developing in front of your eyes,’ said the keeper. ‘To get in at 5-0 at half-time I was over the moon. I’ve seen Man City plenty of times when, if they’re on it and the other team aren’t, it can be double digits. There will be a nine or ten out there soon.
‘We had a game plan but it went out the window after 50 seconds. It was carnage. As a goalie, you fear it could be a cricket score. It’s not a fluke. They can do that at any time against any team in this league.’
No sooner had Foster left than Fernandinho ambled out of the dressing room. If City’s midfielder, turned defender, felt under pressure after the Norwich debacle, he certainly didn’t show it.
So, as responses go, does this show that the back-to-back champions won’t be releasing their grip on the title easily?
‘Liverpool know that for sure,’ said Fernandinho breaking into a little smile. ‘They know it.’ MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Ederson 6; Walker 7 (Cancelo 54), Otamendi 7 (Garcia 63), Fernandinho 7, Mendy 7 (Angelino 46); De Bruyne 9, Rodri 7, D Silva 8; Mahrez 8, Aguero 7, B Silva 8. Subs not used: Bravo, Sterling, Gundogan, Jesus. Booked: Mendy, B Silva. WATFORD (4-4-1-1): Foster 5; Femenia 4, Dawson 4, Mariappa 5, Holebas 4; Foulquier 4 (Pereyra 5), Capoue 4, Doucore 5, Hughes 4 (Sarr 59); Cleverley 5; Deulofeu 6 (Gray 5). Subs not used: Gomes, Janmaat, Chalobah, Kabasele. Booked: Femenia, Deulofeu. Man of the match: Kevin De Bruyne. Referee: Mike Dean. Attendance: 54,273.