Aguero scores treble as rampant City hit Huddersfield for six
MANCHESTER: Sergio Aguero hit a hit-trick as Manchester City’s record-breaking forward inspired a 6-1 demolition of Huddersfield on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola’s champions opened their home campaign with a pre-match display of ticker tape and exploding fireworks and Aguero continued the pyrotechnics on the field.
Aguero, who turned 30 in the closeseason, has now scored 14 times in his last eight Premier League games at City’s Etihad Stadium.
The Argentina star -- City’s alltime leading scorer -- joins former Liverpool forward Robbie Fowler on nine Premier League hat-tricks.
Only ex-newcastle and Blackburn star Alan Shearer has scored more in the competition’s history with 11.
City’s rampant display underlined why they are such strong favourites to retain their title. Such is City’s strength in depth, Guardiola was able to leave Kyle Walker, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling on the bench.
And even though City learned this week that playmaker Kevin De Bruyne will be out for up to three months with a knee injury, the fact Guardiola was able to name substitutes which cost his club £230 million ($293 million) in transfer fees, was a sobering thought for their rivals.
After relentless City pressure, which featured Guardiola’s team having 80 percent possession, the champions finally took the lead on 25 minutes, the start of a three-goal blitz inside 10 minutes.
UTD STUNNED
Jose Mourinho’s fears over failing to sign a new centre-back were realised as a shambolic defensive display saw his Manchester United side lose 3-2 at Brighton on Sunday.
For the first time in nearly two years, Mourinho’s men conceded more than twice with all three Brighton goals arriving before halftime through Glenn Murray, Shane Duffy and a Pascal Gross penalty.
Romelu Lukaku briefly brought United back into the game at 2-1. But there was little reaction after the break until Paul Pogba’s penalty deep into stoppage time as United fell three points behind defending champions Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham just two games into the new campaign.
Mourinho warned of a “difficult” season when he wasn’t backed in the transfer market before the deadline for Premier League clubs closed before the opening weekend of the season.