Aguero has City firing once again
FOR ONCE, the sound of team-mates lavishing praise on a colleague was not laden with toecurling cliches. It is the norm for players, when pressed on the merits of a comrade, to trot out wellworn words which, ultimately, hold no substance whatsoever. But as Pablo Zabaleta and Stevan Jovetic stood outside the dressing-rooms at the Stadium of Light, there was relief and appreciation that the subject of their post-match reflection was in their team. Sergio Aguero had been awesome and Zabaleta made it plain how much the striker is valued.
‘Everything he does right now looks so quick, sharp and clinical,’ said the defender. ‘ He is working really hard for the team off the ball and that is also something you have to appreciate from Sergio, because the strikers normally want to play only with the ball.
‘He is probably the best striker in the world at the moment. We are very lucky to have Sergio in the team.’
A hundred yards along the corridor, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini was echo-choing their salute, likewiseise Sunderland boss Guss Poyet. Aguero wonn warm applause on a cold night from the home fans when, after two goals and an assist during Wednesday’s 4-1 victory, he was substituted late on.. Four days earlier, thosese same supporters had jeered Chelsea’s Diego Costa after he was shackled by Sunderland’s backline during a goalless draw.
But they, like their striker Jozy Altidore who mouthed ‘ Oh my God!’ following Aguero’s stunning equaliser, were in awe of the City marksman.
Zabaleta is already a two-time Premier League champion, in large part thanks to Aguero. But he could have been a World Cup winner had his Argentine compatriot not been troubled by a loss of form and fitness in Brazil.
‘Of course you think what might have been in the World Cup if he’d been fit,’ said Zabaleta, who was part of the team beaten in the final by Germany.
‘But I have known him for a long time and this is probably the best moment of his whole career.’ It is little wonder Jovetic was queuing up to join the appreciation society, for he had profited from Aguero’s brilliance to net his fourth goal of the season.
Given their proximity on the pitch, the Montenegrin is well placed to offer assessment of his 26-year-old strike partner.
‘He is the best player I have played with — he and David Silva,’ said Jovetic, referencing the Spanish playmaker who could return from a knee injury against Everton tomorrow.
‘But Sergio can score some goals! He is great. He does it every game, and for me it is Messi and Ronaldo and then him — one of the best players in the world.
‘I liked the first goal because when he stopped the ball it was going away from him, and in the last second he did a nutmeg, and scored. ‘Then his assist for me wwas great as well. He is on fire, and if he is like this we can do big things.’
This, though, is not simply the Sergio Aguero show. Zabaleta, Fernandinho and Jesus Navas were all outstanding in midweek. And that is why — especially given the kindness of their fixtures amid the festive frenzy — it is they who could be top of the tree when the time arrives to take down the decorations; Leicester, Crystal Palace, West Bromwich and Burnley — four of the bottom six — could well represent the 12 points of Christmas for Pellegrini’s men.
With Silva and Edin Dzeko set to return and the positive prognosis on Vincent Kompany’s hamstring meaning he could be back at Leicester next weekend, it is looking like a winter of content for a team who have now won four on the spin.
Aguero is on the scoresheet and his pals are giving praise from the same songsheet.
Suddenly, everything is in tune at the Etihad.