Aguero 178: More lethal than Kane and Henry on Silva service

Sergio Aguero’s goal against Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday established him as Manchester City’s all-time leading goalscorer.

But how has the 29-year-old reached this lofty landmark and how does he compare to his Premier League contemporaries and the modern greats of England’s top-flight?

Using Opta data, we look at how the Argentina striker inked himself – not for the first time – into City history.

Sharpest shooter in the Premier League

Of Aguero’s 178 goals across 264 appearances in City colours, 129 have arrived in the Premier League, with his effort at the Stadio San Paolo taking him on to 24 in the Champions League.

There was a hat-trick during qualification for Europe’s top competition against Steaua Bucharest last season, with 14 in the FA Cup and four apiece in the EFL Cup and Europa League.

The goal that broke the record #mancity (cc @aguerosergiokun) pic.twitter.com/M0nb7MTq3O

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 1, 2017

Aguero’s Premier League return puts him 12th in the division’s overall standings and with a reasonable amount of ground to make up on Robin van Persie in 11th. The ex-Arsenal and Manchester United favourite plundered 144.

But in terms of minutes-per-goal in the Premier League era, City’s number 10 is without compare.

Since arriving as a club-record signing from Atletico Madrid in 2011, Aguero has averaged a goal every 108 minutes in league matches. Harry Kane comes in next on this metric – the Tottenham hitman’s 86 goals averaging out at 115.24 per minute.

Thierry Henry, the fourth-highest Premier League goalscorer with 175, scored his goals every 121.8 minutes, while Barcelona star Luis Suarez hit the back of the net every 138.8 minutes during his time tormenting defences for Liverpool.

Hat-trick hero

A hat-trick in City’s 6-0 demolition of Watford in September took Aguero to within touching distance of Eric Brook – the man who sat at the top of the club’s scoring charts for 79 years.

It was his 10th treble for City and added a sixth Premier League matchball to his collection, the same number as Kane, Suarez and Wayne Rooney.

Henry and Michael Owen are on eight, one behind Robbie Fowler – although none of the Liverpool great’s nine came during his three-year stay with City.

Alan Shearer is comprehensively the all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League and there are 11 hat-tricks among his total of 260 goals.

178. pic.twitter.com/EE38jbmIMf

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 1, 2017

Penalty box predator with Silva service

As a goal-poacher extraordinaire, it should come as little surprise that the vast majority of Aguero’s goals have come from inside the penalty area, with 162 from inside the box and 16 outside.

His trusty right foot has done most of the damage with 131 goals, compared to 32 left-footed and 15 with his head.

Aguero’s long-time on-field accomplice David Silva is his most trusted supplier, with the Spain playmaker laying on 19 assists for the master marksman.

Yaya Toure, another midfielder to have played alongside Aguero throughout his time at City, has laid on 16 of the record haul, although Kevin De Bruyne is on course to overtake them both.

Despite only joining City in 2015, the Belgium star has 11 Aguero assists to his name.

Toppling the Toon, sickening Spurs

Given he pilfered five in an October 2015 6-1 thumping, it is little surprise Newcastle United are the team to have suffered most at Aguero’s hands, conceding to the Argentinian 11 times.

Tottenham have shut him out the past four times they have faced him but he still has 10 versus the north Londoners, including all four in an October 2014 4-1 win.

The Vicarage Road treble was Aguero’s second hat-trick against Watford, following a 4-2 FA Cup win in 2014, and he has nine against them in total.

Part of his hero status with City fans is accounted for by eight goals in derby games against United, the same amount registered at the expense of reigning Premier League champions Chelsea.

Congratulations to @aguerosergiokun simply the best  #recordbreaker  pic.twitter.com/oZLJGhFIR1

— Paul Dickov (@OfficialPDickov) November 1, 2017

AGUEROOOOOOOO!!!

Aguero’s defining moment in City colours and one of the most memorable in Premier League history came when he snatched the club’s first top-flight title for 44 years with an unerring strike deep into stoppage time against Queens Park Rangers in May 2012.

Overall, this was his most productive period of a match, with seven of Aguero’s City goals coming in the 90th minute or later.  However, the emphatic finish in Naples also marked his seventh in the 69th minute of games.