Five-star Manchester City on best top-flight goal run since 1950s

Free-scoring Manchester City are the first team to have scored five or more goals in three consecutive top-flight matches for almost 60 years.

Blackburn Rovers achieved the feat in the 1958-89 season and Pep Guardiola’s side matched that return with Saturday’s 5-0 demolition of Premier League basement boys Crystal Palace.

Leroy Sane opened the scoring a minute before half time and the league leaders were rampant after the interval – Raheem Sterling hitting a double before Sergio Aguero and substitute Fabian Delph got in on the act.

City beat 10-man Liverpool by the same scoreline in their previous home game before dispatching Watford 6-0 at Vicarage Road last weekend.

Last three @premierleague games…

5-0
6-0
5-0

Last time that happened in the top flight?

1958/59 pic.twitter.com/JY60ha2Dle

— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 23, 2017

It is a very different story for lowly Palace, who became the first side in English Football League history to lose their first six games of the season without scoring.

The Eagles are the second Premier League team to lose their opening six matches. Portsmouth were relegated after doing so in 2009-10, finishing bottom of the pile.

6 – Crystal Palace are the 1st side in English Football League history to lose their first six games of the season without scoring. Sorrow.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 23, 2017