Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick as Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday evening.
The Argentine’s first strike came after only 48 seconds as his diving header put the Premier League champions in the ascendency. Despite that, Laurent Koscielny netted a shock equaliser for Unai Emery’s Gunners from a corner with only 11 minutes on the clock.
That did not silence Aguero though as he was twice teed up by Raheem Sterling in the 44th and 61st minute to wrap up the three points for City.
Perfect start
It took less than a minute for Guardiola’s men to seize control of the game. Arsenal failed to deal with the first ball into the box and it fell to Aymeric Laporte. The defender crossed to Aguero who stooped low to head home the opener.
Sterling almost doubled the lead as his sweet strike from distance was palmed away by Bernd Leno as Manchester City made an excellent start to the game. Laporte also thought he was on the scoresheet as he nodded home Kevin De Bruyne’s free kick but the linesman ruled out the Frenchman’s strike.
City pegged back but fire again before the break
Arsenal were struggling to get out if their own half but somehow they found themselves level. Nacho Monreal’s flicked on from a corner, with Laurent Koscielny getting free of his marker to power the ball past Ederson.
The hosts’ second goal edged them ahead just before the break though and it was a thing of beauty. Ilkay Gundogan chipped the ball over the top of the Arsenal defence to pick out Sterling. The England winger crossed towards an unmarked Aguero who had an easy job of finishing into the empty net.
Aguero secures matchball
That same combination all-but sealed the three points for Guardiola’s men, albeit in scruffier circumstances. Sterling’s dangerous low cross hit the Argentine on the chest and on the arm before trundling just over the line. Despite the Gunners’ protestations, the goal was given.
The Argentine was clearly in red hot form and had it not been for an excellent, instinctive save from Leno, he could have had a fourth from just inside the penalty area. As a matter of fact, the German had to be at his best again to deny David Silva.
It mattered not however though as Guardiola;s men saw the game out in relative comfort to notch what could potentially be a hugely important victory.
Final Thoughts
Coming into this game, the Citizens would have been billed as one of the favourites to claim the three points, and they did exactly that. They were by far the better side throughout the game, but it could have been tricky following Arsenal’s equaliser. City got their goals at key times and did restrict the Gunners to fairly few opportunities. As a result, they reclaim second in the Premier League table.
Match Report
Manchester City: Ederson (7); Laporte (7), Fernandinho (7), Otamendi (7), Walker (6); D. Silva (7), Gundogan (6), De Bruyne (7) (Mahrez ( N/A), 88′); Sterling (8), Aguero (9) (Jesus (N/A), 81′), B. Silva (7).
Arsenal: Leno (7); Monreal (6), Koscielny (7), Mustafi (6) (Mavropanos (N/A), 79′), Lichtsteiner (5); Kolasinac (7) (Ramsey (5), 66′), Guendouzi (6), Torreira (6), Iwobi (6) (Suarez (6), 66′); Aubameyang (6), Lacazette (5).
Goals: Aguero (1′, 44′, 61′), Koscielny (11′)
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Yellow Cards: Torreira (40′), Gundogan (65′)
Red Cards: N/A
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