Aguero treble as rampant City hit Huddersfield for six

MANCHESTER: Sergio Aguero hit a hat-trick as Manchester City’s record-breaking forward inspired a 6-1 demolition of Huddersfield on Sunday.

City’s rampant display underlined why they are such strong favourites to retain their title.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.

Ederson, Guardiola’s ball-playing goalkeeper, struck a magnificent pass over 60 yards, isolating Aguero against defender Christopher Schindler.The Argentine skilfully held off his marker, twisting and turning before lobbing the ball over keeper Ben Hamer, who had advanced to the edge of his area, from the edge of the area.

Six minutes later, Benjamin Mendy attacked down the left, exchanging passes with Gabriel Jesus, who enjoyed a fortunate ricochet off a defender before drilling the ball home.And the rout continued when Hamer fumbled a routine Mendy cross and Aguero pounced, tapping in from six yards.

David Silva had set the tone with a majestic opening half-hour, torturing the Huddersfield defence and allowing the City supporters to forget about the absence of De Bruyne.But, incredibly, Huddersfield scored from their first attack of the game, three minutes before the interval.

Philip Billing’s long throw-in was helped on by Steve Mounie and Jon Gorenc Stankovic responded quickly, forcing the ball in from six yards.If that gave Guardiola something to ponder at the interval, it required just three minutes of the second half for Silva to restore City’s three-goal cushion.

The former Spain international, who this week announced his retirement from his national team, curled a magnificent 25-yard left-foot free-kick into the top right-hand corner of the Huddersfield goal.

Silva, who became the third City player after Joe Hart and Richard Dunne to appear in 250 Premier League games for the club, made way for Mahrez after 64 minutes but there was no let-up for the visitors.

Aguero might have claimed his hat-trick earlier, with a 56th-minute shot that struck the Huddersfield post, while Hamer also turned around his shot around a post after 70 minutes.Five minutes later, Aguero had his third.

The striker met yet another dangerous left-wing cross from Mendy, twisting acrobatically to shoot across his body and into the goal from six yards.That allowed Guardiola to take off Aguero, replacing him with Leroy Sane who helped wrap up the scoring after 84 minutes with a run and shot which took a fortunate rebound off Terence Kongolo on its way into the net.

Watford maintained their 100 percent start to the Premier League season as Andre Gray returned to haunt Burnley in a 3-1 win at Turf Moor.Former Burnley forward Gray struck in the opening minutes and although James Tarkowski equalised for Burnley soon after, Javi Gracia’s side turned on the style in the second half for a second successive victory.

Troy Deeney put Watford back in front before Will Hughes wrapped up the points to leave Burnley still looking for their first league win of the new campaign.It was a rare away-day success for Watford, who had picked up just one point in their previous 12 Premier League trips. Watford had not scored an away league goal since January 2, a run of eight games.

But Gray, who left Burnley for Watford last year, got the Hornets off to the perfect start in the third minute.As Watford attacked down the right, Gray peeled off to race undetected into the box, meeting Deeney’s cross with a sweet volley.

Gray had barely finished celebrating the strike when Tarkowski responded, rising to nod home Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s cross at the far post in the sixth minute.Watford took control after half-time, netting twice within five minutes of the restart.

On Saturday night, Eden Hazard came off the bench to provide the winner for Marcos Alonso as Chelsea edged a thrilling London derby 3-2 over Arsenal to condemn new Arsenal boss Unai Emery to a second consecutive defeat.