Manchester City 6-1 Huddersfield Town: Sergio Aguero nets 13th hat-trick
Sergio Aguero scored his 13th Manchester City hat-trick as the champions thrashed Huddersfield 6-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
Gabriel Jesus and David Silva also struck and Terence Kongolo turned into his own net in a one-sided Premier League encounter.
Huddersfield's only moment of joy came just before half-time when Jon Gorenc Stankovic netted following a long throw-in.
It proved a long afternoon for the Terriers, who badly missed the midfield presence of Aaron Mooy, whose wife had gone into labour.
Yet it is debatable how much difference the Australian could have made as City - with Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane on the bench and Kevin De Bruyne injured - were ruthless.
Aguero and Jesus looked sharp up front and, such was City's early dominance, goals seemed inevitable.
Silva, returning to the side after injury to make his 250th Premier League appearance and with his baby son Mateo at the game, was inspired. Benjamin Mendy was also a constant threat down the left.
Silva delivered a dangerous early cross for Jesus but the Brazilian could not make the most of the opportunity.
City almost went into the lead when Steve Mounie sliced a clearance onto his own bar and Huddersfield goalkeeper Ben Hamer took a painful blow in the groin as he blocked a powerful Jesus shot.
It was not until the 24th minute that Huddersfield created any threat but Stankovic shot harmlessly over the bar.
That gave City a jolt and Aguero seized upon a long ball forward by Ederson. The Argentinian wrong-footed defender Christopher Schindler outside the area and then clipped a delicate shot over the unsighted and stranded Hamer.
Jesus doubled the advantage after trading passes with Mendy as the Frenchman cut inside. The attack briefly broke down on the edge of the area but Jesus pounced on the loose ball to rifle home.
Hamer was at fault for City's third after 35 minutes, spilling a low cross from Mendy. Aguero was quickly onto the rebound.
Huddersfield pulled one back against the run of play. City switched off as Philip Billing launched a long throw and Stankovic turned in from Mounie's flick-on.
It was a nice moment for Stankovic, who was making his Premier League debut after missing last season through injury, but any pleasure was fleeting.
City resumed normal service early in the second half with Silva curling a fine free-kick into the top corner.
"We want 10," chanted the City fans in reference to their 10-1 hammering of Huddersfield in 1987. That was not going to happen but City were still hungry for more.
Aguero almost claimed his treble when he thumped a long-range shot against the base of the post from distance and he also forced a good save from Hamer with another low effort.
He did not have much longer to wait, however, earning yet another match ball as he flicked in a cross from Mendy 15 minutes from time.
City were still not finished with substitute Sane charging down the left to force a save from Hamer. The ball took a ricochet off Kongolo and ended up in the net.
Opta facts
- Manchester City are the first reigning Premier League champions to win their first two games of the season since they themselves managed to do so at the beginning of the 2014-15 campaign.
- Huddersfield have conceded nine goals in their first two matches this season; only one side in Premier League history has conceded more goals in their opening two games – Wigan Athletic in 2010-11 (10).
- Manchester City have now scored 104 goals in 39 games at home under Pep Guardiola in the Premier League.
- David Silva’s strike was his first ever direct free-kick goal in a league match in the top five European Leagues, in what was also his 250th Premier League appearance.
- With his assist to Aguero for the opening goal, Ederson became the first goalkeeper to assist a Premier League goal for Manchester City.
- Sergio Aguero has scored 14 goals in his last eight Premier League appearances for Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
- Jon Gorenc Stankovic is just the second player from Slovenia to score a Premier League goal after ex-West Bromwich Albion and Hull City midfielder Robert Koren.
- Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has now scored nine hat-tricks in the Premier League (level with Robbie Fowler), only Alan Shearer (11) has managed more than the Argentiine in the competition.
- Sergio Aguero has now equalled the Premier League record for the most hat-tricks in the competition for one club (Manchester City), level with Alan Shearer’s tally of nine hat-tricks at Blackburn Rovers.
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