Aguero, De Bryune lead Man City in ruthless win over Newcastle
Sergio Aguero scored a stunning five goals in twenty minutes to lead Manchester City past Newcastle 6-1 and go back atop the Premier League table. Newcastle gave the Citizens a scare with an early goal, but Aguero turned on the jets in the second half to deepen the crisis at Newcastle. Newcastle have yet to win a league game this season in eight attempts, and are very much dead last.
Aguero will surely remember this day. Not only did the Argentine forward snap a goal-scoring drought that had bedeviled him since mid-August, he scored with such ease and abandon that it easy to think that he alone may be able to lead City back to the Premier League title.
Aguero was pleased with his performance but emphasized the importance of maintaining a winning form. "I am very happy. I am very happy with my goals but for me the three points is more important than the goals. Five goals is good and I am happy. I hope to continue in the same way. I am happy to score all these goals because it was useful to win. I think it was four games without scoring any goals in the Premier League so I am really pleased about my performance today."
The Argentine striker was not the only one delighted with City's performance. Manuel Pelligrini also expressed his satisfaction with not just the victory, but how the team played. “I am very happy because that was the reaction of a team who normally wants to play in this style. We want to try to score the most amount of goals. I like to see my teams play in this way – not just score one goal or when we get the second just go back. I think it is important for fans to see a team scoring and enjoying the game. It was very important for us to be 1-1 before we finished the first half. I said at half-time we needed to be a little calmer.”
The Manchester giants had gotten off to a storming start, winning their first five league games, but a reversal in Europe at the hands of Juventus led to a slump, and this game was viewed as a must-win to right matters at the Etihad.
Newcastle were looked at as easy pickings. They have now failed to win once in 18 games against Manchester City, and they have looked like a team headed for the drop since last February. Only staying up by the skin of their teeth last year, Newcastle remain just one of two teams in England’s top four divisions yet to win a league game. That barren spell shows no signs of ending any time soon.
Still, if there was a time to face City, it might have been now. City’s torrid start to the league season ended some time ago, and they have been susceptible to the European hangover. They got a late win over German side Borussia Gladbach midweek to raise their spirits, but for about a half hour here, City looked ragged and jaded, badly missing the injured Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure at the spine of the team.
That allowed, it was still a shock that Newcastle was able to strike first. Alexsandar Mitrovic was able to beat Joe Hart in the 17th minute with a header after a defensive gaffe. Eliaquim Mangala cut out a cross, but only so far as Georginio Wijnaldum, allowing the return to find Mitrovic with space and time for an easy header.
The goals raised hackles at the Etihad, but Sergio Aguero would soothe matters before the break, heading home in the 42nd to the post. David Silva had flicked in a cute cross that Fernandinho unselfishly headed back across the face of goal for Aguero to score with ease.
That set up City for a storming second half, and they delivered. Aguero would score a second-half hat-trick inside 15 minutes, and ice the game before the hour. Kevin Mbabu started the flood, with a slack ball out that allowed Aguero to charge in on goal, firing a shot from the edge of the area that took a wicked deflection to beat Krul.
Then, almost off the ensuing kickoff, Kevin De sent in a delicious pass through the stumbling Newcastle back line that Aguero ran onto to clip over a stunned Krul. Newcastle had barely time to catch their breath before they were picking the ball out of the back of the net again. Jesus Navas whipped in a great cross to find De Bruyne at the far post for the new boy to volley home emphatically.
Silva and Aguero would then link up for the goal of the day with Silva collecting the ball at the halfway line, turning and releasing Aguero, who stood up Chancel Mbemba on the left edge of the box before uncorking a spectacular goal to the opposite corner.
Aguero was not done yet. De Bryune, Silva and Kun all combined in the 62nd minute to complete the rout, with a simple turn, a cutting cross and then a ball buried at the far post. That finished off Aguero’s five-goal show as Manuel Pellegrini removed him shortly thereafter, perhaps feeling sorry for his opposite number. Certainly, it looked as if Aguero could keep scoring all day long against Steve McClaren’s insipid side.
City can be passed Sunday should Manchester United beat Arsenal on Sunday; Newcastle, on the other hand, are desperate. They have but three points from eight games, are --11 on goal difference, and now face a critical stretch of games against teams that by rights, they should be able to beat. One of those is a charged Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland following the international break, and it is hard not to feel both those clubs might have new managers by the time Oct. 25 comes around.
