Aguero powers City past Spurs
Print Edition
SERGIO Aguero scored four goals in a dazzling display to lead Manchester City to a 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur yesterday in an entertaining English Premier League game that featured four penalties and a red card.
The champions made it 15 goals against Spurs in their last three meetings thanks to Aguero, who scored twice in each half to take his league tally this season to nine goals in eight games. He also had a first-half penalty saved.
Aguero opened the scoring in the 13th minute and restored City’s lead from the penalty spot in the 20th after Christian Eriksen had equalized.
City goalkeeper Joe Hart saved a penalty from Roberto Soldado in the 62nd before Aguero scored in the 68th — from the spot after Federico Fazio was red-carded — and the 75th.
The hosts moved two points behind league leader Chelsea, which was visiting Crystal Palace later yesterday.
The only negative for City at Etihad Stadium was the sight of Frank Lampard being carried off on a stretcher in the first half with an apparent left thigh injury.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino described Aguero as the “best striker in the world” on the eve of the game, adding about his Argentine compatriot: “When Aguero plays, it is like classical music in my head ... it’s like Mozart.”
Pochettino’s defense also seemed mesmerized by Aguero, who began a scintillating performance by peeling away to receive a short pass from Lampard, created some space for himself and blasted a low, angle shot into the corner.
Within two minutes, Spurs were level after capitalizing on a mistake from holding midfielder Fernando, who was dispossessed in his own half. Soldado picked up the loose ball and fed Eriksen, whose rising shot clipped the foot of Hart and went in off the crossbar.
Club’s record scorer
City was back in front when Lampard went down under a challenge by Erik Lamela and Aguero sent goalkeeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way from the spot. It was Aguero’s 59th league goal for City, taking him past compatriot Carlos Tevez as the club’s record scorer in the Premier League.
Lloris guessed right 11 minutes later, though, to pat away Aguero’s penalty that was awarded when David Silva was tripped by Younes Kaboul.
By then, Lampard had been carried off after getting hurt in a sliding challenge and looked in real pain as he disappeared down the tunnel on a stretcher.
Despite City’s dominance, Tottenham remained dangerous going forward and could have pulled level when Soldado was tripped by Martin Demichelis as he surged into the area. The Spain striker took the penalty himself but it was weak and Hart tipped the ball aside.
Aguero continued to torment Spurs’ defense and Fazio, making his league debut, was dismissed after pulling back the striker as he bore down on a cross from Jesus Navas.
Aguero converted his penalty into the corner and capped a brilliant performance by running onto a quick free kick from Fernandinho, cutting inside substitute Jan Vertonghen and curling a low, left-foot shot into the corner.
The English league record for penalties in a single game is five awarded by referee Kelvin Morton when Crystal Palace met Brighton in March 1989.
“I’m very happy,” Aguero said. “We are really happy. The (man of the match) trophy is for all the team because the team has helped me get the goals.”
Aguero looked to have sustained a back injury towards the end of the match, but insisted he would be okay to feature in City’s Champions League clash against CSKA Moscow in midweek. “It’s fine. I’m ready for the next game,” he added.
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