Sergio Aguero became the joint-highest scorer in Manchester City history as Pep Guardiola’s side stretched their advantage at the top of the Premier League to five points with a 3-0 win over Burnley.
Guardiola’s men failed to scale the dazzling heights of recent performances, with a tenacious and disciplined Burnley display causing them moments of discomfort before quickfire goals from Nicolas Otamendi and Leroy Sane made victory safe inside the final 20 minutes.
The undefeated league leaders move on to eight wins from nine and Manchester United’s surprise 2-1 reverse at Huddersfield Town means an increase in their early control of the title race.
Aguero opened the scoring with a 30th-minute penalty after Bernardo Silva went down under a challenge from Nick Pope, the Burnley goalkeeper who then produced a pair of brilliant saves to prevent the Argentina striker from surpassing Eric Brook’s all-time City record of 177 goals.
Guardiola’s free-scoring side struggled for clear openings early on and might have gone behind in the 15th minute when Chris Wood capitalised on slack defending by Kyle Walker, but City goalkeeper Ederson was alert to the danger.
Wood’s impressive start to the game was cut short by an injury sustained in that challenge and Ashley Barnes replaced the New Zealand international.
David Silva finally got City round the back of their opponents in the 23rd minute but Bernardo Silva shot too close to Pope from Sane’s cutback.
An even more impressive David Silva pass put Kevin De Bruyne one-on-one with Pope five minutes later and the goalkeeper saved before making an ill-judged dart from his line to deny Bernardo Silva on the rebound.
Whether there was enough contact to send the Portugal international sprawling in such a fashion was debatable but it convinced referee Roger East and, after a brief melee involving players from both sides, Aguero did the rest.
Some ponderous possession near their own goal from City almost coughed up a Burnley equaliser, with Scott Arfield’s resulting shot deflected behind, while Pope twice denied Aguero brilliantly with his feet as City’s striker sensed history on the stroke of half-time.
Burnley had a penalty shout turned down six minutes into the second half when Fabian Delph hit a clearance against his own arm. Jack Cork was booked for his protests before City defended subsequent set-pieces unconvincingly.
David Silva skewed a drive wide when Sane and Aguero appeared better placed and a pair of menacing De Bruyne crosses as City reasserted themselves after the hour were the sum of Burnley’s concerns until they were punished once more by an Argentina international.
With Aguero’s threat subsiding before his eventual substitution, centre-back Otamendi rose to power in Sane’s left-wing corner in the 73rd minute, with Steven Defour’s efforts on the goalline leaving something to be desired.
De Bruyne had experienced a relatively quiet outing but added to his majestic catalogue of assists with a wonderful sweeping pass into Sane’s path and the Germany winger chalked up his seventh of the season with an unerring finish.
Aguero’s replacement Gabriel Jesus similarly found Pope in his way as he looked to add gloss to the scoreline – a margin of victory that would have been unjust on Sean Dyche’s side as their undefeated away run came to an end.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield earned a famous 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Huddersfield went ahead through Aaron Mooy, who found the net after Tom Ince’s turn-and-shot was saved by David de Gea on 28 minutes, before Laurent Depoitre made it 2-0 by capitalising on substitute Victor Lindelof’s mistake in defence five minutes later.
Sub Marcus Rashford halved United’s deficit on 78 minutes – heading home Romelu Lukaku’s deep cross – and though Chris Smalling saw a late chance blocked, United couldn’t force a leveller.
The loss is United’s first of the Premier League season, leaving them five points behind leaders Manchester City. Huddersfield are up to 10th.
In the first meeting between these two sides in 45 years, Huddersfield were ahead just before the half-hour mark through Mooy, who finished the move he had started.
Dispossessing Juan Mata in midfield following the Spaniard’s poor touch, Mooy raced forward and fed Tom Ince, whose shot was saved by De Gea into the path of Mooy to finish off into the far corner. – Bein Sports/Sky Sports.
