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Men's Football ‘Perfect’ Sergio Aguero helps Manchester City keep the pressure on leaders Liverpool

Sergio Aguero further established himself as one of the Premier League’s all-time great goalscorers, bagging his 10th hat-trick in the division as his Manchester City side saw off Arsenal with ease.

Pep Guardiola, the City manager, described Aguero’s perfect intentions as he praised his striker’s work rate as much as he did his goal scoring output.

“I was delighted today, not because he scored three goals, but with how he tried to fight, track backwards and do everything for the team,” said Guardiola.

“It is the intentions. I judge intentions, not the results, and the intentions from Sergio were always perfect since we are together.”

All three of his strikes came from in or around the six-yard box in what was a display of supreme off the ball movement rather than sensational shooting. He was in the right place at the right time, leaving City just two points adrift from what they would consider their right place — the top of the table.

Some fans were still milling around and making their way to their seats when the 30-year-old forward scored his first just 46 seconds into the game.

It was an unorthodox line-up for the home side who used Fernandinho at a centre back when they were defending, but moved him into midfield when they had the ball.

Kyle Walker was always likely to get forward from right back, but it remained to be seen how attack minded Aymeric Laporte, a centre back by trade, would be on the left.

The answer came within the first minute. Alex Iwobi was caught on the ball by Laporte who pressed high up the pitch. The French defender then advanced into the final third, putting in a cross for Aguero whose diving header beat Bernd Leno. It was at an awkward height for the striker, but he did well to stoop low enough to make the right connection.

There were also quirks in Arsenal's line-up. Sead Kolasinac has played left back and occasionally centre back during his time at Arsenal, but here he was playing somewhere between left wing and attacking midfield.

The Bosnian forced the corner from which his side scored — taken by Lucas Torreira, flicked on by Nacho Monreal, and turned in at the far post by Laurent Koscielny.

Though each side's opener came from leftfield, City's second, just before half-time, was a moment of swift, precise attacking play which has become the norm at Eastlands in recent years. 

Raheem Sterling laid a ball back to Ilkay Gundogan who chipped a perfect return pass into the path of the winger, who sent a low cross to Aguero who merely had to get his right boot on the ball to see the net bulge for a second time.

Arsenal offered little in the second half, and there was never the feeling that they would drag themselves back into the game for a second time.

“[Our opponents] showed their superiority today, for 90 minutes, but above all in the second half,” admitted Arsenal boss Unai Emery.

“I think the result is the difference between Manchester City and Arsenal today.”

Aguero’s hat-trick goal, arriving just after the hour mark, was similar to his second, but this time Sterling created his own space on the left with some tricky footwork before crossing for the Argentinian. The ball deflected off Leno and was eventually diverted into the net by Aguero's left arm, completing a unique perfect hat-trick. 

In a tense title challenge it doesn’t matter how the goals arrive, as long as they do, and with the club’s all-time record scorer on the pitch City will always be confident in this area.

“I prefer to be in the position of Liverpool, I prefer to be there than where we are,” added Guardiola when asked if he had put pressure on the league leaders.

Regardless, City’s win, and indeed the manner of it, will put pressure on Liverpool, who travel to the London Stadium to face West Ham with the defending champions lurking just two points behind them.

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