Home Aguero Arsenal EPL Man City Man City 3-1 Arsenal: Sergio Aguero nets hat-trick to close the gap on Liverpool

at February 03, 2019

NORMAL service was resumed as Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick stopped Manchester City’s title hopes from hitting the rocks.
The Argentine ace destroyed Arsenal to keep alive their hopes of catching Liverpool at the top of the table.
The Gunners’ ghastly defence had no answer to the ruthless finishing of Aguero, who opened the scoring after just 46 seconds. 
Unai Emery’s men equalised through Laurent Koscielny, only to invite Aguero to have the last laugh and hammer a huge dent in their hopes of securing Champions League qualification.
It took his tally to a remarkable 22 goals in his last 15 home starts in the league.
And Aguero’s 10th Premier League hat-trick means only Alan Shearer, with 11, has more.
How he has never won PFA ‘Player of the Year’ during his glittering career in English football is unfathomable.
Just as puzzling is how Emery, who has still never beaten Pep Guardiola as a boss, hopes to compete for the big prizes with a defence as powderpuff as this?
This was the perfect response for City as Guardiola’s men reacted to last week’s shock 2-1 defeat at Newcastle to get their title chances right back on track.
City started like a house on fire and could have been 3-0 up inside the opening five minutes as the Gunners grasped at shadows.
The visitors’ instant demise was all of their own making as Alex Iwobi conceded possession to Aymeric Laporte, who then crossed for a stooping Aguero - who scored after just 24 seconds at St James’ Park - to head past Bernd Leno.
Shkodran Mustafi was then lucky not to concede a penalty after appearing to pull down Aguero inside the box before Raheem Sterling saw a powerful drive well saved by Leno.
City bounced back from defeat in midweek to record a solid 3-1 win over Arsenal (Pic: GETTY
Laporte had the ball in the net himself from a free kick, but was ruled offside and the Gunners were somehow still in the contest. 
And against all the odds they drew level with their first attack of the game after 11 minutes. 
Sead Kolasinac’s corner was flicked on by Nacho Monreal to find the unmarked Koscielny, who bundled his header past Ederson from point blank range. 
All Emery’s men had done was exploit City’s Achilles heel, considering half the goals the home side had conceded this season had all come from set pieces.
The leveller gave the Gunners confidence and Ederson was forced to charge from his goal to reach a through ball just ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on 34 minutes.
Kolasinac then stung the palms of Ederson before Lucas Torreira saw a piledriver well blocked as the City defence started to look vulnerable itself.
But just a minute before half time when City restored their lead.
Laurent Koscielny's equaliser gave the Gunners temporary hope (Pic: GETTY)
Sterling exchanged a sublime one-two with Ilkay Gundogan before the winger produced a delightful cross into the path of Aguero for his second of the game. 
Moments later Sterling came within a whisker of converting Kevin De Bruyne’s cross and the Gunners were on the rack again.
City had gone on to win in 27 of their last 28 home league games when they led at half-time, so the writing was on the wall. 
Painting his name in huge letters on it was Aguero, who completed his hat-trick on the hour mark when he bundled Sterling’s cross over the line to make it 3-1. 
Despite Arsenal protests that Aguero had used his hand to divert the ball, the goal stood.
There was no way back for the Gunners, who continue to put style before substance and pay a heavy price.
Vity, meanwhile, have kept the title race interesting thanks to Aguero, And on this evidence, he seems capable of hunting down Jurgen Klopp’s men on his own.
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