Aston Villa were thrashed 6-1 by a rampant Manchester City side at Villa Park in what was a sobering afternoon for Dean Smith’s men.
Villa have returned to the relegation places after Sergio Aguero made Premier League history. The Argentine is now the most prolific overseas forward that the English top-flight has ever seen.
Rampant City
His hat-trick came after an opening double from winger Riyad Mahrez before half time. The Algerian got his sixth and seventh league goals of the season inside 25 minutes as he first broke the game’s deadlock after a fine solo run and finish.
He then dispatched a second after picking up on Danny Drinkwater’s mistake. Although it wasn’t time to make mistakes as the Chelsea loanee made his Villa Park debut.
Aguero and Gabriel Jesus then added another couple before the break. Aguero’s strike wasn’t kept up out by Orjan Nyland who will supposedly give up his starting place to Pepe Reina who watched on from the stands.
Kevin De Bruyne’s exquisite cross from the right flank was then converted by Jesus on the 44th minute.
Without a fit striker at the club, Smith had little in the way of possible changes, but young Indianna Vassilev remained an unused substitute.
Lack of fight
Once more, a lack of pressure and fight from the Villa backline presented City with another goalscoring opportunity, and against Aguero, they were duly punished.
After sealing his double, Aguero went onto scoring his twelfth Premier League hat-trick by finishing past Nyland late in the second half after Kortney Hause gave the ball away all too cheaply.
Trezeguet’s introduction injected some life into a defeated Villa side who could only claim a late goal through the Egyptians positivity. Anwar El-Ghazi converted a penalty after his fellow winger was brought down inside the box.
Villa will face Brighton at The Amex on Saturday as they look to put things right on the road.