Argentine star Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Huddersfield Town 6-1 in English Premier League football action on Sunday.
Even without Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who is sidelined for the next three months due to a right knee injury, the reigning champions showed no sign of weakness.
Huddersfield's resistance lasted only 25 minutes, following which Aguero opened the scoring after seizing on a long pass from Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson, punishing Huddersfield's English net minder Ben Hamer for leaving his goal early, reports Efe.
Just five minutes later, Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus doubled City's lead when he took advantage of the defence's failure to clear the ball at the edge of the area.
It took Aguero another five minutes to make the score 3-0, as he made Hamer pay for failing to catch a cross by French left back Benjamin Mendy.
With only two minutes to go before the first-half stoppage time, Huddersfield's lone goal was scored by Slovenian defender Jon Stankovic.
Man City's Spanish attacking midfielder David Silva then made his side's fourth goal on a nicely-executed, long-range free kick just three minutes into the second half, ending any hopes of a comeback Stankovic may have sparked before the intermission.
After squandering a few scoring chances, Aguero sealed his ninth Premier League hat-trick on a close-range touch to make it 5-1 in the 75th minute.
It was Huddersfield defender Terence Kongolo who capped off the away rout with an own goal in the 83rd minute.
--IANS
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