Manchester City vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
Etihad StadiumAttendance54,270.
Sunday 24 December 2017 06:55, UK
Sergio Aguero scored his 100th and 101st goals at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City extended their Premier League winning streak to 17 games with a 4-0 thrashing of Bournemouth.
City’s record scorer was left unmarked to head in Fernandinho’s clipped cross on 27 minutes and nodded home their 100th goal of 2017 with 10 minutes to play, after Raheem Sterling had slotted in a second eight minutes into the second half.
There was still time for substitute Danilo to drill in a fourth with five minutes remaining as City made their total dominance count and moved 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League table, ahead of Manchester United's Saturday night clash with Leicester, live on Sky Sports.
It was a second 4-0 loss in a row for Bournemouth after their defeat at home to Liverpool last weekend and the Cherries, who have now shipped 13 goals in their three Premier League trips to Manchester City, slipped into the bottom three.
The injury-hit visitors lost Junior Stanislas with a muscle problem just 12 minutes in, after the forward had fired wide, but were able to restrict a dominant City side to an Aguero shot over the bar and a high header from Fernandinho until Nicolas Otamendi finally had the hosts' first effort on target on 25 minutes.
Aguero broke the deadlock moments later, though, nodding in after Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic had handed City an early Christmas present with his mis-placed pass.
While the hosts continued to probe, they were unable to add a second in the first half and Bournemouth finished the opening 45 strongly, with Callum Wilson and Jordon Ibe seeing shots blocked.
But City reasserted their dominance after the break and when Aguero flicked David Silva's pass through the Bournemouth backline, Sterling raced through to apply the finish from close range for his 12th goal of the season.
Aguero made it three on 79 minutes when he headed home an excellent cross from sub Bernardo Silva and Bournemouth - who had looked to be more adventurous in the final 15 minutes - were exposed again when Sterling, running at the retreating defence, fed Danilo in the left channel and the full-back fired in a low shot.
Manchester City ace Sergio Aguero is in good form, with his double here making it four goals in four games and 12 in the Premier League this season. But his well-taken headers highlighted his all-round ability in front of goal and brought up a special landmark for the Etihad Stadium hero: his 100th and 101st goals on the ground in all competitions.
Pep Guardiola, Man City: "It was so tough because they played five at the back and 10 players behind, with just [Callum] Wilson in front, marking Fernandinho, so the spaces were almost impossible to find. We were lucky to score the first goal and after the second we controlled, we played with more calm. And then in the last 20 minutes they played, they pushed up and after that we played really well again."
Eddie Howe, Bournemouth: "It was a huge task for us today, not just the team we were facing but also the injuries we've got. We were ok in the game until we conceded the first goal, which was our own doing, which is hugely frustrating with the game plan we had. From then on it is difficult. The second goal is the killer for us. We still had a go to try to chase it and the opened ourselves up to concede a couple more."
"It's incredible how City can just pick teams apart almost at will. They went up a gear when they needed a goal, then they had a bit of a quiet spell, and then they thought 'we'll get another goal here'. It was just incredible.
"Two brilliantly taken headed goals for Aguero, one a diving header and the second one David Silva put on an absolute plate for him. But Bournemouth had a decent little spell for five or ten minutes in the first half when they had some good possession."
Man City travel to Newcastle on Wednesday, before heading to Crystal Palace on New Year's Eve, while Bournemouth host West Ham on Boxing Day before Everton visit next Saturday.
