MANCHESTER: Sergio Aguero scored a hat trick, with one of the goals set up by his own goalkeeper, as Manchester City turned on the style in a 6-1 thrashing of Huddersfield to claim top spot in the Premier League on Sunday.
High up on the highlight reel in the latest exhibition by City was a 70-meter pass from goalkeeper Ederson Moraes from his own penalty area that found Aguero running behind Huddersfield’s high line.
Aguero cut inside and chipped Huddersfield’s stranded ‘keeper Ben Hamer, setting City on its way to its second straight win to open the season. With eight goals already, it’s an ominous start by the defending champions.
City’s other scorers were Gabriel Jesus, who started up front alongside Aguero in a 3-5-2 formation, and long-serving playmaker David Silva, who curled in a delightful free kick. A miserable afternoon at Etihad Stadium for Huddersfield was wrapped up by Terence Kongolo’s 84th-minute own-goal.
It was Aguero’s ninth Premier League hat trick, bettered only by Alan Shearer’s 11. City began their title defense by beating Arsenal 2-0 away last weekend, and Pep Guardiola’s men are already looking ominous as they seek to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since their cross-city rivals United managed three in a row between 2006 and 2009.
Guardiola’s side are top already having scored eight goals in two games, conceding just one. Huddersfield, meanwhile, drop to the bottom of the standings on goal difference.
Sergio Aguero’s hattrick puts Pep Guardiola’s slick City top of Premier League
Sergio Aguero’s hattrick puts Pep Guardiola’s slick City top of Premier League
Mahindra Racing target swift response at Mexico City E-Prix after mixed season opener in Sao Paulo
- The team showed improved pace in Brazil, with Edoardo Mortara and Nyck de Vries starting 3rd and 5th on the grid, but only the latter finished in the points
- ‘Sao Paulo was a tough start to the season but there were plenty of positives … ultimately it’s only one race, the season is long and we have plenty of opportunities ahead,’ says de Vries
LONDON: As Mahindra Racing targets an immediate response when the Formula E World Championship resumes in Mexico City this weekend, driver Nyck de Vries is confident the team can build on the positives from a difficult season opener in Sao Paulo last month.
The team showed improved pace in Brazil to become the only outfit to place both cars in the knockout Qualifying Duels, with de Vries and Edoardo Mortara starting the big race fifth and third on the grid respectively.
De Vries went on to finish ninth, picking up two points, but Mortara was forced to retire as a result of contact damage.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to racing this weekend in Mexico,” de Vries said. “Sao Paulo was a tough start to the season but there were plenty of positives for us to take away, and ultimately it’s only one race, the season is long and we have plenty of opportunities ahead of us.
“This event (in Mexico City) always brings out a fantastic crowd. You can really feel the energy from the grandstands in the Foro Sol and around the paddock, so I’m also looking forward to being back in that atmosphere.”
Mortara said team confidence remains high heading into round two of the season at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
“It’s always nice to have a little break over the festive period, so I’m feeling recharged and ready to get back to racing,” he said.
“As a team, it’s very important to keep Sao Paulo in perspective; it was a tough start but we have 16 more races ahead of us, starting with Mexico, and we know we have the car and the team to compete for strong results.
“Formula E is about having that little bit of luck, sometimes, so as long as we continue to work hard, develop and put ourselves in those positions, the results will come.”
Team principal Frederic Bertrand said the focus now is on execution after encouraging performance gains with the team’s new M12Electro car.
“It’s really important that we hit the ground running in Mexico City this weekend, and everybody is arriving recharged and refocused after a short winter break,” he said.
“In some ways we played our ‘joker’ in Sao Paulo, with a difficult weekend, but there are a lot of positives for us to take away.
“We know that we have made some steps forward in performance with the M12Electro, and are clearly stronger over one-lap pace but also race runs — our energy efficiency in Brazil was another step forward from last year — so all the ingredients are in place to be successful.
“If we can execute at the high level we now expect from ourselves, then there’s no reason why we can’t be in the challenge for the podium again this weekend.”
After the Shakedown session and first free practice on Friday afternoon, the Mexico City E-Prix will follow the established single-day format synonymous with Formula E, with the second free practice session, qualifying, and the big race itself all taking place on Saturday.
