Sergio Aguero scored a brilliant Premier League hat-trick
in a 3-0 win over Wigan to overshadow completely the
return of his compatriot Carlos Tevez to the Manchester
City starting line-up.
Aguero was almost unplayable as he vied for the man-of-the-match
honours with equally impressive David Silva.
As for Tevez, his less-than-rapturous welcome from
the City faithful was compounded by a feeble penalty
miss.
This was a steamrollering for Wigan as City made light
of the upheaval caused by the departure of chief executive
Garry Cook yesterday.
City manager Roberto Mancini could even afford to be
leave out Edin Dzeko, scorer of four goals in their
last match, and keep him fresh for the club's debut
in Champions League against Napoli on Wednesday.
City demonstrated their threat in the opening minutes
when Adam Johnson brought down the ball nicely but produced
a shot only a golfer would have been proud of, lofted
over the bar.
Silva brought a comfortable save out of Ali Al Habsi,
before Joleon Lescott headed over from a couple of yards
out.
The writing already looked to be on the wall for Wigan,
and so it proved as Aguero fired home in the 13th minute.
Tevez was involved, scampering down the left before
cutting the ball inside to Silva. His feint wrong-footed
Wigan and he fed Aguero, on the right of the area, who
shot through Figueroa's legs into the far corner.
If it seemed ominous for Wigan, they were nearly back
in the game when Figueroa's ball over the defence caught
Vincent Kompany sleeping and Franco Di Santo poked the
ball past Joe Hart, but wide of the post too.
Tevez hardly endeared himself to the City fans further
by having a weak penalty saved.
Silva won the spot-kick, felled by a crazy lunge from
Adrian Lopez, and though Aguero appeared to keen to
take it, Tevez insisted.
Aguero continued to impress, bending a shot from the
left just past the top corner, then Johnson blasted
a couple of yards high from 25 yards out.
Micah Richards hit the underside of the crossbar after
a lovely Tevez through-ball - the assistant referee
correctly judging the ball did not bounce over the line
- before some more Aguero magic saw the Argentinian
go inches wide again.
City fans could hardly believe their side were not
two up when first Lescott headed against the upright
and then Yaya Toure rifled the rebound narrowly passed
the other post.
Wigan had had little to shout about and when Victor
Moses did get his head to a free-kick he was unable
to find the target.
With half-time looming, Hart demonstrated his importance
to City with a one-on-one block to deny Di Santo after
a deflected shot landed at his feet.
City began the second half in much the same fashion
- chances galore without the finishing touch.
Such wastefulness seemed to be inviting Wigan to respond,
and they came agonisingly close to doing so when the
impressive Moses fed Hugo Rodallega and he teed himself
for a fierce drive that Hart managed to keep out by
a combination of his hand and leg.
That sparked the end of Tevez's afternoon, replaced
by Samir Nasri, and almost immediately City made the
game safe.
Nasri was involved as well, nudging a backheel from
Silva into Aguero's path and his perfectly-placed curling
shot ended up nestling low in the corner of the net.
Aguero's hat-trick arrived in the 69th minute, courtesy
of more outstanding play from Silva who spun off his
markers and delivered a gorgeous through-ball. Aguero
just needed to keep his cool, and he did so with aplomb,
rolling the ball easily past Al Habsi.
With the game wrapped up Mancini sent on Mario Balotelli
for his hat-trick hero, who departed to a deafening
standing ovation.
Johnson should have made it 4-0 but shot too close
to the keeper, and then curled wide when handed another
chance.
There may be no Cook at City any more - but this was
still a feast.
|
