Aguero bags treble as City beat Huddersfield

Sergio Aguero hit a hit-trick as Manchester City’s record-breaking forward inspired a 6-1 demolition of Huddersfield on Sunday. Pep Guardiola’s champions opened their home campaign with a pre-match display of ticker tape and exploding fireworks and Aguero continued the pyrotechnics on the field.

Aguero, who turned 30 in the close-season, has now scored 14 times in his last eight Premier League games at City’s Etihad Stadium. The Argentina star -- City’s all-time leading scorer -- joins former Liverpool forward Robbie Fowler on nine Premier League hat-tricks. Only ex-Newcastle and Blackburn star Alan Shearer has scored more in the competition’s history with 11. City’s rampant display underlined why they are such strong favourites to retain their title.

Such is City’s strength in depth, Guardiola was able to leave Kyle Walker, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling on the bench. And even though City learned this week that playmaker Kevin De Bruyne will be out for up to three months with a knee injury, the fact Guardiola was able to name substitutes which cost his club £230 million ($293 million) in transfer fees, was a sobering thought for their rivals