Sergio Aguero hat-trick blows Watford away as Pep Guardiola enjoys most emphatic win of Manchester City career

Sergio Aguero’s superb hat-trick was the centre-point of a blistering Manchester City performance at Vicarage Road as they swept to the top of the Premier League.

It was the sixth Premier League hat-trick of his career in what was also the most emphatic victory of Pep Guardiola’s reign at City.

Indeed, Guardiola must have sensed it would be a good day when he dismounted the City team bus, walked down the steps into Vicarage Road and was almost immediately met by Sir Elton John for a chat.

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The man who built Watford into the club it is today is highly knowledgeable about the game and while he will not have enjoyed the scoreline, he will surely have appreciated the style with which City cast aside his beloved Hornets.

If he was still standing at the final whistle, it was as much to acclaim the brilliance of Guardiola’s side as the efforts of Marco Silva’s men.

The early minutes were notable for the speed of City’s attacks. The fleetness of foot was provided by Kyle Walker, who charged forward at every opportunity down the right wing to force either corners or ricochets around the Watford area.

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The speed of thought meanwhile belonged to the triumvirate of Sergio Aguero, David Silva and the imperious Kevin de Bruyne.

Aguero nicked the ball away from the dallying Jose Holebas after eight minutes before de Bruyne jinked his way to the by-line. His cross found Benjamin Mendy who connected with more power than accuracy, the ball eventually skewing away from goal.

Two minutes later, De Bruyne combined with Silva for a one-two which flummoxed the Watford defenders before De Bruyne curled his shot wide.

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The Belgian was everywhere and central to every City move. In the 21^st minute he sent over a cross whose pace took the breath away and forced Watford full-back Daryl Janmaat into a brave clearing header which came at the cost of a forceful collision with Nicolas Otamendi.

For all City’s dominance, the game could have taken a different direction entirely had Richarlison not whipped a Jose Holebas fee-kick wastefully wide in the 25^th minute.

Two minutes later, Watford were punished and never recovered. De Bruyne’s ability to deliver balls into the area which invite his teammates to head them while deterring defenders from doing the same is uncanny.

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It was his deliciously curling free-kick which Aguero flicked on and into the corner of Heurelho Gomes’ net to head City in front.

Holebas was booked for a foul on de Bruyne which angered the City players and inspired them to clinch victory in the five minutes that followed.

Gabriel Jesus beat Janmaat on the left, slipped the ball into Silva who danced his way forward and then squared to give Aguero the simplest of tap-ins for his second goal.

Aguero then turned provider eight minutes before half-time to effectively end the game as a contest. Drifting across the edge of the area, he simply waited until Jesus had sprinted ahead of his marker and fed the ball into his path. Jesus gratefully swept the ball home.

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If the rest of the half passed quietly save for a Abdoulaye Doucoure trip on Raheem Sterling which earned him a booking, Watford were grateful for the respite.

They might even have staged an unlikely comeback had Andre Carrillo not volleyed inches wide three minutes into the second half.

All hope was lost just after the hour. Silva had just seen a rasping drive tipped over by Heurelho Gomes before he clipped a cross on to the head of Otamendi to power it home.

All that remained was for Aguero to seal his hat-trick with a clever shot across Gomes after picking his way past three defenders with a captivating run.

Aguero could even afford to over-ride his manager’s wishes and allow Raheem Sterling to convert the 89^th minute penalty that the England international had won when he was tripped by Adrian Mariappa.