EPL: Manchester City 4-0 Bournemouth
Sergio Aguero celebrates after opening the scoring
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
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.
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
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.