Manchester City run away from Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester City's Jesus Navas scored in the first minute of action and then it did not get much better for Tottenham Hotspur as Navas and Sergio Aguero finished with two goals apiece in City's 6-0 win.

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, centre, scored multiple goals to lift his team past Tottenham in grand fashion on Sunday. Andrew Yates / AFP
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Manchester City 6 Tottenham 0

Manchester City: Navas 01', 90+2', Sandro og 34', Aguero 41', 50', Negredo 55'

Man of the match: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Manchester // If it was supposed to be the irresistible force against the immovable object, only half of the billing proved true.

And yet, as one team flourished and the other floundered, it made for compelling, captivating viewing.

Manchester City were magnificent, a team who ally artistry and efficiency in their high-speed pursuit of goals.

Yet Tottenham were terrible, their supposedly frugal defence, breached only six times all season, conceding another six goals in the space of 90 minutes.

“Extremely embarrassing,” said manager Andre Villas-Boas after his side were blown away in another demolition job at Etihad Stadium.

Not since 1996 have Spurs conceded more. Not since November 3 have City scored more.

Because, extraordinary as it sounds, Manuel Pellegrini’s team have now struck 18 times in their last three home games.

The first goal was gifted, the second an own goal, yet this was another tale of City destroying their visitors.

“It is not normal to win by six goals against a strong team like Tottenham,” said Pellegrini, yet routs have become a regular sight at a ground where they have a 100 per cent record in domestic football this season.

This is a rare case of a team where – at home, anyway – all the premier players appear at the peak of their powers.

Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo were outstanding while Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure maintained their recent excellence. With Jesus Navas also producing the finest display of his City career, Tottenham were overwhelmed by opponents with too much skill and speed.

It was appropriate that perhaps City’s fastest player struck so quickly. Tottenham arrived in Manchester having only conceded once on the road all season.

That tally was doubled because of the joint quickest goal of the season. “Our gameplan finished in 15 seconds,” Villas-Boas said.

Hugo Lloris fluffed his lines, kicking straight to Sergio Aguero and, if the Frenchman seemed to have made amends by palming the Argentine’s shot away, he was beaten in sumptuous style by Jesus Navas. The Spaniard chipped him from an acute angle with expert precision. He completed the scoring, too, drilling an added-time shot past Lloris.

In between, the forwards were the destroyers in chief. While Lloris parried when Aguero attempted to lob him, the rebound fell for Negredo.

As the Spanish striker swivelled to volley, two Tottenham players retreated to their own line. It proved one too many: while Younes Kaboul blocked Negredo’s shot, it rebounded on to the unknowing Sandro and in.

After an accidental finish came one of inch-perfect precision.

As Navas’ low cross headed for him, Aguero angled his left foot in such a way to slide his shot into the far corner of the goal. His second brought up City’s half-century for the season. Yaya Toure broke clear and, in a situation where others would have shot, squared the ball for the striker to enjoy the simplest of finishes.

Nasri almost provided a fifth goal, clipping the bar with a delectable chip. Negredo did, spinning and beating Lloris from 20 yards with enviable expertise, before Navas completed the scoring. “It is very, very hard to find explanations,” Villas-Boas said. “We have to be ashamed of the result.”

It was, he said, his worst defeat ever and Tottenham’s heaviest for 17 years. It was a day when their fortunes were summed up by the unfortunate Sandro, who got booked, threw up on the pitch and inadvertently scored an own goal. “Everything went wrong for us to being one of the best defences in the country to suffering six goals,” said Villas-Boas.

Everything went right for City, too. “We played really well,” said Pellegrini. In a cast list of several stars, one topped the bill. “I think Kun, after [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo, is in the top three players in the world,” added the City manager.

Competing claims abound, from Franck Ribery to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Aguero is the in-form forward in England. He has 14 goals in 11 games and City can’t stop scoring.

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