Aguero stars as City beats Arsenal
Hat-trick hero Sergio Aguero was quick off the mark again as Manchester City closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to two points with a 3-1 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola's side had faced the prospect of falling seven points behind Liverpool after its shock 2-1 loss at Newcastle United, but the league leader could only manage a home draw with Leicester City the following day.
With Jurgen Klopp's charges not in action again until Tuesday's (AEDT) trip to West Ham, City got to within touching distance of the summit as Aguero broke the deadlock after just 46 seconds.
Laurent Koscielny's leveller against the run of play reminded City of its opponent's quality, but unlike at St James' Park – when Aguero's goal after just 24 seconds came in a losing effort – the reigning champions bounced back to wrap up the points.
Aguero took the match ball with two close-range finishes, the latter having hit his arm, to ramp up the pressure on the Merseysiders and keep Arsenal in sixth, three points adrift of the Champions League spots.
City started the match in third spot after Tottenham's victory over Newcastle but had won its last four home games with an aggregate score of 24-0, and another three points seemed inevitable after Aguero's early stooping header from Aymeric Laporte's cross.
Indeed ,Guardiola, who has never lost a match to Arsenal boss Unai Emery in all competitions, saw his side make a barnstorming start and Aguero had a penalty appeal waved away following contact from Shkodran Mustafi before Raheem Sterling stung the palms of Bernd Leno.
An offside flag cut short celebrations when Laporte nodded in Kevin De Bruyne's free-kick, but a seemingly beleaguered Gunners side hit back when Nacho Monreal flicked on Lucas Torreira's corner and Koscielny headed in.
Ederson had to be alert to clear from in front of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as he looked to get on the end of Alexandre Lacazette's throughball, with the visitor evidently growing into the contest.
Arsenal's hard work was undone a minute before the interval as Aguero tapped home from Sterling's low cross.
The host sought to put the game to bed in the second half and De Bruyne should have done better at the end of a swift counter-attack in which he had played a key role, but the Belgian's finish was tame.
It took until after the hour mark for City to end Arsenal's hopes, Aguero getting the scruffiest of goals after the ball struck his arm as he slid in when Leno failed to collect Sterling's cross.
A late Denis Suarez debut cameo did little to lift the Gunners' gloom and City will now watch Liverpool's trip to West Ham with interest.
