Sergio Agüero show as Man City ease past Tottenham

Manchester City 4 Tottenham 1

A virtuoso performance from Sergio Agüero earned Manchester City a 4-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday, the Argentine scoring all his side's goals in an incident-packed clash at The Etihad.

For long periods of the game Tottenham worried the champions, but Agüero, described as a footballing Mozart the previous day by Tottenham's coach Mauricio Pochettino, was the difference.

He opened the scoring after 13 minutes with an angled drive past Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris before Christian Eriksen equalised almost immediately.

Agüero restored City's lead after 20 minutes, stroking home a penalty after Erik Lamela had been adjudged to have bundled over City's veteran midfielder Frank Lampard.

It was Agüero's 59th league goal for City, taking him past compatriot Carlos Tevez as the club's record scorer in the Premier League. A 60th beckoned shortly afterwards when Younes Kaboul's rash challenge on David Silva resulted in another spot kick but this time Agüero's strike was blocked by Lloris's leg and he volleyed the rebound over the bar.

Roberto Soldado wasted a second-half penalty for Spurs and it proved costly for his side as Agüero completed his hat-trick with the day's fourth spot kick after Fabrizio Fabio was red-carded for tugging back the rampant Argentine.

Agüero then slotted home his fourth of the day to kill of the visitors, who have now conceded 15 goals in their last three league games against City. City's win moved them two points behind leaders Chelsea.