West Bromwich 0 Man City 4: Watch highlights – Sergio Aguero at the double as City flatten hapless Baggies

SERGIO AGUERO blasted Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League alongside Arsenal with a first half double at The Hawthorns.

The Argentinian maestro struck in the 19th and 28th minutes and, although West Bromwich rallied after the break, they couldn't do any real damage and Ilkay Gundogan also helped himself to a double.

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Aguero's first saw him dart into space to the left of Ben Foster's goal. With what seemed like effortless control, the striker fired a low finish into the net.

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His second was another fantastic strike. Jonas Olsson and Gareth McAuley had the chance to clear but fluffed their lines and Aguero set himself up for a glorious smash into the top corner from the edge of the box.
WBA did their best but top scorer Salomon Rondon messed up trying to turn in James McClean's low cut-back across goal.

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Ilkay Gundogan sealed a comprehensive victory in the 78th minute to set City up nicely for Tuesday's home Champions League date with Barcelona. He took advantage of a brilliant Aguero flick to slot home.

He then thanked sub Kevin de Bruyne who, with four players around him, supploid the pass for Gundogan's second goal.

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STATS, FACTS, GOALS & LOLS

• City last went six games without a win in 2008 - and one of those games was here - with the Baggies winning 2-1.
• You have to go back a further four years to 2004 to find the last time City had a winless run of seven matches - something Pep was keen to avoid.
• James McClean once again made a stand by not wearing a poppy on his Number 14 shirt - while the rest of his Baggies team-mates did. There was no minute's silence before the game.
• Aguero had not scored in his last eight appearances for club and country before yesterday - a huge drought by his standards.
• His two first half goals saw him leapfrog Franny Lee and go into sixth place in City list of all-time top scorers with 149.
• City have been behind in each of their previous six games so to get ahead and then put some daylight was a big relief for Guardiola.
• Wonderful gallows humour from the Baggies fans to sing 'We've got the ball' after watching their team chase it for most of the first half.
• And no wonder - as the clock ticked towards half-time the visitors had enjoyed 77% possession according to the statisticians - and it felt like it too.
• You can't blame City fans for feeling nervous even at 2-0 - it was eight games since their last clean sheet prior to this game.
• City's outstanding first half was without record signing Kevin de Bruyne - who sat on the bench until midway through the second half.
• Ilkay Gundogan's second half goal was signficant for the travelling City fans - as it edged them ahead of Arsenal on goal difference at the top of the table.

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THE BIG PICTURE

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SOCIAL SAYS

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

West Brom: Foster 5, Dawson, 5 Olsson5 (Leko, 51, 6), McAuley 7, Evans 6, Nyom 5,

Dream Team Star Man: Aguero 10

WHAT THEY SAID

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola: "Other than the first 45 against Southampton we’ve been a lot better than every team we’ve faced.

"We know it’s always tough in the Premier League but we never doubt the quality we have.

"When you have 10 wins in a row you have to stay calm but when you lose you have to analyse and find out why."

West Brom manager Tony Pulis said: "If we'd have scored a goal then it would have been a different game.

"What we have to do at Leicester is make sure we have a go."