EPL: Sergio Aguero equals hat-trick record as Manchester City humiliate Chelsea

Manchester City has returned to the top of the English Premier League standings, destroying Chelsea 6-0 at Etihad Stadium.

On Monday (NZ time), City striker Sergio Aguero struck his second hat-trick in a week to help the defending champions overtake Liverpool in the title race.

City and Liverpool are both on 65 points, with Manchester having the better goal difference, although they have played one more game than their rivals.   

Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who beat Leicester City 3-1 earlier, are five points behind.   

Aguero, who scored a hat-trick seven days ago against Arsenal, has now equalled Alan Shearer's record of 11 Premier League hat-tricks.   

Forward Raheem Sterling fired City ahead in the fourth minute with a side-foot finish, after a quick free-kick from Kevin De Bruyne had caught the Chelsea defence napping.   

Chelsea's Eden Hazzard.
Chelsea's Eden Hazzard. Photo credit: Reuters

After Aguero had somehow missed an open goal from two metres, the Argentine promptly beat goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with a blistering strike from 25 metres.   

A poor header towards his own goal from Chelsea's Ross Barkley gifted Aguero with City's third goal and then a low drive from Ilkay Gundogan made it 4-0 after 25 minutes.   

Following the break, Aguero, who also became City's top scorer in league games, headed against the bar, but completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, when Sterling was brought down by Cesar Azpilicueta.   

Sterling completed the rout, turning in a low cross from Oleksandr Zinchenko in the 80th minute. The defeat was Chelsea's worst since their 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in 1991.

Earlier, Davinson Sanchez, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-min scored goals for Tottenham in their win over Leicester City.

Reuters