MANCHESTER: Sergio Aguero scored four goals in a game of four penalties as Manchester City recorded a memorable 4-1 win over 10-man Tottenham Hotspur at Eastlands durin the EPL match on Saturday.
Aguero’s impressive haul means the Argentina striker is now City’s top-scorer in the Premier League era, with 61 goals in 95 appearances.
He opened the scoring and, after the outstanding Christian Eriksen pulled Tottenham level, Aguero added the hosts’ second with a penalty.
Aguero had another first-half spot-kick saved by Hugo Lloris, but Joe Hart stopped Roberto Soldado’s penalty before Aguero converted is third attempt of the day after a foul from Federico Fazio that earned the Tottenham defender a red card.
Former Atletico Madrid star Aguero then added his fourth goal with 15 minutes left to secure a comfortable win as the reigning champions kept the pressure on leaders Chelsea.
City had threatened when David Silva wrongly chose to pass for an offside Aguero rather than shooting from a good position.
But they moved ahead after 13 minutes when Erik Lamela lost possession and Lampard fed Aguero for the striker to work the ball into space away from Younes Kaboul and bend a shot into the bottom corner.
Tottenham responded two minutes later when Mason stole the ball from Fernando in midfield and Soldado slid a pass through for Eriksen to thump a shot in off the bar.
In the 20th minute, City were given a penalty when Lamela shoved Lampard in the area and Aguero converted from the spot to restore the lead.
The hosts were given a second penalty when Kaboul clipped Silva as the Spaniard burst on to James Milner’s pass, but this time Aguero’s effort was blocked by Lloris and he volleyed over from the rebound.
Aguero passed up another opportunity when he latched on to a long clearance and then teased Kaboul to make room for a shot that he hit straight at Lloris.
Tottenham continued to look dangerous on the break and the impressive Eriksen had another powerful effort pushed away by Hart just before the interval.
Regardless of any controversy about the incident, the penalty was pushed away with a fine low stop by Hart.
Soldado was quickly given the chance to make up for his error but saw his powerful shot from Chadli’s cross saved by Hart’s legs.
Referee Jonathan Moss pointed to the spot for a fourth time when Aguero was shoved over by Fazio as he prepared to finish a Navas cross.
Aguero did not pass up the responsibility and found the corner with his spot-kick.
He got a fourth when he tore through on to another long ball and had the room to curl a low shot into the net in the 75th minute.
Meanwhile, Chelsea maintained their five-point advantage at the head of the Premier League after goals from Oscar and Cesc Fabregas secured a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday in a game where both sides were reduced to ten men.
Oscar’s sixth minute free-kick sent Chelsea on their way and Fabregas’s 51st-minute goal ensured they had a cushion to protect them from Palace’s late rally that was capped by a 90th-minute reply from Fraizer Campbell. (Agencies)
