SSC NAPOLI 2, MANCHESTER CITY 4
Sergio Aguero finally clinched his 178th goal for Manchester City to become their all-time top goal scorer in a pulsating game at Napoli which City won 4-2.
And it was a very City way to do things as they came from behind at the Stadio San Paolo with City’s legendary Argentine striker burying a classic goal to put City into a 3-2 lead against the Italian league leaders who had only dropped points in Serie A this season in a dull 0-0 draw at home to Inter Milan.
Aguero smashed Eric Brook’s long standing record in the space of just 264 games for the Blues, and has already hit nine goals in eleven games this term but his performance was matched by Leroy Sane, who provided two assists, and Raheem Sterling, who hit the fourth on the night to earn his tenth goal of the season.
The result meant that Manchester City qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League with their fourth win out of four group games and club records tumbled as City won their 14th consecutive game in all competitions.
City boss Pep Guardiola went to Naples with four changes from the City side that beat West Brom last weekend, with Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Gabriel Jesus stepping down to the bench to be replaced by Danilo, Ilkay Gundogan, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero.
Napoli once again showed just why they are a top side, giving City no end of trouble in the first period and it was no surprise when they took the lead through Lorenzo Insigne after Dries Mertens returned his pass with a deft flick and the Italian forward finished past the advancing Ederson.
As with the game at the Etihad, it all changed when the Italians lost a crucial player and this time Faouzi Ghoulam was withdrawn with an injury in the 31st minute and City’s defenders showed just how in-form they are by capitalising on set pieces to put themselves back into the game.
City find extra attacking dimension through set piece threat
Nicolas Otamendi headed City back on terms just three minutes later when Kevin De Bruyne’s short corner routine with Ilkay Gundogan resulted in the German’s cross being converted by City’s towering defender for his third goal of the season.
Napoli were under pressure from dead ball situations and Otamendi and his defensive partner John Stones missed out on putting City into the lead with an effort by the England man onto the woodwork towards the end of the first period before City finally did put themselves into the lead after Leroy Sane’s delivery was converted by Stones in the 48th minute.
Stones’ header clipped the underside of the crossbar this time and bounced on the correct side of the line – with technology confirming the goal – his third of the season after his double against Feyenoord earlier in the season.
City could not afford to sit on their laurels though, as both sides continued to attack each other. Insigne hit the bar with a golden chance to level before Napoli actually did equalise through a penalty when Raul Albiol was tripped by Sane with the resulting spot kick converted by Jorginho who sent Ederson the wrong way.
City themselves could have a penalty when Sterling’s shot struck Elseid Hysaj’s arm, while Jose Callejon got the better of Fabian Delph but was denied by a brilliant save by Ederson to parry his rising drive from ten yards out – a chance which would have handed Napoli a 3-2 lead on the night.
Instead, it was City who broke the deadlock with a breathtaking counter attack that saw Sane gallop deep into the Napoli half skipping one challenge before being felled by a tackle by Hysaj but the loose ball broke to Aguero.
The Argentine had watched a deflected first half chance roll wide in the first period, but he took the ball inside the Napoli box before curling it past Pepe Reina from 15 yards out in the 69th minute to make history.
Cue celebrations, then, but Sterling had the last word in the 92nd minute when De Bruyne, who had endured a frustrating night personally, found the England man who capped an impressive night with City’s fourth goal drilled low past Reina.
A win against Feyenoord on Tuesday, November 21, will ensure that City finish top of Group F and will allow Guardiola the luxury of playing a weakened team at Shakhtar Donetsk in December ahead of the Manchester derby.