MAN CITY 4, AFC BOURNEMOUTH 0
It is a measure of table-topping Manchester City’s supremacy in the Premier League that they beat AFC Bournemouth with ease, despite playing nowhere near their best.
Yet it was another day of records as City became the first team in the Premier League era to score 100 goals in a calendar year as they moved 14 points clear of second-placed United.
City also made it 17 straight Premier League wins in a row to match Inter Milan who had the second best record in Europe’s top five leagues.
Sergio Aguero also scored his 100th goal for City at the Etihad.
And City manager Pep Guardiola praised the striker and played down reports that he was unhappy after he appeared angry at being substituted against Tottenham.
He said: “I was a player so can understand why players are sad at being substituted.
“I respect Sergio a lot for what he has done and what he will do in the future. He is a legend and I am so happy to have him here with Gabriel (Jesus).”
Guardiola added he can see why players are upset adding Danilo, Bernardo Silva and Eliaquim Mangala all deserve to be playing more than they are doing at the moment.
“The most important thing and our secret is they have an amazing relationship with the staff and between themselves in the locker room. It is a dream to train them every day,” he said.
Guardiola admitted there are “doubts” after playing lots of games and ensuring the players are mentally read to do it again and again.
City’s manager added it was not easy against Bournemouth, as it was against Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Ham who played 4-5-1 with no space between the lines, something that made the emphatic win even more commendable.
Early blow for Bournemouth as Junior Stanislas has to go off but Man City improved as the game wore on
It was all change as Guardiola made 11 alterations to the starting line up from the midweek win at Leicester City in the Caraboa Cup.
The Cherries had the first strike at goal as Junior Stanislas fired narrowly wide following a cross from the right.
Stanislas appeared to strain a hamstring shooting at goal and was replaced in the 12th minute by Marc Pugh.
It took lacklustre City 20 minutes before creating their first chance, but Aguero fired well over. And that was quickly followed by Fernandinho heading over from a corner.
Asmir Begovic pulled off his first save of the game in the 26th minutes, a spectacular stop to beat away a 35-yard drive from Nicolas Otamendi.
The deadlock was broken one minute later following a move that started with a poor clearance from Besovic.
Fernandinho’s cross was met by Aguero whose diving header found the net from eight yards, his 100th goal at the Etihad.
A stray back pass from Kyle Walker let in Jordan Ibe, but keeper Ederson Moraes dashed from his line to block Jordan Ibe on the edge of the box as he charged through on goal.
After a flat start to the second period, City added a second goal in the 53rd minute as Aguero provided the assist.
His flick over the defence from a David Silva pass released Sterling who slotted home a low shot for his 15th goal of the season and seventh in five games against the Cherries.
City made their first change mid-half when Leroy Sane made way for Bernardo Silva and that was soon followed by Kevin De Bruyne being replaced by Ilkay Gundogan.
Aguero made it 3-0 with 11 minutes left when he headed home Bernardo Silva’s right-wing cross from seven yards, his 15th of the season and City’s 100th Premier League goal of the calendar year.
City added a fourth goal after 85 minutes when Danilo, who had only been on the field four minutes, made an overlap from left back and ran into Sterling’s pass to drive home a low shot from 10 yards, the first time the Brazilian had found the net for the Blues.
It was also significant at the final whistle to see the visiting players lying on the pitch exhausted as they had spent 90 minutes chasing City who had 78-per-cent possession and the Cherries were left chasing shadows for much of the afternoon.