Silva, Aguero power City to win over Bournemouth
David Silva marked his 400th Manchester City appearance with two assists and Sergio Aguero scored twice as the English Premier League champion won 3-1 at Bournemouth yesterday.
After Aguero opened the scoring in the 15th minute, Silva set up Raheem Sterling’s strike.
Harry Wilson briefly gave Bournemouth hope by reducing the deficit to 2-1 with a stunning 25-yard free-kick in first-half stoppage time.
But Silva laid off the ball for Aguero’s second in the 64th to make sure of the victory for City, which saw its 15-match winning run in the league ended by a draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
City manager Pep Guardiola hailed Silva as “one of the best players” he had ever seen.
City captain Silva was involved in all three goals and the 33-year-old’s assists underlined how much he will be missed when he leaves City at the end of the campaign.
Guardiola was quick to salute Silva’s masterclass. “He played incredibly well. David in this kind of game — with a defense so deep and with such few spaces — is so good,” Guardiola said. “He’s one of the best players I’ve ever seen.”
Sterling’s clinical strike took the City winger to six goals in four appearances this term and Guardiola praised the 24-year-old’s latest crucial contribution.
“We didn’t create so many chances today, but Raheem is still scoring goals, which is good for us,” he said.
City had to ride its luck at times as goalkeeper Ederson made several fines saves for the visitors before they wrapped up a win that took them to second place — two points behind leader Liverpool, which beat Arsenal, also 3-1, at Anfield on Saturday.
Mohamed Salah was just inside Arsenal’s half when he collected the ball, befuddled David Luiz with a nonchalant jink and homed in on goal from the right wing.
The Liverpool star made the finish look easy, too, whipping the ball into the bottom corner.
With one of the best goals so far this season, Salah capped Liverpool’s win over Arsenal in a one-sided game between the top two EPL teams.
Liverpool will be the only team to end the third round of games with a maximum nine points. The Reds appear well set for another tilt at an English top-flight title they haven’t won since 1990.
If only Manchester United was in such a strong position.
Liverpool’s arch rival got a reality check on Saturday with a 1-2 loss at home to Crystal Palace that exposed the deficiencies that still exist in the team.
United is no closer to solving its penalty woes, either, with Marcus Rashford reclaiming spot-kick duties after Paul Pogba’s miss against Wolverhampton Wanderers last Monday but also failing to score.
Worse was to come as United conceded a stoppage-time goal to lose for the first time this season and slip five points behind Liverpool.
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