Pep Guardiola’s men were at their devastating best on Saturday afternoon at the Etihad Stadium where the Citizens put the Hornets to the sword with a first half display the Premier League had never seen.
Goals from David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez, Nicolas Otamendi, Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva (treble), helped Manchester City hand a 8-0 battering to Watford to condemn the visitors to the worst defeat suffered by any team in the league this season.
Five of City’s goals arrived in the first twenty minutes of the first half as Quique Sanchez’s men could not handle the red hot champions.
According to Opta, the five goals scored by the hosts after just 18 minutes is the fastest any side has ever gone 5-0 ahead in a Premier League match in the competition’s history.
5 – Manchester City's five goals after just 18 minutes is the fastest any side has ever gone 5-0 ahead in a @premierleague match in the competition's history. Ridiculous.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 21, 2019
In a repeat of last season’s FA Cup final, City crushed Watford to cut the gap with league leaders Liverpool to just two points, ahead of the Reds meeting with Chelsea later on Sunday at the Stamford Bridge.
David Silva put City ahead with a close-range finish within the first minute of kickoff, the fastest goal scored in the Premier League this season.
52 – David Silva's opener versus Watford after 52 seconds is the fastest goal scored in the Premier League this season. Lightning. pic.twitter.com/sNb3OPKOU9
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 21, 2019
Sergio Aguero then doubled the home team’s advantage from the penalty spot, a goal that elevated the Argentine into the elite class of just three players in the competition’s history to net more that 100 goals at a single venue.
100 – Sergio Aguero has scored his 100th Premier League goal at the Etihad – he is one of just three players in the competition's history to net 100+ goals at a single venue, alongside Thierry Henry at Highbury (114) and Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford (101). Milestone. pic.twitter.com/1CaVQqMNzd
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 21, 2019
Riyad Mahrez saw his free-kick deflected past Ben Foster by Tom Cleverley after the keeper had fouled the winger to make it three.
Shortly after, the fourth goal arrived as Bernardo Silva was afforded the freedom of the penalty area to nod home from six yards.
With only just 18 minutes on the clock, it soon became five when Nicolas Otamendi slid home to score at the back post, to nail a performance of the highest quality.
But the Citizens were not done just yet and shortly after the restart, Bernardo Silva netted another goal to secure his first ever Premier League brace.
2 – Bernardo Silva has scored his first ever Premier League brace, also netting in back to back home Premier League games for the first time in his City career. Flourishing. pic.twitter.com/j1PigEjSa8
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 21, 2019
On the hour mark, the scoreline changed to read 7-0 with Bernardo Silva at it again: the Portuguese took one touch to control a dangerous low ball sent in by De Bruyne, before slotting his effort past Foster.
That third Bernardo goal was his first ever top-flight hat-trick in what is his 178th appearance across the English, French and Portuguese top tiers.
Five minutes to time, Kevin de Bruyne then scored the goal his performance merited off a Riyad Mahrez assist to complete a record breaking day for City and a horrible day to be a Hornets fan.
