Manchester City 6-1 Huddersfield Town: Sergio Aguero the star as Citizens thrash Terriers
Victory sees City go to the top of the Premier League while David Wagner's side are rooted at the bottom
Sergio Aguero's marvellous hat-trick helped Manchester City move back to the Premier League summit with a dominant 6-1 victory over a helpless Huddersfield side.
A wonderful David Silva free-kick, a Terence Kongolo own goal as well as Gabriel Jesus' strike completed the rout.
Meanwhile, Jon Stankovic's first-half strike ensured the Terriers had something to show for their efforts on what was a difficult afternoon for them.
The champions registered an impressive victory at Arsenal last time around but were dealt with the crushing news that star man Kevin De Bruyne would be out for approximately three months with a knee injury.
On the pitch, it was business as usual however, as Huddersfield simply couldn't cope against their far superior opponents.
City made a great start and could have taken the lead inside two minutes but Jesus shot straight at Ben Hamer when perhaps passing to strike partner Aguero was a better option.
On 25 minutes, the deadlock was broken, however. Some good thinking by Ederson saw the keeper play a quick long ball into Aguero's path. The Argentine had plenty of work to do, but he expertly chipped the ball above Hamer to set City on their way.
Manchester City fans go crazy about Ederson's assist for Aguero's opening goal
Aguero could have had another but hit the side netting from six yards out but Pep Guardiola's side did have their second soon when Gabriel Jesus latched onto a loose ball to fire a shot into the net after good work by Benjamin Mendy.
City's record scorer had his second of the game when Hamer spilled Mendy's cross from the left and Aguero was left with an easy tap-in.
Huddersfield pulled one back just before the break, however, after Stankovic finished Steve Mounie's flick-on in what was a well-worked throw in by the visitors.
The hosts picked up where they left off in the second-half and they soon had their fourth when Silva - who was making his 250th Premier League appearance for City - curled in a fantastic free-kick that Hamer had no chance with.
Aguero was determined to get his hat-trick and had two brilliant chances to get it when his long-range effort struck the post before blazing a powerful shot just wide.
Eventually, Aguero's hard work paid dividends when he flicked in another great cross from Mendy to put City 5-1 up.
City had time for one more goal when substitute Leroy Sane found himself through on goal. The German's shot was saved by Hamer but Kongolo could do nothing to get out of the way of the rebound as the ball trickled in.
STAR MAN
Who else was it going to be? Huddersfield just had no answers for Aguero this afternoon.
His second goal was because of a bad piece of keeping by Hamer but Aguero's other two were top quality strikes.
The first one was a brilliant chip even if the Huddersfield defending was rather suspect and the striker did well to adjust his body and direct Mendy's fast cross into the corner of the net.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
City were brilliant all afternoon and all the players had their moments.
But it was Silva's son Mateo, who stole the show when he was carried onto the pitch as a mascot before the start of the action.
Mateo was born prematurely in December and parts of Silva's 2017/18 season was spent at his son's bedside in hospital. It was a poignant moment and served as a great reminder that some things are more important than football.
LINE-UPS
Manchester City: Ederson, Stones, Kompany, Laporte, Fernandinho, Bernardo Silva, Gundogan (Foden 82), Silva (Mahrez 64), Mendy, Gabriel Jesus, Aguero (Sane 76)
Subs not used: Bravo, Walker, Sterling, Otamendi
Huddersfield Town: Hamer, Smith, Stankovic, Schindler, Kongolo, Lowe, Hadergjonaj, Pritchard (Diakhaby 61), Billing, Sabiri (Depoitre 45), Mounie (Sobhi 84)
Subs not used: Lossl van La Parra, Mbenza, Williams