- Aguero has 12 in last 10 PL games
- City unbeaten in 7
- Sunderland stay 19th
Manchester City beat Sunderland 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday with Sergio Aguero’s first half strike the difference.
Aguero pounced to net his 12th goal in his last 10 Premier League games and Manuel Pellegrini — who announced on Monday he would leave at the end of the season and Pep Guardiola will arrive this summer — got a win from his side. But it was hardly convincing as Sunderland deserved more.
Lamine Kone headed wide, Billy Jones hit the post and Nicolas Otamendi cleared off the line late on as City held on to win and move up to second on 47 points while Sunderland stay in 19th on 19 points.
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It was an even encounter in the early stages as a new-look Black Cats side predictably started brightly but Aguero looked razor-sharp.
First the Argentine flashed a shot just wide of Vito Mannone‘s left-hand post and moments later he took one touch and finished cutely with the outside of his right foot to put City 1-0 up. Outgoing boss Pellegrini punched the air as the away side led.
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Aguero and Kelechi Iheanacho continued to be a thorn in Sunderland’s side as the former’s deflected effort lopped onto the top of the net and then Sunderland had two glorious chances to equalize before the break.
First Jeremain Lens‘ free kick from the left found new-boy Kone completely unmarked but he somehow sent his header wide with the goal gaping and the marking non-existent. What a chance.
Then Jermain Defoe was denied by Joe Hart and Billy Jones hit the post with the follow up. Somehow half time arrived with City still 1-0 to the good.
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City pressed at the start of the second half as they went in search of the second goal but Sunderland went close through Defoe and Jones, with Hart denying the latter.
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In the end City would hold on — Otamendi cleared off the line in stoppage time — for the win as they secured a rare clean sheet on the road but they have Aguero’s predatory instincts to thank for the three points which pushed them up to second.
