1 Goal, 2 Assists: How Sergio Aguero dismantled Norwich City

Manchester City racked up the biggest Premier League win of the 2013-14 season so far with a 7-0 thrashing of a woeful Norwich City on Saturday.

While there were several individual stand-outs for the victors, including Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri and David Silva, Sergio Aguero was perhaps the best all-round player for City and the forward who had the biggest impact on the rampant win.

The Argentina international was a big part of City’s relentless defend-by-attacking tactics and had the end product to go with his all-action, five-star showing.

Even inside the opening quarter of an hour, Aguero was already showing he was key to City’s gameplan by closing down Norwich’s defenders, dropping deep or into the channels to link up with the attacking midfielders on his team and help construct chances to take the early lead.

It was no surprise that when Manchester City did finally take the lead, just 16 minutes into the game, Aguero was heavily involved. In fact it was his shot, blocked at close quarters, which rebounded back off Bradley Johnson and looped over goalkeeper John Ruddy and into the net for 1-0.

That attempted effort from Aguero was his first shot of the game, but he went on to have a total of nine attempts—three times as many as anybody else during the match. Norwich’s rather desperate defending at times contributed to the chances he had, but it was also displayed in that five of his efforts were blocked at very close range.

Sergio Aguero Shots v Norwich

Aguero, in fact, only managed to get one of his shots on target.

That, of course, was his goal, netted in the 71st minute to put City 6-0 up. The game was well won by then, but Aguero deserved his eighth league goal of the season for the sheer volume of work he got through as well as his quality and threat in the final third.

Sergio Aguero Action Areas v Norwich

Striker he might be, but Aguero’s impact on the victory wasn’t limited to his shooting.

He made a total of four key passes in the game, more than any other player, as his link-up work and great off-the-ball movement left Norwich’s defenders chasing him all game long. A lay-off for David Silva provided Man City’s second goal of the day and Aguero’s first assist, while his dart to the byline to get on the end of Yaya Toure’s flicked pass resulted in a low cross for Alvaro Negredo’s goal.

A goal, two assists, more key passes than any other player and far more shots than anyone else; Aguero was indeed the fulcrum for City’s attack and on this form is a big contender for the Premier League top scorer award. City’s armoury of attacking options means competition for places is fierce at the Etihad, but Aguero is perhaps the one final-third player that Manuel Pellegrini simply cannot do without.

Sergio Aguero Key Passes v Norwich

So far this season, only City’s away form has stopped them matching Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table. Turn that around and they will very quickly be re-established as one of the favourites for the title. Aguero’s work-rate and non-stop movement will be important tactically in that regard, but as he showed against Norwich, it’s his instinctive capacity to make things happen in the box which eventually wins the points.