The Premier League season has barely got underway but Sergio Aguero is already off the mark and leads the race for the EPL Golden Boot. With three goals in two league games and a hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League qualifier, the Argentine striker has put aside the summer’s Copa America disappointment and started the season with a bang.
As new manager Pep Guardiola makes sweeping changes to the club, it is a whole new experience for the 28-year-old striker. The Catalan boss has demanded that all his players work hard off the ball and Aguero is no different.
“It's not enough to receive the ball from his teammates,” Guardiola had said. “He has to help us in the first pressure and run a lot and help us a lot with movement. You cannot be brilliant when you disappear when you don’t have the ball.”
Aguero agrees. In an interview with Sky Sports, one of the Premier League’s most prolific goalscorers spoke about how Guardiola had changed the side’s tactics and his own role in the squad.
“Pep has changed our tactics and the style of play we've had over the last five years,” Aguero said. “For me, it has been a change because I'm the player who initiates pressing, so I'm working hard and getting used to it.
“Of course, you need to be very fit in order to do that,” he continued. “It's also fantastic because he always wants the team to be in possession, to press high and play on the front foot.
“That gives me more goalscoring opportunities and the team a better chance of winning. It's very demanding, but in a positive way, so we have to give it our all.”
Aguero now works hard off the ball if he can’t score
The results so far have been positive for City. They beat Sunderland and Stoke City 2-1 and 4-1 and also put away Steaua Bucuresti 5-0 in the first leg on their way to qualifying for the group stages. Aguero scored a total of six goals in these three games, although he did miss two penalties in the game against Bucuresti.
“I recently missed two penalties, but I did score three goals. I was still very sad, but I've kept working hard to improve my penalties and one-on-ones.
“I just think about giving it my all and making a strong start. If the goal comes, even better. If it doesn't, I try to help the team score early because I've seen during my time in the Premier League that it's always important to open the scoring as quickly as possible.”
