SWANSEA CITY 1, MANCHESTER CITY 3
- Sergio Aguero returns from suspension and scores his 10th and 11th goals of the season in just six appearances.
- Fernando Llorente’s half volley between Aguero’s strikes levels it for Swansea
- Raheem Sterling puts away City’s third goal late on to secure victory
- Pep Guardiola wins a record equalling sixth successive Premier League win in a row at the start of the season
- Late hamstring injury to Kevin De Bruyne mars win
Pep Guardiola recorded his tenth successive victory in all competitions in charge of Manchester City after beating Swansea for the second time in four days at the Liberty Stadium.
Although City had gone with a stronger line-up following their midweek victory in the EFL Cup against the Swans they found their hosts a tougher proposition second time around.
Guardiola made just three changes from his Bournemouth league line-up from last week, with Sergio Aguero, David Silva and John Stones coming in for Kelechi Iheanacho, Nolito, and Gael Clichy.
City found it difficult to build up fluidity against thanks to some tactical adjustments made by Swansea boss Francesco Guidolin aimed at disrupting City’s build-up from the back.
Aguero had earlier returned from a three match ban to put City into the lead after just eight minutes after turning in the box and threading a precision strike through Lucasz Fabianski’s legs after a cross by Bacary Sagna.
If City thought the flood gates were about to open they were mistaken as Swansea found themselves level less than five minutes later when Fernando Llorente netted his first goal for the Swans with a half volley after he had an early effort saved by Claudio Bravo.
City struggled to make a breakthrough, with the best chance falling to Kevin De Bruyne who almost put City back into the lead before the break but missed the target.
City improved greatly after the second half and pushed hard for a winning combination.
De Bruyne was elbowed in the box by Mike van der Hoorn to win City a penalty in the second half, and Aguero stepped up and wrong-footed Fabianski and sent his spot kick straight down the middle to put City back into the lead in the 65th minute.
David Silva deflected shot tested the keeper while Fernandinho’s header went wide before Raheem Sterling made sure of all three points with a late solo effort 13 minutes from time after a quick break saw the England winger go for goal after collecting the ball from De Bruyne despite Sergio Aguero waiting for a square ball to secure his hat trick.
City’s performance was marred by a possible hamstring injury to De Bruyne late on but it didn’t detract from a record-equalling breaking sixth Premier League win in a row for Guardiola.
And Carlo Ancelotti, the first manager to win his first six straight league games with Chelsea in the 2009/2010 season, won the title that year.