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Reuters

Sport

Peter Hall

Man City smash eight past Watford, VAR drama in Spurs defeat

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Watford - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 21, 2019 Manchester City's Bernardo Silva holds the matchball as he celebrates scoring a hat-trick after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City responded to last weekend's first Premier League defeat since January with an emphatic 8-0 hammering of Watford, while Tottenham Hotspur were on the wrong end of a tight VAR call in a 2-1 loss at Leicester City on Saturday.

With league leaders Liverpool not in action until their Sunday trip to Chelsea, City were looking to close the gap to two points.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Watford - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 21, 2019 Manchester City's Sergio Aguero scores their second goal from the penalty spot Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

It took City less than a minute to prove the defeat against Norwich City was a minor setback as David Silva opened the floodgates with a well-worked opener. Further goals from Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and Nicolas Otamendi gave City a 5-0 lead in under 18 minutes -- the fastest a team has scored five times in Premier League history.

City had Manchester United's Premier League record victory margin -- a 9-0 win over Ipswich Town in 1995 -- in their sights but fell short by one goal.

Bernardo Silva completed his first top flight hat-trick to make it 7-0 before Kevin De Bruyne's brilliant strike completed the rout.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Watford - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 21, 2019 Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring their eighth goal with teammates David Silva and Riyad Mahrez Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

"The same feeling I have now I had after Norwich so it was not a bad performance," City manager Pep Guardiola said. "We can lose the games but the important thing is the approach and how we react.

"What I like the most is normally when it's 5-0 at half time the second half is not serious, it's boring but we did the opposite and we were more aggressive and made a very good second half."

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Watford - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 21, 2019 Watford's Jose Holebas looks dejected after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

VAR FRUSTRATION FOR SPURS

The Video Assistant Referee disallowed two goals in a Premier League match for the first time as Tottenham slipped to a second defeat of the season after Leicester came from behind to secure the 2-1 win at the King Power Stadium.

Wilfred Ndidi thought he had given Leicester the lead when he bundled the ball into the net only for VAR to rule out the effort for offside.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - September 21, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane reacts after conceding their second goal scored by Leicester City's James Maddison REUTERS/David Klein

However, there was no question over Harry Kane's 29th minute strike as he fired past Kasper Schmeichel to give Spurs the lead.

Serge Aurier thought he had doubled the visitors’ advantage but VAR, to the delight of the home fans, ruled that Son Heung-min was offside during the build-up. Replays showed the call was marginal.

“If we scored the second, the game is over,” Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said. “It gives belief to a team that could have been dead."

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Watford - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 21, 2019 Watford's Gerard Deulofeu in action with Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi REUTERS/Phil Noble

The reprieve did shift the momentum in the home side's favour, as Ricardo Pereira converted Jamie Vardy's cross to equalise three minutes later, before James Maddison fired in an unstoppable winner five minutes from time.

"It’s what happens with VAR, you have to get your head round it,” Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said. “It works for you and against you. Worked both ways for us today.”

Elsewhere, the pressure was mounting on manager Marco Silva after Everton slipped to a third defeat in four league games after newly-promoted Sheffield United came away from Goodison Park with a 2-0 victory.