Jamie Jackson’s match report has landed, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company and emails. Bye!
City don’t play a title rival until they go to Anfield in October. By then they could/should have 21 points from seven games.
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Sergio Aguero speaks! “I’m very happy. I didn’t realise I was about to be substituted before I got the hat-trick. Mendy’s crossing is so good. I train hard and then the decision is the manager’s as to whether I play.”
A bit of post-match reading from Back Page Bazza
There’s one other match in the Premier League today: Brighton v Manchester United. Ben Fisher has all the team news. All of it.
In the other early kick-off, Watford have beaten Burnley 3-1 at Turf Moor to continue their impressive start to the season.
Full time: Manchester City 6-1 Huddersfield
Peep peep! City marmalised poor old Huddersfield, with Sergio Aguero scoring a hat-trick. He could have had six himself, with City creating an absurd number of chances throughout the match.
90+2 min City break four on three from a Huddersfield corner, only for Mahrez to selfishly shoot over the bar. He could have given a goal to Sane or Foden. You can understand why he wanted a goal himself.
90 min Three minutes.
89 min “I want to blame the Guardian for running that ‘Pep is thinking about dropping Aguero for Huddersfield’, which scared me into swapping him for Bernardo Silva in my Fantasy Premier League squad,” says Souradeep Sengupta. “If he was captain, I could have had 30 points or something. This is why I have trust issues.”
Any suggestions that I commissioned the Aguero story so that everyone else would drop him as captain are without foundation.
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88 min Hamer makes an excellent save from Bernardo Silva, who mishit Foden’s cross towards goal from eight yards.
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GOAL! Manchester City 6-1 Huddersfield (Kongolo own goal 85)
It’s six. Jesus finds Sane, who skins Schindler and bursts through on goal. His stabbed shot is blocked by Hamer but rebounds off Kongolo and into the net.
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84 min Ramadhan Sobhi replaces Mounie.
83 min It’ll be interesting to watch the development of Phil Foden this season, given England’s need for more midfield quality. I think Leicester’s James Maddison is a really interesting player as well, though I’m not sure where he’d fit in England’s current system.
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82 min The teenager Phil Foden replaces Ilkay Gundogan.
81 min “Ah, Fantasy Football regret,” says Matt Dony. “Although you never want to actually wish ill on a player, De Bruyne’s injury should be good news for Liverpool. And yet, all I can think is, ‘He cost me a fortune for my fantasy midfield!’ I hate Fantasy Football. Passionately.”
To coin a phrase, me too. I always swore I’d never become Fantasy Football Moron, and here I am. A moron.
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80 min Jesus misses a great chance, dragging a shot well wide after wriggling majestically into the area.
78 min A good volley from Billing is deflected behind by Kompany.
76 min Aguero walks off with a big smile on his face, to be replaced by Leroy Sane. It was Pep Guardiola’s decision, I should stress. Aguero didn’t just swagger off the field after completing his hat-trick.
GOAL! Manchester City 5-1 Huddersfield (Aguero 75)
Sergio Aguero gets his hat-trick with a lovely volley from a sensational cross by Bernard Mendy. He curled a fast, first-time ball towards the near post, where Aguero got in front of Kongolo and flicked a deft volley into the far corner. That’s a wonderful goal.
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72 min Kevin who?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
71 min Aguero shapes to pass to the overlapping Mahrez and instead drills a surprise low shot towards the near post that is palmed round by Hamer. That’s a really good save.
70 min Schindler is booked for deliberately taking out Jesus. He’s surrounded by City players, who want a red card. A yellow was the right decision.
69 min City’s Class of 87 can rest easy: I don’t think this is going to be 10-1. Neil McNab > David Silva.
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68 min It’s interesting that Leroy Sane hasn’t started either of City’s league games. Is he fully fit? Maybe it’s a hangover from his miserable summer, though it’s also the case that the presence of the marauding Mendy reduces the need for a left-footer on the left. Either way, YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE BLOODY PUT HIM IN MY FANTASY TEAM, SHOULD YOU ROBERT.
66 min Jim Brewer writes in with tomorrow’s headline: “Hamer Horror.”
65 min After a joyful performance, David Silva is replaced by Riyad Mahrez. He gets a standing ovation from the crowd, which includes his wife and son Mateo, who spent so long in hospital after being born prematurelylast year.
64 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Matt Loten. “I got today’s running order mixed up, and went to the local taproom for a lunchtime tipple, thinking that I was only missing out on a prosaic, flavourless offering from Mourinho. As delicious as the raspberry witbier and bacon and maple stout were, I’m slightly upset to find that I’ve sacrificed the chance to watch City turn in a hipster’s favourite of a performance, and will instead have to watch the other half of Manchester offer the footballing equivalent of a warm Tennent’s.”
A bacon and maple stout. Let’s just sit with that for a bit.
63 min David Silva karate kicks Kongolo in the thigh while trying to win a high ball. He probably should have been booked for that. Jonjo Shelvey would probably have been given a stretch in Scrubs.
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61 min A Huddersfield change: Adama Diakhaby replaces Alex Pritchard.
Mid-match reading
59 min Another great chance for Aguero! He played the ball into Jesus, stormed onto the instant return pass -and then slashed a half-volley wide from 17 yards. He knows he should have scored. But I’ll be telling him on Whatsapp later, just in case.
57 min Aguero almost gets his hat-trick, battering a superb low shot from 25 yards that beats Hamer and bounces off the inside of the post.
55 min “Admittedly I ask this with an eye on my fantasy team as much as on Huddersfield, but what’s happened with Jonas Lössl?” asks Enna Cooper. “Is the man who sat on the bench behind Kasper Schmeichel at Leicester City deemed to be better than the man who sits on the bench behind Kasper Schmeichel for Denmark, or is Ben Hamer playing because David Wagner might just have a thing about overgrown beards?”
You heard the rumour about Huddersfield trying to sign those fellas from ZZ Top as well?
52 min City might struggle to match the 10-1 win over 1987, but they could certainly get six or seven. Aguero plays a nice one-two with Jesus before his shot is blocked.
50 min Billing is booked for a foul on Jesus.
GOAL! Manchester City 4-1 Huddersfield (D Silva 48)
And it’s perfect from David Silva, too, a beautiful free-kick that was curled over the wall and into the top corner. Hamer didn’t move.
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47 min Aguero scurries past two defenders before being fouled 25 yards from goal. It’s to the right of centre, so perfect for the left-footed David Silva...
46 min City begin the second half. Huddersfield have made a change, with Laurent Depoitre on for Abdelhamid Sabiri.
“‘Leaving aside the Gulf millions...’” begins Niall Mullen. “Leaving aside the incident, did you enjoy the play Mrs Lincoln?”
“Have to say that City’s second goal might have been a tad offside,” says Kevin Ryan. “But as you and I know only too well, nobody f***s with the Jesus...”
Half-time chit chat
“Leaving aside the Gulf trillions, it’s a pleasure see the best team in the top division playing the obviously best football,” says Charles Antaki. “That’s not quite the truism it should be, recent champions having been the most hardworking, the most defensive, or merely the canniest. This is the genuinely good stuff.”
Yes, fair point. Mind you, while I agree City play the purest football, I think I’d still rather watch Liverpool.
Half-time reading (ahem)
Half time: Manchester City 3-1 Huddersfield Town
Peep peep! The champions are cruising to victory, despite the irritation of that Huddersfield goal just before half-time. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
45 min Bernardo Silva’s long-range shot is comfortably saved by Hamer.
GOAL! Manchester City 3-1 Huddersfield (Stankovic 43)
It’s on*! A long throw is won superbly in the air by Mounie, who backheads it into the six-yard area. John Stones goes to sleep for a split-second, not for the first time this summer, and Stankovic gets in front to score from close range.
* Guardian disclaimer: it may not actually be on.
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43 min “Poor old Hamer is having a Karius,” says Niall Mullen, adding a new word to the football lexicon. “I expect Huddersfield to go out & spend £90m on a new keeper in the next transfer window.”
42 min Smith wins a corner for Huddersfield. It’s a poor one from Lowe which is booted clear at the near post.
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40 min Poor Ben Hamer has had a bad eye, and has arguably been at fault for all three goals.
37 min “Glad you’re giving David Silva his well-earned praise,” says Hubert O’Hearn. “A decade or so from now when we analyse the key decisions that led to this City era (three titles = one era by my book-keeping) to my mind the crucial one was Silva’s signing. He’s been the constant. Vincent Kompany too, but the silk-footed one has really been City’s engine room. Slightly overlooked? Perhaps, but any advanced Spanish midfielder in the time of Iniesta would be; but that does not lower Silva’s own impeccable standard.”
I like how he has evolved as well, from a wide forward to a central playmaker.
GOAL! Manchester City 3-0 Huddersfield (Aguero 35)
Oh dear. Mendy’s cross is spilled by Hamer, a really bad error, and Aguero reacts fastest to score from six yards. His reactions were superb, because there were at least two defenders closer to the ball when Hamer lost it.
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34 min David Silva’s volley is blocked. It came from yet another cross by Mendy, who has been such a threat down the left. He’s such a powerful addition to this City side.
The goal shouldn’t have counted, as Jesus was offside in the build-up. He found Mendy, who was challenged on the edge of the area by Smith. But the ball came back to Jesus, who scraped a low shot past Hamer at the near post.
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GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Huddersfield (Gabriel Jesus 31)
I have a funny feeling Manchester City might win this match.
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30 min Bernardo Silva’s cross is flapped away by the stretching Hamer. Aguero picks up the loose ball, speeds past a defender and smacks the ball into the side netting at the near post.
26 min Gabriel Jesus shoots straight at Hamer from the edge of the area.
The goal was Route One, Pep-style. It came straight from a brilliant Ederson goalkick, with Aguero - who was lurking in an offside position - making an excellent run from left to right. He collected the ball just outside the Huddersfield area, with Schindler behind him and the keeper Hamer in no man’s land. Aguero moved the ball onto his left foot, away from Schindler, and lifted it gently into the net.
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GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Huddersfield (Aguero 25)
Sergio Aguero gives City the lead!
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24 min A nice break from Huddersfield. Mounie pulls out to the left, moves into the area and plays the ball back to Stankovic, who curls high and wide from 20 yards.
23 min Laporte wafts miles over the bar from 30 yards.
22 min Bernardo Silva is unhappy with a zesty sliding challenge from Kongolo. He won the ball and then sent Silva up in the air with his trailing leg. Andre Marriner didn’t think it was a free-kick.
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19 min For much of this game Huddersfield have had all 10 outfield players in their third, never mind their half. But so far it has worked, despite the best efforts of the remarkable David Silva. He clips another perceptive pass over the top for Aguero, who can’t quite get around the ball and heads it into the side netting.
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18 min David Silva pulls the ball back to Gundogan, whose fierce rising shot hits Billing. City thought there might have been a handball but nothing was given.
16 min Stones’ lofted cross is headed towards goal by Gabriel Jesus and comfortably held by Hamer. There was no pace on the ball in. Huddersfield have done pretty well defensively since that torrid start.
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14 min David Silva plays another beautiful pass to Mendy, who mishits a first-time cross into the side netting. I can’t tell you how well Silva is playing. I remember an Andres Iniesta performance at Euro 2016, against the Czech Republic, which is as close to perfection as I can recall. That lasted 90 minutes; Silva has been as good at the start of this game.
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12 min It feels like a matter of time before City score. Mind you, Ben Hamer hasn’t had a save to make in the last eight minutes.
9 min Mendy’s excellent cross is headed behind by Lowe. The corner is played short to David Silva, who wins another corner after more delicious trickery in the area.
8 min Huddersfield have a kick.
7 min “Is this the Premier League equivalent of, say Rayo Vallecano, going to the Camp Nou (a few years back)?” says Niall Mullen. “In that the only reason to tune in is to see just how many (and how good) goals the home side can score.”
No. It’s the most unpredictable league in the world, mate!
6 min Both teams are playing with a back four: City’s 4-1-3-2 against Huddersfield’s 4-5-1.
5 min David Silva, who has started spectacularly, teases a cross into the area that a Huddersfield defender, under pressure from Jesus, thighs into the hands of Hamer.
4 min Hamer needs treatment, having injured himself making that save. I think Jesus’s shot hit him straight in the personal space.
3 min A City corner pinballs around the Huddersfield area before Mounie shanks an attempted clearance onto his own bar! Moments later, Hamer makes an excellent one-on-one save from Jesus. City could be 3-0 up already!
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2 min An early chance for City. The Silvas combine nicely down the right before David finds Aguero, whose shot slams into the chest of Stankovic.
1 min Peep peep! Huddersfield get the game under way. It looks like City are playing in a 4-1-3-2 formation, with John Stones at right back.
The players emerge from the tunnel to the familiar sound of Right Here, Right Now by Jesus Jones Fatboy Slim. Let’s watch some football.
— Jonny Sharples (@JonnyGabriel) August 18, 2018
Tactics watch Apparently Huddersfield will only decide on their formation when they see City’s tactics. John Beck never had this problem.
Some pre-match reading for you
With Kyle Walker on the bench, it’s not clear which formation City will play. They could play John Stones at right-back in a 4-1-3-2, or Bernardo Silva at right wing-back in a 3-1-4-2. Or they could just play a 0-8-2.
One thing’s for sure: the knees of amateur tactics sleuths are trembling like never before as they try to work out how the Spatial One will set up his team.
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Team news
Manchester City (possible 3-1-4-2) Ederson; Stones, Kompany, Laporte; Fernandinho; B Silva, Gundogan, D Silva, Mendy; Aguero, Jesus.
Substitutes: Bravo, Walker, Otamendi, Mahrez, Foden, Sterling, Sane.
Huddersfield Town (possible 5-4-1) Hamer; Smith, Stankovic, Schindler, Kongolo, Lowe; Hadergjonaj, Pritchard, Billing, Sabiri; Mounie.
Substitutes: Lossl, Sobhi, van La Parra, Mbenza, Williams, Diakhaby, Depoitre.
Referee Andre Marriner.
Preamble
Morning! The Premier League title race was fun while it lasted. While you can’t officially win anything in August, the way Manchester City beat Arsenal last weekend suggested that retaining the title, traditionally so tough, could be a doddle.
It’s true that there have been deceptively fast starts in the past. The reigning champions Chelsea started the 2010-11 season with five straight wins and 21 goals before going completely off the rails, and something similar happened to Pep Guardiola in his first season at Maine Road. But this fashion-conscious bald man is relentless once he takes control of a domestic league, and City may well give the other 19 Premier League teams a nine-month course in Futility Studies.
Even the absence of Kevin De Bruyne feels like an irritation rather than a serious problem, and it’s hard to see anything other than a City win at home to Huddersfield this afternoon. Huddersfield gave City more problems than most last season - they lost to a late goal at home and drew 0-0 at City - but that might not count for much today.
Kick off is at 1.30pm.
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