By the end, the only possible disappointment for Manchester City was that they might have to look for a new penalty-taker as well as a goalkeeper. Ultimately, though, did it matter a jot? Pep Guardiola’s team were so superior, so fluent in possession and brilliant on the eye, it turned out Sergio Agüero could miss twice from the spot and it was worthy only of a place in the small print.
Before the superlatives start to flow, perhaps it should be taken into account that Steaua Bucharest were generous opponents for a team with a new manager to impress. All the same, this was the kind of performance that made it absolutely clear why City were so obsessed with the idea of bringing Guardiola to the Etihad Stadium.
City toyed with their opponents in the way that Barcelona did under Guardiola, and Bayern Munich, too. They could have scored many more and the night was summed up by the standing ovation that swept round Romania’s national stadium after Agüero’s second and third goals had completed the scoring. City had outclassed the home side in every department and, six weeks into his reign, Guardiola had overseen a victory that equals the club record in Europe. Agüero had turned a possible ordeal into a hat-trick performance and the crowd wanted to show their appreciation. “Amazing” was the word Guardiola used.
Guardiola’s team certainly succeeded in switching the emphasis away from Joe Hart, left out again in favour of Willy Caballero, and reminding their audience it is usually a good policy to trust this manager. In the process, they made the return leg next Wednesday feel like a formality – even Hart might get a game – and as a measure of their performance it is no exaggeration to say Florin Nita, Steaua’s goalkeeper, had authentic credentials to be recognised as the game’s outstanding performer.
Agüero has now missed four out of his past five penalties in European games and, though he converted one against Sunderland at the weekend, it will be intriguing to see whether he continues in the role. “I’m confident if he’s confident,” Guardiola said, indicating he would leave it to Agüero to decide. What can be said with certainty, however, is that it was a brilliant reaction from this expert finisher. Another striker might have let those misses fester. Agüero simply shook his head clear and responded with a hat-trick of right-foot shots.
The Argentinian had looked crestfallen earlier in the match, raising both hands to apologise after his penalty misses either side of David Silva opening the scoring. The second one flew over the crossbar. The first was saved by Nita and, for a while, Agüero could have been forgiven for wondering how costly those misses might be.
City could conceivably have had a 3-0 lead inside the opening 21 minutes but Agüero quickly set about showing that he would not let self-doubt creep in. It was a beautifully angled finish for City’s second goal and his reaction to the earlier disappointments spoke volumes for the player’s character. From that point onwards, there was never any doubt about City being in the Champions League draw.
There was certainly plenty to admire about the way Guardiola’s team passed the ball and, again, encouraging signs of Raheem Sterling’s renascent form. Sterling not only laid on the passes for the first two goals but it was his speed and trickery that led to Miniru Sulley giving away the first penalty. It was a neat layoff for Agüero’s first goal and some brilliantly alert play, in the 13th minute, to dispossess Alin Tosca, sprint clear then pick out Silva for the opening goal.
By half-time, City could also reflect on numerous other chances to reward their superiority. Guardiola, however, was not entirely enamoured of what he saw and strode on the pitch to remonstrate with Nicolás Otamendi after the whistle had gone. Otamendi has a habit of diving into challenges and Guardiola even gave his player a little jab in the ribs. “I don’t like my central defenders going down,” he said afterwards.
Overall, though, his team were outclassing the Romanians, epitomised by the flowing move that led to Gabriel Enache bringing down Aleksandar Kolarov for the second penalty and, four minutes into the second half, the exchange of passes that culminated in Nolito going round Nita to score his first goal in City’s colours.
The link-up play between Kevin De Bruyne, Silva and Agüero was wonderful at times and the night tarnished only by the Steaua coach, Laurentiu Reghecampf, complaining Fernandinho should have been sent off for a challenge that left Bojan Golubovic with a suspected broken cheek. Agüero made it 4-0 with another precise finish in the 78th minute and then completed his hat-trick with a shot that went in off a post. The crowd stood to acclaim what they had seen and City’s small band of supporters must have been exhilarated by what it promises for the future.
