Sizzling Sterling bags hat-trick as Man City thump Atalanta

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Manchester City's Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring their third goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

MANCHESTER (Reuters) - Raheem Sterling scored an 11-minute hat-trick and had a hand in all five goals as Manchester City came from behind to thump Italian side Atalanta 5-1 in their Champions League Group C encounter on Tuesday.

Forward Sergio Aguero also scored two in the first half at the City of Manchester Stadium, but England winger Sterling was the star of the show as the home side made it three wins from three to open up a five-point lead at the midway point of the pool.

Atalanta have now lost all three of their group matches in their debut season in the Champions League, but started brightly and had the lead via a Ruslan Malinovsky penalty.

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Manchester City's Raheem Sterling scores their fifth goal to complete his hat-trick Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

City were ruthless in their response though and drove forward. They finished the game with 10 men after teenager Phil Foden received a second yellow card on 83 minutes.

Atalanta showed admirable ambition in the opening stages and were rewarded on 28 minutes. Malinovsky converted the penalty after Fernandinho had brought down Josip Ilicic just inside the box.

If City were rattled by going behind, they did not show it and instead lifted the tempo of their play.

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti in action with Manchester City's Sergio Aguero REUTERS/Andrew Yates

They were level six minutes later when Sterling's magnificent cross was turned into the net from close-range by Aguero.

Sterling won a penalty when his surging run was illegally stopped by defender Andrea Masiello for the second clear spot-kick of the night.

Aguero drilled the ball low into the left-hand corner for the lead, but the half ended on a sour note when City’s makeshift centre-back Rodri limped off with a hamstring problem to be replaced by John Stones, himself only just back from a thigh problem.

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Manchester City's Raheem Sterling in action with Atalanta's Timothy Castagne REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Sterling got the goal his performance richly deserved on 58 minutes as Kevin De Bruyne picked out Foden in the box and the latter's lay-off was easy for the winger to finish.

Five minutes later and he had another. Played into space on the left, he turned inside the covering defender and provided an emphatic finish, before his hat-trick was complete when he poked home a Riyad Mahrez cross from close-range.

Sterling should have had a fourth too when Foden’s excellent pass sent him clear on goal, but he put the ball the wrong side of the post.

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Atalanta's Robin Gosens in action with Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

(Reporting By Nick Said; editing by Clare Lovell)

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Manchester City's Kyle Walker in action with Atalanta's Marten de Roon Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti in action with Manchester City's Phil Foden REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gestures REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Manchester City's Raheem Sterling scores their third goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Atalanta's Ruslan Malinovskyi scores their first goal from the penalty spot Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Manchester City's Fernandinho in action with Rodri Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - Manchester City v Atalanta - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 22, 2019 Manchester City's Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring their second goal with Phil Foden REUTERS/Andrew Yates