Aguero shines as City net 6

Sergio Aguero hit a hit-trick as Manchester City's record-breaking forward inspired a 6-1 demolition of Huddersfield on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's champions opened their home campaign with a pre-match display of ticker tape and exploding fireworks and Aguero continued the pyrotechnics on the field.

Aguero, who turned 30 in the close-season, has now scored 14 times in his last eight Premier League games at City's Etihad Stadium.

The Argentina star — City's all-time leading scorer — joins former Liverpool forward Robbie Fowler on nine Premier League hat-tricks.

The champions took the lead on 25 minutes, the start of a three-goal blitz inside 10 minutes.

Ederson, Guardiola's ball-playing goalkeeper, struck a magnificent pass over 60 yards, isolating Aguero against defender Christopher Schindler.

The Argentine skilfully held off his marker, twisting and turning before lobbing the ball over keeper Ben Hamer, who had advanced to the edge of his area, from the edge of the area.

Six minutes later, Benjamin Mendy attacked down the left, exchanging passes with Gabriel Jesus, who enjoyed a fortunate ricochet off a defender before drilling the ball home.

And the rout continued when Hamer fumbled a routine Mendy cross and Aguero pounced, tapping in from six yards.

David Silva had set the tone with a majestic opening half-hour, torturing the Huddersfield defence and allowing the City supporters to forget about the absence of De Bruyne.

But, incredibly, Huddersfield scored from their first attack of the game, three minutes before the interval.

If that gave Guardiola something to ponder at the interval, it required just three minutes of the second half for Silva to restore City's three-goal cushion.

The former Spain international, curled a magnificent 25-yard left-foot free-kick into the top right-hand corner of the Huddersfield goal.

Aguero had his third in the 75th minute— and his 31st league game in which he has scored multiple goals.

The striker met yet another dangerous left-wing cross from Mendy, twisting acrobatically to shoot across his body and into the goal from six yards.

That allowed Guardiola to take off Aguero, replacing him with Leroy Sane who helped wrap up the scoring after 84 minutes with a run and shot which took a fortunate rebound off Terence Kongolo on its way into the net.

Brighton surprise united

Jose Mourinho's fears over failing to sign a new centre-back were realised as a shambolic defensive display saw his Manchester United side lose 3-2 at Brighton on Sunday.

For the first time in nearly two years, Mourinho's men conceded more than twice with all three Brighton goals arriving before half-time through Glenn Murray, Shane Duffy and a Pascal Gross penalty.

Romelu Lukaku briefly brought United back into the game at 2-1. But there was little reaction after the break until Paul Pogba's penalty deep into stoppage time as United fell three points behind defending champions Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham just two games into the new campaign.