Awesome Aguero too good for Tottenham
SERGIO AGUERO produced a stunning individual performance to move alongside Diego Costa on nine Premier League goals for the season as Manchester City beat ten-man Tottenham 4-1 at the Etihad.
The awesome Argentinian scored four times, including two penalties and Aguero could even afford to see another spot-kick effort saved by Hugo Lloris but he is 7-5 to finish as the Golden Boot winner with the injured Diego Costa out to 11-8.
A wonderful match was closer than the final score suggested as Roberto Soldado missed a second-half penalty for Tottenham when they trailed only 2-1 but Federico Fazio’s red card in the incident which led to Aguero’s hat-trick goal settled matters.
However, the champions remain five points behind Chelsea after the Blues beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park and are the leaders are 8-15 for the title.
Goals from Oscar and Cesc Fabregas maintained Chelsea’s unbeaten start - they are 16-1 with Coral not to lose a top-flight contest this term - but Jose Mourinho’s side were reduced to ten men when Cesar Azpilicueta was dismissed only for Damien Delaney to soon follow.
Those two odds-on shots made no mistake but it was a different story at the Emirates where Danny Welbeck’s last-gasp equaliser sneaked Arsenal a point at home to Hull in a 2-2 draw.
Alexis Sanchez broke the deadlock for the 4-9 favourites but Mo Diame controversially levelled and Abel Hernandez looked to have given the Tigers maximum points before Welbeck’s intervention.
However, Arsenal are down in sixth and 33-1 for the title and 4-6 to finish in the top four which once again looks the primary aim as Arsene Wenger’s team are already trailing Chelsea by 11 points.
Southampton are 9-1 for a top-four finish after smashing Sunderland 8-0 at St Mary’s with the Black Cats chopped to 5-2 to be relegated.
Graziano Pelle maintained his excellent form with a brace, while Dusan Tadic, Jack Cork, Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane also notched, while Sunderland’s miserable day was complete with a couple of own goals.
Few firms were even quoting 8-0 at the outset and bet365 reported the biggest in-play price offered was 400-1.
Southampton sit third and West Ham are up to the dizzy heights of fourth following their 3-1 triumph at Burnley, where summer signings Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho were both on target.
Burnley are 1-3 to be relegated and fellow new boys Leicester can be backed at 4-1 after they lost 1-0 at Newcastle.
Gabriel Obertan notched the only goal to ease the pressure on Alan Pardew who is 7-2 with Paddy Power to be the next Premier League manager to leave his current position.
Goals from Phil Jagielka, Romelu Lukaku and Seamus Coleman earned Everton a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Aston Villa.