Man City 7 - Stoke 2: Pep Guardiola's side hammer hopeless Potters

MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola declared this victory – brilliantly orchestrated by Kevin de Bruyne – as the best performance since he arrived at the club 14 months ago.

Pep GuardiolaPA

Pep Guardiola's side were rampant at the Etihad against Stoke

City stormed two points ahead of neighbours Manchester United at the top of the table, and have now scored 29 goals in their first eight league games.

The goal rush sent the normally refrained Guardiola into raptures with two from Gabriel Jesus, and one each from Raheem Sterling, David Silva, Fernandinho, Leroy Sane and substitute Bernardo Silva leaving Stoke shattered.

“Yes, it was the best performance since I arrived here,” said Guardiola.

“I’m here to win, not entertain.

“Last year when people said we had to change our methodology when we could not win at home or we were losing 4-2 at Leicester, I said that was not going to happen.

“I want to win but this is how I want to play. Now our confidence is so high and everybody believes.”

Kevin de Bruyne is head and shoulders above every other Premier League player in my view

Stoke boss Mark Hughes

De Bruyne was at the centre of it all, and Guardiola said: “He didn’t score but he’s a guy who is so dynamic. He understands the game. When

he’s got the ball he’s a big, talented player.”

City were rampant against a Stoke City side giving defender Thomas Edwards his debut at just 18.

Edwards, who was later crocked, will have endless nightmares after first Sane and then Sterling terrorised him with darting runs and spell-binding trickery.

The writing was on the wall for Edwards, and Stoke, after seven minutes when De Bruyne’s danger ball fell to Sane – but he blazed over.

Ten minutes later De Bruyne delivered a slide-rule pass to Kyle Walker, and he fed Brazilian Jesus to tuck home.

A minute later De Bruyne looked one way, passed the other to Sane and he found Sterling who scored.

Leroy SanePA

Leroy Sane scored again for Man City as they romped home against Stoke

In the 27th minute Manchester City stormed into a three-goal lead – again with a build-up Barcelona were built on. Jesus picked out Sane. He whizzed the ball across for Sterling, who set up Silva to score.

Stoke’s spirits were lifted a minute before the break when Mame Diouf’s shot spun off Fabian Delph and beyond Ederson. Stoke got another break seconds after the interval when Edwards whipped in a cross which Diouf headed onto Walker’s thigh and in off the post for a bizarre own goal.

But De Bruyne settled nerves by creating a fourth City goal two minutes after Edwards’ departure.

The Belgian sent in a cross from the right and Jesus hammered high into the net.

Fernandinho thundered in a shot from 30 yards to make it five before the sixth arrived when De Bruyne, who else, slotted through for Sane to shoot home.

You expected City to take their foot off the gas and have pity. No such luck for Stoke as Sterling fed substitute Bernardo Silva and he tucked in a magnificent seventh.

Shell-shocked Stoke boss Mark Hughes was dignified enough to praise City’s hero and said: “Kevin de Bruyne is head and shoulders above every other Premier League player in my view.” 

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