A Bernardo Silva hat-trick helped Manchester City to secure the joint second biggest English Premier League (EPL) victory in history on Saturday.
They thrashed a bewildered Watford 8-0 at the Etihad Stadium, in an immediate response to their first league defeat since January at Norwich City last weekend.
They blew Watford away by becoming the first side to score five goals in the first 18 minutes of a Premier League game.
David Silva got Manchester City up and running after finishing off a delightful pass from Kevin De Bruyne in the first minute.
Sergio Aguero’s 100th Premier League goal doubled the hosts’ advantage from the penalty kick spot thereafter.
Riyad Mahrez curled a brilliant free kick into the net in the 12th minute, with a Bernardo Silva header and a Nicolas Otamendi tap-in completing the 18-minute rout.
Watford brought on an extra defender just after the half-hour mark to try to stem the tide, seeing themselves through to half-time without further damage.
Bernardo Silva added a sixth goal three minutes into the second period.
He completed his first top-flight hat-trick with a close-range finish to make it seven.
De Bruyne hammered home a superb eighth as Manchester City came up one short of Manchester United’s record 9-0 victory over Ipswich Town in 1995. (Reuters/NAN)
