Man City profit in pounds Sterling as Howe slates shell-shocked Bournemouth

Raheem Sterling cashed in on a profligate Bournemouth defence to score his first Man City hat-trick

RAHEEM STERLING provided his own net profit in a week when Manchester City announced a £10million surplus in the bank.

 

Sterling, subbed at half time in the rout of Newcastle, rediscovered his form in belting his first ever hat-trick to superbly fill the void left by crocked Sergio Aguero with David Silva and Vincent Kompany also missing from the Bournemouth battering. 

Wilfried Bony grabbed two as City amassed 24 Premier League goals for the season with Glenn Murray scoring an early consolation in the middle of the rout.

Shell-shocked Eddie Howe said: “We made quite a few individual errors. If you come to a place like this, the last thing you want to do is give them goals. But we dug in in the second half.”   

The goals came thick and fast in a gung-ho first 45 minutes after an early penalty shout when Nicolas Otamendi crashed low into Dan Gosling but referee Mike Dean wasn’t impressed.

 

First, Sterling cashed in on defensive mayhem to stab past keeper Adam Federici, who was drafted in at the last minute after a pre-match injury to Artur Boruc.

Federici endured a nightmare in the eleventh minute when he fumbled a Bacary Sagna cross and Bony gobbled up the gift.

Murray brought Bournemouth back into the game when he lurked with intent on the edge of the area before rocketing his unexpected shot into the bottom corner in the 21st minute.

But Bournemouth hearts sank again eight minutes later when Kevin De Bruyne released Sterling with a breathtaking pass and the City slicker mugged Steve Cook and Sylvain Distin before shooting past Federici.

De Bruyne thought he’d got in the act with a thumping shot which Federic saved one handed in brilliant style only for Sterling to complete his hat-trick in added time.

Joe Hart’s long ball was going nowhere until Jesus Navas caught Andrew Surman and his keeper napping and should have finished off until Federici recovered with a block.

But as the loose ball fell to Sterling, he made certain with his third through Federici’s legs..

Bony should have made it five in the 57th minute after De Bruyne and Navas combined but he shot straight at grateful Federici. Sterling, too, had a couple of chances as City piled on the agony but inexplicably took their foot off the gas.

Wilfried Bony proved that there is more to Man City up front than just Sergio Aguero

City only woke from their second half slumber with a minute left when Navas streaked down the right, pulled back for Bony and the striker swivelled and found the bottom corner.  

MAN CITY: Hart 7; Zabaleta 6, Otamendi 7, Mangala 6, Sagna 6; Toure 7 (Fernando (45th) 6), Fernandinho 7; Navas 7, De Bruyne 7 (Nasri (61st) 6), Sterling 8 (Iheancho 77th); Bony 7.

BOURNEMOUTH: Federici 5; Francis 6, Cook 6, Distin 6, Daniels 6; Smith 6 (Pugh 77th), O’Kane 6 (MacDonald (64th) 6), Surman 6, Gosling 6, Ritchie 6; Murray 7 (King (74th) 6).

Star Man: Raheem Sterling who started in lack-lustre fashion but burst into life with his terrific treble and could have had more.

Referee: M Dean.