In-form Manchester City striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, maintained his scoring spree, helping the Citizens to a 4-0 bashing of Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Iheanacho’s goal arrived after Kevin De Bruyne shot City into the lead after 15 minutes of play.
With just 10 touches from start to finish, it ended with Raheem Sterling unselfishly squaring the ball for Iheanacho to make it three goals in three games.
It was also a first start to forget for Arsenal loanee, Jack Wilshere, in the Bournemouth ranks, who was at fault for the opening goal, but the afternoon did end on a low note for the hosts as Nolito saw red late on.
The early signs were ominous from a Bournemouth perspective, as Kevin De Bruyne unleashed a shot on goal with just 15 seconds on the clock which Artur Boruc was equal to.
It was a very bright start to the contest for the Citizens, who put nine goals past their opponents across both games last season, but they were unable to find any gaps at the back, with the Cherries’ backline shuffling across well and remaining compact.
Bournemouth, whose best first-half moments came when the pacy Joshua King was given a chance to stretch his legs down the left-hand side, began to leave more gaps open at the back from that point on – a fine Boruc stop needed to deny Nolito converting from a swift City counter.
Ilkay Gundogan, making his second start in a week on his return from injury, also saw a shot deflect wide and De Bruyne’s latest attempt was well handled by Boruc down low.
An in-form De Bruyne had a free kick kept out by City in a dominant start to the second period, shortly before Sterling had a goal-bound attempt helped over the bar by a an increasingly busy Boruc.
Eddie Howe turned to Callum Wilson prior to the hosts’ killer third to inject some more attacking quality, and the forward came close to justifying his manager’s decision when firing in his side’s first shot on target 56 minutes in.
Sterling, a player reformed under Guardiola, was really enjoying himself as the match wore on and he should have scored a second when weaving his way past five opposition players inside the box, only for Boruc to again keep the ball out.
The league leaders did not have to wait too much longer for the fifth, a fine passing move culminating in De Bruyne sending the ball through for Gundogan to sweep home his first goal in City colours with a quarter of the match still to play.
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