Manchester City's Raheem Sterling scores their team's fifth goal past West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone at The Hawthorns on Tuesday night.
Fueled by a sparkling attacking display, Manchester City's players powered to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season — and even the opposition are stopping to admire their work.
Watch the videos of match highlights below:
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In a comical exhibit for VAR's ever-lengthening highlights reel, West Bromwich Albion's defenders virtually stopped in their tracks and looked on as Joao Cancelo curled a shot into the top corner for the second of City's goals in a 5-0 rout on Tuesday.
After all, the assistant referee had raised the flag for offside moments earlier but City, unlike West Brom, played on as Bernardo Silva collected the ball and fed Cancelo, who — unchallenged — picked his spot from the edge of the area.
A video review showed Silva was actually onside and the goal was allowed to stand. City was on course to match its biggest league win of the season and, on the evidence of this game and the last couple of months, Pep Guardiola's team is going to be hard to stop.
“Now, with VAR in these situations, we have to follow the actions until the end because you never know what is going to happen," Guardiola said. "Is the goal allowed or disallowed? Nobody knows. So you have to continue until the end of the action.”
Make it seven straight wins in the league — and 11 in all competitions — for City in an ominous run of results. City became the ninth side to finish a day in first place this season, the most within a single top-flight campaign since 1986-87.
Even if Manchester United reclaims the lead on Wednesday by beating Sheffield United, City — on its longest winning run in more than three years — looks to be the team to beat.
Ilkay Gundogan netted twice to make it seven goals in the last eight league games for a midfielder who has never been a prolific scorer in his career but has hit a rich vein of form. Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling set each other up for the final two goals.
(With inputs from AP).
