Sergio Aguero hits four as Manchester City put Leicester to the sword to move 16 points clear at the top

Manchester City 5 Leicester City 1: City were superb yet again, winning their 13th straight Premier League game at the Etihad Stadium as Aguero ran riot

Sergio Aguero hit four goals in the rout (Getty)

The Manchester City juggernaut rolls on. Another victory - their 13th straight Premier League win at the Etihad Stadium – and another prolific day for Sergio Aguero who continued his rich goalscoring form on home turf.

Initially City did not have it all their own way against Leicester, but when asked to go through the gears by Pep Guardiola they responded. Claude Puel’s Foxes capitulated.

Aguero helped himself to a four second -half goals to take his tally to 28 this season as he netted for the seventh home game in succession after Jamie Vardy had earlier cancelled out Raheem Sterling’s opening goal.

Two of Aguero’s goals – a delicate chip and powerful strike from the edge of the box – would have been worth the admission fee alone.

It strengthened City’s position at the top of the Premier League table and took them 16 points clear of Manchester United, who travel to Newcastle on Sunday.

It also brought the tantalising possibility of wrapping up the title with a win over their bitter rivals in April a step closer.

Although should United drop points and City clinch it the week before, away at Everton, there is the salivating prospect for City of United's players giving them a guard of honour on to the pitch before the derby.

It is difficult to determine which would be sweeter for City supporters. For now, though, they should just enjoy the moment – Aguero’s superb finishing, Sterling’s dazzling runs and the inspirational Kevin de Bruyne’s creativity.

It did not take long for the home side to assert their authority as Sterling netted his 20th goal of the season – this time finishing easily from close range to banish the memory of the sitter he missed at Burnley.

Bernardo Silva cut the ball back to De Bruyne on the right and the Belgium midfielder, afforded too much space by Leicester’s defence, curled a cross into the penalty area and Sterling nipped in front of Marc Albrighton at the back post to guide the ball home.

However, shortly before the half-hour mark the visitors equalised when City were punished by a goal which owed much to the dogged persistence of Vardy.

Jamie Vardy drew the away side level (Getty)

The Leicester striker’s alertness saw him latch on to a sloppy pass from Nicolas Otemedni, burst into the penalty area and strike a shot – via the slightest deflection off Aymeric Laporte - past Ederson and into the corner of the net.

Vardy appears to be a man who relishes the big stage and this goal ensured he has scored against all of the Premier League’s top six clubs this season.

Puel’s decision to switch to a back four, with the introduction of Danny Simpson at half-time, did little to shore up Leicester’s backline as Aguero scored twice in five minutes succession shortly after the interval to effectively end the game as a contest.

A neat exchange between Sterling and De Bruyne on the right flank allowed the latter to tease a low cross which bypassed the flailing Harry Maguire was tapped in by Aguero.

Sergio Aguero was unplayable in the second-half (Getty)

Moments later a weak clearance from Schmeichel was ruthlessly punished as a clinical City move culminated in De Bruyne’s third assist and a fierce finish angled shot which the Leicester goalkeeper got a hand on but could not prevent going in.

With just under a third of the game left Riyad Mahrez – whose saw a proposed move to City on deadline day collapse - came on for Fousseni Diabate having ended his self-imposed exile.

The Algerian winger was bizarrely cheered by both sets of supporters. However, it was the City fans that roared the loudest with two more goals from Aguero.

First, he capitalised on another poor clearance from Schmeichel and lifted an audacious chip over the Dane, then late on struck a powerful effort from just outside the area which bounced in off the underside of the crossbar.