Manchester City vs Norwich: Raheem Sterling nets Brilliant hat-trick

The victory helped Pep Guardiola’s side to extend their lead at the summit of the league standings to 12 points over second-placed Liverpool.

File photo - Manchester City in action against Norwich City; Credit: Twitter/@premierleague
By Sreejith C R | Feb 13, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Raheem Sterling netted a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Norwich City 4-0 in the Premier League fixture at Carrow Road on Saturday. The victory helped Pep Guardiola’s side to extend their lead at the summit of the league standings to 12 points over second-placed Liverpool, who will face Burnley on Sunday. Sterling opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark before Phil Foden doubled the lead three minutes into the second half. Then, Sterling scored two goals in the last 20 minutes and sealed all three points for City.

Also read: Manchester United news: Red Devils booed off at full time

City started the match brightly as Foden put the ball inside the net within two minutes of kickoff but the linesman rightly raised the flag for offside. And then, two minutes later, Bernardo Silva’s effort from the right side of the penalty box struck the inside of the far post and the rebound went straight to the keeper.

Norwich, who were coming into the match on the back of a three game unbeaten run, did threaten in periods of the first half. In the 17th minute, Grant Hanley’s header from Pierre Lees-Melou’s cross struck the post. But City broke the deadlock in the 31st minute. Kyle Walker’s cross from the right went all the way across to Sterling on the left side of the box. The Englishman cut inside and curled the ball past Norwich keeper Angus Gunn and into the far bottom corner. 

City Continued to push forward for the second as Riyad Mahrez was denied by Gunn before Silva’s lofted effort was cleared off the line. City doubled the lead in the 48th minute. Ilkay Gundogan’s cross from the left was scrambled in by Foden. 

Sterling scores seventh career hat-trick

In the 70th minute, City made it 3-0 courtesy of a well-worked set-piece. It was City corner from the right flank and Riyad Mahrez played the short pass to Foden, whose inswinging cross found Ruben Dias at the far post. The Portuguese defender headed the ball across the goal for Sterling to head home from close range. 

There was still time for Sterling to get his hat-trick as substitute Liam Delap was brought down inside the box by the Norwich defense and the referee pointed to the spot. Sterling stepped up to take the spot-kick, although his initial attempt was brilliantly saved by Gunn, the England international tapped-in the rebound to make the score 4-0 in the 90th minute.

It was the 27-year-old’s seventh career hat-trick. City are now unbeaten in their last 15 league games, winning 14 of those as they power towards retaining the title. 





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