A hat-trick from Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero helped condemn Queens Park Rangers to relegation from the Premier League this afternoon.
The West Londoners made the trip to the Etihad Stadium knowing that only a victory would do if they were to avoid suffering the same fate as fellow strugglers Burnley, but they have gone down in disappointing circumstances having shipped six unanswered goals against last season's champions.
The writing was on the wall for Chris Ramsey's side as early as the fourth minute when Aguero broke the deadlock. After he had evaded numerous challenges on his way into the QPR box, the Argentine then lifted the ball over an advancing Robert Green.
© Getty Images
A second City goal followed with 32 minutes played when Aguero was fouled on the edge of the area, with the subsequent free kick being converted by left-back Aleksandar Kolarov.
It prompted a positive response from the away side, but their best chance of getting back into the game was spurned eight minutes before the break as Leroy Fer hit the crossbar from close range, before Bobby Zamora headed the rebound into the hands of City goalkeeper Joe Hart.
Coming out for the second half, QPR required three goals to live to fight another day, but the game was put out of reach just four minutes after the restart.
© Getty Images
Yun Suk-young failed to cut out David Silva's forward pass which sent Aguero through on goal and, having committed Green off his line, the City striker rolled the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
His hat-trick was completed from the penalty spot in the 64th minute after Silva had been fouled by Matty Phillips. This strike took his tally in the Premier League this term to 25 goals and was also the former Atletico Madrid player's sixth goal in five outings against the R's.
Five minutes later, he turned provider as James Milner tapped in from inside the six-yard box for his seventh goal of the campaign, the midfielder's best return in a city shirt.
Despite being five goals to the good, City refused to let up in the closing stages and, with three minutes left, they completed the scoring when Silva rounded Green to score after he had been released by a flicked pass from substitute Wilfried Bony.
Liam Apicella
