Man City 2-0 Sheff Utd: Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne get champions back to winning ways against Sheffield United

City looked naturally tired, but they at least showed character to dig deep and get back to winning ways, although the visitors could point to two slices of luck involving the officials that went their way.

Firstly Lys Mousset had a goal disallowed by VAR for a marginal offside - one of many such controversial decisions in the Premier League lately - and referee Chris Kavanagh also impeded a Blades player in the build-up to Aguero's goal.

But there was no doubting the quality of Aguero's finish on 52 minutes and De Bruyne wrapped up the game with a fine strike eight minutes from time.

The result for City moved back to within a point of second-placed Leicester in the table but still 14 points behind leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.

Not even 48 hours after after Pep Guardiola's side suffered a 3-2 loss at Wolves with ten men, the Premier League champions were back in action

Claudio Bravo started in goal in place of the suspended Ederson, while Guardiola handed 18-year-old centre-back Eric Garcia a surprise start as he made changes following the quick turnaround.

United thought they had claimed the lead on 29 minutes when Mousset raced onto a long ball from John Fleck and fired home. City were furious because they thought Aguero had been fouled in the build-up but, while their complaints were brushed aside by Kavanagh, VAR came to their aid by ruling Mousset was marginally offside.

It was a let-off for City but they were caught out by a long ball again as Oliver Norwood picked out Mousset from just outside his own box. This time Mousset was onside but could only shoot into the side-netting.

The Blades had another chance early in the second half as Mousset teed up Muhamed Besic but he blasted over.

City made them pay as they snatched the lead with a typically emphatic finish from Aguero. There had been sloppy passing in midfield but De Bruyne rose above that to pick out the Argentinian with a fine through ball.

United complained as Kavanagh had got in the way of play prior to De Bruyne receiving the ball but such freak occurrences are just unfortunate. There was a VAR check but no reason to disallow the goal was spotted.

City wanted a penalty for handball 20 minutes from time as Egan slid in to block a Mahrez shot but nothing was given. Mahrez did win a free-kick on the edge of the area but De Bruyne curled over.

Mahrez and De Bruyne combined to wrap up the points in the closing minutes, the Belgian finishing powerfully after taking a nice touch inside the area.

Billy Sharp went close to grabbing a consolation but his header rebounded off the post and rolled along the line.

Match highlights

Manchester City 2-0 Sheffield United Opta stats

• Manchester City remain unbeaten against Sheffield United in the Premier League (W4 D3), while this was their sixth clean sheet in seven games against them in the competition.
• Sheffield United suffered their first away defeat in any competition since January (0-1 v Swansea in the Championship), ending a run of 18 consecutive games without a loss on the road.
• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 38 Premier League home games against promoted sides (W34 D4) since a 0-2 loss against Reading in February 2007. Only Chelsea (43 games between 2001-2015) and Man Utd (40 games between 2002-2015) have had longer such runs in the competition.
• Manchester City striker Sergio Agüero has scored against 32 of the 33 opponents he has faced in the Premier League, with Bolton being the only team he’s failed to net against (one appearance).
• Sergio Agüero has scored 22 goals for Manchester City in the Premier League in 2019 - only in 2016 has he scored more in the competition within a calendar year (27).
• Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in 19 goals for Manchester City in the Premier League this season (seven goals and 12 assists) - only Leicester’s Jamie Vardy has had a hand in more (20).
• Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has made an assist in each of his last three Premier League games – indeed, of the four instances of a player assisting in three or more consecutive Premier League appearances this season, half of them have been by De Bruyne (also Sadio Mané and Callum Hudson-Odoi).
• Lys Mousset’s first half goal for Sheffield United was their fifth to be ruled out by VAR in the Premier League this season; the most of any team.

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