Aguero, Nolito inspire City win over Stoke

Both strikers scored two goals each in 4-1 win over the Potters

STOKE-ON-TRENT, UNITED KINGDOM: Pep Guardiola extended his 100 per cent start as Manchester City manager as Sergio Aguero's brace and a late double from Nolito secured an impressive 4-1 win over Stoke on Saturday.

City's away form last season undermined their efforts to regain the Premier League title with just four wins from Manuel Pellegrini's last 16 away league games in charge.

But they are expected to do much better on their travels in the Guardiola era and this emphatic result suggests the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager will successfully adapt to English football.

City had just won one of their eight League trips to Stoke and, allied to the usual buffeting by the wind which regularly swirls around the Britannia Stadium, that could have made this a tricky test.

Stoke manager Mark Hughes also likes nothing better than to put one over his former club, but City avoided a potential hazard in impressive style.

Guardiola just made one change to the team who demolished Steaua Bucharest 5-0 in the Champions League qualifier mid-week, where Jesus Navas started for the first time in this season in place of recently signed striker Nolito.

Argentina striker Aguero started the carnage with a 26th-minute lead from the penalty spot and doubled the lead 10 minutes before the break.

But early in the second half, the home side pulled one back after Bojan Krkic, who played under Guardiola at Barcelona, converted the spot-kick and made it 2-1.

But City finished the job four minutes before time, thanks to a first Premier League goal from Nolito, who also slotted home his second after the impressive Sterling glided through Stoke's non-existent defence to tee up the Spain international and sealed three crucial points away from home.