Hat-trick star Aguero must be 'cherished', says Sterling

Manchester City's all-time leading goalscorer Sergio Aguero should be "cherished", teammate Raheem Sterling said on Sunday after the Argentine scored a hat-trick in a 6-0 thumping of Chelsea.

City scored four times inside 25 minutes and added two more goals in the second half to overtake Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table on goal difference.

Aguero curled a superb shot into the top corner in the 13th minute before poaching his second and City's third six minutes later. He completed his hat-trick with a second-half penalty.

"It was a terrific performance from the team – the manager set us up and got us ready for the game," Sterling, who scored two goals himself, told Sky Sports.

"Sergio is a player we depend on. You saw with his first strike putting the ball in the top corner – you have to cherish players like that.

"It was just a win and another three points. The most important thing is to get three points."

Man-of-the-match Aguero, speaking about a glaring first-half miss, told Sky Sports: "I don't know, sometimes it happens. The next one I scored. The important thing is to get the ball and for the team to win."

On equalling Alan Shearer's record for Premier League hat-tricks, he added: "I have to continue the same way, but it's important to win."