Aguero Bags Hat-trick for Manchester City; Bayern Munich Rout Freiburg 7-0

After netting six goals in three Premier League games, Edin Dzeko was relegated to the bench for Manchester City. His replacement, the star-studded Carlos Tevez. Tevez looked quite lively in his first start of the year for the reigning FA Cup champions. But the rust was still there, as Tevez missed from the penalty spot. It was Tevez’s second consecutive penalty miss, who failed to convert from the spot in Argentina’s shootout loss to Uruguay in the Copa America earlier this summer.

Now then, let’s turn the attention to the “other” Argentine on Manchester City, and I’m not referring to Pablo Zabaleta. Former Atletico Madrid star Sergio Aguero has taken the English Premier League by storm in 2011-12. The Argentine sensation who bagged two goals and an assist on his debut netted a hat-trick for City against Wigan today. City have looked absolutely brilliant in the early going this season.

With two strikers on cracking form, will Mancini keep the shackles loosened for the duration of the season? Not likely, but he surely will for the time being. Don’t forget that Chelsea FC started last season with a flurry of goals, but ended up finishing nine points behind champions Manchester United. However, City are not Chelsea and 2011-12 is not 2010-11. The fact is that City’s early season dominance deserved to be recognized and praised, especially by critics of Mancini’s “negative” football.

Bayern Munich Demolish Freiburg

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich handed Freiburg their worst league loss ever on Saturday. Bayern put a stunning seven past SC Freiburg goalkeeper Oliver Baumann. German international Mario Gomez netted four to the good for the winners. Gomez, the heir apparent to Miroslav Klose for both club and country, has been on form for both Germany and Bayern in 2011. He’s scored three goals in four friendly caps for the national team, while also netting three in as many games in the 2012 European Championship qualifiers. There’s no doubt that Gomez is instrumental for the success of Bayern and the German national team this season and onward.

Bayern’s other goals were courtesy of Frenchman Franck Ribery, who bagged a brace, and substitute Nils Petersen. Aside from a shocking 1-0 home loss to Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern Munich have looked in the mood this season. That be said, can the Bundesliga giants pose a threat to the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan, and Manchester City in the UEFA Champions league?

With Robben, Ribery, and Gomez, their attack is surely good enough. Schweinsteiger gives them fantastic quality, leadership, and technique in the midfield, leaving the defence the only question mark. That being said, if Bayern are on form, they will be a very tough out in the Champions League come the knockout stages. They are my dark horse prediction to reach the semi-finals in May.