Sergio Aguero fires treble as City hammer Gladbach

Sergio Aguero netted a superb hat-trick as Manchester City got their Champions League Group C campaign up and running with a stylish 4-0 home win over Borussia Moenchengladbach.

The Citizens shrugged off the inconvenience of a 24-hour rain delay with a hungry display that saw the Argentine strike twice inside the first 28 minutes.

[PHOTOS: Torrential rain sees Manchester City game called off]

The talismanic striker finished the job with his second European treble of the campaign 13 minutes from time to take his tally to nine in just five matches so far. Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho put the icing on the cake with a late fourth.

Aguero missed the Manchester derby at the weekend as part of a three-match domestic suspension, but he returned with a bang here to show just how important he is to Pep Guardiola's hopes of challenging on all fronts this term.

The Spanish coach was an animated figure on the touchline as Aguero's team-mates missed a flurry of chances to put the game to bed in the first 45 minutes and he knows the rest of his frontline need to be more clinical if they are to match their run to last season's last four in this competition.

Guardiola made one change from the team he had selected prior to Tuesday's postponement, with Ilkay Gundogan coming in to make his full debut in place of David Silva. The German international was given lots of room to showcase his talents by the visitors and won the spot kick that saw Aguero double the advantage when he was tumbled on the edge of the area by Christoph Kramer.

The victory means the Citizens have now won seven from seven matches under their new manager and was an important success in a group where Moenchengladbach had been touted as dark horses to upset the favourites of City and Barcelona.

From rain delay to raining goals. It may not have been worth the wait for the visiting fans, but City's faithful were treated to another Sergio Aguero hat-trick and the sight of summer signing Ilkay Gundogan - which may not have happened had this match taken place a day earlier as scheduled. The former Borussia Dortmund man looks like a good fit in the midfield, complimenting the likes of De Bruyne and Sterling. City are a cut above so far under Guardiola and despite a minor concern over profligacy with some of his players, on this evidence they should breeze through the group along with Barcelona.

Sergio Aguero (Man City): It couldn't be anyone else. The striker has been vital to City's hopes of silverware ever since he came to these shores. His finishing prowess makes a real difference and if he can stay fit for sustained periods throughout the season, who knows what Guardiola could achieve as his methods begin to take effect.

Manchester City: Bravo 6, Zabaleta 6, Otamendi 7, Stones 7, Kolarov 7, Fernandinho 7, De Bruyne 8, Gundogan 8, Sterling 8, Navas 7, Aguero 9. Subs: Sane n/a, Clichy n/a, Iheanacho n/a. .

Borussia Monchengladbach: Sommer 7, Christensen 7, Strobl 5, Kramer 4, Dahoud 5, Raffael 5, Stindl 6, Wendt 5, Johnson 5, Hahn 5, Elvedi 5. Subs:Korb 6, Hazard 6, Traore n/a.

8' - GOAL! City 1-0 Monchengladbach. City off to a flyer. Aguero nips in at the near post to steer Kolarov's low cross from the left into the net.

12' - CITY CHANCE! It should be a debut goal for Gundogan. De Bruyne surges free on the right and cuts it back for Aguero, who in turn feeds the German. He saunters onto it but sees his low effort from 10 yards beaten away by Sommer.

20' - CITY CHANCE! Big miss. Sterling holds his run well and rampages onto Gundogan's clever pass before firing a miscued shot across the face of goal. The visitors clear but that should have been another one.

28' - GOAL! City 2-0 Monchengladbach. Aguero steps up and coolly fires a penalty into the right-hand corner with Sommer diving the opposite way. The spot kick was awarded after Ilkay Gundogan was tripped on the edge of the box by Christoph Kramer.

42' - GLADBACH CHANCE! Fine stop from Bravo! The keeper gets down at his near post to keep out Lars Stindl's rasping drive after the visitors had caught City out with a clever corner routine.

73' - CITY CHANCE! Sommer gets a touch on the ball to deny Sterling after the forward was put clear by De Bruyne. City's finishing not clinical enough if it doesn't fall to you know who...

77' - GOAL! City 3-0 Monchengladbach. And there it is. Sterling plays it in-behind for Aguero who rounds Sommer before slipping it into the empty net. HAT-TRICK HERO.

90' - GOAL! City 4-0 Monchengladbach. The subs combine! Sane cuts it back for Iheanacho to thunder it high into the net from close range.

Aguero is the first non-English player to score two Champions League hat-tricks for an English club side.

Aguero equalled Hernan Crespo in second place among Argentine players with most CL goals (25). Only Lionel Messi has scored more often (86).