Manchester City crush Norwich City with Sterling's hat trick

Manchester City thrashed Norwich (4-0) with a stellar Raheem Sterling, who scored a hat-trick, to take the pressure off Liverpool, who are their closest challengers at the top of the Premier League standings.

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Raheem Sterling was unleashed and, with three goals and an active role in the other, set Manchester City on the road to victory at Carrow Road, which did not feel the pressure that Liverpool's win over Leicester on Thursday put them under.

The Reds cut the gap in the standings but it did not affect Manchester City, who beat Norwich to increase the gap in the table to 12 points. However, Pep Guardiola's team has played two games more than its main pursuer.

Manchester City were superior since the beginning of the match

From the beginning, they cornered Dean Smith's team, which will struggle to keep the category. They are second to last, in the relegation zone. They seemed to have recovered with two wins and a draw in their last three games but they were back to their old ways against the leaders.

The Canaries held out for half an hour until Sterling decided to make an appearance. It was in Kyle Walker's run from the right that the ball came to Sterling in the other corner of the area. He parried the ball, made space for himself, and with a great shot beat Angus Gunn.

The second came at the start of the second half. The England international drove the ball down the left and gave it to Ilkay Gundogan who sent it into the box. It was picked up by Phil Foden who, at the second attempt, scored.

The third came 20 minutes from the end. It came from a corner kick. Foden sent the ball to Ruben Dias, who headed the ball to Sterling, who scored again.

Sterling completes hat-trick and another win for Guardiola's team

The Manchester City striker's great afternoon was prolonged in the final stretch when a foul inside the box by Grant Hanley was punished with a penalty. Sterling missed the spot-kick and took advantage of the rebound to put the ball into the net and round off the visitors' victory.

With the game settled, Guardiola began to dose and to think about the return to the Champions League and Tuesday's match against Sporting in the first leg of the round of 16. Norwich are in danger of losing their place in England's top-flight if they do not change their course.

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