Few players can compare to Sergio Aguero when it comes to punishing Fantasy Football managers.
So we should not be surprised by today’s 16-point haul – an emphatic message to the doubters who questioned his ability to deliver, amidst speculation on his pitch time and relationship with manager Pep Guardiola.
Aguero’s superb brace at the Hawthorns defied our preconceptions that this was a player low on confidence. His second, a sublime long-range curling effort, was typical of Aguero at his best, providing a chilling warning to those who now progress without him.
I’d personally been burned by a spiteful Aguero in the past – a factor which likely saved me from ejecting him prematurely.
Over the past two Gameweeks, almost 100,000 had decided on such a path – this evening they are left pondering the damage of that trade – not just as a result of today’s return, but also the points that could loom ahead of Manchester City’s obliging run of fixtures.
Middlesbrough are next at the Etihad, an opponent that recently proved stubborn at the Emirates and who earned a second successive clean sheet in today’s win over Bournemouth.
Many will now be praying for resistance from Aitor Karanka’s charges; hoping that City and Aguero are left weary by their midweek Champions League date with Barcelona, or even that Guardiola will risk stirring the pot by resting him from League action.
That seems unlikely.
The 4-0 win over West Brom saw City regain their mojo. The City boss will surely look to maintain momentum, with the League table hinting at the most competitive and open title race in memory.
Typically for a season now renowned for fickle fluctuation, in the space of seven days, things have turned on their heads: ignoring Aguero suddenly looks preposterous.
Certainly, there are no clear alternatives.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic again peppered the Old Trafford goal without reward against Burnley. Troy Deeney and Christian Benteke drew their third successive blanks, while Jermain Defoe lived off scraps and mustered a spot-kick in the defeat to Arsenal – his first goal in four outings.
Sunday will see both Romelu Lukaku and Diego Costa take their turn. Aguero already has a stronger points per match ratio than the latter, he’ll also surpass Lukaku should the Everton man dare to blank.
We await Harry Kane’s return and perhaps Arsene Wenger’s intentions with Olivier Giroud but, in all honesty, by the time they have established pitch time and form, Aguero will surely have taken further strides.
For all the funds we can pour into our midfield, there is currently no tu replacement for Aguero in attack and, with the majority of armbands set to head his way in Gameweek 11, we only risk further punishment by overlooking him.
A truly frightening prospect.
