Manchester City earned another impressive victory in their record-equalling start to the season with a 3-2 win at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday that kept them five points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Goals from Leroy Sane, Fernandinho and Raheem Sterling at The Hawthorns ensured Pep Guardiola's unbeaten side took their tally of points to 28 out of a possible 30 after 10 games.
That equalled the best return at this stage of a season in the Premier League era, matching the performances of Chelsea in 2005 and City themselves in 2011.
Both those sides went on to win the title but neither started with quite the swagger of Guardiola's charges, who have scored 35 league goals with a goal difference of plus-29.
The scoreline ultimately flattered Albion who were largely outplayed from the moment Sane put City ahead after 10 minutes with a left-foot shot into the corner - his eighth goal of the campaign. West Brom did equalise within two minutes when Jay Rodriguez got in behind the defence but City reasserted control in the 15th minute through Fernandinho after the Brazilian's 30-metre shot took two deflections before hitting the post and rolling into the net.
As City continued to dominate, substitute Sterling added the third 10 minutes after coming on midway through the second half, tapping in from close range after a cross from Kyle Walker at the end of a patient move.
The visitors had 78 percent of the possession by the final whistle and although West Brom had a couple of chances after the break, they were powerless to stop the league leaders.
Matt Phillips did snatch a 92nd-minute consolation for West Brom following a mistake by Nicolas Otamendi, who chested the ball back towards goal without seeing the striker, but it could not camouflage City's obvious supremacy.
"We won and that's the most important thing. We didn't panic when it became 1-1 or when it became 3-2 at the end," said Guardiola.
His team are now unbeaten in 21 games in all competitions, with 17 wins and four draws - the best undefeated run in the club's history.
They remain five points clear of Manchester United at the top, while Albion dropped to 14th, two points above the relegation zone.
(Reporting by Sophie Hurcom and Ian Chadband, editing by Ed Osmond)
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