West Brom vs Manchester City: Pep Guardiola dubs Sergio Aguero the 'Special One' after striker's brace

West Brom 0 Manchester City 4: Ilkay Gundogan also bagged twice as City returned to the top

Aguero has 13 goals in all competitions already this season (Getty)

Pep Guardiola dubbed Sergio Aguero his 'Special One' after the Manchester City striker ended the worst run of his manager's career.

Aguero's classy first-half double put City in the driving seat before he turned provider to set up Ilkay Gundogan, who also completed his brace in the 4-0 win.

Victory ended a run of six games in all competitions without a win for City, who despite their recent run remained top of the Premier League at the final whistle on goal difference ahead of Arsenal.

Aguero took his tally to 13 goals this season and is now seeking his 150th for the club in Tuesday's Champions League return at home to Barcelona.

And City boss Guardiola reserved praise for the Argentina international.

“Sergio is a special player. But I would like to convince him how important he is for us,” said Guardiola.

“We need him a lot and when he's in that mood and shows that hunger, Sergio is definitive.

“He's an important part of this club and we want to try to help him to become a bigger and bigger part of this fantastic club.

Pep Guardiola ended the worst run of his managerial career (Getty)

“Sergio is so important for us. We don't have too many strikers – we have Sergio and Kelechi (Iheanacho) but he's too young and he has to learn a lot.”

Aguero was sacrificed for tactical reasons for City's 4-0 defeat at the Nou Camp recently but Guardiola admitted his talisman has earned his place in the team for the return.

Asked if the marksman will start against Barcelona, he said: “I think so! But I'm not going to tell you which position!”

Guardiola was also delighted with Gundogan after the £20m German playmaker's first brace in English football.

“Sergio scored two but so did Gundogan. He has the qualities with the ball in the middle, he's safe and he's really good with the ball one against one attacking central defenders,” said the City chief.

“He showed that with the first goal with the pass to Sergio.”

Guardiola admitted City needed to end their winless run – so they didn't lose their heads.

“I was very pleased – after six games we needed a win for the head (minds),” he added.

“The problem when you haven't won for six games is you lack a bit of confidence for the next one.

Sergio Aguero scored a stunning curled effort (Getty)

“That happened in that period but we played well. But when you don't win, your argument about how good or how many things you did were good sound like excuses.

“When we win you're right, when we don't, you just look for excuses.

“That's why it was so important to win the game and I was very pleased with our performance in the first half.

“They didn't push up too much, we had time to think about it and we competed against a physical team.

“People explained to me who difficult it was to come here, West Brom away.

“We won 4-0 but in the second-half West Brom showed how good the Premier League is because for me it was difficult to understand why we had control in the first half, and then we didn't in the second half with the same players.

Gundogan got his second and third league goals for City (Getty)

“At 60, 65 minutes, anything could have happened, but the moment Ilkay Gundogan scored the third goal, the game was almost over.

West Brom assistant head coach Dave Kemp admitted they couldn't live with Aguero.

“Aguero’s two goals were tremendous. You know he’s a good player but you hope he’s off colour a little bit. He wasn’t, and you find yourself in trouble.

“If something isn’t quite right they’re good enough to be all over you like a rash - as they were.

“Sometimes you have to hold your hand up.

“If you’re playing a lesser team sometimes you get away with it. Not today against these.”