Pep Guardiola praised Sergio Aguero and debutant Ilkay Gundogan after Manchester City began their Champions League campaign by thrashing Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

With the game delayed by 24 hours due to flash floods in Manchester, City wasted little time in dispatching the Bundesliga outfit to get their Group C campaign up and running.

Aguero netted inside 10 minutes as the in-form Argentine made the most of his chance to play whilst serving a domestic suspension by adding another from the penalty spot on 28 minutes, and he completed his hat-trick 13 minutes from time.

Guardiola singled out the striker for praise as he gained his first success against Gladbach boss Andre Schubert. “Sergio is one of the best, no doubts about that.

He has a special quality in the box. He’s a special player,” Guardiola said. “I never won before against this coach and he always creates a lot of problems for my team.

Today we created a really good performance except for 10-15 minutes in the first half.”

Aguero’s replacement Kelechi Iheanacho added City’s fourth goal in stoppage time although it was debutant Gundogan who caught the manager’s eye after he completed 81 minutes of the game.

“He was not ready to play 90 minutes but played with the quality he has. Both feet, so intelligent, doesn’t lose the ball, good arriving in the box and when attacking with the ball.

His qualities are going to help us a lot,” said the City boss.

Man City host Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday and they are 11.00 to record another 4-0 victory.