Pep Guardiola said he was honoured to witness Sergio Agüero make history, as the Argentinian scored three goals to help Manchester City to a 6-1 victory and establish himself as the most prolific overseas goalscorer since the formation of the Premier League. Agüero also set a record for the number of Premier League hat-tricks, plundering his 12th to overtake Alan Shearer.

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“I just want to congratulate him,” said Guardiola. “To achieve this record from incredible legends like Henry and Shearer shows that it is not just for a short period [that Agüero has been scoring], not just one or two seasons. It was an honour to be here on the day he achieved that.”

Asked where Agüero ranks in the list of strikers he has worked with, Guardiola said only one can definitely be classed above him. “The best is Messi,” said Guardiola, dismissing quibbles that Messi tends not to be classed as a specialist No 9. “Messi is a No 9, a No 10, a No 11, a No 12, a No 6, a No 5, a No 4, whatever. But of the rest [Agüero] is absolutely one of the best.”

Villa’s manager, Dean Smith, could not help but admire Agüero’s latest display of deadliness. “I don’t feel as honoured [as Guardiola] but I can certainly appreciate the quality he has. He’s like a bull, his balance and strength are incredible and so is his finishing prowess. For his third goal there was only ever one place it was going to go.”

While Agüero struck his third goal emphatically, Smith lamented the fact that his first one, like several of City’s others, came from a Villa mistake. “We were certainly contributors to our own downfall,” said Smith, whose side slipped into the bottom three. “[Agüero’s first goal] summed up the whole game. They made 20 passes without any physical contact from us and then Agüero put it in the top corner from 20 yards.”

Agüero had frequently said he wants to return to Argentina to finish his career after his contract at City expires at the end of next season. Guardiola said the club would be open to keeping him if he changes his mind. “It depends on him,” said Guardiola.

Agüero would have to stick around for a lot longer to become the most prolific foreign scorer in the history of England’s top flight – including the pre-Premier League era. That accolade is held by the South Africa-born Gordon Hodgson, who struck 298 goals for Liverpool, Villa and Leeds between 1925 and 1939.