Now the real challenge begins for Aguero-less City

Manchester City bossed much of the game against Bournemouth on Saturday. A first-half hat trick for Raheem Sterling and much-needed double for Wilfried Bony had the Citizens strolling in at the final whistle as 5-1 victors. Manuel Pellegrini's side was in cruise control.

Even the most hardened City fan will feel sympathy for the newly-promoted Cherries, though. They have been compounded by injuries to Tyrone Mings, Callum Wilson, and Max Gradel - players who were meant to be pivotal for the club's bid to stay in the league.

And a knock to Artur Boruc in the warmup left the goalkeeping duties at the Etihad Stadium to Adam Federici, and not one defender in front of the Australian seemed to want to step up during the swathes of City attacks.

With the greatest respect to Bournemouth, and its affable and talented manager Eddie Howe, they did not pose the greatest challenge for the league leader; it was not the greatest dress rehearsal for an Aguero-less City.

Sergio Aguero was substituted early with a hamstring injury in Argentina's loss to Ecuador during the international break. To lose a player of such pedigree is hurtful for any side, but Pellegrini will rue that its in the position where he has the least depth.

The natural strikers available in the absence of last season's Premier League top scorer are the out-of-sorts Bony and inexperienced yet talented teenager Kelechi Iheanacho.

The former got a brace Saturday, although one was the result of Federici palming a ball right to the burly Ivorian's feet at close range. His second, a sharp turn and prod of the ball, was what fans became accustomed to during his days at Swansea City.

Iheanacho was also handed a shift from the bench, but was pushed to the left in order to accommodate Bony and hand a rest to man of the match Sterling. In this less familiar role, the young Nigerian expertly beat the Bournemouth offside trap and then flicked the ball beautifully over the helpless 'keeper. It should have been 6-1, but the linesman inexplicably flagged for offside.

The final option for Pellegrini would be to use Sterling in a false nine role. It is a position that he assumed on occasion at his old club Liverpool, and he was used there following a half-time reshuffle against Watford in August. Just 90 seconds after the restart, the 20-year-old snatched his first City goal.

He was a constant nuisance for Bournemouth on Saturday, and could have scored much more than his three despite operating from the wing.

Each in this trio have proven they are able to finish an opportunity, but can they do it with the same relentlessness as Aguero? The goals on Saturday, and indeed Sterling's debut strike for the club, were all served on a plate.

The Argentinian has the ability to curate something out of nothing - he is an irreplaceable and prodigious talent. Pellegrini will require numerous players to contribute in filling the void left by the 27-year-old.

City has had 11 different goal-scorers in the Premier League this term, a tally greater than any other team, and this is encouraging for the Chilean boss. The upcoming games, however, hold a tougher-than-average challenge.

Europa League holder Sevilla visits in the Champions League on Wednesday, before the trip to arch-rival Manchester United four days later. Louis van Gaal's side made a perfect response to a defeat to Arsenal on Saturday, impressively topping Everton 3-0 in Merseyside. It could be a Manchester derby to remember.

So the real test starts now. Is City able to churn out results without the talismanic Sergio Aguero?