Manchester City and Kevin De Bruyne both wrote their names into the history books after Wednesday's 5-1 romping of Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.
The Citizens maintained their three-point lead at the top of the table by putting a quintet of goals past Bruno Lage's side, who had initially levelled the tie at 1-1 courtesy of Leander Dendoncker.
However, De Bruyne had a hat-trick to his name by half time and added a fourth on the hour mark before Raheem Sterling's late tap in completed a demolition job from Pep Guardiola's side.
De Bruyne was unfortunate not to add an assist to his tally as he teed up Phil Foden, who hit the post, while he was inches away from making it five for himself on the day as well.
Nevertheless, the 30-year-old has now joined an elite crowd of midfielders to have scored four goals in one Premier League game - becoming only the third one ever to do so.
© Reuters
Prior to De Bruyne's four-goal Molineux showing, the only two midfielders to have done so previously were Georginio Wijnaldum and Frank Lampard, with the former scoring four for Newcastle United against Norwich City in October 2015.
Meanwhile, Lampard found the back of the net four times as Chelsea thumped Derby County 6-1 back in March 2008, and he repeated the trick in a 7-1 rout of Aston Villa two years later.
De Bruyne now has 19 goals and 13 assists to his name from 43 games in all tournaments this season, and Guardiola was pleased to see the Belgian take on the goalscoring responsibility rather than trying to play the unselfish pass.
"I'm so disappointed with him because he missed a fifth goal, with [hitting] the post. I know he is always a guy who is so generous and always has the sense to make an assist but this season I think he has the sense to be prolific and score goals," Guardiola told the press after the game.
"He won the game against Chelsea [in January], he scored against [Real] Madrid and he has been decisive scoring goals and at the end this makes the greatest [players]. I'm very pleased for him because of course scoring four goals in the decisive part of the league is so important.
"We've spoken during the years – 'You have to arrive to the box, you have to be close to the box and you have to score.' This season I think was the year that he has done better and better. Hopefully he can continue not just this year but for the rest of his career.
© Reuters
"I have the feeling that now he is starting to enjoy goals. Before it was just assists and now I have the feeling it is: 'I like it when my teammates come to hug me because I scored a goal.' I think it is good."
Away from De Bruyne's individual statistics, Man City once again set a new English top-flight record on Wednesday, becoming the first-ever team to win five games in a row by at least three goals.
Guardiola had previously witnessed his side thrash Newcastle United, Watford, Leeds United and Brighton & Hove Albion by at least a three-goal margin before easing to victory at Molineux.
With Liverpool not in action this weekend as they meet Chelsea in the FA Cup final, City can temporarily go six points clear at the summit by beating West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.
Guardiola's side then host Aston Villa at the Etihad on May 22 in what could be a title-clinching game, while Liverpool face Southampton and Wolves to round off their domestic season.
Ben Knapton
