22nd October, 2019
The hat-trick is the third quickest in the Champions League history, reports Business Insider.
The Englishman hit his first in the 58th minute to make the score 3-1 after Sergio Aguero’s first half brace cancelled out Ruslan Malinovskiy’s opener from the penalty spot.
He added a superb second six minutes later, cutting inside the Atalanta defender Rafael Toloi and powering the ball into the near corner.
And the hat-trick was complete shortly after in the 69th minute when he prodded home substitute Riyad Mahrez’s cross from close range.
Only Mike Newell’s nine minute effort for Blackburn Rovers against Rosenborg in the 1995-1996 seaosn, and Bafetimbi Gomis’ astonishing seven minute trio of goals for Olympique Lyonnais in the 2011-2012 campaign, beat Sterling’s 11 minute-record.
His three goals takes his total for the season to 12 in all competitions, making him City’s joint top scorer alongside Sergio Aguero, as well as Europe’s third highest goal-getter so far this term.
The 24-year-old also managed two assists on the night, teeing up Sergio Aguero for City’s equalizer in the 34th minute, before winning the penalty from which the Argentine equalized in the 38th.
Manchester City now top Group C having won all three of its games so far. It’s next European match is against Atalanta in Italy on November 6.