Teenage striker Kelechi Iheanacho gave Manchester City fans an exciting glimpse into the future by scoring his first hat-trick as Manuel Pellegrini’s men cruised into the FA Cup fifth round and kept their hopes alive of an unprecedented Quadruple.

With Sergio Aguero given a rest, Iheanacho took centre-stage with his sixth, seventh and eighth goals of the campaign, against the Premier League’s bottom team.

He followed up a poacher’s finish after four minutes with a coolly-taken       penalty

midway through the first half and completed his treble following a howler by ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards. Raheem Sterling then added a late fourth.

Villa came into the match unbeaten in five games and held City to a goalless draw at Villa Park in November, but they offered little resistance in a dreadful performance.