David Villa was at it again for NYCFC Sunday night. (Keith Furman/FrontRowSoccer.com Photo)

David Villa has done it again.

And again and again.

The Spanish international recorded his first Major League Soccer hat-trick Sunday night, leading New York City FC to a 3-2 victory over the Red Bulls in the Hudson River Derby at Yankee Stadium.

For his heroics, the NYCFC captain was named winner of the FrontRowSoccer.com player and goal of the week — for the second time this season.

The 2016 MLS MVP has been named player of the week by this website four times this year and winner of the goal of the week three times.

“He’s fantastic,” City head coach Patrick Vieira said. “He’s our leader when he’s performing like that – that lifts the team and players are behind him and follow him. So when David is playing very well, the team is playing well. And today was David.”

The hosts struck first as midfielder Alex Ring launched a long ball to Villa, who went 1 v 1 with Robles in the penalty area before veering to his left before depositing the ball into the net in the 28th minute.

Against the run of play in the 41st minute, the Red Bulls equalized on Bradley Wright-Phillips’ 16-yard shot past keeper Sean Johnson.

With the Red Bulls enjoying a 2-1 lead, the 35-year-old Villa took over.

In the 72nd minute he beat goalkeeper Luis Robles at the near right post to equalize at 2-2. After Sal Zizzo fouled him in the box for a yellow card, Villa drilled a penalty into the lower left corner for the game-winner in the 75th minute.

 

https://www.facebook.com/newyorkcityfc/videos/839176416255816/

 

Video courtesy of NYCFC’s Facebook page

“He has been a tremendous player, his work ethic first and foremost I see that every single game and that’s what you want to see from your top scorer year after year his quality speaks for itself and big games call big players to step up and he put the team on his back,” goalkeeper Sean Johnson said.

Being that leader is part of Villa’s DNA.

“I try to do my best always, in the training facility or in games,” he said. “I try to show the young players I arrived to where I arrive because I always give 100 percent on the pitch. Sometimes you can play well like today and score three goals and sometimes you can play bad like in Toronto the other day, like I did, but it is mandatory to give 100 percent and I try to do that. If they show me like a leader, it is a pleasure to me.”

FrontRowSoccer.com goal of the week winners

Week 1 (March 6) — Daniel Royer (New York Red Bulls)

Week 2 (March 13) — David Villa (New York City FC)

Week 3 (March 20) — Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)

Week 4 (March 27) — Vincent Bezecourt (New York Red Bulls II)

Week 5 (April 3) — New York City FC (Tommy McNamara, Ronald Matarrita, David Villa, Alexander Callens)

Week 6 (April 10) — New York Cosmos (Danny Szetela, Ryan Richter)

Week 7 (April 17) — David Villa (New York City FC)

Week 8 (April 24) — Javi Marquez (New York Cosmos)

Week 9 (May 1) — Kemar Lawrence (New York Red Bulls)

Week 10 (May 8) — David Villa (New York City FC)

Week 11 (May 15) — Tommy McNamara (New York City FC)

Week 12 (May 22) — Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)

Week 13 (May 29) – Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)

Week 14 (June 5) — Juan Guerra (New York Cosmos)

Week 15 (June 12) — None awarded

Week 16 (June 19) — Raquel Rodriguez (Sky Blue FC)

Week 17 (June 26) — Ben Sweat (New York City FC)

Week 18 (July 3) — Sam Kerr (Sky Blue FC)

Week 19 (July 10) — Gonzalo Veron (New York Red Bulls)

Week 20 (July 17) — Sam Kerr (Sky Blue FC)

Week 21 (July 24) — Kemar Lawrence (Jamaica national team, New York Red Bulls)

Week 22 (July 31) — Daniel Royer (New York Red Bulls)

Week 23 (Aug. 7) — David Villa (Sky Blue FC)

FrontRowSoccer.com player of the week winners

Week 1 (March 6) — Joseph Bendik (Orlando City SC)

Week 2 (March 13) — David Villa (New York City FC)

Week 3 (March 20) — Rodney Wallace (New York City FC)

Week 4 (March 27) — Vincent Bezecourt (New York Red Bulls II)

Week 5 (April 3) — Ronald Matarrita (New York City FC)

Week 6 (April 10) — Jimmy Maurer (New York Cosmos)

Week 7 (April 17) — Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls)

Week 8 (April 24) — Alex Muyl (New York Red Bulls)

Week 9 (May 1) — Jack Harrison (New York City FC)

Week 10 (May 8) — Rodney Wallace (New York City FC)

Week 11 (May 15) — Sam Kerr (Sky Blue FC)

Week 12 (May 22) — David Villa (New York City FC)

Week 13 (May 29) — Kemar Lawrence (New York Red Bulls)

Week 14 (June 5) — Alex Callens and Maxime Chanot (New York City FC)

Week 15 (June 12) — No award given

Week 16 (June 19) — Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls), David Villa (New York City FC)

Week 17 (June 26) — Ben Sweat (New York City FC)

Week 18 (July 3) — Sam Kerr (Sky Blue FC)

Week 19 (July 10) — Sam Kerr (Sky Blue FC)

Week 20 (July 17) — Eric Calvillo (New York Cosmos)

Week 21 (July 24) — Daniel Royer (New York Red Bulls)

Week 22 (July 31) — Eric Calvillo (New York Cosmos)

Week 23 (Aug. 7) — David Villa (New York City FC)

 

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.