EPL: City move closer to title, Arsenal boost top four bid; Everton out of relegation zone
In a weekend of thrilling action, Manchester City moved a step closer to retaining the Premier League title with a 5-0 demolition of Newcastle, Arsenal beat relegation-threatened Leeds 2-1 to boost their bid for a top four finish and Everton beat Leicester to move out of the relegation zone.
Manchester City control before half-time at the Etihad Stadium thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and Aymeric Laporte.
Rodri got City’s third after the break before Phil Foden and Sterling struck in stoppage time as they stormed back to the top of the table after Liverpool knocked the champions out of pole position with their 1-1 draw against Tottenham on Saturday.
Manchester City are now three points clear of Liverpool, with three games left for both teams. Guardiola’s men hold a goal difference four better than the Reds.
Eddie Nketiah netted twice in the first 10 minutes at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal earned their fourth successive win in the Premier League this season.
Leeds had skipper Luke Ayling sent off and, although Diego Llorente got one back in the 66th minute, it was too little, too late for Jesse Marsch’s strugglers.
Fourth-placed Arsenal are four points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, with three games left for both teams in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish.
Arsenal will visit Tottenham on Thursday knowing a win in the north London derby would guarantee their first Champions League campaign since 2016-17.
Leeds slump into the relegation zone, sitting third bottom due to having a worse goal difference than Burnley.
Everton made the most of Leeds’ stumble to climb out of the bottom three as they won 2-1 at Leicester — their first away success in the league since August.
Ukrainian left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko ran onto Alex Iwobi’s flick and netted with a stunning volley from the edge of the area in the sixth minute.
Everton surrendered the lead five minutes later as Yerry Mina and Seamus Coleman went up for a header, only to collide and allow Patson Daka to run through and beat Jordan Pickford.
However, Mason Holgate won it for Everton in the 30th minute, the defender converting the rebound after Kasper Schmeichel saved Richarlison’s header.
Everton, hoping to avoid playing in the second tier for the first time since 1954, are one point above the relegation zone with a game in hand.
.
