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MAnchester. — Manchester City shrugged off the disappointment of their Champions League semi-final exit at Real Madrid to sweep aside Newcastle United and open a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
The reigning champions took advantage of Liverpool’s draw with Tottenham Hotspur with an impressive response that not only strengthened their position at the Premier League summit but also markedly improved their goal difference.
Chris Wood wasted a glorious early chance for Newcastle to add to City’s nerves and his side paid the price when Raheem Sterling headed Pep Guardiola’s team in front after 19 minutes.
Aymeric Laporte added a second before half-time after Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka fumbled Ilkay Gundogan’s volley and Rodri made sure of the victory with a near-post header from Kevin de Bruyne’s corner just after the hour mark.
City, with Newcastle deflated and outclassed, improved their goal difference even further when substitute Phil Foden struck in the closing moments, turning in Oleksandr Zinchenko’s touch, before Sterling completed the rout with a close-range finish in added time.
City faced plenty of pre-match questions about their character and the potential response to losing a place in the Champions League final that they held in their hands until Real Madrid’s astonishing late comeback at the Bernabeu.
The manner of this win, and its wider significance, provided the perfect answer.
There were a few nerves around Etihad Stadium at the start and Newcastle striker Wood might have made them jangle even more had he not delivered a weak finish from Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross in the opening exchanges.
He not only directed a tame header straight at Ederson but arguably robbed Joelinton of an even better opportunity as the Brazilian lurked behind him.
City, in contrast, showed all their class in attack and once Sterling put them ahead it felt as if there was only ever going to be one outcome.
While Arsenal took a huge step towards securing Champions League football next season as they saw off an ill-disciplined Leeds United, with the 10-man visitors dropping into the Premier League relegation zone.
It was a fourth successive win for Mikel Arteta’s side and one that puts them firmly in the driving seat for a top-four spot before Thursday’s north London derby at Tottenham.
But Leeds’ early capitulation was entirely of their own making, with goalkeeper Illan Meslier gifting the hosts an opener before captain Luke Ayling was sent off for a needless lunge on Gabriel Martinelli.
Eddie Nketiah pounced on Meslier’s loose touch to open the scoring and then finished a swift move to double the Gunners’ lead before Ayling’s rash challenge left Leeds a man down for more than an hour.
Across Everton climbed out of the Premier League relegation places by holding on for a hard-fought victory over Leicester City at King Power Stadium.
A stunning volley by Vitaliy Mykolenko and Mason Holgate’s header gave Frank Lampard’s side their third win in five games and ensured they remain in control of their destiny with four games to play.
Mykolenko finished superbly from Alex Iwobi’s cross after six minutes but Patson Daka capitalised on Yerry Mina’s attempted header back to Jordan Pickford to draw Leicester level five minutes later.
The unmarked Holgate was quickest to react after Kasper Schmeichel kept out Richarlison’s initial header from a corner to restore the Toffees’ lead after 30 minutes.
Forced to chase another equaliser, Leicester dominated for large periods in the second half — but they found England number one Pickford once again in inspired form.
Meanwhile West Ham are “desperate to get back into Europe” according to manager David Moyes, who saw his side’s hopes of qualifying for the Europa League strengthened by thrashing already-relegated Norwich.
The win — thanks to Said Benrahma’s double, Michail Antonio’s strike and a penalty from Manuel Lanzini — puts the Hammers just three points behind sixth-placed Manchester United in the final Europa League spot, with a game in hand.— BBCsport.
Online Reporter