Manchester City reignited the Premier League title race with a commanding 3-0 victory over Chelsea, closing the gap on leaders Arsenal on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola’s side delivered a ruthless second-half performance at Stamford Bridge, with Nico O’Reilly and Marc Guehi striking within six minutes before Jeremy Doku sealed the win.
City capitalised on Arsenal’s shock 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, moving to within six points of the leaders with a game in hand ahead of a potentially decisive clash at the Etihad Stadium on April 19.
After a flat first half, City emerged transformed following the break. O’Reilly opened the scoring in the 51st minute, heading home from Rayan Cherki’s cross, before Guehi doubled the lead with a clinical finish after another moment of brilliance from the French playmaker.
Doku wrapped up the victory in the 68th minute, punishing a costly Chelsea error after Robert Sanchez’s risky pass left Moises Caicedo exposed.
The win continues City’s strong late-season form, having already beaten Arsenal in the League Cup final and thrashed Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Guardiola’s side, chasing a seventh league title under his leadership, appear to be peaking at the perfect time.
Chelsea, meanwhile, struggled for cohesion and energy, extending their poor run to one win in seven matches. Liam Rosenior’s side, still without Enzo Fernandez, remain in sixth place and face an uphill battle in the race for Champions League qualification.
City’s dominance in April, with 29 wins in their last 32 league games during the month, underlines their reputation for thriving under pressure, setting the stage for a blockbuster title showdown with Arsenal.
AFP
