City move closer to EPL title

AFP London, May 10: Manchester City took advantage of Liverpool’s stumble in the Premier League title race as the champions moved a step closer to retaining their crown with a 5-0 demolition of Newcastle on Sunday.

Elsewhere on a dramatic day at both ends of the table, Arsenal beat relegation-threatened Leeds 2-1 to boost their bid for a top-four finish.

Pep Guardiola’s side took 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.

Liverpool had knocked the champions out of pole position despite dropping two points in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham on Saturday.

But 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.

“We are five years doing this every three days. If some people doubted us they don’t know this team. It’s one of the best groups I ever trained in my life,” Guardiola said.

“Perfect afternoon. Three points, nine ponts to play for, four ahead on goal difference. Another final on Wednesday.”

The only concern for City was Guardiola’s post-match revelation that key defenders John Stones, Ruben Dias and Kyle Walker will miss the rest of the season with injuries.

“Ruben, Kyle and John are out until the end of the season,” he said.

Eddie Nketiah, a former Leeds loanee, netted twice in the first 10 minutes at the Emirates Stadium as Mikel Arteta’s side earned their fourth successive win.

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 

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.

West Ham crushed relegated Norwich 4-0 at Carrow Road to ease the pain of their Europa League semi-final defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday.