City outclass Arsenal to take control of title race
Manchester City took control of the Premier League title race as Kevin De Bruyne scored twice in a dominant 4-1 win over leaders Arsenal to close in on retaining their crown as English champions on Wednesday. Arsenal hold a two-point lead at the top of the table but City have two games in hand, meaning Pep Guardiola's men can afford to lose one of their remaining seven matches and still claim a fifth title in six seasons. The Gunners' challenge to win the league for the first time in 19 years had already come off the rails prior to their trip to the Etihad as Mikel Arteta's men have now failed to win in their last four games. But for the first time this season they were truly outclassed as City flexed their muscles. A sublime touch from Erling Haaland set De Bruyne up for the opener as he curled a shot beyond Aaron Ramsdale after just seven minutes. Arsenal never recovered from that nightmare start and John Stones headed in De Bruyne's free-kick in first-half stoppage time to make it an uphill challenge for the visitors in the second period.  Haaland teed up De Bruyne once more to find the bottom corner via a nutmeg on Rob Holding on 54 minutes, before the Arsenal defender pulled one back for Arteta's side with just four minutes remaining.  But Haaland provided the game's final flourish with virtually the last kick of the game when he got the better of Ramsdale to move past Mohamed Salah's record of 32 Premier League goals in a single season. City now look imperious as they close in on not only a third consecutive Premier League title, but a treble. Elsewhere, Chelsea crashed to a fifth successive defeat under Frank Lampard as their west London neighbours Brentford won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, and Liverpool kept alive their slender hopes of a top four finish with a 2-1 win at West Ham. Sheffield United clinched promotion to the Premier League with a 2-0 win against West Bromwich Albion at Bramall Lane. (AFP)