CITY THRASH SPURS TO PULL FURTHER CLEAR

MANCHESTER CITY EMPHATICALLY UNDERLINED THEIR DOMINANCE OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE AS THEY BEAT TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4-1 TO GO 14 POINTS CLEAR AT THE TOP OF THE TABLE.

 

A 16th straight Premier League win was secured with a first-half header from Ilkay Gundogan and further efforts after the break from Kevin De Bruyne and a double from Raheem Sterling, rendering Christian Eriksen's stoppage-time goal a consolation.

 

The margin of victory and the performance from City, against a team considered potential rivals in pre-season, suggests it will take a series of unlikely outcomes for the title to go anywhere other than the Etihad Stadium.

 

While second-placed Manchester United can claw back three points at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, it seems all but a forlorn pursuit.

 

In the past six days, Pep Guardiola’s side have won against United at Old Trafford and then crushed Swansea City 4-0 in South Wales in midweek, yet there was no sense of complacency or tiredness as they faced another acid test.

 

With Leroy Sane’s speed a constant threat and De Bruyne capable of turning defence into attack with one perfectly precise pass, City looked barely troubled by the absence of David Silva, who was missing due to personal reasons.

 

Just as in the Manchester derby last week, City showed that for all their pretty football, they are also adept at taking a more basic route to goal and opened the scoring from a set piece. Gundogan was left unmarked from a 14th minute Sane corner and the German’s stooping header flashed past Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal.

Published: 17/12/2017 by Radio NewsHub