LONDON (Reuters) -Manchester City moved to the brink of a third Premier League title in four seasons as a piece of magic by Sergio Aguero set them on the way to a 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side were totally dominant but missing a cutting edge until Aguero’s stunning half-volley finish just before the hour mark broke Palace’s resolve at Selhurst Park.
A minute later Ferran Torres’s clinical low shot doubled City’s advantage and they could have racked up a bigger margin of victory as they turned on the style with Raheem Sterling denied by the woodwork and Joao Cancelo also going close.
With four games left City have 80 points, 13 ahead of Manchester United who host Liverpool on Sunday knowing that defeat would seal the title for their neighbours.
Goals from Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck guided Brighton and Hove Albion to a 2-0 victory over Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday as Graham Potter’s side took a huge step towards securing their top-flight status.
The hosts made a bright start at the Amex Stadium and were rewarded through a Gross penalty in the 14th minute after Welbeck was brought down by Leeds full back Ezgjan Alioski inside the box.
Having scored their first goal in four league games, Brighton continued to pile on the pressure in the second half and secured all three points through a sublime Welbeck strike from close range in the 79th minute.
With four games remaining, Brighton have provisionally moved up to 14th in the league table on 37 points, 10 clear of the relegation zone. Leeds are ninth on 47.
El Ghazi stunner gives Villa 2-1 win at Everton
A superb late goal from Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi condemned Everton to a 2-1 defeat in an action-packed clash and hit their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League on Saturday.
The result left the Merseyside club, who have won only one of their last 10 league matches at home, eighth on 52 points while Villa moved two places up to ninth on 48 points. Everton trail fourth-placed Chelsea by nine points with five games left to play.
Villa missed plenty of chances in an action-packed first half after Ollie Watkins fired them ahead in the 13th minute but grabbed the winner out of the blue when El Ghazi unleashed an 80th-minute thunderbolt into the top corner.
Their manager Dean Smith was pleased with the outcome and acknowledged Villa still had plenty to play for as they rekindled hopes of securing a place in Europe.
“It’s easy for people to say we haven’t got anything to play for but we want to finish as high as we can,” Smith told the BBC. “We want to regain that momentum and consistency we had earlier in the season.
Havertz double sinks Fulham in 2-0 Chelsea win
Chelsea’s Kai Havertz struck twice to sink relegation candidates Fulham 2-0 in a lively southwest London derby on Saturday as they tightened their grip on fourth place in the Premier League.
Fulham, third from bottom and nine points from the safety zone, started brightly, but their hopes were snuffed out by their neighbours’ quality.
Fulham earned two corners before Chelsea’s Brazilian defender Thiago Silva hoofed a long ball into their territory in the 10th minute.
Mason Mount plucked it out of the air with superb control before pushing it into Havertz’s path and the German rounded former Chelsea defender Ola Aina to stroke it home.
Havertz doubled his tally in the 49th minute, after a slick move with Timo Werner who picked out his compatriot with a pinpoint final pass.
The result put Chelsea on 61 points from 34 games, six ahead of fifth-placed West Ham who play on Monday.
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