Man City edge Arsenal in tense Etihad clash to close Premier League title gap

London: Manchester City moved to within three points of the top of the Premier League on Sunday night with a 2-1 win at home to top-of the table Arsenal after a tense encounter in the Etihad Stadium.

Goals from Rayan Cherki after 16 minutes and Erling Haaland after 65 minutes leave Pep Guardiola’s side three points behind Arsenal but with an extra game to play, and City will go top with a win away to second-from-bottom Burnley on Wednesday.

Cherki scored a wonderful individual goal to open the scoring, beating two defenders and slotting a right-foot shot past David Raya. However, barely a minute later, a dreadful mistake from Gianluigi Donnarumma gifted Kai Havertz an equalizer as the City goalkeeper dwelt on the ball and allow Havertz to block his clearance into the goal.

The first half was an even affair, but City controlled things better after the break with Haaland scoring the winner after a swift break and holding off a strong challenge from Gabriel, who later saw a header deflected on the post.

Aston Villa remain strong in fourth after a late flurry of goals in a 4-3 win at home to Sunderland, with Ollie Watkins scoring twice and Morgan Rogers also on target before Tammy Abraham netted a 93rd minute winner.

Sunderland had trailed 3-1 but strikes from Trai Hume and Wilson Isidor after 85 and 86 minutes looked as if they had rescued a late point, before Abraham’s winner.

Morgan Gibbs-White scored a hat-trick as Nottingham Forest won 4-1 at home to hapless Burnley, with Igor Jesus scoring Forest’s fourth. IANS

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