Man City dominate United as Liverpool keep up chase in EPL

Manchester City stormed back to the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 derby win at home to Manchester United.

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan slides the ball into the net past Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea at Etihad Stadium. Picture: AFP

Manchester City stormed back to the top of the English Premier League with a 3-1 derby win at home to Manchester United yesterday (AEDT) as Liverpool maintained their title challenge with a 2-0 victory over Fulham.

Chelsea, like the top two, remain unbeaten under Maurizio Sarri but lost ground in a goalless draw at home to Everton. Arsenal also missed the chance to leapfrog North London rivals Spurs into fourth and needed Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s late equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw with Wolves at the Emirates.

City remain two points clear of Liverpool, but have opened a four-point gap on Chelsea. A fourth league defeat of the season leaves United languishing in eighth, 12 points off the top. Goals early in each half from David Silva and Sergio Aguero left City in a commanding position before an Anthony Martial penalty gave United hope of a comeback.

But Ilkay Gundogan put the result beyond doubt four minutes from time with a third goal that crowned a sublime 44-pass move.

“I think Man City right now and Liverpool, Chelsea, and even Arsenal and Tottenham, I think they have numbers to be champion, not just City. We’re just two points in front,” said City boss Pep Guardiola.

“What is important is that we are consistent, that we play most of the time good, and always I see many things that we can improve.”

United manager Jose Mourinho accepted his side were now just fighting to try to make the top four, having finished second to City last season. “Since the beginning of the season, we knew that our second position last season was a fantastic achievement for us, and this season we are going to fight for the top four,” Mourinho said.

Earlier, Liverpool briefly went top by inflicting Fulham’s seventh straight defeat at Anfield. But they needed a huge slice of luck that changed the game shortly before the break.

Aleksandar Mitrovic headed home for the visitors only to be wrongly ruled offside. The hosts broke upfield as Alisson and Trent Alexander-Arnold freed Mohamed Salah to score his eighth goal of the season.

“The most important thing is reacting in a situation like that and that was brilliant. Allison, Trent, Mo and done,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

AFP