Ilkay Gundogan scored two good targets and teed up Erling Haaland for one more to encourage Manchester City to a 3-0 win at Everton on Sunday as they moved 4 factors away from Arsenal atop the Premier League desk with an eleventh consecutive victory.
With three video games remaining, Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasing aspect have 85 factors and have a match in hand on Arsenal who play Brighton & Hove Albion later. Everton stay in a precarious place, one level above the relegation zone in seventeenth place with 32 factors and two video games left to play.
Guardiola crossed the Goodison Park pitch to the raucous City followers and held up two fingers to indicate the variety of wins they should assure themselves the title.
“From minute one we took the game in our hands,” the Spaniard informed the BBC. “It was a brilliant performance at the end of a season. We need two more victories to be champions.
“We managed the sport. We had been affected person and attacked the areas. Gundogan arriving within the field is superb. Really actually essential.”
Gundogan netted in the 37th minute when he brought down Riyad Mahrez’s cross in a crowd of Everton defenders and with his back to goal flicked a blind shot past keeper Jordan Pickford. Haaland headed in Gundogan’s cross two minutes later to extend his single-season Premier League scoring record to 36 goals.
Gundogan extended City’s lead soon after halftime with a curling free kick that sailed over Everton’s wall into the net.
City, who had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Everton at the Etihad Stadium this season, have won seven in a row at Goodison Park.
The champions created several scoring chances in the first half including two quick corners that failed to produce shots before they were rewarded for their hard work.
Haaland had a late chance at a second goal but sent his spectacular bicycle kick wide.
Everton also had opportunities. James Tarkowski struck the crossbar and Mason Holgate sent a close-range shot just wide, burying his face in his hands in frustration.
“Sometimes you have to be sensible with the opposition as a result of I assumed they had been terrific at what they do,” Dyche said of City. “They discover the moments. The first purpose was a really intelligent end, very intelligent little bit of play. The second one was knock-down soccer, they usually do it effectively. Yet once more, prime aspect.”
Guardiola’s crew, who’re additionally looking for their first Champions League title and have reached the FA Cup closing, have a fast turnaround earlier than they host Real Madrid within the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. The two sides drew 1-1 attract Madrid final week.