City down Spurs and have Pep’s record in sights
MANCHESTER City racked up a 16th consecutive Premier League win as the runaway leaders routed Tottenham 4-1, while Mesut Ozil’s stunning strike fired Arsenal to a 1-0 win over Newcastle yesterday.
Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring at Eastlands before Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling netted after the interval to ensure City opened up a 14-point lead over secondplaced Manchester United, who faced West Brom overnight.
Having set the Premier League record for successive wins in their midweek triumph at Swansea, Pep Guardiola’s side now have their manager’s personal bests in their sights.
City’s 16-match winning run equals Guardiola’s secondlongest streak as a boss, with Barcelona in 2010-11, and moves them within three of his career-high 19 successive wins with Bayern Munich in 2013-14.
With the title race seemingly over, it would be easy for the leaders to take their eye off the ball, but they were always in control against a Tottenham team that once again flopped in an away game against topsix opponents.
Christian Eriksen’s stoppage-time goal for Tottenham couldn’t take the gloss off another City masterclass.
“We played really good to beat one of the strongest teams in the Premier Guardiola said.
“I admire the most the way we play without the ball. We are on a good streak.”
Socceroos star Aaron Mooy inspired Huddersfield to a stunning EPL win over in-form Watford, scoring two goals in a 4-1 victory at Vicarage Road.
Elia Kachunga opened the scoring for the Yorkshiremen early in the first half before Mooy doubled his side’s lead when he converted Collin Quaner’s cross from close range in the 23rd minute.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea beat Southampton 1-0 to stay 14 points behind City and draw level on points with United. Chelsea have won eight of League,” their past 10 league matches. At the Emirates, Arsenal won for the first time in four league games with a 1-0 victory over Newcastle.
Heavily linked with a move to United when his contract expires at the end of the season, Ozil showcased his talents when he put Arsenal ahead in the 23rd minute.
After an Alexis Sanchez shot deflected into Ozil’s path, the German midfielder smashed a superb volley past Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot from the edge of the area for his third goal of the season.
Newcastle’s eighth defeat in their past nine league games leaves Rafael Benitez’s side mired in relegation trouble.