Man City remain in CL race
West Ham beat Tottenham to put Chelsea within touching distance of becoming champions
Manchester (United Kingdom), May 6: David Silva returned from injury with a goal as Manchester City strengthened their Champions League qualification chances with a comfortable 5-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Silva, out for a fortnight after suffering a blow to his knee during the FA Cup semi-final defeat by Arsenal, struck inside the first two minutes.
Second-half goals from Vincent Kompany, Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Otamendi completed the scoring as City leapfrogged Liverpool into third in the Premier League, on goal difference, and also moved four points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United.
Only the top four at the end of the season qualify for the Champions League, European club football’s leading competition, with City now having three Premier League games left to play this term.
But both Liverpool (at home to Southampton) and United (away to Arsenal) are in action Sunday.
For Palace, not yet safe from the threat of relegation, Saturday’s reverse was their third straight defeat.
City manager Pep Guardiola has spoken repeatedly over the last two months about his side’s failure to make possession and chances count, citing that as reason for their relatively disappointing season.
He would have been pleased that his side scored from their first attack, but not that they then passed up a series of first-half opportunities to add to that lead. The goal, City’s fastest in any game this season, was wellworked, with Spanish playmaker Silva starting and finishing the move.
Silva, making his 200th Premier League start, angled a chip towards Sterling and then, when the cross was half-cleared by Martin Kelly, timed his run perfectly to side-foot a volley into the corner of the net.
SPURS’ TITLE BID IN TATTERS
Manuel Lanzini left Tottenham’s Premier League title challenge in tatters as the West Ham forward sealed a 1-0 win that put Chelsea within touching distance of being crowned champions.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side paid the price for a lethargic display at the London Stadium and Lanzini’s second half strike may well have ended their hopes of winning the title for the first time since 1961.
Second placed Tottenham remain four points behind leaders Chelsea, who can extend that advantage to seven if they beat struggling Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
Tottenham don’t play again until they host Manchester United on May 14 and by then Chelsea, who travel to West Bromwich Albion two days earlier, may already be champions.
Chelsea need six points from their last four games to secure the English title in Antonio Conte’s first season in charge.