City close in on a record title win

London, March 30: Manchester City travel to Everton on Saturday looking to take the penultimate step towards a first Premier League title under Pep Guardiola and kick off a huge week in City’s season in style.

City lost 0-4 on their last visit to Goodison during a hugely disappointing first year under Guardiola but are a team transformed under the Catalan this season as they storm towards the title at a record-breaking pace.

The runaway league leaders boast a 16-point lead over Manchester United and could seal the league in the sweetest fashion against their local rivals at the Etihad next weekend.

However, Guardiola could have a daunting return to Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on his mind.City’s only league defeat of the campaign so far came on Merseyside, when Liverpool edged a seven-goal thriller 4-3 in January. CHELSEA OUT IN

THE COLD Behind City, the race for three remaining Champions League places will leave one of United, Liverpool, Hotspur and Chelsea disappointed.

Spurs travel to Chelsea this weekend seeking to end a 28-year wait to win a league match at Stamford Bridge.

Should they shake off the absence of the injured Harry Kane to do so, they could end Chelsea’s realistic hopes of a top-four finish. Antonio Conte’s men already trail fourth-placed Spurs by five points.

Liverpool are two points further ahead in third having played a game more and second-placed United are even more secure of a return to the Champions League, holding a nine-point lead over Chelsea. — AFP