The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Guardiola’s City break record in emphatic style
Leaders hit cruise control as city rivals stay 11 points behind
Manchester City set a new Premier League record of 15 consecutive wins with a 4-0 victory at bottom club Swansea last night.
City came into the contest averaging three goals per game and made sure that record was matched inside 52 minutes with a David Silva double and Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick.
Sergio Aguero claimed the fourth five minutes from time with his 10th league goal of the season – one more than Swansea have managed.
City’s latest win of a seemingly unstoppable campaign removed Arsenal’s 14-game winning streak in 2002 from the record books.
They say there are no easy games in the Premier League, but this was as straightforward as it gets with City enjoying 78% possession.
Romelu Lukaku got a much-needed goal as Manchester United moved on from their galling derby defeat by beating Bournemouth.
City had brought an untimely end to United’s club record-equalling 40-match unbeaten home run on Sunday, when Pep Guardiola’s men opened up an 11-point cushion over their second-place rivals.
Jose Mourinho’s Reds rallied after that potentially season-defining defeat by securing a hard-fought 1-0 win at home to the Cherries through Lukaku’s first-half header.
It was just the Belgium striker’s third United goal in 15 matches – a poor run that has led the summer signing to come under scrutiny, especially in the wake of Sunday’s derby defeat.
Lukaku played an unwitting role in both of City’s goals and missed a great chance to level, yet there was no sign of relief after hushing the naysayers with a fine first-half header to open the scoring.
The striker had been guilty of a poor challenge on Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake by that point but produced a decent overall display, providing a second-half cross that Anthony Martial somehow failed to convert before Marcus Rashford hit the crossbar.
David De Gea needed to produce some fine saves to prevent Eddie Howe’s Cherries from ending a promising display with a positive result as United held out for a solid, if unconvincing, win.
Tottenham climbed back into the top four as Serge Aurier’s fluke-goal and a header from Son Heung-min sealed a 2-0 victory over Brighton.
Spurs dominated another uninspiring contest at Wembley and needed a hefty slice of luck to take the lead as Aurier’s cross dropped into the top corner. Son added a second late on.
Tomer Hemed could have pulled Brighton level with a rare second-half chance but Tottenham were worthy winners and move back into the Champions League spots after Liverpool slipped up against West Brom.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp reunited the ‘Fab Four’ but his prolific attacking quartet were all distinctly off-key as the Baggoes held out for a goalless draw at Anfield.
Prior to this game the Reds averaged a goal every 23 minutes when Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho were on the pitch but on this occasion they could not find the net in almost four times as long.
For the second time in four days Klopp was left raging at the officials after substitute Dominic Solanke’s late goal was ruled out for handball by an assistant referee having initially been given by referee Paul Tierney.
Elsewhere West Ham were unable to claim another scalp after last Saturday’s win against Chelsea as Arsenal lost further ground on their rivals in a goalless draw at the London Stadium.
Leicester thumped Southampton 4-1 thanks to goals from Shinji Okazaki (2), Riyad Mahrez and Andy King, while Wayne Rooney took advantage of an error from goalkeeper Karl Darlow as Everton won 1-0 at Newcastle.