Man City tighten grip on EPL crown

Manchester City started celebrations to mark a decade since their first Premier League title by trying to prevent the sixth success being as tense or dramatic with a rout started and ended by Raheem Sterling.

What had been a tight title race is now more firmly in City’s control after a 5-0 victory over Newcastle sent the champions three points clear of Liverpool yesterday.

How costly Liverpool only drawing with Tottenham on Sunday could prove to be, with City now also holding a superior goal difference of plus-4 over their rival with three games to go.

Between a pair of goals from Sterling, Aymeric Laporte, Rodri and Phil Foden also found the net.

The stylish win ensured that Manchester City could even have the luxury of dropping points in a remaining game and still win a sixth English title in 10 years.

Meanwhile, the Champions League is preparing to welcome back Arsenal after a five-season absence.

The north London club is close to sealing fourth place and a return to Europe’s elite and lucrative competition after a 2-1 victory over Leeds yesterday pulled the team four points clear of Tottenham with three games to go.

The first of those is at Tottenham on Friday and a victory in the north London derby would clinch fourth place.

It was Eddie Nketiah’s double in the opening 10 minutes that ultimately secured the win over Leeds, who had captain Luke Ayling sent off in the 27th minute for a two-footed challenge on Gabriel Martinelli.

Diego Llorente’s second-half goal for Leeds couldn’t spark a comeback.

Losing at Arsenal sent Leeds into the drop zone alongside already-relegated Watford and Norwich, while Everton, with goals from Vitalii Mykolenko and Mason Holgate jumped out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win at Leicester.

In the other match yesterday, a 4-0 victory over last-place Norwich kept West Ham in seventh place – enough for Europa Conference League qualification.