Man City keep up pace in title race, Arsenal go fourth

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LONDON, April 23 (Reuters) – Manchester Metropolis opened up a 4-issue lead in the Premier League title race by thrashing Watford 5-1 and Arsenal seized the initiative in the struggle for fourth location on Saturday.

Brazilian Gabriel Jesus scored 4 plans as City applied stress on chasing Liverpool ahead of their Merseyside derby on Sunday from struggling Everton.

Watford, in the meantime, endured a fourth successive league defeat as their hopes of keeping up receded.

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Arsenal adopted up their midweek win at Chelsea with a 3-1 home defeat of Manchester United to go into fourth place, in advance of Tottenham Hotspur who could only draw – absent to Brentford in the day’s late kickoff.

Nuno Tavares struck early for Arsenal with Bukayo Saka doubling their direct from the penalty spot.

A sluggish United eventually woke up with Cristiano Ronaldo sweeping in Nemanja Matic’s cross and they squandered a chance to amount when Bruno Fernandes hit the put up from the penalty spot ahead of Granit Xhaka built sure of the details for the hosts with a 70th-minute thunderbolt.

“It really is a huge performance in a activity that experienced almost everything. We produced likelihood, we had to go through, there were being times when we lacked vitality and they were being on top, we were efficient in the bins, we had luck,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta explained.

“This is heading to be a rollercoaster — these days it went in our favour.”

The get took Arsenal into fourth spot, two factors higher than Tottenham Hotspur who have been lacklustre in a stalemate at Brentford for whom Ivan Toney was two times denied by the woodwork.

Sixth-placed Manchester United, who introduced previously this 7 days that Erik ten Hag would grow to be their new manager, experienced a fourth successive away defeat in the league and their chances of qualifying for the Champions League are dwindling.

“For me even right before the sport it wasn’t extremely possible, but just after present day end result it truly is gone, sure,” interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who faces a challenging activity in his ultimate four games, mentioned.

The title race is predicted to go ideal down to the wire and Person Metropolis made sure they retained the slight edge as they swept Watford aside at The Etihad Stadium.

Jesus struck twice in the opening 24 minutes to put City in manage but Watford briefly threatened to make a match of it as French defender Hassane Kamara halved the deficit.

A stunning strike from Spain intercontinental Rodri restored City’s two-objective benefit in the 34th moment just before Jesus done his initially Premier League hat-trick early in the second half just after converting from the penalty place.

The 25-calendar year-outdated tapped home his fourth in the 53rd minute from Kevin De Bruyne’s move to entire the rout and Metropolis took their foot off the gasoline forward of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-closing to start with-leg in opposition to Authentic Madrid.

Metropolis have 80 factors from 33 matches with Liverpool on 76 obtaining performed a match a lot less. Watford are in 19th area, 7 points from the security zone.

“We have a single thirty day period of the period to go, we want gamers like Gabriel,” City manager Pep Guardiola explained.

Time is managing out for bottom club Norwich Town who glimpse destined for a rapid return to the next-tier Championship right after a 3- household defeat by in-kind Newcastle United.

Newcastle’s Brazilian contingent fired Eddie Howe’s aspect up to ninth position with Joelinton scoring a brace and Bruno Guimaraes also on focus on at Carrow Road.

Whilst Newcastle are on the up and up, Norwich are now 8 details from basic safety with 5 matches left to play.