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

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

Brazilian Gabriel Jesus scored four aims as Town applied stress on chasing Liverpool ahead of their Merseyside derby on Sunday against battling Everton.

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

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Arsenal followed up their midweek gain at Chelsea with a 3-1 household defeat of Manchester United to go into fourth location, in advance of Tottenham Hotspur who could only attract – away to Brentford in the day’s late kickoff.

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

A sluggish United eventually woke up with Cristiano Ronaldo sweeping in Nemanja Matic’s cross and they squandered a opportunity to level when Bruno Fernandes hit the write-up from the penalty place prior to Granit Xhaka built absolutely sure of the points for the hosts with a 70th-moment thunderbolt.

“It can be a significant performance in a recreation that had almost everything. We created possibilities, we had to undergo, there were times when we lacked power and they were on top, we ended up successful in the boxes, we experienced luck,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

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

The get took Arsenal into fourth spot, two points earlier mentioned Tottenham Hotspur who were being lacklustre in a stalemate at Brentford for whom Ivan Toney was twice denied by the woodwork.

Sixth-placed Manchester United, who introduced earlier this week that Erik 10 Hag would develop into their new supervisor, experienced a fourth successive away defeat in the league and their chances of qualifying for the Champions League are dwindling.

“For me even before the video game it wasn’t pretty probably, but immediately after today’s outcome it is absent, indeed,” interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who faces a difficult endeavor in his last 4 game titles, reported.

The title race is predicted to go proper down to the wire and Man Metropolis created certain they retained the slight edge as they swept Watford apart at The Etihad Stadium.

Jesus struck 2 times in the opening 24 minutes to set Metropolis in handle but Watford briefly threatened to make a activity of it as French defender Hassane Kamara halved the deficit.

A amazing strike from Spain intercontinental Rodri restored City’s two-purpose advantage in the 34th minute prior to Jesus concluded his initially Premier League hat-trick early in the second 50 % soon after converting from the penalty location.

The 25-12 months-old tapped house his fourth in the 53rd minute from Kevin De Bruyne’s move to total the rout and Metropolis took their foot off the fuel ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-last 1st-leg against Serious Madrid.

Metropolis have 80 points from 33 matches with Liverpool on 76 having played a sport fewer. Watford are in 19th position, 7 factors from the protection zone.

“We have one thirty day period of the period to go, we require gamers like Gabriel,” Metropolis manager Pep Guardiola reported.

Time is functioning out for base club Norwich Metropolis who glance destined for a brief return to the next-tier Championship immediately after a 3- residence defeat by in-sort Newcastle United.

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

Whilst Newcastle are on the up and up, Norwich are now 8 points from protection with five matches still left to engage in.

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Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar

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