IMAGE: Manchester City’s Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their first goal. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters
Manchester City maintained their squeeze on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday, a result that keeps Pep Guardiola’s side lurking two points behind the leaders and ready to pounce.
Aston Villa came from behind to win 3-2 at West Ham United to remain in the thick of the title race, while Nottingham Forest trounced error-prone visitors Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 for their fourth win in six league games.
Sunderland earned derby bragging rights with a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle United as the North-East rivals met in the league for the first time in nearly a decade.
Brentford were hosting Leeds United in Sunday’s late game, while Manchester United host Bournemouth on Monday.
At Selhurst Park, Erling Haaland scored twice and Phil Foden added another as second-placed City, who have 34 points, stayed in touch with Arsenal, who needed two own goals in a nervy 2-1 win over rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Haaland met Matheus Nunes’ cross with a thundering header after 41 minutes and Foden doubled the lead when he fired past Henderson from the edge of the box in the 69th.
Haaland sealed the victory from the penalty spot late on after goalkeeper Dean Henderson fouled Savinho.
Palace are fifth on 26 points.
IMAGE: Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers scores their third goal. Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters
At London Stadium, Morgan Rogers struck twice to put Aston Villa on 33 points in third spot. West Ham’s sixth home defeat of the season left them third from bottom with 13 points.
Villa conceded after 29 seconds as Mateus Fernandes punished a mistake by Ezri Konsa and the away side trailed 2-1 at the interval before Rogers took matters into his own hands.
He drilled home an equaliser five minutes after the break and then smashed a dipping drive past keeper Alphonse Areola late on to seal the points.
Villa had cancelled out West Ham’s early opener in the 10th minute with defender Konstantinos Mavropanos credited with an own goal but Jarrod Bowen put the hosts back in front.
Sunderland beat Newcastle thanks to an unfortunate own goal from Nick Woltemade in a fixture that is one of English football’s fiercest rivalries.
After a goalless opening half in which Newcastle defender Dan Burn was taken to hospital with a chest injury, Woltemade gave Sunderland the lead a minute into the second period when his attempted headed clearance flew into his own net.
At the City Ground, Callum Hudson-Odoi bagged a double and Ibrahim Sangare added a late goal to lift Forest five points clear of the danger zone in 16th. Spurs are 11th on 22 points.
