MANCHESTER City took a big step towards retaining their Premier League title tonight with a dominant 4-1 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
Kevin De Bruyne scored twice, with John Stones and Erling Haaland adding the other goals as the champions moved to within two points of leaders Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola’s side have two games in hand and they are now firm favourites to win their third straight Premier League title.
De Bruyne opened the scoring with a low, hard shot from distance in the seventh minute after brilliant hold-up play from Haaland, and Stones made it 2-0 just before half-time with a header.
After Premier League top scorer Haaland missed a series of presentable chances, Belgium midfielder De Bruyne made it 3-0 with a side-footed finish nine minutes into the second half, set up by the Norway striker.
Arsenal pulled one back through Rob Holding four minutes from time but Haaland restored City’s three-goal margin with his 33rd goal of the campaign, a new record in a 38-game Premier League season.
Manchester City have now won 12 consecutive Premier League matches against Arsenal, winning by an aggregate score of 33-5, according to Opta statistics.
Also tonight, Liverpool rose to sixth in the table with a 2-1 comeback win at West Ham.
Lucas Paqueta shot the hosts into the lead in the 12th minute but Liverpool equalised six minutes later through Cody Gakpo before Joel Matip struck the winner in the 67th minute.
At the City Ground, Taiwo Awoniyi started for Nottingham Forest and was a handful for the Brighton defence as his side won 3-1.
Forest had to come from behind after going down to Facundo Valentin Buonanotte’s 38th minute goal.
A Pascal Gross own goal in first-half stoppage time hauled Forest back into the game, and Awoniyi provided the assist for the go-ahead goal scored by Brazilian midfielder Danilo in the 67th minute.
Morgan Gibbs-White converted from the penalty spot in added time to take Forest out of the relegation zone into 17th spot.
The victory ended a run of 11 straight marches without a win for Forest as thdy continue their battle against the drop.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea lost their fifth consecutive match under caretaker manager Frank Lampard as they were beaten 2-0 by Brentford.
Cesar Azpilicueta scored an own goal to hand Brentford the lead and Bryan Mbeumo sealed the victory with 12 minutes left on the clock.
Chelsea remain in the 11th spot while Brentford rose to ninth.
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