Man City back on track

Manchester City ramped up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 3-0 victory over Brentford in Saturday’s late kick-off.

Pep Guardiola’s side are now just two points behind the Gunners, who visit West Ham United on Sunday.

If Arsenal draw or lose at the London Stadium, Man City will move back to the top of the table if they win their game in hand over Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.

Their three second-half goals against Brentford improved their goal difference to +40, just one behind the Gunners, and they have also scored six more than their title rivals, which could yet prove decisive.

Jeremy Doku was the man to break the deadlock for Man City on the hour mark with another stunning goal, fresh from his two superb strikes in Monday night’s 3-3 comeback draw at Everton. The in-form Belgian winger now has seven goal involvements in his last six games in all competitions, as many as in his previous 24.

With 15 minutes to go, Erling Haaland bundled in a back heel for his 26th Premier League goal of the season, moving him four clear of Brentford’s Igor Thiago in the race for the Golden Boot.

Omar Marmoush then became the first Man City substitute to score in the Premier League since the opening day of the season when he netted in stoppage time.

Defeat for Brentford, meanwhile, damaged their hopes of qualifying for Europe and they are now down in eighth following victories for both AFC Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Bournemouth continue to hunt Champions League football

Bournemouth won 1-0 away at Fulham to stay in sixth – a position which would be enough to earn a UEFA Champions League place if Aston Villa finish fifth and win the UEFA Europa League.

The Cherries had Ryan Christie sent off in the 41st minute, before Fulham were also reduced to 10 men when Joachim Andersen received a red card deep into first-half stoppage time.

Brazilian 19-year-old Rayan then scored the winner for the visitors with a 20-yard strike in the 53rd minute.

Bournemouth are now unbeaten in 16 Premier League games, with only Bayern Munich (18) and AC Milan (24) having enjoyed longer undefeated runs in Europe’s top five leagues this season.

Hurzeler is proud as Europe beckons

But Brighton climbed to seventh, two points behind Bournemouth, after a comprehensive 3-0 win over already-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“I’m very proud with how the team is playing at the moment,” said Fabian Hurzeler, who signed a new three-year deal as Seagulls boss this week.

“We are very excited for what is ahead of us. We have two big finals. It is so tight (for the European places).”

Jack Hinshelwood netted after just 35 seconds for Brighton, the earliest goal they have ever scored in the Premier League.

Lewis Dunk doubled the hosts’ lead in the fifth minute following a corner from Maxim De Cuyper, who became just the third player to assist two goals in the opening five minutes of a Premier League match.

Dunk celebrated his goal by forming the letter ‘A’, a tribute to Brighton kitman Alex Burrows’ six-year-old son Alfie, who recently had an operation to remove a brain tumour.

Yankuba Minteh wrapped things up for Brighton four minutes from time, after Kaoru Mitoma was forced off holding his hamstring, a concern for his chances of playing for Japan at the FIFA World Cup.

Sunderland still on the hunt for a top-half finish

Elsewhere, third-placed Manchester United – who have already qualified for the Champions League – were held to a goalless draw at Sunderland.

Michael Carrick’s side were without Casemiro, who had a minor injury, and the Red Devils have now been winless in all four Premier League games the Brazilian has not started.

The visitors only had one shot on target at the Stadium of Light – and that came in second-half stoppage time through Matheus Cunha.

Meanwhile, Sunderland stay 12th with 48 points, which makes this their best Premier League season since they collected 57 points in 2000/01.

“To get 48 points after just getting promoted, we’ve had an amazing season,” said their captain Granit Xhaka.

In the early kick-off, Chelsea ended a run of six straight Premier League defeats with a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

Chelsea’s winless run continues

But the point could not move Callum McFarlane’s side up from ninth and they are now six points off AFC Bournemouth in sixth with just two games to go

Chelsea conceded for the 14th Premier League match in a row when Ryan Gravenberch powerfully curled in from the edge of the box after only six minutes following an assist from 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha.

The Blues, though, equalised after 35 minutes when Enzo Fernandez’s low free-kick from the right evaded everyone and found its way into the bottom left corner.

For Liverpool, it was the 18th goal they have conceded from set-pieces in the Premier League this season, more than any team apart from Bournemouth.

Supporters were disappointed when the lively Ngumoha was brought off for Alexander Isak after 67 minutes.

But Arne Slot explained to TNT Sports: “He was having problems with his muscles and, when I asked him, he said he was not sure he could continue.”

Fourth-placed Liverpool still need to win one of their final two games against Villa and Brentford to guarantee Champions League qualification.