Football: Man City face Man Utd test on march towards history

Manchester City have history in their sights as the runaway leaders bid to take a huge step towards the Premier League title in Sunday's showdown with fading challengers Manchester United.

City are 14 points clear of United with 11 games left and victory in the derby would effectively end their second placed rivals' faint hopes of catching them.

Pep Guardiola's side have been so dominant since the end of last year that it is the landmarks they can shatter on the way to a third title in four seasons that now hold the greatest interest.

They are unbeaten in 28 games and will set a new club record if they avoid defeat this weekend.

That could be the first of many milestones to fall for City, who are on an English top-flight record run of 21 successive wins in all competitions.

The only teams from the top five European leagues ever to record longer winning streaks in all competitions are Bayern Munich (23) and Real Madrid (22).

City can edge closer to Bayern's tally if they clinch a 16th successive Premier League victory this weekend, which would also take them to the brink of their own record of 18 consecutive Premier League wins, a mark shared with Liverpool.

Guardiola's team are six wins short of equalling the world record for consecutive victories in all competitions by a top-flight side -- set by Welsh team The New Saints in 2016.

City's incredible run is all the more remarkable given their troubled start to the season.

When they were held to a 0-0 draw at United in December, they were a point behind their rivals in ninth place and the death knell was ringing for their title hopes.

But, aided by some clever tactical tweaks from Guardiola, including the use of full-backs Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker as auxiliary attackers, they have been perfect since then.

City have not trailed in a league fixture for 19 games despite being without the injured Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne for long periods.

While United's inconsistencies and the collapse of champions Liverpool have contributed to City's surge to the top, the leaders' supremacy has not been restricted to the league.

- 'Something special' -

An unprecedented quadruple is within City's reach, but Guardiola is determined to keep his players from getting complacent.

"To do what we have done in these four years, still winning, these guys have something special like my time at Barcelona and Bayern Munich," he said.

"We are in a really good position. I did not expect to be in this position two or three months ago but we need to be calm."

United have stumbled recently, drawing four of their past five league games, and their title ambitions faded into the south London fog during Wednesday's goalless stalemate at Crystal Palace.

Even so, United are unbeaten in their past 21 away league games and Guardiola is well aware of the threat they could pose.

United are the only side in any of the top five European leagues yet to lose an away league match this season, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has won on both of his visits to the Etihad since taking charge in 2019.

"I know how difficult United are," said Guardiola. "More than one year not losing away and they have good results at the Etihad."

Realistically United, who are five points clear of fifth-placed Everton, have to focus on qualifying for the Champions League, either via a top-four finish or winning the Europa League. 

"Our focus is just on this one game and not where we're going to end up," Solskjaer said.

"They're ahead of us by a fair distance at the moment, so Sunday is a chance to test ourselves against a very good team."

Fixtures (GMT)

Saturday

Burnley v Arsenal (1230), Sheffield United v Southampton (1500), Aston Villa v Wolves (1730), Brighton v Leicester (2000)

Sunday

West Brom v Newcastle (1200), Liverpool v Fulham (1400), Manchester City v Manchester United (1630), Tottenham v Crystal Palace (1915)

Monday

Chelsea v Everton (1800), West Ham v Leeds (2000)

Agence France-Presse

Football: Man City go top, Arsenal gain revenge on Southampton

LONDON -- Manchester City thrashed West Brom 5-0 to move back top of the Premier League on Tuesday as Arsenal aided their push towards the European places with a 3-1 win at Southampton.

City have now won 11 consecutive games since West Brom earned a shock 1-1 draw at the Etihad last month.

Pep Guardiola's men have hit top form since and did not miss the presence of the injured Kevin De Bruyne in blowing away the Baggies by scoring four goals before half-time.

Ilkay Gundogan opened the floodgates by curling home from the edge of the box before Joao Cancelo's controversial strike doubled City's lead.

The West Brom defense was distracted by a wrongly raised offside flag before the Portuguese full-back found the net, but the goal stood after a VAR review.

Gundogan then took his tally to seven goals in his last eight league games before Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling rounded off the scoring.

"There's not really a secret," Gundogan said of his scoring streak. "I'm just in the right spaces at the right moment. I'm in a bit more of an offensive role, if I get the chance close to the box I try to make the right decisions."

West Brom have now conceded 17 goals in Sam Allardyce's four home games in charge as they remain second bottom of the table, six points off safety.

- Arsenal on the rise -

Guardiola's former assistant Mikel Arteta is also enjoying a fine run of form as Arsenal have taken 16 from the last possible 18 points.

The Gunners avenged their FA Cup to Southampton at the weekend despite falling behind after three minutes to Stuart Armstrong's sweet strike.

Nicolas Pepe quickly leveled before Bukayo Saka rounded Alex McCarthy and slotted home to give the visitors at half-time lead.

"I think we were good from the start. We conceded a goal from a corner but responded straight away," said Arteta.

"It showed a lot of intelligent and resilience from the team in the way they managed the game."

Alexandre Lacazette sealed a vital three points 18 minutes from time as Arsenal moved up to eighth and within five points of the top four.

- West Ham go fourth -

West Ham occupy the fourth Champions League place as Tomas Soucek scored twice in a 3-2 win at Crystal Palace.

The Hammers suffered an early setback when Wilfried Zaha put Palace in front after just three minutes.

But the stronger mentality that David Moyes has lauded in West Ham this season showed as Soucek struck twice in 16 minutes to turn the game around.

Only Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes has scored more Premier League goals from midfield than the Czech since he joined from Slavia Prague a year ago.

Craig Dawson headed in Jarrod Bowen's corner 25 minutes from time to make it 3-1 before Michy Batshuayi scored a late consolation for Palace.

A sixth consecutive win in all competitions takes Moyes's men above Liverpool in the table and Jurgen Klopp's struggling Reds will be wary of their trip to the London Stadium on Sunday.

At the other end of the table, Newcastle lost 2-1 at home to Leeds to stretch their winless run to 11 games

"This league is demanding and cruel at times," said beleaguered Magpies boss Steve Bruce.

Raphinha slotted home Rodrigo's cut-back to give Marcelo Bielsa's men a deserved half-time lead.

Miguel Almiron levelled with Newcastle's first goal for five games early in the second half, but parity lasted only four minutes before Jack Harrison's sensational finish with the outside of his left foot claimed all three points for the visitors.

Newcastle have a seven-point cushion over the bottom three, but have now played two games more than Fulham in 18th.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Guardiola adamant City are England's 'team of the decade'

MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola has insisted Manchester City are English football's team of the decade, despite his side heading into 2020 some 14 points behind runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Statistics appear to prove him right given City have won 13 domestic trophies since 2010, with only Chelsea (nine) within touching distance of that mark.

City have clearly benefitted from the financial clout they have enjoyed since being taken over by Abu Dhabi ownership in August 2008.

City manager Guardiola reached the peak of his powers when he oversaw an unprecedented treble in the 2018/19 season that saw the club win all three major English trophies -- Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup -- in the one campaign as well as the Community Shield.

Even though their league form has been a disappointment in the first half of the current season, Guardiola is in no doubt City are "the" team of the decade in England. 

"I think this in the last decade was the best team in terms of points, in terms of goals, in terms of everything, titles even. So congratulate Manchester City for that," he said.

"When we analyse every single day here, what happened day-by-day gives us perspective in what happened in the last 10 seasons, especially when people from Abu Dhabi took over the club and bought good players, interesting managers."

- 'Huge elephants' -

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, who joined City in 2016, added: "I think we did it incredibly well. 

"People say 'how was 2019?' Now people are saying it is a disaster. We won four titles in 2019, so it was an incredible year for us, we enjoyed it a lot.

"In some games in this last part of the year we have struggled a bit but it was an incredible year for us. Congratulations for all the people working here. 

"They were fighting with huge elephants here in England, big, big clubs with the biggest history. For the past decade we were part of them. That is amazing."

Despite their current 'troubles', City could still win any, or all, of the three cup competitions in which they are involved and Guardiola expects the club to remain a major player in the English game in the decade ahead.

"The big clubs here in England are always looking forward, we are going to try and analyse not just in terms of the squad but as a club how we can do better," he added. 

"Hopefully in the next decade this club can be here for more time."

In the short term, Guardiola has long since conceded the race for this season's Premier League title to Liverpool and admitted they had to "pray" if they were to win a third successive domestic championship.

But the Catalan manager, who again ruled out being active in the January transfer window, believes his current squad could still have competed for the title had injuries and, he hinted, VAR not sidelined their bid.

"Work harder, play better, and pray," said Guardiola when asked how City can close the gap to Liverpool.

"Liverpool have been incredible, European champions and they have dropped just two points (so far this season), we have to congratulate them. 

"But there are things we cannot control, we cannot control what a fantastic team like Liverpool have done so far and there are other issues you cannot control. When everyone is fit we can do it.

"You (the media) know what they are. You know that."

Agence France-Presse

Football: Man City keep Liverpool in sights as Mourinho magic lifts Spurs

LONDON -- Manchester City kept Premier League leaders Liverpool in their sights on Saturday after battling back to beat Chelsea as Jose Mourinho ended Tottenham's away-day woes in his first game in charge.

Leicester saw off Brighton 2-0 to stay in second place, eight points behind Jurgen Klopp's men, while struggling Arsenal needed a stoppage-time goal to draw 2-2 with lowly Southampton.

Liverpool's hard-fought 2-1 win at Crystal Palace meant defending champions City went into their evening match against high-flying Chelsea 12 points behind the pacesetters.

N'Golo Kante gave the visitors a deserved lead midway through the first half at the Etihad but City hit back with a deflected shot from Kevin De Bruyne and a trademark Riyad Mahrez strike to win 2-1.

Pep Guardiola's men were never entirely comfortable with a one-goal lead but their margin of victory could have been greater as Raheem Sterling found the bottom corner deep into stoppage time, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside.

City's possession figure of 46.74 percent is the lowest recorded by a side managed by Pep Guardiola in any of his 381 top-flight matches in charge.

"It was a top game against a top side," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "Chelsea have been big quality for the past 20 years. When they went ahead in the best moments they had we scored through Kevin De Bruyne. Then we missed a lot of chances."

Guardiola sounded the alarm over all-time top-scorer Sergio Aguero, who limped off in the second half, saying he feared his injury could be "bad".

- Liverpool late show -

Earlier, Liverpool once again demonstrated their knack for scoring last-gasp winners, with Roberto Firmino finishing from close range following a goalmouth scramble.

Liverpool had looked set to drop points for just the second time this season after Wilfried Zaha cancelled out Sadio Mane's opener in the 82nd minute.

The European champions, chasing their first league title for 30 years, have now won 12 of their 13 Premier League matches this season and are unbeaten in 30 league games.

"We are not out there to show we invented football. We have a job to do to get results. We did that again," said Klopp.

"I have no problem that we were not brilliant today. You just have to make sure you are ready to fight for the result and we were that from the first minute."

Brendan Rodgers' Leicester kept up their dogged pursuit of the leaders, with second-half goals from Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy giving them a fifth successive league win.

- Mourinho effect -

In the early kick-off at the London Stadium, Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane were on the scoresheet for Tottenham as Mourinho won his first game in charge 3-2, days after replacing the sacked Mauricio Pochettino.

Spurs' first away league victory since January will help to endear Mourinho to sceptical supporters, who were sad to see Pochettino dismissed less than six months after leading the club to a first-ever Champions League final.

"It was very, very important. Eleven months without music in the away dressing room, without a smile, without happiness and they did it," said the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss.

"That's where I belong (on the touchline), that is my natural habitat. I just love it. When things go in your direction, winning is the best feeling."

Arsenal manager Unai Emery is under increasing pressure after another limp display that leaves them winless in five Premier League matches.

Southampton took an early lead at the Emirates through Danny Ings only for Alexandre Lacazette to level.

James Ward-Prowse restored Southampton's lead in the second half but Lacazette saved Emery's blushes with a goal deep into stoppage time.

In-form Wolves won 2-1 at 10-man Bournemouth courtesy of a Joao Moutinho free-kick and Raul Jimenez's goal to climb to fifth in the table.

Norwich lifted themselves off the bottom with a 2-0 victory away to Everton while Burnley won 3-0 at Watford, who are now bottom.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United face Sheffield United on Sunday with a chance to move into fifth place.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Peerless Man City hunt Premier League hat-trick

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Manchester City have quietly gone about their business in the close-season in the knowledge they do not need radical surgery after amassing 198 Premier League points in the last two campaigns.

Champions City, who have dropped only 30 points over that period of sustained domestic dominance, were pushed all the way by a hungry Liverpool last season but held them off to win by a single point in a thrilling climax.

What to expect:

Basically, more of the same -- it is difficult to see any side other than Liverpool preventing City from becoming the first team to win a third straight Premier League title since Manchester United from 2006/07 to 2008/09. 

There are few weaknesses in City's balanced squad, which combines title-winning nous with an enviable depth of talent.

The most significant departure from the Etihad is that of Belgian defender Vincent Kompany, who has moved to Anderlecht after 11 years of sterling service, taking with him his valuable leadership skills.

Defensive midfielder Rodri, 23, has joined from Atletico Madrid for a club-record fee and Pep Guardiola will have a virtual new signing in Kevin De Bruyne, who spent so much of the last campaign injured.

The question asked at the beginning of last season was 'where do you go after winning the Premier League with 100 points'?

The driven Guardiola emphatically answered that by winning the domestic treble for the first time in English football history.

City could switch their focus to winning the Champions League for the first time, but the manager might point to their narrow quarter-final defeat by eventual runners-up Tottenham as evidence his team are not that far away from European glory.

Guardiola, whose side beat Liverpool on penalties in Sunday's Community Shield, the season's traditional curtain-raiser, is expecting Jurgen Klopp's team to be his main rivals again.

"There are two real contenders, Liverpool and us, to win the Premier League. (Manchester) United with (Harry) Maguire and the other players they bought, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham can be there," he said.

New faces:

What do you buy the man who has everything? 

The answer is a new defensive midfielder who can give the club another option alongside veteran Fernandinho, who is 34.

Spanish international Rodri said the chance to learn from Guardiola was a vital factor in his decision to make a club-record move to City from Atletico.

"For me it's a great opportunity," he said. "It's a great team with great players in every area of the pitch. I think Pep is the greatest coach in the world and that's what made me come."

Rodri's composed style on the ball at the base of the midfield has earned comparisons with Barcelona and Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets.

Key man:

It is easy to forget Manchester City had to make do without Kevin De Bruyne, their player of the season the previous year, for large chunks of their 2018/19 campaign.

A clutch of injuries meant the Belgium playmaker, 28, was a peripheral figure in City's pursuit of glory, making just 11 starts in the Premier League.

But when he plays he gives City a new dimension and put in a man-of-the-match performance in the FA Cup final despite only coming on in the second half.

"We hope that we can keep him healthy, this is a guy who loves to play football and is a huge competitor," said Guardiola.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Manchester City bounces back against Brighton to win Premier League title

LONDON -- Manchester City retained the Premier League title in style on Sunday, holding their nerve to come from behind against Brighton and see off a charging Liverpool after a thrilling campaign.

Pep Guardiola's team thumped Brighton 4-1 away to finish on 98 points -- the second-highest total in Premier League history -- as Liverpool beat Wolves, 2-0, at Anfield to finish a single, agonizing, point adrift.

City, who strung together 14 league wins at the end of the season, are the first side to retain the title since their bitter rivals Manchester United managed the feat in 2009, and remain on course for the first domestic treble in English football history.

But Guardiola's team of aristocrats did not have it all their own way on a day of drama on England's south coast in keeping with an astonishing season in which the lead switched hands time after time.

Liverpool drew first blood on Sunday, with Sadio Mane striking in the 17th minute to put them mathematically top of the table and on course for their first English top-flight title since 1990, before the Premier League era even started.

City fans' nerves were shredded even further when Glenn Murray put Brighton in front from a corner in the 27th minute, resulting in a huge roar at Anfield.

But those cheers were quickly muted, with Guardiola's side level just 83 seconds later, Aguero staying onside and keeping his cool to finish after a brilliant ball from David Silva.

Ten minutes later, the unmarked Aymeric Laporte rose to head in Riyad Mahrez's corner to complete the turnaround for City.

Guardiola's side continued to dominate at the start of the second half and were rewarded when Mahrez smashed in a third goal with 27 minutes to go.

Ilkay Gundogan then blasted home a free-kick to put the result beyond doubt.

Record-breakers

City broke a host of Premier League records in romping to the title last season, becoming the first team in English top-flight history to reach 100 points and finishing a record 19 points clear of closest rivals Manchester United.

This term has been a totally different campaign, with Guardiola's men forced to dig deep to see off the relentless challenge of Liverpool, who have lost just one Premier League game all season.

The champions have ground out a number of 1-0 victories in recent weeks, showing they have added steel to their style.

The outcome was cruel on Liverpool, who are second behind only United in the all-time list of English champions with 18 titles, although the last came in 1990.

The Merseysiders' points tally is the third-highest in Premier League history.

Jurgen Klopp's side travelled to face City at the Etihad in January with the chance to open up a 10-point lead but the defending champions won 2-1 in what turned out to be the pivotal match of the campaign.

Liverpool suffered a blip in late January and February, held to a series of draws, but they found their form again and relentlessly harried City, finishing with nine straight league wins.

Klopp's team will have to put the disappointment behind them as they prepare to face Premier League rivals Spurs in the Champions League final in Madrid on June 1.

Elsewhere on the final day of Premier League action, Tottenham made mathematically certain of a place in the top four, drawing 2-2 against Everton.

Arsenal beat Burnley, 3-1, while fellow Europa League finalists Chelsea were held to a goalless draw at Leicester.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United finished their season with a whimper, losing 2-0 at home to relegated Cardiff.

There were also wins for Crystal Palace, Newcastle and West Ham. Southampton and Huddersfield drew 1-1.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Man City raise the bar as Man Utd suffer more misery

MANCHESTER -- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes his side have raised the bar in the Premier League after edging one point back ahead of Liverpool in a titanic title race with a 2-0 win at Manchester United on Wednesday.

Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane struck for the visitors in 12 second-half minutes at Old Trafford to inflict a seventh defeat in nine games on United, who remain three points adrift of the top four.

City cannot match their record 100 points tally in romping to the title last season, but victories over Burnley, Leicester and Brighton will clinch the title on 98 points and ensure Liverpool's 29-year wait to win the league continues despite already posting a club record points tally in the Premier League era.

"We increased the level for the Premier League last season with 100 points. That's the level Liverpool are chasing. What they have done is incredible but it's in our hands," said Guardiola.

"Both teams deserve the title. But it can be just one. The team that is going to lose can't have regrets because they have given everything."

City's trip to Old Trafford was billed as the last big hurdle left for Guardiola's men to clear despite United's terrible run of form.

However, Guardiola warned of the tight turnaround before a very different type of test at Burnley on Sunday.

"Normally with this kind of victory you can it enjoy it the most but we have to be calm," added Guardiola.

"Now we go to Burnley and we know how tough it will be. It's important to be calm. We are still not champions with three games left -- it's incredible with the points we have and Liverpool have.

"I told the players don't read tomorrow, don't watch the television, just rest and sleep a lot."

- City the standard bearers -

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer slammed his players' attitude after a 4-0 thrashing at Everton on Sunday and was rewarded with a far more energetic and committed performance, even if City's greater quality eventually shone through.

"They've set the standard in the last couple of seasons. They have been the best team in the country and that's the standard we want to get to," admitted Solskjaer.

Yet, Arsenal's defeat at Wolves means the Red Devils are still very much in the race for Champions League qualification, should they beat fourth-placed Chelsea at home on Sunday.

"I'm concerned about the lack of results," added Solskjaer. 

"The strange reality is that we are still in with a shout for the top four. We need more quality on Sunday because we need to win that game and, if we win it, we have two games to get those points and goals we need."

Solskjaer has bemoaned United's fitness levels in recent weeks and again after an early burst, they started to flag as City created a spurt of chances either side of half-time.

"We know what's been going wrong, it's mentality and willingness to run for your team," said United striker Marcus Rashford.

"Forget the top four and the Champions League. We have to get to the bottom of it and start playing like Manchester United for ourselves."

Raheem Sterling shot too close to David De Gea after weaving through a host of United bodies inside the area before Sergio Aguero dragged well wide when unmarked at the edge of the box as City went through the gears towards the end of the first-half.

But it was an enforced change early in the second-half that swung the game City's way as Guardiola boldly introduced Sane when the more defensive-minded Fernandinho went down injured.

De Gea has been a rare model of consistent brilliance as United have fallen behind City in recent seasons.

But the Spaniard's dramatic dip in form of late continued as he could have done better for both goals.

Guardiola's positive change was instantly rewarded when Bernardo cut inside onto his favoured left foot and beat De Gea at his near post.

Sane has been scarcely used by Guardiola of late, but the German, whose winning goal inflicted Liverpool's only league defeat of the season in January, again showed his capability to make a difference in the biggest games.

Sterling led a City counter-attack before feeding Sane, whose powerful shot De Gea could not keep out.

"I like to be critical of him because I know his potential," said Guardiola of Sane. "The way he came in was incredible."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Man City storm back as Man United crash out of FA Cup

LONDON -- Manchester City produced a stunning comeback against Swansea on Saturday to reach the FA Cup semi-finals and keep their quadruple dreams alive as Wolves sent Manchester United crashing out.

Pep Guardiola's team roared back from a two-goal half-time deficit to score three times after the break, with Sergio Aguero grabbing a disputed late winner in a 3-2 victory.

But United were unable to match their city rivals, slipping to a 2-1 defeat at Wolves to hand interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a second consecutive defeat.

In a dramatic game in south Wales, Championship side Swansea were 2-0 up against Premier League leaders City shortly before the half hour through a Matt Grimes penalty and fine strike by Bersant Celina.

But Bernardo Silva pulled a goal back in the 69th minute and the visitors went for the kill, drawing level after an Aguero penalty hit a post and went in off goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

The City pressure intensified and Aguero had the final word in the 88th minute with a stooping header to complete a stunning fightback.

It was a lucky escape for City as replays showed Raheem Sterling was fortunate to win the penalty that led to the equaliser, while Aguero was marginally offside for the winner.

"If it is not penalty, and it is offside like the people say, I'm sorry," Guardiola said.

"They ask all the clubs about the VAR (video assistant referee) and all around Europe the VAR is there and here it's not. I don't like to lose games when the decisions are wrong but the referees don't want to make wrong decisions, but they must be helped." 

Having already won the League Cup and advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals, City remain in the hunt for an unprecedented clean sweep of all four major trophies.

- Off-key United -

Twelve-time FA Cup winners United were below par as they followed up last week's Premier League defeat at Arsenal with a meek exit at Molineux.

Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota sent Wolves into the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in 21 years with two goals in six second-half minutes, with United only having Marcus Rashford's late consolation to show for their efforts.

United never convinced and could have lost by more, with Sergio Romero turning Jimenez's header on to the bar and denying Jota.

"I'm very proud of the players. We had composure, shape, good running," said Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo. 

"It means a lot because we know how big Wolves were in the 1950s and 1960s and there are people in the stadium who have memories of that. To try to achieve the same is much, much harder now but we will try step by step."

Disappointed Solskjaer, who had only suffered two defeats in 18 games before the Wolves match, described the performance as "a big step backwards".

"We've had a great run and now we've had two defeats. Against Arsenal we just couldn't score and today was poor, the poorest we've played," he said.

"I'm here until the summer, we've got loads to play for in the league and the Champions League."

In the early game on Saturday Andre Gray came off the bench to fire Watford into last four with a late winner in their 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Javi Gracia's side had taken the lead through Etienne Capoue's first-half strike before Michy Batshuayi equalised for Palace after the interval.

Championship side Millwall host Premier League side Brighton on Sunday.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Man City thrash Arsenal to win League Cup final

LONDON - Pep Guardiola claimed his maiden English silverware as Manchester City thrashed Arsenal 3-0 in the League Cup final with Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva all on target in a disappointingly one-sided showpiece on Sunday.

The first meeting between the sides in a domestic final was no classic but Spaniard Guardiola will not care after his side's class eventually shone through at a freezing Wembley Stadium.

City, who will also win the Premier League title barring a monumental collapse, did not even have to hit top gear to lift the trophy for the third time in five years.

Aguero's 18th-minute goal gave City a halftime lead and Arsenal withered after the break as Kompany prodded in from close range after 58 minutes before Silva thumped home a left-footer seven minutes later.

Arsenal's fans left in droves in the final 20 minutes while City's fans decorated the stadium with sky blue.

After a trophy-less first season in charge of City, Guardiola's career major trophy haul as a manager stands at 19, having won 11 with Barcelona and seven at Bayern Munich.

"It's important. We're so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me," Guardiola, whose side's bid for an unprecedented quadruple was wrecked by a shock FA Cup defeat by third-tier Wigan Athletic on Monday, said.

"The first half we were not good, there were a lot of mistakes, in the second half we played with a lot more courage and personality -- we were outstanding."

Arsenal have now lost a record six League Cup finals and it remains the only silverware manager Arsene Wenger has not won.

"We self-inflicted our punishment," he said. "We had an unbelievable chance at 0-0 and then gave them a goal."

Despite the 27 points separating the sides in the Premier League, Arsenal arrived at Wembley having won their last three domestic finals, all in the FA Cup.

LOST CAUSE 

Their pedigree in knockout play offered hope of some salvation for another disappointing league campaign, but from the moment Aguero opened the scoring it looked a lost cause.

For all City's dazzling football this season, the breakthrough came from an old-fashioned 70 metre hoof forward by City's keeper Claudio Bravo -- who had kept his place in favour of usual keeper Ederson.

Aguero got the better of Shkodran Mustafi all too easily and as the Arsenal defender stopped and appealed for a foul that never was, Aguero calmly advanced to dink a delicate finish over David Ospina as Laurent Koscielny tried to cover.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was in use for the first time in an English final and Wenger could have been excused for wanting to have a second look just to clarify how his side had been opened up in such schoolboy fashion.

Kevin de Bruyne volleyed into the side-netting before halftime but Arsenal barely conjured a chance apart from early on when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang somehow failed to beat Bravo from close range after Mesut Ozil's ball in.

City raised their level after the break and Arsenal lacked a chronic lack of belief that they could turn things around and win the trophy for the first time since 1993.

Kompany went close with a deflected effort and the next time the Belgian defender found himself in the Arsenal box, he poked out a leg to divert Ilkay Gundogan's low cross into the net.

When Silva buried a low shot past Ospina from Danilo's pass seven minutes later it threatened to get ugly for Arsenal.

They were spared further torment but the thousands of empty red seats behind Bravo's goal spoke volumes.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

10-man United beat Arsenal in thriller to keep heat on City

LONDON - Manchester United held on with 10 men after Paul Pogba's late dismissal to beat Arsenal 3-1 in a pulsating game at the Emirates Stadium on a day when Liverpool and Chelsea also kept up the heat on Premier League leaders Manchester City.

With Pep Guardiola's free-flowing side not in action until Sunday, second-placed United closed the gap at the top to five points with a thrilling display that belied manager Jose Mourinho's reputation as overly defensive away from home.

While goals from Antonio Valencia and Jesse Lingard inside 11 minutes, and a further second-half strike from Lingard, showed United at their best, Pogba's crude 'studs-up' lunge at Hector Bellerin revealed another side in the 75th minute.

The Frenchman deservedly received a straight red card and will miss three games, including next week's derby against City.

Until Pogba's dismissal, everything had looked perfect for United, for whom David De Gea was outstanding and was beaten only by Alexandre Lacazette just after the interval.

"What I saw today was the best goalkeeper in the world," said Mourinho, who said he "did not know" what to make of Pogba's dismissal and would leave it to the television pundits to decide.

Liverpool took advantage of Arsenal's first home Premier League defeat in 13 games to move fourth after thumping Brighton & Hove Albion 5-1. Juergen Klopp's side have now scored 15 goals in four away games in all competitions.

The German made even more changes than his team scored goals, leaving out six of the side who beat Stoke City 3-0 in midweek.

Liverpool were not weakened and after stand-in centre half Emre Can put them ahead with a bullet header, Roberto Firmino hit a double, Philippe Coutinho scored from a free kick and Brighton's Lewis Dunk headed into his own net. With the visitors three up, Glenn Murray's 51st-minute penalty was not enough to spark Liverpool's usual defensive jitters.

Earlier, Chelsea came from behind to sweep past Newcastle United 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.

After Dwight Gayle gave Newcastle the lead, Belgium's Eden Hazard produced nine shots, six on target, and two goals in a display that, according to Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, made the difference against a side who have now gone six games without a win.

Hazard also provided a potent reminder of what England can expect when they face Belgium in the World Cup in Russia next year.

At Vicarage Road, Spurs clung on for a 1-1 draw with their near neighbours after Davinson Sanchez was sent off for elbowing Brazilian Richarlison at the start of the second half. The goals came early with Christian Kabasele's opener for Watford cancelled out by Son Heung-min. Sixth-placed Spurs are now four points behind Liverpool and 15 adrift of leaders City.

NEW MANAGERS

Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew both looked to deliver the new manager bounce in their first match in charge for their clubs but only Everton collected three points in a routine 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town.

Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored second-half goals to give Allardyce a winning start two days after he signed an 18-month contract at Everton. But the performance was short on quality and the 63-year-old will have work to do before next Sunday's derby visit to free-scoring Liverpool.

Pardew's first match in charge of West Bromwich Albion ended in a 0-0 home draw with Crystal Palace, who were replaced at the foot of the Premier League by Swansea City, 2-1 losers at Stoke.

The visitors went ahead through Wilfried Bony's first goal for them in nearly two years before Xherdan Shaqiri and Mame Biram Diouf turned the game to increase the pressure on Swansea manager Paul Clement after his side's 10th league defeat of the season.

Demarai Gray got on the end of Riyad Mahrez's cross to give Leicester a 1-0 win over Burnley that continued the Foxes' bright start under Claude Puel. Burnley's bad day was made worse by an injury to Robbie Brady, who was taken off on a stretcher before the break.

(Reporting by Neil Robinson; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Clare Fallon)

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City dazzle after Anfield bore draw, Chelsea lose

LONDON - Manchester City opened up a two-point lead over neighbors Manchester United at the top of the Premier League thanks to another display of scintillating brilliance in a 7-2 thrashing of Stoke City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

After the high-noon showdown between Liverpool and a United side lacking in any great ambition ended in goalless stalemate at Anfield, City cashed in with a third straight league match at the Etihad in which they have struck at least five goals.


Pep Guardiola's men became the first team to net 29 goals in their first eight league games of a top-flight campaign in England since Everton 1894-95 as some of their main title challengers faltered.

Their sixth consecutive league win moved them to 22 points with United on 20 and Tottenham Hotspur staying third on 17 after finally earning their first home win at Wembley Stadium, 1-0 over Bournemouth with a Christian Eriksen goal.

Sensation of the day came at Selhurst Park where Crystal Palace, hitherto without a goal and point to their name, downed champions Chelsea 2-1 with Wilfried Zaha, returning from injury, scoring a fine winner just before the break.

New manager Roy Hodgson celebrated his first win in charge as Palace finally got in the scoresheet - a Cesar Azpilicueta own goal had given them an early lead before Tiemoue Bakayoko equalised - after 731 minutes without a league goal.


Arsenal were surprisingly toppled too as Watford came from behind to snatch a 2-1 win with a 71st-minute penalty from Troy Deeney and a stoppage-time strike from Tom Cleverley, which lifted the Hornets to the giddy heights of fourth on 15 points.

The shock defeats left fifth-placed Chelsea and Arsenal both nine points behind leaders City, whose current brand of kaleidoscopic football makes them favourites to regain the title they last won in 2014.

Gabriel Jesus, with a brace, Raheem Sterling, David Silva, Fernandinho, Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva all found the target in the demolition of Stoke with the side now looking like a proper Guardiola creation.

The orchestrator of the exhilarating triumph did not even get on the scoresheet, but not for the first time this season Kevin de Bruyne was hailed the man of the match for his part in four of the goals.

"We didn't lose easy balls, we play fast and simple. That's why I am very pleased. It is the best performance since I am here," Guardiola told the BBC.

"He (De Bruyne) is one of the best by far, he is someone who produced a lot of actions. He is dynamic."

STARK CONTRAST

City's dazzle was a stark contrast to their neighbours' safety-first approach in the underwhelming Anfield game during which the only Manchester United highlight was David de Gea's great save to deny Joel Matip.

Liverpool, despite being much the better side, were blunt in attack, failing to convert any of their 19 attempts on goal.

"Manchester United came here for a point and got it," said Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp with a sigh.

Not that United's manager Jose Mourinho would entertain the idea of it having been a bit of an anti-climactic affair.

"It depends on what is an entertaining game," he said. "One thing is an entertaining game for fans, another thing is an entertaining game for people who read football in a different way.

"For me, the second half was a bit of chess but my opponent didn't open the door for me to win the game."

Chris Wood earned an 85th-minute equaliser for Burnley in a 1-1 draw at home to 10-man West Ham United, who had Andy Carroll sent off in the 27th minute after a couple of elbowing offences earned him two yellow cards.

Swansea City forged clear of the relegation zone with only their second league win of the season, a 2-0 victory over Huddersfield Town.

(Reporting by Ian Chadband, editing by Ed Osmond)

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City, Liverpool deny Arsenal Champions League slot on final day

LONDON - Manchester City and Liverpool claimed the last two Champions League qualifying spots with comfortable wins on Sunday that meant Arsene Wenger's Arsenal missed out on Europe's elite club competition for the first time in 20 years.

The big guns blew away the rest on the final day of the Premier League season -- City thrashing Watford 5-0 and Liverpool beating relegated Middlesbrough 3-0 -- to leave the top six places exactly as they had been at the start of play.

That meant Arsenal failed to qualify for Champions League football for the first time since Wenger became manager in 1996.

Despite beating Everton 3-1 with only 10 men -- defender Laurent Koscielny was sent off and will miss the FA Cup final against champions Chelsea on Saturday -- Wenger's team were left stranded in fifth position as Manchester City and Liverpool finished in the top four behind Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

Latest media reports have indicated that Wenger will sign a new contract whatever the result at Wembley Stadium, in the face of disillusionment with his stewardship by many Arsenal fans.

"We were playing in a hostile environment," the Frenchman told reporters of his side's difficult mid-season period.

"The players came back stronger in the last two months and I'm very proud of them for doing that.

"One thing you cannot question is my love for this club. I've turned down every club in the world to stay here."

GOAL FEAST

On a day full of goals -- 37 in the 10 matches -- Tottenham led the way with a 7-1 thumping of hosts Hull City four days after winning 6-1 away to dethroned champions Leicester City.

England striker Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the week to finish as the clear winner of the Golden Boot with 29 goals from only 30 games.

"Finishing the season with seven goals in two games is perfect, hopefully I can continue it at the start of next season," he said.

Pep Guardiola's City knocked in five at Watford to give departing home manager Walter Mazzarri a miserable send-off.

The win kept the Manchester side two points ahead of Liverpool, whose comfortable success at home to Middlesbrough earned them a place in the Champions League playoff round.

Disappointed Arsenal could point out that their total of 75 points was more than they achieved in finishing runners-up last season and would normally have put them in the top four.

It emphasised how the top clubs have pulled away from the rest, with a gap of 15 points between Everton in seventh place and Southampton in eighth. There was a similar gap between fourth-placed Liverpool and their Merseyside rivals.

CHELSEA CELEBRATE

Chelsea's 93 points was the second highest total since the Premier League began in 1992 and they became the first Premier League team to register 30 victories in one season. They finished seven points ahead of second-placed Spurs.

Antonio Conte's side were presented with the trophy after beating bottom club Sunderland 5-1 at Stamford Bridge, where departing club captain John Terry made an emotional farewell speech to the crowd.

"Today is one of the most difficult days of my life," he said.

Sixth-placed Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 2-0 after resting several players ahead of Wednesday's Europa League final against Ajax Amsterdam in Stockholm.

The struggles of old rivals Arsenal and United this season meant it was the first time both sides had finished outside the first four places in the top flight since the 1978-79 campaign.

United's Josh Harrop, 21, scored the opening goal against Palace on his league debut while 16-year-old substitute Angel Gomes became the youngest player to feature for the Old Trafford club in the Premier League era.

Leicester City failed to secure the win they needed at home to Bournemouth for a place in the top half of the table, the 1-1 draw ending their poor defense of the title in 12th position.

(Reporting by Steve Tongue; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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PREMIER LEAGUE: Perfect 10 for Chelsea, Ibra rescues Man Utd

LONDON -- Cesc Fabregas's goal earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory at Sunderland on Wednesday -- their 10th in succession -- as Antonio Conte's side surged six points clear at the Premier League summit.

Fabregas, who came in for Nemanja Matic, curled in from Willian's 40th-minute cut-back to establish Chelsea's longest winning run within the same league campaign since 2005-06.

"Today we didn't pay, but when you have the possibility to kill the game, you must kill the game," said Chelsea manager Conte.

"I prefer my players not to look at the table and to focus on the next game in three days (at Crystal Palace). We must prepare very well to have a good Christmas."

There were also wins for Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 88th-minute strike earned Manchester United a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Chelsea, for whom Eden Hazard missed out due to a knock, have won all 10 league games they gave played since losing 3-0 at Arsenal on September 24, keeping eight clean sheets.

But it took a flying save from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to prevent Patrick van Aanholt snatching a point for bottom club Sunderland at the death.

Conte's men are six points clear of Liverpool, who stole above Arsenal into second place courtesy of a 3-0 win at Middlesbrough in which Adam Lallana scored twice.

Having seen his side beaten 4-3 at Bournemouth and then held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham United, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp dropped goalkeeper Lorus Karius for Simon Mignolet.

His team went ahead in the 29th minute when Lallana headed in from England team-mate Nathaniel Clyne's right-wing cross.

Lallana teed up Divock Origi to add a second on the hour and eight minutes later the Belgian returned the favour as Lallana claimed his second goal.

"About a year ago I had sat him in the office and I was happy with him, but he was like, 'I'm not scoring,'" Klopp said of Lallana.

"And I said he wasn't in the right positions. Tonight he was twice in the right position and it was wonderful."

Liverpool moved above Arsenal on goal difference, Arsene Wenger's side having lost 2-1 at Everton on Tuesday.

In further bad news for Arsenal, City, Tottenham and United all closed in on them.

- Rondon's headed hat-trick -

Pep Guardiola's City hit back after successive defeats against Chelsea and champions Leicester City by winning 2-0 at home to Watford.

Guardiola, who dropped John Stones and reverted to a back four, saw his side prevail thanks to goals in each half by Pablo Zabaleta and David Silva.

"We won, we had a good performance," said Guardiola. "All the team worked hard and it is good to get a clean sheet."

The only black mark for City was a knee injury sustained by Ilkay Gundogan, which Guardiola said was likely to keep the Germany midfielder out for "several months".

City remain fourth, seven points adrift of Chelsea, but only a point below Liverpool and Arsenal.

Tottenham are three points back in fifth place after Christian Eriksen scored twice in a 3-0 home win over Hull City, with Victor Wanyama also on target.

Having beaten Spurs 1-0 on Sunday, United recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time since August by edging Palace to remain three points below Mauricio Pochettino's men in sixth place.

Jose Mourinho's side went ahead in first-half stoppage time at Selhurst Park when Ibrahimovic chested down Juan Mata's free-kick for Paul Pogba to score from close range.

United were pegged back in the 66th minute when James McArthur beat David de Gea at his near post, but with full-time beckoning Pogba freed Ibrahimovic to dink home his 14th goal of the season.

"It was very difficult, but very deserved," Mourinho told the BBC.

"It was an amazing reaction and I am really pleased for the players."

West Bromwich Albion climbed to the heady heights of seventh place after a hat-trick of headers by Salomon Rondon gave Tony Pulis's men a 3-1 home win over third-bottom Swansea City.

The Venezuelan striker became the first player to score a headed Premier League hat-trick since Everton's Duncan Ferguson in December 1997. Wayne Routledge replied for Swansea.

West Ham pulled clear of the relegation zone after Mark Noble tucked away the rebound from his own penalty to secure a 1-0 home win over Burnley.

Stoke City survived the 22nd-minute dismissal of Marko Arnautovic for a studs-up lunge at Sofiane Boufal to secure a 0-0 draw at home to Southampton.

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Barca, City into last 16 as PSG control fate

PARIS, France -- Lionel Messi fired Barcelona into the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday after a 2-0 win at Celtic as they were joined in the knockout rounds by Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

The Argentine star returned from illness to score both goals at Celtic Park -- the second from the penalty spot -- to send the five-time European champions through as winners of Group C.

City recovered from a goal down in Germany to earn a 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach as both sides finished with 10 men.

Raffael grabbed the opening goal for Gladbach on 23 minutes, but David Silva poked in Kevin De Bruyne's cross just prior to the break before Lars Stindl and Fernandinho saw red in the second half.

"We controlled the game but it wasn’t enough to win. We’re just happy that we’re through to the last 16," said Belgian international De Bruyne.

French champions Paris Saint-Germain seized control of their own destiny in Group A with a 2-2 draw away to Arsenal.

Edinson Cavani turned in Blaise Matuidi's cross at the far post to hand PSG an 18th-minute lead at the Emirates Stadium.

But the Gunners hit back on the stroke of half-time as Alexis Sanchez was brought down by Grzegorz Krychowiak and Olivier Giroud rolled home the resulting spot-kick.

Arsenal looked to be in pole position to finish top of the group when an attempted clearance from Marquinhos ricocheted off an unfortunate Marco Verratti and squirmed past Alphonse Areola for a fluke own goal.

But Lucas ensured Unai Emery's side departed with a point as his header from Hatem Ben Arfa's corner flicked off Alex Iwobi and flashed past David Ospina 13 minutes from the end.

"We had good spells in the game but we could not dominate. Tonight my concern is that we were 2-1 up and allowed them to come back at us. It's difficult to understand how easy we gave away a goal at a corner," said Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger.

Both PSG and Arsenal have 11 points with one match to play, but the French outfit own the head-to-head edge on away goals after the reverse fixture at the Parc des Princes in September finished 1-1.

- Bayern stunned in Russia -

Bayern Munich crashed to a shock 3-2 defeat in Rostov and could face a daunting draw in the next round after Atletico Madrid's 2-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven guaranteed Diego Simeone's men first place in Group D.

Douglas Costa rifled Bayern ahead on 35 minutes in Russia, but Rostov equalised through Sardar Azmoun on the stroke of half-time before going ahead courtesy of a Dmitri Poloz penalty.

Juan Bernat swiftly levelled for the Germans, but Ecuador international Christian Noboa fired competition debutants Rostov to a first group stage victory with the winner on 67 minutes.

In Madrid, French duo Kevin Gameiro and Antoine Griezmann netted second-half goals as Atletico -- runners-up twice in the past three seasons -- registered their fifth win in as many matches in the Champions League.

Besiktas launched a remarkable second-half recovery as they fought back from three goals down against Benfica to draw 3-3 in Istanbul.

Benfica, champions of Europe in 1961 and 1962, appeared to be sailing through to the last 16 after cruising 3-0 ahead inside barely half an hour through goals from Goncalo Guedes, Nelson Semedo and Ljubomir Fejsa.

But the Turks pulled one back on the hour courtesy of Cenk Tosun before two goals in the final seven minutes from Ricardo Quaresma and Vincent Aboubakar revived their qualification hopes.

Napoli were held 0-0 at home by Dynamo Kiev and must take at least a point from their trip to Benfica in a fortnight, while Besiktas will punch their ticket to the knockout stages if they win in Ukraine.

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PREMIER LEAGUE: Man City join Liverpool on top

LONDON - Yaya Toure returned to Manchester City's ranks on Saturday after a public apology to manager Pep Guardiola and scored twice in a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace that took them to the top of the Premier League alongside Liverpool.

While Liverpool's progress was checked by a goalless draw at Southampton, City clambered back level with the Anfield club on 27 points from 12 matches thanks to the double from old favourite Toure whose stand-off with Guardiola was quickly forgiven and forgotten.

On an afternoon when Jose Mourinho complained Manchester United were "the unluckiest team in the Premier League" after Arsenal snatched a 1-1 draw with an 89th-minute equalizer at Old Trafford, there was nothing fortunate about City's victory.

While resting key players before the Champions League clash with Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday, Guardiola brought Toure in for his first league appearance of the season after the midfielder's apology following comments the player's agent made about the club and manager.

The Ivorian repaid Guardiola's faith with a 39th-minute run and shot and, after Connor Wickham had equalized in the second half, netted an 83rd-minute winner.

After a three-month stand-off at the club, Toure sounded emotional as he spoke of being applauded back into the dressing room by team mates.

"They have always been brilliant with me, always supportive. I always want to be there to help them. I am professional, I always want to improve my game," he told the BBC.

"I was prepared mentally and I knew that one day my manager would need me."

DRIVING RAIN

Liverpool's recent magisterial progress ended in driving rain at Southampton where, although they extended their unbeaten sequence to 10 games, the league's top scorers squandered a series of chances.

It left them still leading the way on the strength of having scored more goals than City but Chelsea, two points behind, have the chance to jump ahead of both if they win at Middlesbrough on Sunday.

Arsenal were grateful to extend their unbeaten streak to 17 games in all competitions after a last-gasp header from substitute Olivier Giroud earned them a barely deserved point at Manchester United.

Juan Mata had put United ahead in the second half of a game they dominated but Giroud's late rescue act left Mourinho cursing his luck, even if he had stretched his unbeaten league record against old foe Arsene Wenger to 12 matches.

"We are the unluckiest team in the Premier League," Mourinho said of his sixth-placed team. "I'm not going to say they (Arsenal) didn't want to win but they couldn't be the way they normally play football.

"They were the lucky ones and we were the unlucky ones but that's football."

The draw left Arsenal fourth on 25 points, the same as Chelsea. Tottenham Hotspur are one point adrift in fifth after Harry Kane netted twice in three dramatic late minutes to earn a pulsating 3-2 win over West Ham United at White Hart Lane.

The England striker hammered home the winner from the penalty spot in stoppage time as Spurs came roaring back from 2-1 down to protect their record as the only unbeaten team in the league.

At the other end of the table Victor Anichebe struck twice and Jermain Defoe netted his 150th Premier League goal as Sunderland clambered off the bottom with a 3-0 win over fellow strugglers Hull City.

Swansea City are now bottom, with American Bob Bradley still looking for his first win as manager, after Seamus Coleman equalised for hosts Everton in the 89th minute to secure a 1-1 draw.

Leicester City's difficult reign as champions continued as they went behind to an Etienne Capoue goal at Watford after 33 seconds and ended up losing 2-1, a defeat that left them two points above the relegation zone.

(Editing by Ed Osmond and Tony Jimenez)

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PREMIER LEAGUE: Chelsea storm to summit after Man City stumble

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Eden Hazard scored twice as Chelsea exploited a slip-up by Manchester City to claim top spot in the Premier League by stylishly crushing Everton 5-0 on Saturday.

Marten de Roon's stoppage-time equalizer earned Middlesbrough a 1-1 draw at City and Antonio Conte's Chelsea took advantage to move a point clear of Pep Guardiola's side at the summit.

"When you win in this way it's fantastic because we played good football with good intensity," Conte told BT Sport.

"All the players played in the right way with and without the ball. We created many chances to score and also it's the fifth clean sheet in a row, which is fantastic.

"It is fantastic to be top of the league."

Arsenal and Liverpool could also surpass City before the weekend is out, the former tackling Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's North London derby and the latter entertaining Watford.

Elsewhere, bottom club Sunderland ended their wait for a first win of the season at the 11th attempt by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Bournemouth despite having Steven Pienaar sent off.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea produced one of their most scintillating performances in recent memory as the 2014-15 champions made it five straight wins without conceding a goal.

Hazard opened the scoring in the 19th minute, drifting in from the left to drill a shot into the bottom-right corner, and a minute later Pedro Rodriguez teed up Marcos Alonso for the hosts' second.

Diego Costa made it 3-0 three minutes before half-time, slamming home at the back post after Nemanja Matic flicked on Hazard's corner to bring up his ninth goal of the campaign.

Chelsea's fourth goal was a jewel, Pedro returning Hazard's pass with a sweet back-heel and the Belgian dancing into the box from the right before lashing home with his left foot.

Pedro volleyed in the fifth, in the 65th minute, after Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg parried a shot from Hazard.

City went into their game on the back of a stirring 3-1 Champions League win over Barcelona and Boro's former Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes looked determined to restore Catalan pride at the Etihad Stadium.

He saved brilliantly from Sergio Aguero and David Silva, only for Aguero to put the hosts ahead in the 43rd minute by converting Kevin De Bruyne's sumptuous cross for his 150th goal in 223 City appearances.

- Barnes late show -

Boro showed more attacking intent in the second half, former City striker Alvaro Negredo almost catching out Claudio Bravo with an audacious lob from his own half before Bravo saved smartly from Adam Forshaw.

After Aguero had squandered a late chance, Dutch midfielder De Roon met George Friend's deep cross with a thumping header to earn Boro a dramatic point.

"We did absolutely everything to win the game. It is a pity," said Guardiola, whose side have drawn their last three home league games 1-1 following previous stalemates against Everton and Southampton.

"It is a miss because we have dropped six points in the last three home games, but we are still there. We have to move forward."

Sunderland remain bottom, below Swansea City on goal difference, but manager David Moyes belatedly has a victory to his name following a hard-fought success at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium.

After Adam Smith had teed up Dan Gosling to bundle in an 11th-minute opener for Bournemouth, Victor Anichebe equalised with his first Sunderland goal.

Pienaar was sent off just before the hour after receiving a second yellow card for a lunge on Junior Stanislas, but Jermain Defoe netted a 74th-minute winner from the spot after Smith felled Anichebe.

"It is a big relief," Moyes told Sky Sports. "We owed the supporters the victory. They have kept with us.

"We needed a win, but it is only one. We need a few more."

There was late drama at Turf Moor as Burnley withstood a Crystal Palace fightback to prevail 3-2 courtesy of Ashley Barnes's 94th-minute strike.

Sam Vokes and Johann Berg Gundmundsson put Burnley 2-0 up, only for Palace to hit back through second-half goals by substitute Connor Wickham and Christian Benteke.

But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Gudmundsson crossed for Barnes to fire home and condemn Palace -- who later hit the post through Andros Townsend -- to a fourth straight defeat.

Stoke City drew 1-1 at West Ham United, Bojan Krkic exploiting an error by home goalkeeper Adrian to equalise in the 75th minute after a Glenn Whelan own goal had put the hosts ahead.

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Mata fires Man United into League Cup quarters

LONDON - Juan Mata swept home to steer Manchester United into the League Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over holders and bitter local rivals Manchester City on Wednesday as Jose Mourinho got one over old adversary Pep Guardiola.

Mata rifled in a low finish past City keeper Willy Caballero early in the second half at Old Trafford on a night of few chances but plenty of derby fervour as United boss Mourinho won the tactical battle against Guardiola's much-changed City side.

The result lifted some of the pressure off Mourinho following Sunday's 4-0 defeat to Chelsea, but for his old sparring partner, Guardiola, it was a sixth successive game without victory, his longest winless streak as a manager.

West Ham United also moved into the last eight after they overcame Chelsea 2-1 in a London derby spoiled by ugly scenes of fan violence at the end of the game, while Southampton heaped more misery on struggling Sunderland with a 1-0 victory.

Recent results and the gathering pressure on both Mourinho and Guardiola ensured the clash at Old Trafford had all the usual spice of a derby encounter even if City made nine changes to their side against a virtually full-strength United team.

City should have gone ahead after two minutes, but Kelechi Iheanacho darted in front of his marker to direct his header hopelessly off target from close range.

United offered little attacking threat, but gained control of possession as the match wore on and were the more dangerous side for most of the encounter.

It took until the start of the second half, however, for them to create a meaningful chance when Paul Pogba's low shot was turned onto the post by Caballero, sparking an onslaught from the home side that ended with Mata's opener on 54 minutes.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic shrugged off a challenge then played the ball back towards Ander Herrera, who went down dramatically in the box but Mata was following up to powerfully steer the ball home.

DERBY KNOCKOUT

Then it was just a case of holding on, which they did comfortably, as Mourinho recorded his fourth victory over Guardiola in a rivalry spanning 18 matches.

The greater satisfaction for the Portuguese, however, seemed to be erasing some of the negativity of Sunday's thrashing by his former club Chelsea.

"The fans felt deeply such a negative result and today was a good chance to clear that feeling because a derby knockout and to win gives everyone a better feeling," he said.

West Ham's woeful start to the season is turning round and the revival continued in the first derby at their new London Stadium home.

Tight security arrangements, including a ban on the sale of alcohol in the vicinity of the Olympic Park, was intended to prevent flashpoints off the pitch, but there were still ugly scenes towards the end as rival fans clashed behind the goal with several seats being ripped out.

On the pitch, a vibrant West Ham proved too strong for a Chelsea side much-changed from their weekend trouncing of Manchester United.

Cheikhou Kouyate put the Hammers on their way to a third consecutive win with a thumping header from skipper Mark Noble's driven cross after 11 minutes and Edimilson Fernandes beat Asmir Begovic with a low shot three minutes after the restart.

Gary Cahill did grab a Chelsea consolation in stoppage time but by that time all eyes were on stewards trying to keep rival fans apart.

Southampton's record signing Sofiane Boufal scored from long range in the second half in their 1-0 victory over Sunderland, a fourth defeat in five games for Sunderland manager David Moyes.

(Reporting by Toby Davis, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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