Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his facet’s third purpose throughout the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester City at the Goodison Park stadium in Liverpool, England, on May 14, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP
Ilkay Gundogan scored two good objectives and teed up Erling Haaland for an additional to encourage Manchester City to a 3-0 win at Everton on Sunday as they moved 4 factors clear of Arsenal atop the Premier League desk with an eleventh consecutive victory.
With three video games remaining, Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasing facet have 85 factors and have a match in hand on Arsenal who play Brighton & Hove Albion later. Everton stay in a precarious place, one level above the relegation zone in seventeenth place with 32 factors and two video games left to play.
Guardiola crossed the Goodison Park pitch to the raucous City followers and held up two fingers to indicate the variety of wins they should assure themselves the title.
“From minute one we took the game in our hands,” the Spaniard instructed the BBC. “It was a brilliant performance at the end of a season. We need two more victories to be champions.
“We managed the recreation. We have been affected person and attacked the areas. Gundogan arriving in the field is superb. Really actually necessary.”
Gundogan netted in the 37th minute when he brought down Riyad Mahrez’s cross in a crowd of Everton defenders and with his back to goal flicked a blind shot past keeper Jordan Pickford. Haaland headed in Gundogan’s cross two minutes later to extend his single-season Premier League scoring record to 36 goals.
Gundogan extended City’s lead soon after halftime with a curling free kick that sailed over Everton’s wall into the net.
City, who had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Everton at the Etihad Stadium this season, have won seven in a row at Goodison Park.
The champions created several scoring chances in the first half including two quick corners that failed to produce shots before they were rewarded for their hard work.
Haaland had a late chance at a second goal but sent his spectacular bicycle kick wide.
Everton also had opportunities. James Tarkowski struck the crossbar and Mason Holgate sent a close-range shot just wide, burying his face in his hands in frustration.
“Sometimes you have to be sensible with the opposition as a result of I believed they have been terrific at what they do,” Dyche said of City. “They discover the moments. The first purpose was a really intelligent end, very intelligent little bit of play. The second one was knock-down soccer, they usually do it properly. Yet once more, top facet.”
Guardiola’s group, who’re additionally in search of their first Champions League title and have reached the FA Cup closing, have a fast turnaround earlier than they host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. The two sides drew 1-1 attract Madrid final week.
