Tottenham and Man City Keep Up The Chase
London. The Tottenham Hotspurs and Manchester City have both issued timely reminders to Chelsea FC that the race for the Premier League title is not over yet with impressive victories on Sunday (06/03).
After rivals Arsenal and Manchester United dropped in ranking on Saturday, the second-placed Spurs took full advantage as Harry Kane struck twice in a 3-2 home win against Everton.
Tottenham is now seven points behind Chelsea, who will face West Ham United on Monday, while City has advanced to one point behind the Spurs with a win over Sunderland after goals by Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane eased the Manchester club to a 2-0 victory.
City is three points above the fourth-placed Liverpool with Arsenal slipping out of the top-four after the club's 3-1 loss at Anfield on Saturday. United currently stands at sixth place, three points behind Liverpool following the club's draw with Bournemouth on Saturday.
Tottenham, on pace with its performance last season when the club chased the eventual title winners Leicester City in the closing weeks, looks like it is ready to go the distance again.
Kane opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a 25-meter rocket shot and doubled his side's advantage early in the second half – his 19th league goal of the season and 14th strike in 12 games in all competitions.
Romelu Lukaku, vying for the Premier League's Golden Boot against Kane, struck his 18th of the season for Everton with 10 minutes left in the match before Dele Alli scored for the Spurs in stoppage time and Enner Valencia replied immediately for the visitors.
Tottenham has now won nine consecutive home Premier League games for the first time while Everton's nine-match unbeaten run in the league came to an end.
"It was a fantastic performance even if we are a little disappointed to concede the goals," Spurs' manager Mauricio Pochettino said. "We dominated the game and played with a lot of confidence.
"It's important because now comes the most important period in the season."
City, who has the chance to move second when it plays at home to Stoke City on Wednesday, was in third gear at times against Sunderland but had far too much class.
It took three minutes before the break to edge ahead. A sweeping move saw David Silva release Raheem Sterling whose cross was dinked home by Aguero.
Silva was involved in City's second – a perfectly-weighted pass allowing Sane to smash a shot past Jordan Pickford.
City has kept five successive away clean sheets in all competitions and has 10 away league wins, although Guardiola was still not totally satisfied.
"It was a good victory," he said. "But we were passing the ball between ourselves in the last 25 minutes.
"I don't like to defend a result and be near our box. It is okay if you're 3-0 or 4-0 up but not 2-0."
Reuters
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