Manchester City dominated Liverpool with a 4-1 victory on Saturday but still trails Arsenal by eight points in the Premier League after Gabriel Jesus netted twice in the Gunners’ 4-1 triumph over Leeds.
In a showdown between two teams that have ruled English football for the past half-decade, City demonstrated their superiority even without the injured Erling Haaland. Liverpool took the lead with Mohamed Salah’s 23rd goal of the season, but City equalized before halftime with a Julian Alvarez strike and dominated the second half.
Kevin De Bruyne put City ahead less than a minute into the second half, tapping in Riyad Mahrez’s cross. Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish added goals to seal the impressive victory. Guardiola praised Grealish, a record £100 million signing from Aston Villa, for his standout performance.
City’s upcoming game against Arsenal could be a pivotal title decider, while Liverpool’s loss hurts their chances for a top-four finish as they drop to eighth place.
Arsenal was unshaken by City’s temporary closing of the gap, with Jesus scoring twice in his first league start since November. Ben White and Granit Xhaka also found the net for Arsenal, who celebrated their seventh consecutive league win under Mikel Arteta.
In other action, Brighton and Brentford played to a thrilling 3-3 draw, Aston Villa defeated Chelsea 2-0, Crystal Palace edged out Leicester City 2-1, Bournemouth overcame Fulham 2-1, and Nottingham Forest tied with Wolves 1-1.
