Manchester City delivered a commanding 3–0 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday, cutting Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to just two points.
Pep Guardiola’s side faced early pressure at Selhurst Park, where Palace started with intensity and confidence. However, City remained composed and clinically punished missed chances.
Erling Haaland scored twice, while Phil Foden added another as City underlined their growing momentum in the title race.
“It is a really tough place to come,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “They attack well when you lose the ball, but we stayed patient. The performance and result were very important for our mentality.”
Palace came close in the first half when Yeremy Pino struck the crossbar with only goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat. Despite limited involvement early on, Haaland broke the deadlock shortly before half-time, heading in a precise cross from Matheus Nunes.
Inevitable 😤
✨ @erlinghaaland pic.twitter.com/6HTK9Tzhjx
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 14, 2025The hosts began the second half brightly again, with Adam Wharton hitting the post. However, City capitalised on Palace’s wastefulness when Foden fired low into the corner after a powerful run from Rayan Cherki.
Haaland sealed the win late on, converting a penalty after Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson fouled Savinho. It marked Haaland’s growing influence beyond scoring, something Guardiola highlighted after the match.
Earlier, Aston Villa continued their impressive form with a dramatic 3–2 win over West Ham at the London Stadium. Villa fell behind inside 30 seconds to Mateus Fernandes, before Jarrod Bowen restored West Ham’s lead later on. However, Villa responded with resilience and quality.
An own goal by Konstantinos Mavropanos brought them back into the contest, while Morgan Rogers equalised before delivering a stunning long-range winner.
The victory leaves Unai Emery’s side just three points behind Arsenal, while West Ham remain stuck in the relegation zone. “We know we can fight our way back into games,” Rogers said. “This was a massive win, and we want to keep pushing.”
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest eased relegation fears with a convincing 3–0 win over Tottenham, thanks to two goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi and a long-range strike from Ibrahim Sangaré. The result lifted Forest five points clear of the drop zone.
In the northeast derby, Sunderland edged Newcastle United 1–0, with Nick Woltemade’s own goal proving decisive early in the second half. It was the clubs’ first Premier League meeting in nearly a decade following Sunderland’s return to the top flight.
Arsenal remain top after a narrow 2–1 win over Wolves on Saturday, aided by two own goals. However, City’s resurgence and Villa’s consistency have intensified the title race. The Premier League weekend concludes later on Sunday with Brentford hosting Leeds.
