LONDON – Manchester City are on the brink of winning the Premier League title after ending their troubled spell with a stylish 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side extended their lead over second-placed Manchester United to 16 points thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus, Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling at Wembley.
Christian Eriksen had reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the first half, but City will be crowned champions if United lose to bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
If United draw, the race would also effectively be over, as City would be 15 points clear with a maximum of 15 available to Jose Mourinho’s team, who have a vastly inferior goal difference.
A United victory would keep City’s champagne on ice for a few more days at least.
Fourth-placed Tottenham were powerless to halt City’s revival, and a first defeat in 14 league matches shouldn’t ruin their bid to qualify for the Champions League.
This is how today's dramatic action leaves the top 6 in the #PL pic.twitter.com/70S5ITFomo
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 14, 2018
After sweeping through most of the season in regal fashion, City had crashed down to earth with a bump over the last 10 days.
Their limp Champions League quarter-final exit against Liverpool came either side of their failure to clinch the title last weekend, when United came from two goals down to beat them.
City’s hellish week had Guardiola warning his players that “anything can happen” as he recalled other great sporting collapses from seemingly invincible positions.
But it quickly became clear that run of three successive defeats wasn’t weighing on City.
Leroy Sané met Sterling’s cross with a searing volley that cannoned off a post with Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris rooted to the spot.
Unusually sluggish, Tottenham weren’t testing City and, with a swagger back in their stride, Guardiola’s men took the lead in the 22nd minute.
Celebrating together 💙 #mancity pic.twitter.com/odgi3SrQBK
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 14, 2018
Most of their goals this season have come with a flourish, but for once City took a more direct approach.
Vincent Kompany’s long pass caught Tottenham defender Davinson Sanchez flat-footed, and Jesus made him pay as he raced clear to fire past Lloris.
City’s problems were suddenly a thing of the past, and they went further ahead three minutes later.
When Sterling weaved his way towards the Tottenham area, Lloris raced off his line to make a crude lunge that sent the City winger flying.
While it was a clear foul, the contact appeared to be made just outside the area, yet, to Tottenham’s fury, Jonathan Moss awarded a penalty that Gundogan slotted home with ease.
PEP: After what happened this week, to come here and play the way we did - these guys are fantastic, awesome - they are incredible. Now we have a chance against Swansea and we are going to try and be champions. #spursvcity #mancity
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 14, 2018
In the week Premier League clubs voted not to introduce the Video Assistant Referee system next season, this was a moment when the controversial replay technology would have been useful.
Tottenham defender Ben Davies somehow escaped a red card for a horrible studs-up foul on Kompany, but the leaders still had a soft centre to their defence.
Harry Kane was lampooned in some quarters for making what was perceived as a slightly greedy, if successful, appeal to have Tottenham’s second goal at Stoke last weekend credited to him instead of Eriksen.
Kane at least returned the favour as Eriksen scored in the 42nd minute.
Stories everywhere in the #PL on Saturday... pic.twitter.com/W1rVs5GI4A
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 14, 2018
Running on to Kane’s defence-splitting pass, Eriksen’s shot hit City’s Aymeric Laporte and deflected back on to the Tottenham midfielder on its way past Ederson.
City regained control after halftime and should have been out of sight as Jesus scuffed badly wide and Sterling fared no better with a woeful close-range miss.
But they moved within touching distance of the title in the 72nd minute.
Lloris palmed Jesus’ shot to Sterling, and the winger drilled into the roof of the net to leave City fans singing “we’re going to win the league”.