Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol (centre right) celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal yesterday. Photo by AFP
London: Manchester City kept the heat on Premier League leaders Arsenal yesterday, seeing off a feisty challenge from Nottingham Forest after Mikel Arteta’s men held their nerve to beat Tottenham.
A captivating three-way title race has become a duel between Pep Guardiola’s City and Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, who are determined to make amends for last season’s late collapse.
Arsenal are on 80 points with just three matches to go, one point clear of City, but the champions crucially have a game in hand and remain firm favourites.
The Gunners raced into a 3-0 lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the early kick-off yesterday, surviving a late fright to win 3-2 and temporarily move four points clear at the top of the table.
City, though not at their dominating best, battled past profligate Forest, who are fighting for their lives, with goals from Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland.
Croatia defender Gvardiol opened the scoring, heading in Kevin De Bruyne’s corner shortly after the half-hour mark, and Haaland coolly slotted home after another assist from the impressive De Bruyne in the 71st minute to make it 2-0.
But Forest, who remain just one point clear of the drop zone with three games to play, will rue a number of squandered opportunities, including two glaring misses from forward Chris Wood.
Arsenal know if City win their remaining games, they cannot be caught but they show no signs of wilting under intense pressure.
Arteta’s men silenced the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a three-goal blast before half-time.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s own goal put Arsenal ahead before Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz netted to leave Arsenal in complete control.
Cristian Romero and Son Heung-min struck for Tottenham after the interval to set up a nervous finish, but the visitors clung on by their fingertips.
Defeat for fifth-placed Tottenham dealt a huge blow to their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
They remain seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, though they have two games in hand.
Liverpool were in the box seat in the title race just weeks ago but have won just one of their past five matches and Jurgen Klopp will almost certainly have to content himself with just the League Cup in his final season at Anfield.
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