Brighton 0
Manchester City 4
De Bruyne 17, Foden 26 34, Álvarez 62
The talk in recent weeks and certainly since Arsenal and Liverpool lost on the Saturday before last has been about whether City might have a slip of their own in them, something that-frankly - they have never done previously under Pep Guardiola when the trophy has been within their grasp, the focus narrowing over the run-in.
The theory or maybe just the hope from Arsenal, in particular-was that Brighton could get something from City. Roberto De Zerbi's team had lost only two league games on their own turf all season. Apart from Tottenham away, it looked like City's toughest remaining assignment in the defence of their title.
The champions tore the notion apart in devastating fashion, the game feeling over when Phil Foden scored with a deflected free-kick after 26 minutes and definitely being so when he got another one just after the half hour. It added the gloss to yet another excellent individual performance; Foden now has 24 City goals for the season.
Guardiola's issue has been that his players are close to empty on a physical level but there was zero evidence of that here. Is it just a mind game? Kevin De Bruyne had opened the scoring with a fabulous header while Julián Álvarez got No 4. The dream of a record fourth straight title edges ever closer.
この記事は The Guardian の April 26, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は The Guardian の April 26, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
'So what next?' Guardiola admits he may do only one more season at City
Manager hails 'impossible' achievement after winning a sixth title in seven years
Caicedo's long shot helps clinch European football for Chelsea
When Mauricio Pochettino sits down with Chelsea's board for the review that will determine whether he continues as head coach, perhaps he can point to the fact that he has imbued his collection of young talents with so much confidence that European football was secured in part thanks to Moisés Caicedo scoring from halfway.
Havertz's winner in vain as Arsenal fall just short
For a few seconds, the miracle that Mikel Arteta and Arsenal fans so craved seemed as if it might happen.
United look to future as De Zerbi bows out
If one manager's future is settled, the other's hangs in the balance.
Wood quick off the mark to confirm survival for Forest
Even the most pessimistic of Nottingham Forest fans could enjoy the confirmation of Premier League survival, leading from the second minute of their victory over Burnley to guarantee a third consecutive season in the top flight.
Usyk the rightful king after digging deep to rock Fury
Ukrainian unites division as brutal assault in closing rounds stuns Gypsy King
Verstappen holds off thrilling surge from Norris to claim dramatic win
Proof then that there is life yet in the old dog, the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix delivered an Imola finale worthy of the venerable venue.
'A plane for the summer' Luxury trade fair woos global super-rich
\"There are enough people, with enough money to buy them,\" Sharmaine Guelas says as she shows off the specifications of a £3.2m forest green five-passenger helicopter at Elite London, a \"luxury\" trade fair.
Viagogo sorry for 'mistakenly' advertising England tickets
The ticket trading website Viagogo has apologised for \"mistakenly\" advertising tickets for a forthcoming England football match, despite the fact that the resale of football tickets is illegal in the UK.
'So many scary moments' Chronicling civilians forced to flee from Ukraine's frontlines
There's a moment in Ivan Sautkin's new documentary, A Poem for Little People, in which a humanitarian volunteer tries to reason with a group of women filling cans with the grimy water that has collected in a shell hole in their suburban street. They should come with him now, says the volunteer, Anton Yaremchuk.