Manchester City dismantle Chelsea to close gap on Arsenal as Tottenham crisis deepens
Manchester City have reignited the Premier League title race. A dominant 3-0 away victory over Chelsea in Round 32 has brought the defending champions within six points of league leaders Arsenal.
The title fight is now firmly in Pep Guardiola's hands. City trail Arsenal by two games' worth of points but hold a crucial game in hand and will host the Gunners in a high-stakes showdown next week.
The deadlock was broken in the 51st minute. Rayan Cherki delivered a pinpoint cross to Nico O’Reilly, who directed a powerful header into the net to give the visitors the lead.
The advantage was doubled shortly after through Marc Guéhi. Cherki was again the architect, weaving through the Chelsea defense before squaring the ball for Guéhi to finish clinically from inside the box.
Jérémy Doku sealed the emphatic win in the 68th minute. If City defeat Arsenal in Round 33 and win their postponed fixture against Crystal Palace, they will pull level at the top of the table.
In North London, the mood is starkly different. Roberto De Zerbi’s tenure at Tottenham Hotspur began in disappointment as the Lilywhites fell to a 1-0 defeat away at Sunderland.
The decisive blow came in the second half when Nordi Mukiele struck for the Black Cats. His effort beat Czech goalkeeper Antonín Kinský after taking a wicked deflection off defender Micky van de Ven.
The defeat leaves Tottenham in a perilous state. Still searching for their first league win of 2026, the club now sits 18th in the table, firmly entrenched in the relegation zone.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
