City Thrash Spurs to Extend Win Record

Manchester City racked up a 16th consecutive Premier League win as the runaway leaders routed Tottenham 4-1, while Mesut Ozil’s stunning strike fired Arsenal to a 1-0 success against Newcastle on yesterday.

Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring at Eastlands before Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling netted after the interval to ensure City opened up a 14-point lead over second placed Manchester United, who face West Bromwich Albion today.

Having set the Premier League record for successive wins in their midweek triumph at Swansea, Pep Guardiola’s side now have their manager’s personal bests in their sights.

City’s 16-match winning run in the league equals Guardiola’s second longest streak as a boss — with Barcelona in 2010-11 — and moves them within three of his career-high 19 successive victories with Bayern Munich in 2013-14.

With the title race turning into a lengthy coronation for City, it would be easy for the leaders to take their eye off the ball, but they were always in control against a Tottenham team who once again flopped in an away game against top-six opponents.

Germany midfielder Gundogan put City in front in the 14th minute with a stooping header from Leroy Sane’s cross. De Bruyne made it two with a blistering finish from Gundogan’s pass in the 70th minute.

Gabriel Jesus squandered a chance to make it three when the City forward hit the post with a penalty awarded for Jan Vertonghen’s foul on De Bruyne.

But Sterling scored with an 80th minute tap-in and then punished a mistake by Tottenham’s Eric Dier to claim his 15th goal of the season.

Christian Eriksen’s stoppage-time goal for Tottenham couldn’t take the gloss off another City masterclass.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea beat Southampton 1-0 to stay 14 points behind City and draw level on points with United. After a tame opening from the champions, Antonio Conte’s side finally opened the scoring in first-half stoppage-time.

Marcos Alonso provided the breakthrough, the Spanish wing-back curling a free-kick past flat-footed Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster from 35 yards.

Chelsea have won eight of their last 10 league matches, but City remain out of reach.

“When you do not score the second goal, you have to suffer. You are afraid at every corner and free-kick,” Conte said. “We dominated the game, shooting 24 times, but we needed to score the second to be relaxed.”

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