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PL roundup: Man City close in on title, Fulham staring at relegation

PL roundup: Man City close in on title, Fulham staring at relegation
© Reuters
Sergio Aguero and Ferran Torres were on target at Crystal Palace while Kai Havertz's brace saw off Fulham.

Manchester City are on the brink of another Premier League title after Sergio Aguero’s firm strike helped them to a 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace.

City’s record scorer Aguero, netting for only the fourth time in what is to be his final season with the club, put the visitors ahead by rifling past Vicente Guaita in the 57th minute.

Ferran Torres then doubled the advantage two minutes later with an effort from just outside the box.

Pep Guardiola’s men, 13 points clear at the top, will be crowned champions if second-placed Manchester United lose at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

Kai Havertz notched a brace as fourth-placed Chelsea put a six-point gap between themselves and fifth spot with a 2-0 home win over relegation-threatened Fulham.

Havertz slotted in his first in the 10th minute having been teed up by Mason Mount, and added a second, set up by Timo Werner, shortly after the break.

Kai Havertz (right) scores an early opener in Chelsea's win against Fulham (Justin Setterfield/PA).
Kai Havertz (right) scores an early opener in Chelsea’s win against Fulham (Justin Setterfield/PA)

It left 18th-placed Fulham nine points adrift of safety, with Brighton having earlier taken a big step towards survival by beating Leeds 2-0 at the Amex Stadium.

Pascal Gross put the Seagulls in front with a 14th-minute penalty awarded following an Ezgjan Alioski foul on Danny Welbeck, who then added the second in fine style with 11 minutes of normal time remaining, firing in after executing a Cruyff turn.

Brighton, up from 17th to 14th, are 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

Saturday’s late game saw Everton’s top-four hopes suffer a blow as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Aston Villa.

Anwar El Ghazi scores the winner in Villa's 2-1 victory at Everton (Peter Byrne/PA).
Anwar El Ghazi scores the winner in Villa’s 2-1 victory at Everton (Peter Byrne/PA).

Anwar El Ghazi curled an 80th-minute winner after Ollie Watkins’ opener for the visitors in the 13th minute had been cancelled out six minutes later by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Everton are nine points behind Chelsea in eighth, while Villa moved up to ninth place.

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
3Arsenal18106235161936
4Chelsea19105438231535
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle1995532211132
6Manchester CityMan City199463226631
7Bournemouth198652923630
8Fulham197842825329
9Aston Villa198562831-329
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton196942928127
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1973941281324
12Brentford187383232024
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham196582335-1223
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd196492126-522
15Crystal Palace194872027-720
16Everton183871524-917
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Ipswich TownIpswich1936101833-1515
19Leicester CityLeicester1935112242-2014
20Southampton1913151239-276


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