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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
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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