Resurgent City crush stuttering Liverpool to close in on leaders Arsenal as Forest boost survival bid

Manchester City celebrated Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th game in management with a statement 3-0 win over Liverpool to close to within four points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Erling Haaland shrugged off missing an early penalty to head in his 99th Premier League goal before Nico Gonzalez’s deflected effort and a wonder strike from Jeremy Doku confirmed City’s status as Arsenal’s major title rivals.

Nottingham Forest beat relegation rivals Leeds 3-1 to secure the first Premier League victory of Sean Dyche’s reign. Dyche’s side trailed in the 13th minute at the City Ground when Lukas Nmecha’s low drive arrowed into the corner.

But Forest equalised just two minutes later through Ibrahim Sangare’s predatory finish from 10 yards.

Morgan Gibbs-White completed Forest’s fightback as he glanced a header in from Omari Hutchinson’s 68th-minute cross.

Dyche was celebrating again in stoppage-time when Elliot Anderson lashed in a penalty after Hutchinson was bundled over by Jack Harrison.

It was Forest’s first league victory since beating Brentford on the opening weekend of the season in August.

Nuno Espirito Santo was in charge of Forest then before being sacked to make way for Ange Postecoglou, whose brief reign also ended with his dismissal before Dyche took charge.

The former Everton and Burnley boss had earned his first Premier League point in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

Dyche’s only other win in five games with Forest came in the Europa League against Porto.

Second-bottom Forest’s maiden top-flight victory under Dyche’s management ended their nine-match winless run in the competition and lifted them to within one point of safety.

Leeds are just two points above Forest after their sixth defeat in 11 league games.

Aston Villa thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 to make it five wins from their last six league games.

After a slow start to the season, Unai Emery’s team are hitting their stride and they struck first at Villa Park when Emiliano Buendia netted with a superb free-kick in the 28th minute.

Amadou Onana increased Villa’s advantage, firing home at the climax of a flowing move in the 40th minute.

Morgan Rogers’ handball conceded a 67th-minute penalty, but Antoine Semenyo wasted the chance to give Bournemouth a lifeline as his spot-kick was saved by Emiliano Martinez.

Ross Barkley blasted Villa’s third goal from Lucas Digne’s 77th-minute pass and Donyell Malen’s close-range flick put the seal on the victory five minutes later.

Newcastle’s miserable away form continued with a dismal 3-1 defeat at Brentford.

Magpies forward Harvey Barnes bagged his 50th Premier League goal in the 27th minute, making space to drill beyond Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

But Kevin Schade’s 56th-minute strike from Michael Kayode’s long throw hauled Brentford level.

Newcastle defender Dan Burn was sent off in the 73rd minute for a second booking after conceding a penalty with a foul on Dango Ouattara.

Brazilian forward Igor Thiago calmly converted from the spot and netted again in stoppage-time to reach nine goals in all competitions this season.

Beaten 3-1 at lowly West Ham last weekend, Newcastle are languishing in 14th place and have failed to win an away league match in nine attempts since April.

Crystal Palace and Brighton shared a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park to leave both teams in mid-table.

Earlier, Chelsea quelled criticism of Enzo Maresca’s rotation policy with a 3-0 win against Wolves featuring the first goal of Malo Gusto’s career on Saturday.

Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney said Chelsea’s senior players should “question” Maresca’s selections after the Italian made seven changes for a 2-2 draw against Azerbaijani minnows Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Agencies