IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Sunday
Manchester City's Phil Foden scored twice and created another goal in an outstanding first-half display as they hammered Ipswich Town 6-0 at Portman Road on Sunday to roar back into the Premier League's top four.
The comprehensive win moved City to 38 points and into fourth position on goal difference ahead of Newcastle United, but they are still 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and six behind Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
Ipswich, who remain 18th on 16 points, had a couple of good early chances but City shook off the shackles of recent poor performances with a superb display of attacking football, and once they got the first goal, there was no way back for their hosts.
It came in the 27th minute as Jeremy Doku combined with Kevin De Bruyne, and he in turn worked the ball on for Foden to take a touch before drilling it home to break the deadlock.
That trio tormented the Ipswich defence as Mateo Kovacic doubled the lead three minutes later. Doku was again involved down the left, feeding the ball for Foden to set up Kovacic, and the Croat needed no second invitation to fire into the net from the edge of the box.
City continued to attack down the left and their perseverance paid off in the 42nd minute as Foden added his second, his shot squirming under the body of Ipswich keeper Christian Walton and across the line.
There was no let-up after the break as Doku scored four minutes into the second half before setting up Erling Haaland, who signed a lucrative 10-year contract in midweek, to make it 5-0.
Substitute James McAtee completed the rout in the 69th minute with a looping header, much to the delight of coach Pep Guardiola, whose side look to be back to something resembling their best.
Foden was left in no doubt as to how well his side had played in brushing aside Ipswich.
"Probably the best this season, in terms of all-round play. Keeping possession at important times and we defended well. One of our best performances this year," he told Sky Sports.
"We are building momentum, keeping players fit is important. I put it down to people being in better shape and the team is bonding better."
City may be back, but Foden is not making any wild predictions about reining in Liverpool.
"You never know what can happen. The aim is to stay in the top four," he said.
United lose to Brighton as Onana error compounds misery
Manchester United endured a miserable 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday after visiting winger Yankuba Minteh scored one goal and created another, with the hosts not helped by a howler from goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter were also on the scoresheet in the second half for Brighton, who also had a goal from Joao Pedro ruled out by VAR for a foul in the build-up.
Bruno Fernandes netted a penalty for United to level the score at 1-1 at halftime but, after Brighton took the lead for the second time, Onana spilled a routine gather from a low cross into the box, allowing Rutter to tap home the loose ball.
Brighton climb to ninth place with 34 points, four points off the top four. United are 13th on 26 also from 22 games.
Brighton have won in six of their last seven league games with United and on their last three visits to Old Trafford.
The teams were led out by bagpipes in memory of club great Denis Law, who passed away this week, with a wreath laid at the centre-circle by former manager Alex Ferguson.
Brighton led inside five minutes as Mitoma beat the offside trap on the left from Carlos Baleba’s long ball and his pass across goal provided a simple finish for the unmarked Minteh.
United won a penalty midway through the first half when Brighton attempted to play the ball out of defence, but goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen’s pass was poor and the ball fell to Joshua Zirkzee in the box.
Baleba put his arm on the shoulder of the striker, who went to ground and referee Peter Bankes pointed to the spot, with Fernandes having no problem slotting home to level the score.
Brighton thought they were in front again seven minutes into the second period when United failed to clear a low free-kick into the box and Pedro finished but a VAR check ruled Jan Paul van Hecke had kicked the foot of Diogo Dalot in the melee.
However, the visitors did get a second on the hour when Mitoma stretched at the back post ahead of United defender Noussair Mazraoui to turn in Minteh's inviting cross.
Brighton then netted a third thanks to Onana's horrendous error to make the game safe and leave United to dwell on their 10th league defeat of the league campaign.
Everton storm to win against sorry Spurs
Everton's blistering first-half display secured a 3-2 win over a woeful Tottenham Hotspur side as David Moyes earned his first win since returning for a second spell as manager at Goodison Park on Sunday, piling more misery on the visitors.
Needing to get back to winning ways after a recent poor run of form, Everton took the game to their beleaguered opponents, racing into a two-goal lead inside 30 minutes through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Iliman Ndiaye.
Things went from bad to worse for Spurs in first-half stoppage time as young Archie Gray put through his own net to ensure Everton scored as many goals within one half of football as in their previous seven games in all competitions.
Goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison caused the home fans some concern late on but the hosts survived to record a win that moved 16th-placed Everton four points clear of the bottom three and within four of sorry Spurs who are one place higher.
High-flying Forest survive late drama in 3-2 win over Southampton
Nottingham Forest's remarkable campaign continued with a 3-2 win over struggling Southampton on Sunday but they had to survive a late onslaught before securing the win to move level on points with second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League standings.
The victory puts third-placed Forest on 44 points, six points off leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand, while Southampton remain rooted to the bottom with six points.
Forest were patient in their build-up play and three shots on target in the first half led to three goals, with Saints mostly having no answers to a dominant display, although the home side almost let their commanding lead slip late on.
In the 10th minute, Morgan Gibbs-White flicked a pass on to Elliot Anderson, who drove forward unchallenged before steering his shot low inside the near post from just outside the area.
A heavy first touch from Southampton defender Jan Bednarek close to his own area allowed Chris Wood to steal possession and Forest were in for their second 17 minutes later.
The ball fell to Callum Hudson-Odoi and the Forest man had time to make room before letting fly from outside the box and watch his shot sailed past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Four minutes before the break the game looked over as a contest. Wood played a pass out wide to Ola Aina who floated the ball into the box and the New Zealand striker was there to meet the cross and power his header to the net.
Forest were cruising when Southampton pulled one back from nowhere on the hour mark, with Lesley Ugochukwu's shot taking a wicked deflection off the foot of teammate Bednarek which took the ball looping over keeper Matz Sels and under the crossbar.
Saints continued to push as Joe Aribo and Paul Onuachu forcing saves from Sels and with 12 minutes of added time awarded, the visitors sensed they were still in with a chance.
Onuachu then powered home a header from a corner and suddenly Southampton were all over Forest, with the home side having Ola Aina to thank when he hooked clear a Bednarek header with Sels beaten as they held on to take all three points.
Forest stretched their unbeaten run to eight league games, only dropping points in that period in a 1-1 home draw with Liverpool in midweek, while Southampton manager Ivan Juric has now lost all five league matches since taking over in December.
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