Manchester City are within touching distance of the
Premier League title after Sergio Aguero and Ferran Torres sealed a 2-0 win at
Crystal Palace on Saturday.
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Pep Guardiola’s side sit 13 points clear at the top and will
be crowned champions if second-placed Manchester United lose against Liverpool
on Sunday.
After a tepid first half in south London, it was fitting
that Aguero -- the architect of so many big moments in City’s history -- should
open the scoring with a typically lethal finish.
Torres killed off Palace two minutes later as City eased to
an 11th successive away victory in the Premier League, equalling the English
top-flight record.
Even if United do not slip up against Liverpool at Old
Trafford, City have four matches left to secure the one win they need to clinch
the title, starting with next Saturday’s home game against Chelsea.
It is a matter of when not if City add the Premier League to
the League Cup they won against Tottenham in April.
“We can start to think about it and put it in the fridge.
The Premier League is already there, it is in our hands. We need one more
victory,” Guardiola said.
“I’m absolutely delighted with that after the Champions
League. We could not play with much rhythm. We struggled a little bit but in
the second half we deserved it.
“I will check on the Liverpool game. It’s in our hands and
now we will give everything to beat PSG.”
City were languishing in 14th place in late November but a
blistering run since then has carried them to the brink of a third title in
four seasons.
The treble chasers could also add the Champions League to
that haul.
On Tuesday, City will attempt to reach their first ever
Champions League final when they defend a 2-1 lead in the semi-final second leg
against Paris Saint Germain.
This was City’s sixth successive game away from the Etihad
Stadium and by the time they return to Manchester to play PSG, they will have
clocked up more than 3,500 miles on the road in just three weeks.
Guardiola believes that gruelling schedule has made City’s
success this season “extra special” and this win was another tribute to their
tenacious attitude.
The City boss made eight changes from the midweek win in
Paris, with only Ederson, Rodri and Joao Cancelo keeping their places as
Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling came in.
Aguero was making only his sixth league start of an
injury-plagued season for City’s record goalscorer, who has announced he will
leave in the summer.
All the changes left City looking disjointed in a scrappy
first half.
Ederson had to make a superb save to keep City level when he
stretched to block Christian Benteke’s close-range effort with his legs.
It was the first time in 21 games that City had failed to
have a shot on target in the first half.
But City are too potent to be subdued for long and they
played with far more intensity after the interval.
Aguero had been anonymous for long periods, but he rolled
back the years to break the deadlock in the 57th minute.
Running onto Mendy’s pass, Aguero took a touch inside the
Palace area before smashing a half-volley into the roof of the net from 10
yards.
“What a goal, what an action, what a player, what a man. I
am incredibly delighted he is back,” Guardiola said.
“He is going to enjoy the last games. I am in love as a
person. He is an incredible guy.”
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