FOUR days after they stumbled in Madrid, Manchester City dusted themselves down and took a major stride towards retaining the Premier League title with the type of comprehensive home victory that has become their trademark.

Yesterday's 5-0 victory over Newcastle United put City three points clear of title rivals Liverpool at the summit of the table, with three rounds of fixtures left to play.

It also provided the perfect response to what manager Pep Guardiola let on he felt had been an outpouring of unjustified criticism following their Champions League capitulation on Wednesday.

"Some people doubt because they still don't know what this team is able to do," Guardiola told Sky Sports.

"It's not one afternoon or night [on which they should be judged].

"It's every three days for five years. It's one of the best groups I ever trained in my life."

Questions about City's resilience had been valid in the wake of their midweek collapse in Spain, however, and Guardiola admitted the team had been through "two tough days" since.

Had they failed to extend their Premier League lead after Liverpool dropped points against Tottenham on Saturday, the recriminations would only have grown louder.

If Wednesday was a dud of a display, this was the City production line getting back up to speed and delivering another flawless win.

Raheem Sterling bookended the afternoon with two goals, while Aymeric Laporte, Rodri and Phil Foden also scored.

Newcastle fans sang "We're richer than you" at the home faithful and in time last year's takeover by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund may see them rival City for the top prizes.

Eddie Howe's visitors, who have lost four of their last five away games, offered little evidence here to suggest it will be next season, however.

City's win may diminish the tension in the title race but it does throw up one intriguing possibility.

If they were to stumble again by losing one of their last three games and Liverpool take maximum points, the two clubs' tallies of goals scored and conceded are close enough that we could see a dead heat and, therefore, a play-off to decide the Premier League.

I

F EVERTON escape their first relegation for more than 70 years, they may well look back on this weekend, and a 2-1 Premier League win at Leicester, as the turning point. Goals from Vitaliy Mykolenko and Mason Holgate earned the Toffees back-to-back victories for the first time since September and lifted them out of the bottom three.

Leeds took their place in the relegation zone with a 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, but Burnley are only goal difference ahead, having lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa on Saturday. With one point separating the three, the drama may go to the wire. ADVANTAGE ARSENAL It's advantage Arsenal ahead of Thursday's north London derby at Tottenham, after Mikel Arteta's men opened up a four-point lead in the race for a Champions League place. Spurs earned a highly creditable point at Liverpool on Saturday night but can't afford to lose to their neighbours this week or Arsenal will clinch fourth place with two games to spare. If there is hope for Spurs it's that the Gunners made hard work of finishing off Leeds, despite going two up within 10 minutes and having a man extra for more than an hour.

BLUES LIMP ON Todd Boehly was up until the small hours finalising his takeover at Stamford Bridge the night before Chelsea took on Wolves but his prospective team did not show the same staying power. The Blues were 11 minutes from winning only their second home Premier League since March but let the visitors snatch a draw with two late goals. Chelsea are limping towards the finishing line, something of a concern given they still need three points to be sure of a top-four place and have the FA Cup final next weekend. UNITED FLATTER BRIGHTON Brighton provided the scoreline of the weekend with their 4-0 drubbing of Manchester United, but was this a case of the hosts being brilliant or the visitors dreadful? Graham Potter's men mustered some bewitching combination play and could have scored even more but that this was Brighton's first home win of 2022 told its own story. United are utterly rudderless. Any last hopes of snatching a Champions

League place died in this risible display, which ensured they will record their lowest ever Premier League points tally.

TIME UP FOR HODGSON

Watford's 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace not only sealed their relegation but also confirmed that Roy Hodgson's Premier League managerial career will end this month. Hodgson looked to be done in the dugout when he left Palace last summer, having spent four years keeping his boyhood team in the top flight - and rehabilitating his own standing. It was more than just ironic that Palace sent him down, though. The Eagles' progress this term shows that, at 74, former England boss Hodgson's best days are behind him.

(c) 2022 City A.M., source Newspaper