Report and free match highlights as Man City turn the heat up on Arsenal and Liverpool on Sunday by moving to the top of the Premier League; City are now two points clear of their rivals having played a game more
Saturday 13 April 2024 19:10, UK
Manchester City moved ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool to the top of the Premier League with a routine 5-1 victory over Luton.
With their title rivals both playing on Super Sunday, Pep Guardiola's side made no mistake against the relegation strugglers, taking just 90 seconds to open the scoring when Erling Haaland's effort deflected in off the unfortunate Daiki Hashioka.
It was one-way traffic for the majority of the game with City's first-half haul of 51 touches in the Luton box the most ever recorded in a first half of a Premier League game since Opta started capturing the data.
They had to wait until 64 minutes for the second but it was worth the wait when Mateo Kovacic found the top corner with a fantastic strike. Haaland then grabbed his 20th Premier League goal of the season from the penalty spot before Ross Barkley pulled one back for Luton.
That only poked the beast as City scored two late goals through Jeremy Doku and Josko Gvardiol which rubber-stamped the easy win.
Guardiola said of his players: "They know if they drop points, no chance. I don't know [what will happen] tomorrow but, knowing today, they [Liverpool and Arsenal] will win 100 per cent.
"The only way is to win our games and put the pressure. Luton is a difficult game, okay we score five goals. This is the only message we can do.
"We have six games and after if we are not able, congratulate them. But we have done our job and that is what we have to do."
Rodri, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and John Stones sat out as Pep Guardiola rotated ahead of their second leg with Real Madrid while goalkeeper Ederson replaced Stefan Ortega.
Kyle Walker was also on the bench after recovering from injury.
City were in no mood for making this a difficult afternoon and were ahead inside two minutes.
Thomas Kaminski did well to save after Haaland had been played through by Kevin de Bruyne but he was eventually beaten when Haaland's acrobatic volley was heading well wide until it took a huge deflection off Hashioka's head and ended up in the net.
Luton offered nothing as an attacking threat but defended with great determination.
Kaminski parried a powerful effort from Gvardiol before also collecting efforts from Matheus Nunes, De Bruyne and Ruben Dias.
It felt like a training exercise for City at times and City finally doubled the lead with a Kovavic thunderbolt just after the hour as the Croatian hit an unstoppable effort from the edge of the area.
Luton responded with their first meaningful attack, and Fred Onyedinma pulled the ball back for Cauley Woodrow, but the substitute fired against the bar.
Normal service was soon resumed with the lively Doku winning a penalty after tricking and being brought down by Onyedinma. Haaland calmly sent Kaminski the wrong way.
Barkley pulled one back but City finished with a strong surge in the final furlong.
Doku got the goal his performance merited, slaloming past some desperate Luton defending and sliding into the corner before Gvardiol hammered home his second goal in a week.
Over to you, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said: "We spoke to the players about how incredible it is to be here again. Before the game we spoke and said 'we have to admit it, what a privilege'.
"After what we have done in the previous seasons: fighting for the title one point behind, 70 points, 21 points left, on Wednesday playing against Real Madrid with the chance to qualify for the Champions League semi-finals with all the energy our fans will bring, all the best positive moods they will bring to us here, and then FA Cup next Saturday to reach the final. What a privilege to be here.
"Imagine to be [in with] no chance of the Premier League or no chance for the other competitions."
Manchester City will host the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on Wednesday April 17. The first leg finished 3-3. Kick-off 8pm.
City then face Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday April 20 in the FA Cup semi-finals at 5.15pm. Pep Guardiola's side returns to Premier League action on Thursday April 25 at Brighton, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 8pm.
Luton's survival bid continues with a home fixture against Brentford on Saturday April 20. Kick-off 3pm.
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