EPL title race ramps up as City fire warning shot, Arsenal go top
Phil Foden shone in the absence of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne as the England international’s hat-trick handed Manchester City a thumping 4-1 win over Aston Villa.
The champions responded emphatically to questions over their ability to win the biggest games to move to within one point of leaders Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
City had not beaten a side in the Premier League’s top five in six attempts this season prior to the visit of fourth-placed Villa to the Etihad.
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But Pep Guardiola showed faith in the depth of his squad by leaving Haaland and De Bruyne on the bench for the full 90 minutes ahead of a hectic schedule in their defence of three competitions.
Guardiola has hailed Foden as the best player in the English top-flight this season and the 23-year-old backed up his manager’s words by taking his goal tally for the season to 21.
City were beaten 1-0 by Villa when the sides met in December, but that was their last defeat as Guardiola’s men are now unbeaten in 24 games.
Jeremy Doku was one of those to return to the City side among four changes and the Belgian rewarded his manager with his brightest display in a City shirt for months.
Doku was the creator for the opener as he skipped past Lucas Digne and his cross was swept high past Villa’s stand-in goalkeeper Robin Olsen by Rodri.
Villa’s normal number one Emiliano Martinez was just one of a host of key absences for the visitors.
Top scorer Ollie Watkins was sidelined by injury, while captain John McGinn was suspended.
Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Leon Bailey were also left on the bench by Unai Emery as the Spaniard appeared
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