City beat Fulham to go top, wins for Man United and Newcastle

Manchester City claimed top spot in the Premier League for the first time since February as Erling Haaland reached another set of a milestones in a 2-1 victory at Fulham on Sunday.

It took Haaland only three minutes to score his record-equalling 34th Premier League goal of an extraordinary debut season in England, the Norwegian tucking away a penalty.

It moved him level on the Premier League single season scoring record of Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.

The Norwegian also became the first player in England’s top flight to score 50 goals in all competitions in a season since Tom Waring did so for Aston Villa in 1931.

City were pegged back in the 15th minute when Carlos Vinicius rifled a shot past Ederson but they responded to the setback to carve out a succession of chances.

Jack Grealish was denied by the crossbar before Argentine forward Julian Alvarez produced a moment of magic to beat Bernd Leno with a right-foot shot from outside the area.

City were unable to give themselves a cushion after the break despite several chances and suffered some anxious moments but they held on for an eighth successive league win.

They are now top with 76 points to Arsenal’s 75 and also have one extra game to play.

Fulham remain in 10th place.

City’s 4-1 demolition of Arsenal on Wednesday had made them red-hot favourites to claim a fifth English title in six seasons under Pep Guardiola but they still began two points adrift of Arsenal as they kicked off at Craven Cottage.

But they were soon in front as Fulham captain Tim Ream brought down Alvarez in the area and Haaland was given the chance to move level with Cole and Shearer — his left-footed penalty giving Leno no chance.

City, who were without the injured Kevin De Bruyne, did not enjoy the lead for long as Vinicius dispatched a bouncing ball beyond Ederson to bring the home crowd alive.

Fulham’s Ream was soon to leave the field with his arm in a makeshift sling after a nasty fall and the hosts also lost Andreas Pereira in the second half, the midfielder leaving the pitch on a stretcher with his leg in a brace.

City carved out chances at will with Haaland playing in Grealish in the first half whose shot was pushed by Leno against the crossbar.

But there was nothing Leno could do in the 36th minute when Riyad Mahrez played the ball to Alvarez on the right-hand edge of the area and the Argentine engineered some space before firing a right-foot shot across the Fulham keeper into the net.

Haaland was denied a record-breaking goal by Leno early in the second half and Alvarez was also thwarted.

City then had some anxious moments with Ederson clawing the ball away from the feet of Vinicius as the striker looked in with a shout of scoring a second Fulham equaliser.

Guardiola’s side managed eight minutes of stoppage time calmly and now that they are ahead, few would bet on them not lifting the trophy yet again next month.

Man United edge closer to top four with 1-0 victory over Villa
A goal from Bruno Fernandes secured Manchester United a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday, increasing their chances of finishing in the top four in the Premier League and continuing their dominant form at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag’s side are fourth in the standings with 63 points from 32 matches and have a game in hand on fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur who are on 54 points.

United are unbeaten at home in 15 straight Premier League games, with just three draws. They have not lost at Old Trafford since the opening weekend of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion.

United put Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez to work early with several great chances before they were finally rewarded in the 39th minute.

Martinez dove to push away Marcus Rashford’s shot after the United striker’s well-timed run, and Fernandes sprinted in for a one-touch shot from a tight angle.

Unai Emery’s Villa, whose defeat was their first in 11 games, are sixth in the standings, with 54 points from 33 matches.

Wilson double puts Newcastle on brink of Champions League
Newcastle United look almost certain to be playing in the Champions League next season after Callum Wilson’s double saw them come from a goal down to beat bottom club Southampton 3-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.

Third-placed Newcastle were rocked shortly before halftime when Stuart Armstrong put the visitors ahead.

But Newcastle, who have not played in the Champions League for two decades, dominated the second half with substitute Wilson making an immediate impact with a tap-in goal.

He then had another disallowed for offside, but Southampton’s relief was short-lived as an own goal by Theo Walcott put Eddie Howe’s side in front.

Two minutes later Wilson, who had come on at halftime, sealed the points after being played in by Alexander Isak.

Victory put Newcastle on 65 points with five games remaining, 11 points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur who were playing at seventh-placed Liverpool later on Sunday.

For Southampton the end of their decade-long residence in the top flight appears to be drawing ever closer.

They have 24 points with four games remaining, six points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.

Bournemouth deepen Leeds’ relegation worries with 4-1 win
A quick-fire Jefferson Lerma double helped Bournemouth beat Leeds United 4-1 at home in the Premier League on Sunday, lifting them further away from relegation danger and leaving the visitors a point clear of the drop zone.

The result moved Bournemouth up to 13th in the standings with 39 points while Leeds have 30 to sit 16th — a point above 18th-placed Leicester City and two above 19th-placed Everton, who play each other on Monday.