Manchester City playmakers David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne orchestrated a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace in the English Premier league on Saturday, as Pep Guardiola's team rediscovered its attacking potency at Etihad Stadium to cement a top-four place.
Running an open game from central midfield, Silva and De Bruyne both scored and played a part in another goal curled home sweetly by Vincent Kompany. Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Otamendi, again from a free kick by De Bruyne, added late goals as Palace was swept aside, leaving the visitors still to definitely secure their top-flight status for another season.
City climbed to third place, above liverpool on goal difference, and opened up a four-point gap to fifth-placed Manchester United, which plays at Arsenal on Sunday. Another season in the Champions league is looking increasingly likely for City with games left against leicester and West Bromwich Albion at home and away to Watford.
Despite being without injured top scorer Sergio Aguero, City recorded its biggest league win under Guardiola, having often struggled to put away teams at home because of wayward finishing and sloppy defending.
"We wanted to set up this chain of homes games right," Kompany said. "It couldn't have gone any better. But we need to repeat those performances in the next two games at home."
Palace manager Sam Allardyce chose to field a four-man defense made up entirely of full backs, chiefly because of injuries to Mamadou Sakho and other centre-backs but also in an attempt to combat City's young, dynamic front three of leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus and Sterling. But the plan fell apart.
"We deserved to get punished like we did," Allardyce said. "Our strength has been our defensive unit and it was in tatters by the end.
Everything City did went through Silva, who passed a late fitness test to return after missing the recent draws against Man United and Middlesbrough. Silva was given a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 67th minute, the damage to Palace done by then.
Silva gleefully swept home his opening goal after Martin Kelly, a right back playing at center back, failed to adequately head clear a short cross from Sterling. It was Silva's 50th goal for the club.
Palace is six points ahead of third-to-last Swansea, having played a game extra.
SPURS’ TITlE HOPE DIMINISHED
Without a title since 1961, Tottenham had fought so hard to trim Chelsea's lead in recent weeks but then squandered the opportunity to slash it to a single point on Friday. A 1-0 loss at West Ham enables Chelsea to secure the trophy before Tottenham even plays again.
The collapse at the Olympic Stadium was so out of character for the current crop of Tottenham players. A team that invigorated the title race with daring, attacking football suddenly ran out of ideas in the london derby. A nine-match winning run - Tottenham's longest since its last title-winning season in 1960-61 - came to an end meekly to leave the team four points behind Chelsea, who has a game in hand.
"The right question to ask ourselves is, 'Are we capable to increase, especially in the moments under pressure all together in a big game, the levelIJ'" lloris said.
It was only Tottenham's fourth loss in 35 games this campaign, but the other setbacks came against more illustrious opposition: Chelsea, liverpool and Manchester United.
Chelsea has four games remaining and will capture its second title in three seasons by beating Middlesbrough on Monday and West Bromwich Albion on Friday.
Mauricio Pochettino's players were looking lethargic and were punished for their sloppiness in the 65th minute. Aaron Cresswell's cross wasn't cleared and Manuel lanzini given space to pounce to score the only goal. It was the first time Tottenham had trailed in a league game in a month and the damage would have been heavier had lloris not made a diving save to deny Jonathan Calleri.
"To win a league, to win a trophy, there are key moments," Pochettino said. "And today was a key moment ... It's not about always playing well or badly, it's not about running more or less, it's about when you must win you win.
"We missed a little bit that fluidity to play with possession and move the ball quicker to find the space and try to break them down," Pochettino said.
The visitors could find no way back as West Ham celebrated a signature win in its troubled first season at the main stadium for the 2012 Olympics which Tottenham had tried to secure in a bitter battle that ended up in court. The victory hauled Hammers six places to ninth in the standings.