Manchester City swept back into the Premier League’s top four after humiliating title rivals Tottenham Hotspur 6-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Beaten 1-0 by Sunderland in their last outing prior to the international break, City did not look back after Jesus Navas gave them the lead after only 14 seconds.
The Spanish winger deftly lobbed Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris after the Frenchman had gifted the ball to Sergio Aguero with a loose kick, and an own goal from Sandro in the 34th minute made it 2-0.
Aguero claimed a brace either side of half-time, tucking away centres from Navas and Yaya Toure, to take his tally of goals to 14 in his last 11 appearances.
Alvaro Negredo added a fifth in the 55th minute, flummoxing Michael Dawson with an audacious turn and lashing a left-foot shot past Lloris, before Navas completed the rout in injury time.
Victory preserved City’s 100 percent home record in the league this season and having annihilated Norwich City 7-0 in their last fixture at the Etihad, they have now scored 13 goals in their last two home games.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side move above Southampton into the top four, six points below leaders Arsenal, while Spurs slip to ninth place.
Andre Villas-Boas’s men had only conceded six goals all season prior to their trip to Manchester and although they are only two points below City, they have now gone three games without victory.
City’s residence in the top four may prove short lived, however, as derby rivals Manchester United will move above them if they prevail at Cardiff City in the day’s late game.
United are bidding to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games in all competitions, while Cardiff go into the game only two points above the relegation zone.
In the other game of the day, Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw by Cardiff City in the Welsh town.
Joel Campbell 33rd minute goal cancelled out Wayne Rooney’s 15th minute strike and Patrice Evra seemed to have won the game for the visitors with a powerful header in the 45th minute. But the resilient Welsh side made sure they got part of the points when Kim Bo-Kyung (his first Premiership goal) equalised in the 90th minute through another header.
