Manchester City inch closer to title as Stoke are sunk

Manchester City moved one step closer to landing the Premier League title as David Silva scored twice in a comfortable 2-0 win over relegation-haunted Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.

While Stoke managed just one shot on target, City were wasteful in front of goal. Had it not been for the heroics of Potters’ keeper Jack Butland, who made a string of top-quality saves in front of watching England manager Gareth Southgate, Pep Guardiola’s team would have won by far more.

While Stoke started positively, the visitors were soon on top. Raheem Stirling, making his return to the starting line-up, broke free on the counter-attack and his low cross was turned in by Silva after 10 minutes.

AS IT HAPPENED: Stoke City v Manchester City

READ MORE: Staggering stats behind Manchester City’s march

Stoke went close six minutes later when Ndiaye’s shot was deflected past the post after a fine run from Shaqiri, but chances were few and far between.

After 36 minutes, Butland’s long ball flew over the head of Vincent Kompany and Jese almost broke away. Kyle Walker cut across to clear but in doing so he almost lobbed Ederson but the City stopper make a fine save.

Butland was forced to save from Fernandinho before the interval but Paul Lambert’s side were pinned inside their own half throughout much of the second period.

Five minutes after the interval, City made the game safe when Jesus’s long cross found Silva and Silva brilliantly floated the ball over Butland.

Fernandinho, Sane and Walker all wasted good chances and Sterling should have rounded things off 12 minutes from time when he pounced upon an error after a drop-ball incident and charged through on goal, but he tried to round Butland instead of squaring to Jesus and that allowed Ndiaye to make a last-ditch tackle.

Victory puts City on 81 points form 30 games – 16 points clear of Manchester United with eight games remaining.

Key Opta Stats:

• Manchester City have won 81 points from their 30 Premier League games this season – three more than they earned in the entirety of 2016-17.

• City have now scored 85 Premier League goals this season – only 11 teams have ever scored more in a completed Premier League campaign.

• David Silva has scored eight Premier League goals this season, his second highest tally in a single campaign in the competition (12 in 2014-15).

• Silva also bagged his second league brace of the campaign – he’d only scored three in his previous seven Premier League seasons combined.

• Only Jonas Lössl (50) has conceded more Premier League goals among goalkeepers than Jack Butland (49) this season.

• Gabriel Jesus has played 31 Premier League games without ever being on the losing side (W26 D5). It’s the fourth longest run without defeat from a Premier League debut, after Jens Lehmann (47), Arjen Robben and Didier Drogba (37 each).