Man City, Newcastle enjoy big wins

LONDON (AP):

WITH SOME of Manchester City’s regular starters rested, Jeremy Doku and Mateo Kovacic made sure the defending champions didn’t miss a beat in the English Premier League title race.

Kovacic and Doku scored in the second half as Man City pulled away for a comfortable 5-1 win over relegation-threatened Luton yesterday despite manager Pep Guardiola perhaps having one eye on Wednesday’s game against Real Madrid.

Guardiola rested a handful of players – including key midfielder Rodri – but saw the replacements fill in convincingly. Kovacic made it 2-0 in the 51st with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area, while Doku earned the penalty that led to the third goal, scored the fourth himself and assisted on the fifth.

“You cannot play the same people (in every game), it is impossible,” Guardiola said. “Everyone has permission to score and it’s so important.”

The win lifted City into first place, two points ahead of title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool, who both play today.

It was also perfect preparation for Madrid’s visit for the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, after a 3-3 draw in Spain this week. Kevin de Bruyne missed that game with an illness but was back in the starting lineup against Luton, as was goalkeeper Ederson.

And with the three-way title race in the league looking set to go down to the wire, Guardiola knows this was just one of many must-win games the team will face before the end of the season.

“Try and extend (the title race) one more week, one more week, one more week,” Guardiola said. “Today we will sleep top of the league, see tomorrow, and we know what we have to do.”

Over at St James’ Park, Newcastle, for the second year in a row, handed Tottenham quite the drubbing.

After beating Spurs 6-1 at home last April, Newcastle routed Ange Postecoglou’s team 4-0 to damage the visitors’ hopes of a top-four finish. Just like last year, Alexander Isak netted two of the goals to take his season tally to 17 in the league and 21 overall this season.

Anthony Gordon made it 2-0 just 95 seconds after Isak opened the scoring, and added two assists.

“Playing football is really fun at the moment, especially when we have days like this,” Isak said.

It wasn’t a fun day for Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven, though. The centre-back was partially at fault for the first two goals as he slipped both times and let Isak and Gordon go past him inside the area.

The big loss meant Tottenham dropped below Aston Villa into fifth, behind on goal difference.

Newcastle were sixth, 10 points behind Villa and Tottenham.