Manchester City moved within two points of the Premier League summit after a commanding 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Goals from Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and Phil Foden sealed the win for Pep Guardiola’s side.

City broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with a moment of brilliance from Dias. The defender unleashed a thunderous strike from 25 yards, finding the top corner with the help of a slight deflection—pure power and precision.

City wasted no time doubling their advantage. Just four minutes later, another defender etched his name onto the scoresheet. Gvardiol showcased a striker’s instinct, crashing in at the back post to meet Phil Foden’s whip-smart corner with a towering header.

The third goal was a work of art. Rayan Cherki danced along the byline before producing an audacious rabona cross that perfectly picked out Foden, who headed in off the bar in the 65th minute.

Foden is currently in the form of his life; the goal marks his third consecutive scoring appearance, tallying five goals and an assist in that electrifying span.

Speaking after the game, the Cherki explained the philosophy behind his spectacular assist:

“I want to give pleasure to all the guys… It’s my quality. When I have the ball, I want to try things all the time.”

“We are very proud of the team because we want to win all the games, and today was a great game. We didn’t want to concede a goal, and today we didn’t. It’s just perfect.”

The result carries significant weight in the title race. Following Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa earlier in the day, Guardiola’s men have firmly closed the gap, sitting just two points behind the league leaders. The title race is heating up.