LONDON (AP) — Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City beat Tottenham 2-0 on Tuesday to move within one win of a fourth straight Premier League title.
The three-time defending champions will go into Sunday’s final matchday with a two-point lead over second-placed Arsenal.
City host West Ham in their final league game of the season, while Arsenal will play at home to Everton.
“Tennis players say ‘serve to win Wimbledon’, the last match, is the most difficult thing,” City coach Pep Guardiola said. “We know why we play. The tension is there, the opponent is very good. That’s why it’s difficult, we know. “
Haaland gave City the lead in the 51st minute at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when he deflected Kevin De Bruyne’s cross from distance.
He scored his penalty in the first minute of stoppage time after Pedro Porro brought down Jeremy Doku.
The win means City are masters of their own destiny in the race for the name, even if they were dragged all the way to Arsenal.
Guardiola is now on the verge of claiming a sixth league title in seven seasons.
No other English team has managed to win 4 league titles in a row, while City will also win back-to-back league and FA Cup doubles.
Ahead of Tuesday’s game, one point behind Arsenal, Guardiola warned his players that anything short of maximum trouble would end their dominance of the English top flight. That only added to the pressure on his team, who were also looking to end a four-goal streak. successive league defeats at Spurs’ new stadium.
And the chance to give the City players a chance in a nervous first half.
“They were playing for the consequences of the result. When you do that, you’re going to lose the Premier League,” Guardiola said. “They are human beings, I feel the pressure. “
Haaland’s goal six minutes into the second half eased the tension. But, while his goals were decisive, City had to rely on substitute Stefan Ortega to keep Spurs at bay as the home side tried to equalise.
In the 69th minute, after Ederson injured his head in a collision with Cristian Romero, Ortega had to temporarily block a point-blank shot from Dejan Kulusevski.
Later, he made a save to prevent Spurs from advancing, but Ortega’s most productive moment came in the 86th minute, when Son Heung-min scored.
With only the goalkeeper to beat, Son looked confident of scoring when he fired low into the corner. A draw would have put Arsenal in the name of Sunday’s season-ending fixture, but Son may only see Ortega move one leg to deflect the ball. .
Guardiola, who was watching, had his head in his hands before falling to the ground in relief.
Soon after, Doku lured Porro into a Spurs slot and referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot.
Haaland put the game out of doubt by firing into the most sensitive corner at his time of the match and the 38th of the season.
City’s victory also allowed Aston Villa to clinch fourth place and qualify for next season’s Champions League ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham.
City midfielder Rodri says the team is set to rewrite the record books by becoming the first team to win four consecutive titles in the English top flight.
“It’s unbelievable for us, it gives us the chance to fight in one last game. Another game, but today’s effort is incredible,” Rodri told Sky Sports.
“We know it wasn’t our most productive performance, but we came here to win and that’s what we’re doing. “
However, the Spaniard warned against a repeat of the final matchday two years ago, when City had to come from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-0 to win 3-2 and deny Liverpool the title.
“We have the experience of Aston Villa. We know it’s going to be tough, but with our team, our fans, we know we can make history. “