Winning run ended by Man U but City running away with title

Long after the final whistle blew, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Pep Guardiola stood on the touchline, arms wrapped around each other.

Deep in conversation, the managers of the Manchester rivals had a rare moment of respite in this chaotically congested season to debrief a derby that left United the victorious spoiler but City the only team with the Premier League trophy in its sights.

Manchester United's 2-0 victory on Sunday halted City's winning run at 21 matches in all competitions. Guardiola's side will have to settle for having the English record streak. The pursuit of the world-record 27-game mark is over.

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne grimaces while holding his ankle during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (Laurence GriffithsPool via AP)

The most important number to Guardiola is 11 — the points advantage City holds over second-place United.

City running away with the title seemed unimaginable in November when it lost to then-leader Tottenham. So too, perhaps, when it was United topping the standings less than 50 days ago.

United's challenge has crumbled but not as spectacularly as Liverpool's title defense.

Tottenham's Gareth Bale, left, scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (Julian FinneyPool via AP)

A sixth successive home defeat — losing 1-0 to Fulham on Sunday — left Liverpool in eighth place. Champions by 18 points last season, Liverpool is now a remarkable 22 points behind City.

Even qualifying for the Champions League could be slipping from Liverpool's reach with Chelsea four points ahead in fourth ahead of Monday's match with fifth-place Everton.

Even Tottenham has recovered to close the gap on Chelsea to two points after beating Crystal Palace 4-1. With the title looking settled, it's the race for fourth place that could provide the drama in the final weeks of the season.

Fulham players celebrate at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (Phil NoblePool via AP)

QUICK START

Only 36 seconds had elapsed at the Etihad Stadium when Gabriel Jesus tripped Anthony Martial and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Bruno Fernandes stepped up and converted his 17th penalty since joining United in January 2020.

That was a time when fans were still allowed into stadiums. The last time these sides played in front of a full crowd was the March 8 Manchester derby last year, days before the pandemic was declared. Just like at Old Trafford, United won 2-0 on City's soil.

Fulham's manager Scott Parker reacts after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (Clive BrunskillPool via AP)

Five minutes into the second half on Sunday, United goalkeeper Dean Henderson threw the ball out to Shaw, who was gifted time and space to run into the penalty area. After a one-two with Marcus Rashford, the left back scored his first league goal since 2018, putting the ball through Rodri’s legs.

But it is City set to be champions just like in 2014, 2018 and 2019 since United’s last title in 2013 when Alex Ferguson retired.

“We need to improve on so many things to get up ... to get our consistency better,” Solskjaer said. "Of course, they’re 11 points ahead of us. So that’s a long, long way so we need to focus on ourselves and just be a better Man United. I feel we’re a better Man United now we were 12, 13, 16 months ago.”

Liverpool's Andrew Robertson reacts disappointed after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (Paul EllisPool via AP)

KLOPP MISERY

Liverpool is a team in freefall, domestically at least. The season's hopes are now on progressing past Leipzig to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Liverpool has now gone more than 11 hours without a goal from open play at Anfield. The latest setback came against a Fulham side that is in the relegation zone. And Mario Lemina had never scored for the London club before netting at Liverpool just before halftime.

“Not good enough," Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said. “We got used to each other and played some good stuff, created chances, didn’t score and the longer the game goes on in our situation it is not that you get stronger, it gets lesser and that it how it was.”

WEST BROM WOES

While Fulham has raised its hopes of survival — only sitting in the relegation zone on goal difference — West Bromwich Albion looks doomed. Sam Alllardyce's side is eight points from safety following a 0-0 draw with Newcastle, which is only one point above Fulham in the final relegation spot.

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Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus scored more goals in 53 minutes on Saturday than he had in the previous eight months in the English Premier League.

Becoming the first player in the league to score four goals in one game this season, Jesus led City to a 5-1 thrashing of Watford to open a four-point lead over second-placed Liverpool in the title race.

Liverpool can trim that back to one point with five matches left by beating Everton in the Merseyside derby on Sunday.

Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his fourth goal, his side's fifth, during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Watford at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (AP PhotoJon Super)

Jesus scored three goals in the league before the arrival of next-to-last Watford for a match that ended up resembling a training exercise.

The Brazil international netted twice in the first half and twice more in the opening eight minutes of the second half — one of which was a penalty to complete his hat trick.

Rodri scored the other goal for City, which used the match to give key players a rest ahead of Real Madrid's visit in the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes reacts after failing to score from a penalty kick during an English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates stadium in London, Saturday April 23, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair J. Grant)

While City stayed on course for the title, fierce rival Manchester United likely dropped out of the race for Champions League qualification.

By losing at Arsenal 3-1, United fell six points behind its top-four rival and manager Ralf Rangnick all but called time on his team's season.

“I don’t think it’s very realistic to dream and think of the top four," Rangnick said at the end of a week when United also lost at Liverpool 4-0 and hired a new manager, Ajax's Erik ten Hag, for the start of next season.

Arsenal moved into fourth, three points above north London rival Tottenham, which visited Brentford late.

In other games, last-placed Norwich plunged closer to relegation with a 3-0 loss at home to Newcastle, while mid-table teams Leicester and Aston Villa drew 0-0.

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