Manchester City moved to within one point of winning the Premier League title courtesy of a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium this evening.
The hosts had to be patient as Villa held out for more than an hour, but two goals in the space of 10 minutes from Edin Dzeko sent City on the way to three vital points.
They added two more in the closing stages to bring up a century of league goals for the season, with Stevan Jovetic finding the bottom corner and Yaya Toure getting a spectacular fourth with a powerful run from his own half.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how City took a step closer to their second title in three years.
Match statistics
Man City
Shots: 18
On target: 9
Possession: 73%
Corners: 7
Fouls: 8
Aston Villa
Shots: 5
On target: 0
Possession: 27%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 9
Was the result fair?
The two late goals put something of a deceptive gloss on the victory, but there is no doubt that City deserved all three points tonight. They patiently probed for a way through for more than an hour before finally opening the scoring having dominated possession and territory.
The 4-0 scoreline is harsh on an Aston Villa side that defended so well for the majority of the match, but they can have no complaints at not having taken something from the game. No shots on target is an accurate reflection of how little they threatened the City goal, although Andreas Weimann did have a header strike the underside of the bar in a rare foray forward.
The match was always likely to be a case of if City could break Villa down. It took more time than the hosts would have liked, but once they took the lead the floodgates opened as the visitors began needing to take more chances at the other end.
Man City's performance
For more than an hour, it was a frustrating night for City. A draw would still have kept the destination of the title in their hands, but there was a sense amongst the fans that they needed a win to give them the belief that they could clinch it on the final day - and the security against any last-day nerves.
However, they kept probing and enjoyed plenty of success down the flanks throughout the match, constantly finding Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov is good positions. Their problem came when the ball was crossed into a packed penalty area, but once Dzeko's goal opened the scoring they enjoyed more space in dangerous areas.
After the opening goal, City played sensibly and didn't risk conceding the clean sheet. They kept possession and didn't commit an unnecessary number of men forward, all the while still looking like a threatening attacking force. Four goals probably flattered them in the end, but it was a convincing and professional display from City, who now have one hand on the Premier League trophy.
Aston Villa's performance
Despite the lopsided nature of the scoreline, Paul Lambert will be pretty happy with his side's performance tonight. Their defensive display was faultless for the majority of the game as they frustrated the might of City's attack with a stubborn showing from their five at the back.
The visitors went into the match with nothing but pride to play for having secured Premier League survival at the weekend, but there can be no complaints that they didn't give it their all. They may have conceded four goals in the end, but it was one of their best defensive performances of the season.
The four-goal margin was harsh on Villa, but once the first went in they were always going to be susceptible to more as they began to look for an equaliser. They very rarely threatened in an attacking sense, which would not have pleased Lambert, but defensively they deserve credit for a good display.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Pablo Zabaleta: While Villa were clearing everything that came into the middle, City continually found space down the flanks. Zabaleta in particular got himself into a number of good positions, only to see his crosses cleared by one of the huge number of defenders in the area.
Eventually he was rewarded for his relentless runs down the right, though, and he picked up the assist for both of Dzeko's goals. The full-backs were undoubtedly City's biggest threat tonight, and Zabaleta ensured that that avenue of attack hurt Villa eventually.
Biggest gaffe
It didn't matter in the end, but at one point Samir Nasri's miss at the end of the first half looked as though it could be costly for City. The French midfielder did well to get in front of his man and latch on to a low cross, but he put his effort wide from close range when he really should have scored.
Referee performance
Michael Oliver had a quiet game tonight, which is always a good thing for a referee. He only dished out three yellow cards, although one of them was a harsh decision to penalise Fabian Delph for a good challenge on David Silva.
What next?
Man City: It could be party time at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday as City host West Ham United knowing that they only need a draw to clinch the title courtesy of their superior goal difference compared to Liverpool.
Aston Villa: Villa, meanwhile, end what has been a tough campaign with an away trip to White Hart Lane, where they face Tottenham Hotspur.
Barney Corkhill
