MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM (AFP) – Manchester City took another huge step towards retaining the Premier League title as one moment of inspiration from Kevin De Bruyne saw off Chelsea 1-0 to open up a 13-point lead at the top of the table.

A game of few chances was brought to life by the Belgian 20 minutes from time as he curled home the only goal from outside the box to seal a 12th consecutive league win for the champions.

Chelsea got the better of Pep Guardiola’s men in last season’s Champions League final, but securing their place in Europe’s top club competition next season now looks like the height of their ambitions for the rest of the Premier League season.

The Blues remain second but have won just one of their last six league games.

Four of the five meetings between the sides since Thomas Tuchel took charge of Chelsea have been won by a single goal and another cagey encounter ensued.

City dominated possession but struggled to open up a makeshift Chelsea defence featuring second-choice goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Malang Sarr on just his second Premier League appearance.

Indeed City’s one clear chance before the break came from a Chelsea mistake.

Mateo Kovacic’s pass deflected off De Bruyne into the path of Jack Grealish, but the most expensive English player of all-time missed the chance to mark his biggest moment yet as a City player as his shot was turned behind by Arrizabalaga.

Chelsea’s own record signing Romelu Lukaku has had a similar underwhelming impact to Grealish.

The Belgian started for the fourth consecutive game since being dropped for a crucial clash against Liverpool earlier in the month for voicing his unhappiness at Stamford Bridge to Italian media.

Lukaku also had a huge chance to silence his critics early in the second half when he was picked out by Kovacic, but Ederson raced from his goal and made a fine save low to his right.

Chelsea’s title challenge has faltered since losing the threat of wing-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James to long-term injuries.

Chilwell’s understudy Marcos Alonso was given a torrid time by Raheem Sterling, but the England international lacked the finishing touch as he pulled a shot just wide after jinking past the Spaniard.

A top-of-the-table clash lacked the accompanying atmosphere for most of the match at a subdued Etihad.

However, the crowd were brought to their feet by the game’s outstanding moment as De Bruyne delivered what could be the knock out blow in the title race.

He held off the challenge of N’Golo Kante to spin onto Joao Cancelo’s pass before picking out the bottom left-hand corner of Arrizabalaga’s net.

Chelsea were unable to offer any response as they chased City shadows and could have lost by a more comprehensive scoreline.

MELBOURNE (AFP) – Australia returned Novak Djokovic to detention yesterday, saying the tennis star’s opposition to vaccination could cause “civil unrest” and triggering a high-profile court showdown.

Having once failed to remove the unvaccinated 34-year-old from the country, Australia’s conservative government is trying again.

And Djokovic is fighting back for the second time, with a new court appeal scheduled for today.

The case will be heard from 9.30am by the full Federal Court of three justices, a format that leaves little room to appeal any decision.

For now, the Serbian ace is back at a notorious Melbourne immigration detention facility after a few short-lived days of freedom following his first successful court appeal.

A motorcade was spotted moving from his lawyers’ offices – where he had been kept under guard for most of yesterday – to the former Park Hotel facility.

For millions around the world, the Serbian star is best known as a gangly all-conquering tennis champion with a ferocious backhand and his anti-vaccine stance.

In court filings, Australia has cast him as a figurehead for anti-vaxxers and a catalyst for potential “civil unrest” who must be removed in the public interest.

Djokovic’s presence in Australia “may foster anti-vaccination sentiment”, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke argued, justifying his use of broad executive powers to revoke the ace’s visa.

Not only could Djokovic encourage people to flout health rules, Hawke said, but his presence could lead to “civil unrest”.

So with just two days before the Australian Open begins, the defending champion is again focussed on law courts rather than centre court.

After months of speculation about whether Djokovic would get vaccinated to play in Australia, he used a medical exemption to enter the country a week ago, hoping to challenge for a record 21st Grand Slam title at the Open.

Many Australians – who have suffered prolonged lockdowns and border restrictions – believe Djokovic gamed the system to dodge vaccine entry requirements.

Amid public outcry, Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government revoked Djokovic’s visa on arrival.

But the government was humiliated when a judge reinstated Djokovic’s visa and allowed him to remain in the country.

This time, the government has invoked exceptional – and difficult to challenge – executive powers to declare him a threat to public health and safety.

Experts say the case has taken on significance beyond the fate of one man who happens to be good at tennis.

“The case is likely to define how tourists, foreign visitors and even Australian citizens view the nation’s immigration policies and ‘equality before the law’ for years to come,” said Sanzhuan Guo, a law lecturer at Flinders University.

Djokovic’s lawyers argue the government “cited no evidence” to support their claims.

The minister admitted that Djokovic is at “negligible” risk of infecting Australians, but argued his past “disregard” for COVID-19 regulations may pose a risk to public health and encourage people to ignore pandemic rules.