LONDON (AFP) – Crisis-hit Manchester City slumped to an unthinkable ninth defeat in 12 matches at Aston Villa as Arsenal dismantled Crystal Palace 5-1 to reignite their Premier League title charge.
Nottingham Forest stormed Brentford’s fortress to briefly climb to third in the table and Alexander Isak scored his first hat-trick in the English top flight as Newcastle ran riot at Ipswich.
City boss Pep Guardiola – in the worst spell of his managerial career – made multiple changes following last week’s painful derby defeat to Manchester United but it was to no avail as his injury-hit side lost 2-1. Jhon Duran scored his seventh Premier League goal of the season to put Villa ahead in the 16th minute and Morgan Rogers doubled the advantage for the impressive home side in the 65th minute.
Phil Foden scored his first top-flight goal of the season in stoppage time but it proved too little too late for the flailing champions, whose spark has vanished.
City have now lost six Premier League games in the current campaign, twice as many as they suffered during the whole of last season, when they were crowned champions for the fourth time in a row. Guardiola said he trusted his players to turn things around despite their shocking run of just one win from their past 12 games in all competitions.
“We have to think positive and I have incredible trust in the guys,” he told the BBC. “Some of them have incredible pride and desire to do it. We have to find a way, step by step, sooner or later to find a way back.”
A bullish Mikel Arteta said Arsenal, who have not won the Premier League title since 2004, are now firmly in the title picture after his team’s thumping win at Selhurst Park.
Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick against Palace in the League Cup on Wednesday, scored two more against the same opponents and there were also goals for Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and substitute Declan Rice.
