EPL: Dzeko’s brace sends Man City to top

Yaya Toure and Jovetic were the other goal scorers.

Manchester City scored four late second half goals to thrash Aston Villa 4-0 and move two points clear at the top of the Premier League with just one game still to play.

A brace from Edin Dzeko, and one each from Yaya Toure and Jovetic saw the Citizens move to the top of the table and limit any hope of Liverpool winning the EPL this season.

The first half was goalless as Brad Guzan was called into action early in the match as James Milner tried to set up Edin Dzeko, but the striker was denied by the Villa keeper.

Milner was involved again later as he picked out Pablo Zabaleta, who then passed to Yaya Toure; but the Ivorian’s effort was cleared off the line.

David Silva had a couple of chances to break the deadlock before half time as City continued to dominate the opening 45 minutes, but Guzan prevented his first before a scuffed shot allowed the visiting defenders to clear.

The home side continued to create the better of the chances in the second half, and eventually took the lead in the 61st minute when Dzeko tapped in from close range after Zabaleta fired the ball into the area from the right wing.

The Bosnian added his second just eight minutes later, pouncing from close range again after Guzan denied Zabaleta.

Stevan Jovetic tried to make it three for the hosts when he fired the ball towards goal from 25 yards out shortly after coming off the bench, but it was a comfortable save for the Villa stopper.

The visitors came close to pulling one back inside the final 10 minutes when Joe Hart mis-read an Andreas Weimann shot, but the ball was kept out by the crossbar.

Jovetic eventually did find the back of the net, sliding the ball in from the edge of the box in the final minute of normal time, while Toure rounded off the victory with a stoppage-time strike to move the team back to the top of the table.