Staff Reporter.
Manchester City cemented their position at the top of the Premier League table with a 1-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday.
Gabriel Jesus scored the only goal of the game to send City four points clear of Manchester United.
It was not a vintage City performance. Aside from Jesus’ close-range strike from a Ferran Torres cross, an instinctive header from Bernardo Silva, created by a stray Oliver Norwood header, was their only effort on target until Aaron Ramsdale denied Oleksandr Zinchenko and then Aymeric Laporte from the corner that followed.
Ramsdale also kept out an injury-time Jesus shot.
But the Blues’ defensive strength was again on show. Pep Guardiola’s side have now kept five clean sheets in a row in the Premier League and an impressive 11 out of 13.
It was certainly far too strong for a visiting team who never looked like emulating their victory at Manchester United three days ago and remain rooted to the foot of the table, 10 points adrift of fourth-bottom Brighton.
And for Guardiola is was a staggering 500th win of a managerial career of 673 games.
Meanwhile Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze continued his excellent debut season in the Premier League and added to Wolves’ troubles with the only goal at Selhurst Park.
In a match of few chances, Willian Jose – in his first start for Wolves since joining on loan from Real Sociedad – was twice denied by Palace keeper Vicente Guaita.
Wilfried Zaha almost made it 2-0 when he hit the crossbar on the counter-attack.
The win lifted Palace above Wolves, who dropped to 14th in the table and are without a win in eight league games.
Elsewhere Premier League strugglers West Bromwich Albion and Fulham produced a captivating draw that will satisfy neither team at the Hawthorns.
But a Kyle Bartley equaliser two minutes after the break shifted the momentum towards the hosts.
Sam Allardyce’s side looked to have engineered a complete turnaround when Matheus Pereira flicked in a cross from new loan signing Mbaye Diagne.
However, Ivan Cavaleiro headed in an inviting cross from fellow substitute Harrison Reed to earn the visitors a point.
The result leaves Fulham 18th in the table, while West Brom – who gained their first point at home since Allardyce took charge in December – are in 19th, two points further back.