Enes Unal played a crucial role on his full Premier League debut as Bournemouth saw off Brighton 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium.
Having teed up Marcos Senesi’s early opener – the defender’s fourth goal of the season – Unal sent a bullet header into the top-left corner after the break to double Bournemouth’s advantage in Sunday’s south coast derby.
The introduction of Julio Enciso from the bench in the second half saw Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton enjoy more spark in the final third, but the result was put beyond all doubt when Justin Kluivert slammed home late on.
Tenth-placed Bournemouth are now four points clear of Brighton and with Chelsea above them, with their hopes of European football still intact.
The Cherries started brightly, with Unal bursting down the right-hand side before looking to find fellow centre-forward Dominic Solanke, but a goal-saving challenge from Lewis Dunk prevented a certain opener.
Bournemouth kept up the pressure and opened the scoring after just 13 minutes as Senesi pounced in the box from a corner to nod home from just a few yards out after Unal had won the flick-on at the near post.
Brighton grew into it after going behind and had an excellent chance to find an equaliser as Facundo Buonanotte danced through the challenges of the opposition defence inside the box, only to fail to beat Mark Travers.
Andoni Iraola’s side should have made it two after Alex Scott dispossessed Igor Julio before pulling it back to Unal, but the Turkish striker dragged his effort wide from just inside the penalty area.
Just a few minutes after the break, the Cherries could have doubled their lead as Kluivert burst into the box with Antoine Semenyo waiting unmarked at the back post, but the Dutch forward opted to shoot from a tight angle and could only find the side netting.
Their second did arrive in the 52nd minute – Unal marking his first league start in style when he powered in a header after meeting Dango Ouattara’s floated cross to the back post.
Enciso twice went close as Brighton searched for a way back into the contest, striking off target from the edge of the box before sending a stunning attempt just wide.
Kluivert added further gloss to Bournemouth’s victory, however, driving in from the right and lashing in with his left foot to wrap up a comprehensive triumph.
Iraola’s European hopes firmly alive
The Cherries have now extended their unbeaten run at home to six games in the Premier League, with the Vitality Stadium becoming a bit of a fortress in recent months.
Bournemouth, who have now achieved their record points tally in the Premier League (48), are in with an outside chance of qualifying for Europe, with Andoni Iraola’s men moving back into the top half of table, just six points behind Manchester United in sixth.
Unal’s goal and assist might give Iraola something to think about in terms of team selection, too, as the Bournemouth boss looks to finish his maiden season in the competition on a high note, though a late injury for Semenyo, who had to be taken off on a stretcher, will perhaps dampen the mood somewhat.
De Zerbi’s debutants fail to deliver
De Zerbi handed full Premier League debuts to Mark O’Mahony and Odeluga Offiah, making seven changes overall as the Seagulls looked to bounce back from their heavy defeat to Manchester City last time out.
However, those alterations did not have the desired impact, and it is now just two wins from their last 16 Premier League games for the Seagulls, with De Zerbi’s side only beating Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United on the road this season.
Brighton have secured just two points from a possible 21 available in their previous seven fixtures, and a second season in Europe is surely beyond them now.
Guardiola: Time for Man City's Tottenham hoodoo to end
Pep Guardiola knows Manchester City have no choice but to end their Premier League hoodoo at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday, saying anything but a win will hand Arsenal the title.
Following Arsenal's 1-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday, City are one point behind the Gunners at the summit with a game in hand.
Arsenal are now in the unenviable position of needing a favour from their North London rivals, as a City win will ensure they enter this weekend's final set of fixtures with the title race in their hands.
However, City have lost on all four of their visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League without scoring, though they did manage a 1-0 FA Cup win there in January.
Only Birmingham City (seven at Old Trafford) have played more Premier League games at a specific stadium without finding the net.
Asked about the importance of ending that record, Guardiola said: "It's obvious, I would say. We have just one option, win the game. We will go from there.
"We played really well there many times but weren't able to score or win games. We are trying to do something special, so we have to do that this time.
"This is the time to do it, otherwise Arsenal will be champions."
Some Tottenham fans have expressed unease about the prospect of helping their old enemies end their 20-year wait to be crowned champions of England, but Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has hit out at those questioning his team's motivation.
"What do you think we're going to do as a team? Like any team on this planet, aren't we just going to try and win? It's a simple, basic premise," Postecoglou said.
"Now how that makes people feel, I'm not really fussed. I don't really care."
Touching on City's hunt for an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title, he added: "Sometimes people think once you win it once it becomes easier, but it becomes harder.
"It's a testament not just to Pep but the whole organisation and how they want to achieve success."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tottenham – Dejan Kulusevski
Kulsevski has been directly involved in five goals in his four Premier League games against City, more than he has versus any other opponent in the competition (three goals, two assists).
The Swede scored a last-minute equaliser as the sides played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in December's reverse fixture, but he has failed to net in any of his last 11 Premier League matches.
Manchester City – Phil Foden
Foden and Jack Grealish both scored in City's reverse fixture against Spurs. The only previous players to score home and away against Tottenham in a Premier League season for the Citizens are Sergio Aguero (2013-14 and 2014-15), Ilkay Gundogan (2017-18) and Raheem Sterling (2017-18).
Foden netted his 25th goal of the campaign across all competitions in City's 4-0 rout of Fulham on Saturday, and the Player of the Season candidate will play a key role here.
MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN
Arsenal supporters may not feel great about having to cheer on their old rivals, but history suggests Tottenham have a chance of providing a twist in the title race – regardless of how their own fans feel about that prospect.
Indeed, City have lost more Premier League games against Tottenham under Guardiola (six), than they have against any other side.
The champions, however, are in ominous form, going unbeaten through their last 21 Premier League matches (17 wins, four draws).
Only once have they enjoyed a longer run in the competition, going 30 without losing between April 2017 and January 2018.
They have also won their last four away league games, the last three of them by an aggregate score of 10-0. Only once in their league history have they won four in a row on the road without conceding, doing so as a second-tier club between March and April 1903.
Regardless of their terrible record on this ground, it is difficult to see the champions slipping up.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Tottenham – 20.1%
Manchester City – 54.8%
Draw – 25.1%
Spurs will not 'roll out red carpet' for Man City - Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou does not believe the Tottenham fans want their side to lose and insists his side will not "roll out the red carpet" for Manchester City.
The Premier League title race will go down to the final day after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday, but it is yet to be decided who will go into the last match on top of the table.
City sit one point behind the Gunners, and if they win their game in hand over Spurs on Tuesday, they will reclaim top spot.
However, an Aston Villa win over Liverpool on Monday would end Spurs’ chances of Champions League qualification, meaning they would have nothing to play for against the title holders.
Arsenal need a favour from their North London rivals if they want to win their first Premier League title since 2004, but Postecoglou says he does not believe that will affect what result the fans want.
He said: "You think the majority of our fans are not going to want us to win?
"I don't see it that way. I think the majority of our fans will create the atmosphere they always create at our games. We've got a game of football to win and that's what we'll try to do.
"City haven't won it yet and if you think they have, then it becomes an issue because we're rolling out a red carpet for them, and I'm not going to do that.
"I'm not just going to sit there and watch them win. That doesn't sit comfortably with me."
Pressed on if a proportion of fans would be against a positive result, Postecoglou added: "A proportion of our fans? What does that mean? What proportion? 50 per cent? 20 per cent? One per cent?
"That's fine, people are allowed to feel the way they do.
"But I think I've been consistent and really strong in my beliefs that it's important for this football club not to look for silver bullets to get to where we want to; it's hard work, it's resilience, it's quality, not to fall for any false dawns - and know what real success looks like: trophies.
"Anything else in between, bragging rights, whatever it is, is absolutely meaningless to me or anyone involved with me. We've got a game we want to win."
Southgate: Man United speculation 'a complete irrelevance'
Gareth Southgate says speculation linking him with the Manchester United job is "a complete irrelevance" as his entire focus is on England's Euro 2024 campaign.
The England manager has been tipped as a contender to succeed Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford should United part ways with the Dutchman at the end of the season.
Southgate is due to be out of contract later this year, with suggestions that the upcoming European Championship finals will be his last tournament as Three Lions chief.
However, amid the talk over where he could end up later this year, the 53-year-old is not looking beyond the Euros.
"I've got one thing to focus on, and that's having as successful a tournament with England as possible," he told ITV News.
"Everything else outside of that is a complete irrelevance to me."
Asked specifically about the United links in a separate interview with BBC Sport, Southgate said: "There will always be speculation about managers.
"If you lose a couple of games, you're in trouble - you win a couple of games and it is a different agenda.
"But for me, [Euro 2024] is a brilliant opportunity. We're looking forward to the tournament. My focus is on how do we go a step further than we went in the last Euros."
Southgate has been England boss since 2016 and previously hinted he contemplated stepping down after the World Cup quarter-final loss to France in December 2022.
Despite the fact his deal expires in the next six months, Southgate insists that is not a concern ahead of the Euros in Germany.
"It's not an issue and never has been," Southgate said. "I have to deliver a successful tournament for England and there's enough work involved in that.
"I think everybody would expect that's where my focus should be."
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