Haaland Brace Keeps City in Hunt, Spurs Humiliated at Forest

Manchester City maintained the pressure on Arsenal with a comfortable 3-0 victory at Crystal Palace, closing to within two points of the leaders. Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur's inconsistent campaign took another embarrassing turn as they were outclassed 3-0 by Nottingham Forest.

Crystal Palace 0-3 Manchester City: Haaland Strikes Twice Despite Flat Display

Manchester City kept their title hopes alive with victory at Selhurst Park, though the scoreline flattered Pep Guardiola's side who were far from their sparkling best. Erling Haaland's brace and Phil Foden's continued good form proved enough to collect all three points.

There was concern before kick-off when the teamsheet revealed Jeremy Doku's absence from the squad entirely. Guardiola later attributed the Belgian winger's omission to a "leg injury" without providing further details, leaving City without their in-form player.

The visitors struggled to create meaningful chances in the opening half-hour, registering their first shot only after 29 minutes. Palace could have taken the lead when Ismaïla Sarr chipped a glorious opportunity wide of the target.

On the stroke of halftime, Haaland demonstrated his predatory instincts once again. The Norwegian met a quality cross with a powerful header to open the scoring and give City a lead their performance scarcely deserved.

The second half followed a similar pattern. City lacked their usual fluency, while Palace were too wasteful in the final third to punish them. Tijjani Reijnders spurned a good chance for the visitors before Foden showed no such mercy with twenty minutes remaining, drilling a low finish into the corner after Palace gifted possession away.

Another defensive mix-up presented City with a penalty, which Haaland converted to complete a flattering 3-0 victory. The Norwegian now has 16 Premier League goals this season.

The result means City have closed the gap on Arsenal to just two points, setting up a thrilling title race for the new year. Manchester City tickets holders won't care about the manner of victory, while Crystal Palace tickets supporters were left frustrated by their team's inability to capitalise on chances.

Nottingham Forest 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur: Sangaré Stunner Caps Dominant Display

Tottenham Hotspur's wretched away form continued as they were comprehensively outplayed by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Sean Dyche's side produced a superb performance to secure a 3-0 victory that could have been even more emphatic.

Forest started on the front foot, with former PSV midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré rattling the post with a header early on. Neco Williams then forced Guglielmo Vicario into an excellent save from the rebound as the hosts threatened repeatedly.

The opening goal arrived through a catastrophic Spurs error. Vicario attempted to play out from the back with a short pass to Archie Gray, who was completely unaware of Sangaré charging in behind him. The Ivorian dispossessed the young defender and unselfishly squared for Callum Hudson-Odoi to tap into an empty net.

Gray nearly atoned for his mistake with a spectacular volley that John Victor tipped around the post, but it was Forest who continued to dominate. Morgan Gibbs-White came close to doubling the lead before the break, but his clever dink lacked the direction to trouble Victor.

Five minutes into the second half, Hudson-Odoi produced a moment of magic—or perhaps fortune. His attempted cross was overhit, but the ball sailed over the stranded Vicario and nestled into the far corner for a remarkable 2-0 lead.

Forest could have extended their advantage further as Omari Hutchinson and Igor Jesus both fired narrowly wide. The third goal eventually arrived fifteen minutes from time, and it was worth the wait. Hudson-Odoi laid the ball off to Sangaré, who produced a stunning strike with the outside of his right foot that curled off the inside of the post and into the net.

Tottenham never threatened to mount a comeback and returned to London with nothing to show for their efforts. The defeat leaves Spurs languishing in eleventh place, while Forest's resurgence under Dyche sees them climb to sixteenth.

Nottingham Forest tickets holders witnessed one of their team's best performances of the season, while Tottenham Hotspur tickets supporters face growing questions about their team's direction.

Title Race Takes Shape

With Arsenal's victory over Wolves on Saturday and City's win at Palace, the gap at the top remains just two points heading into the busy festive period. Both teams have shown the ability to grind out results when not at their best, which could prove crucial in the final reckoning.

Aston Villa remain in third place, three points behind Arsenal, ensuring a fascinating three-way battle for the title. Liverpool's recent revival has lifted them to sixth, though they remain outsiders in the championship race.

At the other end, Wolves continue to prop up the table with just two points, while Tottenham's inconsistency shows no sign of improvement. Forest's climb under Dyche offers a blueprint for teams scrapping to avoid relegation.

The Premier League title race is heating up as the festive fixtures approach. Secure your tickets for upcoming matches and experience the drama firsthand at these iconic stadiums.