Manchester City overcame relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest 2-0 yesterday to close to within one point of Premier League leaders Arsenal and keep the destiny of the title race in their own hands.Mikel Arteta’s team had thrown down the gauntlet earlier in the day, fending off a Tottenham fightback to win 3-2, briefly moving four points clear of City.But the champions - chasing an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title - saw off a spirited Forest with goals from Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland. “It was a difficult game, they played with bravery,” City manager Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports.“They have fast players with a lot of quality so we found a goal in the moment when it was 10 against 11 (while Neco Williams was receiving treatment off the pitch).“It is a great victory as we had a lot of games behind us. Now we have a long week to recover.”Forest, fighting for their lives near the foot of the table, will rue missed chances, including two clear-cut opportunities for Chris Wood. City remain firm favourites to land yet another league title with four games remaining - one more than Arsenal.Third-placed Liverpool are four points behind City having played a game more and are realistically out of the title picture.Forest, last month docked four points for breaches of Premier League financial rules, remain just one point outside the relegation zone with three games to go.But Guardiola’s City, who came into the match on the back of a 30-match unbeaten run in all competitions, did not have it all their own way at the City Ground.The home side had a chance to take a shock lead in the opening seconds but Williams failed to make clean contact from close range. Forest looked dangerous when they came forward, with Nathan Ake forced to stretch to keep the ball off the toes of Callum Hudson-Odoi. But City took the lead in the 32nd minute when Gvardiol powered home a Kevin De Bruyne corner at the near post.Forest, undaunted, continued to test the visitors but Wood missed a glorious chance to level from close range when found by substitute Gonzalo Montiel, getting his feet in a tangle. Guardiola made two changes at half-time, bringing on goalkeeper Stefan Ortega for Ederson, who had a shoulder issue, and introducing Mateo Kovacic for Jeremy Doku.Forest were quickly out of the blocks but Wood again had a moment to forget when he failed to make proper contact after being found by Antony Elanga.City began to establish more control as the second period wore on. Haaland, who has been short of his razor-sharp best in recent weeks, came on for Jack Grealish shortly after the hour mark.He eased City’s nerves in the 71st minute, latching onto a De Bruyne through ball, evading Murillo before finding the net for his 21st Premier League goal of the season.It gave City a cushion they were unlikely to let slip and they held out for a crucial victory.“It’s an important win, it does not matter how we do it, and it is good to be back,” said Haaland, who had missed the past two games with an injury.“We knew it was going to be a fight, and the pitch was not the easiest to play on but we cannot complain, it is about winning and that is exactly what we did.”Earlier, after the despair of a damaging home defeat against Aston Villa and a Champions League quarter-final exit to Bayern Munich, the Gunners have bounced back impressively.Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s own goal put Arsenal ahead before Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz netted to leave Arsenal in complete control. Cristian Romero and Son Heung-min struck for Tottenham after the interval to set up a nervous finish, but Arsenal clung on by their finger tips.Aware they have little margin for error with City chasing them, Arteta had called on his players to show their hunger for success and they responded to his challenge.Thrashing old foes Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday was merely the appetiser ahead of the main course Arsenal served up for 3,000 of their jubilant fans packed into one corner of the stadium. Arsenal famously won the league twice at Tottenham’s old White Hart Lane stadium, in 1971 and 2004.The Gunners could not clinch silverware on enemy territory this time, but their fifth win in the last seven north London derbies kept them in the hunt to win the title for the first time in 20 years.Bournemouth beat Brighton 3-0 yesterday.

Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad yesterday hit 98 to help holders Chennai Super Kings (CSK) jump to third in the table with a 78-run hammering of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).Chennai posted 212-3 courtesy of Gaikwad’s 54-ball knock and his key partnerships including a 107-run second-wicket stand with Daryl Mitchell, who hit 52. Medium-pace bowler Tushar Deshpande led the bowling charge with four wickets as he helped bowl out Hyderabad for 134 in 18.5 overs.Gaikwad said yesterday: “(I am) feeling pretty good. It’s really tough to play in such wet conditions and to win by 78 runs was a very clinical performance. Great win for us. There conditions are too hot and humid. Last game I was out fielding for 20 overs and 19 overs today. I was never even thinking about the hundred. I was just trying to make sure we get to 220 or whatever extra runs possible.”The CSK skipper added: “Even in the last game I wasn’t thinking about the hundred. I was upset I missed a few shots. At the innings break I thought it would cost us. But in the end it worked out. Last game we made some errors, some loose balls here and there, not really up to the mark in the field.“I’m not very vocal. Everyone is very experienced in the dressing room and you can’t just go up to seniors and tell them what to do. So I just take a back seat,” he added.Considering the recent trends in the IPL, SRH would have backed themselves to chase down 214 as openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma started off in expected fashion, targeting the boundaries.In the second over, CSK delivered a double-blow when Head tried to hit over the off-side but hit it straight to the man in the deep. Anmolpreet Singh was introduced as the Impact Player, but got an outside edge off his first ball and was caught at cover.Deshpande provided those breaks for CSK. A couple of overs later, Deshpande got another big wicket when Abhishek hit it straight to the fielder at deep point.BRIEF SCORESChennai Super Kings 212-3 (Gaikwad 98, Mitchell 52) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 134 all out (Markram 32, Deshpande 4 for 27) by 78 runs