Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points as they beat Sheffield United 1-0 to make it a club-record 12 wins in a row in all competitions.
Pep Guardiola's side continued a renaissance that has restored them to the summit of the English top flight and marked them out as clear favourites to clinch the title.
Gabriel Jesus' ninth-minute strike decided the game but, while City failed to add to their advantage as a result of a blunt performance in the final third, they never looked like conceding an equaliser.
Sheffield United arrived at the Etihad Stadium with a renewed sense of hope following their shock midweek victory away to Manchester United.
But City quickly set about extinguishing any optimism, Ferran Torres capitalising on a defensive mix-up before showing great feet to beat his man on the byline and teeing up Jesus for a tap-in.
Although the nature of the opener will have disappointed Blades boss Chris Wilder, he will have been pleased with his players' response to such an early setback.
They restricted the hosts to just one more shot on target before the break thanks to more of the sort of solidity that had earned them three points across Manchester on Wednesday evening.
Unsurprisingly, City looked to up the tempo following the restart, and went close through a Ruben Dias header from Ilkay Gundogan's cross within two minutes.
But they continued to struggle to carve out clear opportunities, their next big chance again coming from a corner as Aymeric Laporte's header forced Aaron Ramsdale into a save.
Sheffield United enjoyed their best spell of the match in the final five minutes, with a John Fleck long-distance effort whistling just past the post in that period.
However, they had left it too late to put sustained pressure on the hosts, who saw out the remaining minutes to claim yet another victory in a remarkable run of form.
What does it mean? City juggernaut rolls on
City's previous title successes under Guardiola have been built on a simply unstoppable attack occasionally covering for a less-than-convincing defence, but that certainly isn't the case with this team.
The Blues have conceded the fewest goals (13) and kept the most clean sheets (12) of any side in the Premier League this season, and that is driving a renewed charge to regain the title.
Laporte proves worth
Ruben Dias' role in City's recent defensive improvement means only the spot next to him is up for grabs when it comes to Guardiola picking a team.
Laporte strengthened his case to start more regularly, winning a team-high eight aerial duels out of the nine he contested against physical opposition.
The defender also took more touches than any player on the pitch (137) and completed the most passes (119).
Brewster struggles continue
Brought into a team that pulled off a huge shock at Old Trafford, Rhian Brewster failed to stake a claim to more regular starts.
The Englishman managed just one speculative shot from distance and fewer touches than any other starter (20).
What's next?
Manchester City will look to extend their winning run against Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday, while Sheffield United must try to get back to winning ways at home to West Brom 24 hours earlier.
Sunshine Snacks inks three-year sponsorship deal with Jamaica Premier League
Sunshine Snacks, a leading regional snack brand, has announced a landmark 3-year sponsorship agreement with the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).
As part of this partnership, Sunshine Snacks will also become the designated club sponsor for Montego Bay United, a team with a storied legacy and a strong presence in Jamaican football.
This collaboration underscores Sunshine Snacks’ commitment to fostering growth and success across the Jamaica Premier League while providing critical support to Montego Bay United as they focus on rebuilding and achieving sustained success.
Shantell Hill-Afonso, Marketing Manager, Jamaica for Sunshine Snacks, shared her enthusiasm.
"We at Sunshine Snacks are thrilled to partner with the Jamaica Premier League and Montego Bay United, currently performing well in the league. Montego Bay has always been a focus for us as a brand, which made this sponsorship a perfect fit. This partnership goes beyond branding; it is about nurturing talent, impacting lives, and building stronger communities through football. With our offices located in Montego Bay, this collaboration allows us to support the team on and off the field, creating meaningful connections in the community," Hill-Afonso said.
"We’re also excited to bring Sunshine Snacks products to all Jamaica Premier League matches, creating a fun and engaging experience for fans. Football and snacks go hand in hand, and products like our Sunshine Peanuts will refuel everyone. This partnership allows us to connect with communities across Jamaica in a way that is both meaningful and enjoyable," she added.
Long-term view: Boyz coach Steve McClaren reflects on lessons learned in Nations League defeat
As the dust settles on Jamaica's Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal exit at the hands of the United States, Head coach Steve McClaren remains resolute in his vision for the Reggae Boyz.
While their 2-4 loss in the second leg and, by extension, the 5-2 aggregate scoreline is a bitter pill to swallow, McClaren views it as an essential part of the team's growth and a stark reminder of the work needed to elevate Jamaica's football to the next level.
The Boyz failed campaign, which has now left them to contest a preliminary round to get into next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup, was a tale of two contrasting performances, as a 0-1 loss in Kingston last Thursday left them chasing the tie heading into the away leg in St Louis, Missouri.
However, the doggedness that they displayed at the National Stadium was nonexistent at the Energizer Park on Monday, particularly in the first half, as they found themselves overwhelmed by a clinical United States team that raced to a 3-0 lead by halftime.
Christian Pulisic (13th), Di’Shon Bernard’s 33rd-minute own goal, and Ricardo Pepi (42nd) set the tone for the United States win, which was capped by Timothy Weah (56th). Demarai Gray (53rd, 68th) placed some semblance of respectability on the scoreline for the Boyz.
“We concede that they were the better team. In the first half, we were passive defensively, and we didn’t deal with the ball well. They punished us in transition, caused problems in the build-ups, and three goals made it a mountain to climb,” McClaren said in his post-match assessment.
Despite the early setback, McClaren found positives in his team’s second half response, as they scored twice in what he believes was a show of resilience and determination, though the United States’ superiority proved insurmountable.
“We could have folded at halftime, but we didn't. I told the players we had to win the second half. We changed the shape, personnel, and attitude, and we were more aggressive. That gave us opportunities, and we scored, but we were always vulnerable on the transition, and then the fourth goal was a kick in the teeth. But still, we came back. I mean, that's character, that's courage, and that's what the team has got, so we have to build on that by being tactically and technically better because that's what the USA were,” McClaren reasoned.
On that note, McClaren emphasized that the team’s struggles stem from the same principles he’s determined to instill—building from the back and maintaining composure under pressure.
“We want to build a team that can deal with the ball under pressure. That’s modern football. The principles are you have to be aggressive, you have to defend properly, and you have to be able to deal with the ball,” McClaren declared.
“That is what our strength normally is; we are aggressive, we defend well, but we need to improve in being able to deal with the ball better, build from the back better, with more composure, and have more courage, which we showed in the second half. The USA pressed aggressively, and we didn’t handle it well enough, but that’s a lesson we’ll take forward,” the Englishman added.
With their main target being the 2026 Fifa World Cup, McClaren sees the loss as part of a necessary process, as their immediate future now involves navigating the Gold Cup preliminaries, a step back from their automatic qualification ambitions.
“This process is ongoing. Sometimes things work, and sometimes they don’t. But we learn, adapt, and move forward. I believe in this team and in our ability to achieve something special. The real test is against the top teams, and we’ve come up short,” the tactician noted.
“But these are the games where we learn the most about our weaknesses and what we need to improve. We’ve used 37 players across three camps, experimenting and identifying talent... it doesn’t bode well for consistency, but it’s vital for the bigger picture. We need players who can defend, press, and deal with the ball under pressure,” McClaren ended.
Rogers pens long-term Aston Villa deal
Morgan Rogers has signed a new contract to keep him at Aston Villa until the end of the 2029-30 season.
Rogers, newly minted as a full England international after making his debut against Greece last week, joined Villa in February from Middlesbrough.
He swiftly established himself as a regular in Unai Emery's set-up, and has played 22 times in the Premier League, making 19 starts.
The 22-year-old has netted six goals and provided three assists in the top flight.
Rogers has also started each of Villa's four Champions League matches this season.
His tally of nine chances created in the Champions League is the most of any player in Villa's squad, five more than next-best Ollie Watkins.
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