Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti congratulated Manchester City and declared them champions-elect after the runaway Premier League leaders powered to a 3-1 win at Goodison Park.
City opened up a 10-point gap over second-placed neighbours Manchester United after a commanding display against Everton on Wednesday, with goals coming from Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva.
Everton star Richarlison did net a first-half equaliser but it was not enough to stop the Toffees from falling to a second consecutive loss on Merseyside in four days, following the 2-0 reverse against Fulham on Sunday.
City have won their last 12 league matches, 17 in all competitions, and Ancelotti cannot see any team stopping Pep Guardiola s high-flying side from securing a fifth Premier League trophy and seventh English domestic crown.
I think so. It s really difficult to say another name, Ancelotti said.
Man City, in this moment, are in a good mood. They have fantastic quality, they have belief, they are strong.
We tried to put the game on the strong side but it was difficult against Rodrigo, against [Ruben] Dias, against [Aymeric] Laporte.
10 Manchester City are now 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League the only two teams to fail to go on and win the title having had a lead of 10+ points are Newcastle United in 1995/96 and Manchester United in 1997/98. Cruising.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
The victory means City are the first team in English history to win 10 top-flight matches to start a calendar year.
City have not trailed for a single minute in their last 16 league matches, with Arsenal the only team to have bettered that streak (19 matches in 1998-99) in the Premier League era.
Closing on their fifth Premier League triumph in a decade, Ancelotti has no doubt City are the best team his Everton outfit have come up against this season.
Absolutely, yes, congratulations to them, he added.
Following a third straight league defeat, Everton have slipped to seventh in the table ahead of Saturday s Merseyside derby against rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
Everton are three points behind the Reds with a game in hand, and Ancelotti insisted his players need to quickly put the past week behind them.
We don t have any regrets tonight, regrets were against Fulham, he said. It s an exciting game, we know how important it is for our supporters, this game.
We know all we need to try and get the result on Saturday.
3 Everton have lost three consecutive home league games for the first time since March 2016, while manager Carlo Ancelotti has suffered three in a row for the first time since November 2006 when he was AC Milan manager. Stumbling.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
