Manchester City cruise past Sunderland to close the gap on Arsenal

Good afternoon and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live, minute-by-minute clockwatch for this afternoon’s Premier League fixtures, with 10 teams in action at 15:00, including three of the top six. 

Manchester City will be hoping to at least keep pace with leaders Arsenal as they host Sunderland. Pep Guardiola’s side, who survived a Fulham fightback to win a nine-goal thriller on Tuesday, start the afternoon in second, five points adrift of Arsenal, who are currently in action at third-placed Aston Villa. 

Meanwhile, five points below City are Sunderland, who are sixth after a remarkable return to the top flight, losing just three of their 14 games. Following their draw at Anfield in the week, Regis le Bris’ side will be hopeful of claiming another eye-catching result on the road.

Sunderland are just one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who will be looking to return to winning ways with a trip to Bournemouth. Enzo Maresca’s side followed up impressive displays against Barcelona and Arsenal last week with a disappointing defeat at Leeds United on Wednesday, dampening talks of a potential title challenge. 

However, Bournemouth have picked up just one point from their last five league games, leaving them down in 14th. They have suffered defeats against Manchester City, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Everton during this torrid run of results.

It was Jack Grealish’s second-half strike that sealed victory for David Moyes’ side at the Vitality on Tuesday, taking them into the top half. They welcome former manager Sean Dyche and his Nottingham Forest side to the Hill Dickinson Stadium this afternoon.

Forest have enjoyed an upturn in results in recent weeks; their victory over winless Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday was their third in four league games, and it has created a three-point cushion above the relegation zone.

Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, are targeting a first league victory at home since the opening day of the season as they host Brentford. Thomas Frank, facing his former side today, has seen his team lose four of their last six league games on home soil, including last weekend, when they handed Fulham their first win on the road this season.

Cristian Romero’s bicycle kick in stoppage-time salvaged a point for Spurs in their midweek trip to Newcastle United, who host Burnley this afternoon. Tuesday’s draw at St James’ Park has left Eddie Howe’s side in 12th, level on points with Spurs in 11th. Burnley, meanwhile, have lost their last five in the league, leaving them down in 19th.