Manchester City’s centre backs Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol struck less than four minutes apart in the first half in a 3-0 thrashing of Sunderland that tightened the Premier League title race and kept the pressure firmly on leaders Arsenal.

Phil Foden also scored — his fifth goal in three games — as second-placed City seized the opportunity from Arsenal’s 2-1 loss at Aston Villa earlier in the day, to climb within two points of the leaders with 31 points after 15 games. Sunderland are provisionally seventh on 23 points.

While Pep Guardiola’s men dominated possession, neither side really threatened in the first half before Dias ended the deadlock in the 31st minute with a rocket from 30 yards out that took a slight deflection off Dan Ballard. Less than four minutes later, Foden whipped in a cross that Gvardiol leapt to head home.

Foden netted his own in the 65th minute with a goal that was all about Rayan Cherki’s jaw-dropping rabona assist, a chip that Foden needed only to head home and then had the England midfielder shaking his head in disbelief at Cherki’s skill.

Sunderland ended the game with 10 men after Luke O’Nien was shown a red card for a bad foul deep in added time.

Blunt Bournemouth and Chelsea play to 0-0 draw

Bournemouth and Chelsea played to a frenetic 0-0 Premier League draw at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday in a contest in which both sides lacked the quality in the opposition box to force a winner.

The draw leaves Chelsea in fourth place in the table with 25 points from their 15 games, while Bournemouth’s dismal run continued having now taken two points from the last 18 available. They are in 13th with 20 points from 15 games.

The home side were the better team in the first half but could not make their possession count as Antoine Semenyo had an effort ruled out for offside and Evanilson missed an open goal from a yard out when it seemed easier to score.

Chelsea improved after the break and struck the post via Alejandro Garnacho, but they snatched at the other chances that came their way and played to their first goalless draw since a home clash with Crystal Palace in August.