Premier League round-up:Carlos Tevez scored for the first time in 11 months as Manchester City sparked back into life to keep their faint title hopes alive tonight with a 4-0 victory over West Brom at the Etihad Stadium.
Sergio Aguero struck twice and David Silva was on target in a routine defeat of the Baggies as City, perhaps belatedly, showed why they were once firm favourites for the Premier League crown.
Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat at Wigan meant the gap at the top was cut to five points, and with a derby to come the game may not yet be up, but it could still be too little too late.
Tevez’s name was met with a warm reception when it was read out prior to kick-off, but it was opposition forward Simon Cox who created the first opportunity, scuffing a second-minute effort wide of Joe Hart’s goal.
In a lively start, Samir Nasri then broke through for City but chose the wrong option and was crowded out, before Aguero showed him how it was done.
He picked the ball up in the sixth minute, ran at the West Brom defence and held off the challenge of Keith Andrews before placing an 18-yard strike beyond Ben Foster for his 25th goal of the season.
Tevez had the chance to join his countryman on the scoresheet in the 12th minute after working a pocket of space with a one-two with Nasri, but could only direct his shot over Foster’s bar, while Silva and Aguero were both denied at close quarters by the former England goalkeeper.
Some strong running into the channel from Aguero helped lay on a chance for Gareth Barry but his edge-of-the-box hit reared up against Andrews, bringing about a half-hearted penalty appeal for handball.
Republic of Ireland midfielder Andrews then gave Hart his first real touch, warming his palms from 20 yards, before a wonderful slide-rule pass from Tevez should have led to Micha Richards grabbing a second.
Playing slightly deeper than Aguero, Tevez took possession outside of the area and split the West Brom defence to send Richards clear but, after evading Foster, he saw his off-balance strike blocked on the line by Craig Dawson.
Half the ground thought Nasri had given City an identical start to the second half when he pulled a Silva cross out of the sky, but his left-footed volley crept narrowly wide of Foster’s right-hand post.
Although City’s lead was a slender one, the atmosphere inside the stadium suddenly lifted as news of Wigan’s goal against United filtered through and, as if to cement the mood, Aguero quickly made it 2-0 in the 54th minute.
After Tevez had failed to play a ball over the top, Nasri slid the former Atletico Madrid man in and he opened up his body before clinically beating Foster from eight yards.
A hat-trick would have soon come had he been able to extend his leg on to Nasri’s fizzing cross-shot, but that was soon forgotten as he created Tevez’s first goal in 11 months with 61 minutes gone.
Nasri played Aguero in down the left and, when he pulled it back across the six-yard box, Tevez was waiting to slam in his first City goal since the 3-0 win over Stoke last May.
As if to show all was not forgiven, though, the City fans responded to the goal by chanting manager Roberto Mancini’s name, although there was warm applause for the player when he was replaced by Adam Johnson two minutes later.
If there was any doubt over the outcome it was emphatically erased when Silva made it 4-0 with 65 minutes on the clock, chipping over Foster after racing on to an Aguero pass.
Arsenalstrengthened their grip on a Champions League spot as early goals from Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott put them on the way to a comfortable 3-0 win over 10-man Wolvesat Molineux.
Van Persie scored the opener from the penalty spot after Wolves’ on-loan defender Sebastien Bassong was sent off for bringing down Walcott, who added a second a minute later.
Yossi Benayoun netted the third after the break and the Gunners are now five points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham with just five games remaining.
QPR'ssurvival hopes were given a huge boost as they impressively dispatched Swansea3-0 at Loftus Road.
The embattled Rs were unable to match the visitors’ slick passing game in the opening 45 minutes and were guilty of some poor finishing.
However, QPR captain Joey Barton made amends in first-half stoppage time when he smashed home the opener.
Jamie Mackie’s deflected effort doubled the Hoops’ advantage 10 minutes after the restart and Akos Buzsaky wrapped up three points from range.
