Sterling scores 4th goal of week as Man City beats Villa 3-0

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Raheem Sterling scored his fourth goal of the week as Manchester City beat Aston Villa 3-0 Saturday and cut the gap to Premier League leader Liverpool.

Villa held City at bay in a goalless first half, but Sterling’s goal 20 seconds into the second half was the breakthrough.

In unusually direct style for City, Gabriel Jesus knocked an Ederson goal-kick forward for Sterling, who took two touches before scoring through Tom Heaton’s legs.

Despite desperate defending from Villa, including a goal line clearance by Tyrone Mings, City soon added two more.

A curling cross-shot from Kevin De Bruyne eluded everyone and went into the net for 2-0, despite Villa’s pleas that Sterling was offside, and Ilkay Gundogan made it three in the 70th when Villa failed to clear a corner.

City’s problems in defense deepened with a late sending-off for Fernandinho after a second yellow card.

The win sees City retake second place from Leicester, which beat Southampton 9-0 on Friday. City sits three points behind Liverpool, though the league leader can restore a six-point gap with a win Sunday over struggling Tottenham.