City moved to the brink of reclaiming the league crown by beating Crystal Palace 2-0 on Saturday.

One more win will complete the job for Pep Guardiola's players - unless Liverpool do it for them with a victory at second-placed Manchester United, the only team that can mathematically stop City.

To have any realistic chance of finishing in the top four, winning at Old Trafford is a must for Jurgen Klopp's Reds - even if that would mean their reign as English champion ends after barely 10 months.

Of course, there are plenty of more chances for City to wrap up a third title in four years, and a fifth in the past decade.

Should Liverpool fail to beat United, City can become champions again with a home win over Chelsea next Saturday, one of four remaining games for Guardiola's team.

The champagne is very much on ice for City.

Or, as Guardiola put it after the win at Palace: "We can start to think about putting it in the fridge."

Sergio Aguero, City's all-time record scorer who is leaving the club at the end of the season, took advantage of a rare start this season by scoring a typically clinical goal to set City on its way in the 57th minute at Selhurst Park.

Ferran Torres added the second just 84 seconds later as City belatedly flexed their muscle after a slow start to the game.

At Stamford Bridge, Mason Mount produced a piece of individual brilliance to set up the first of Kai Havertz's two goals for Chelsea in a 2-0 defeat of against Fulham.

Mount brought down a long ball forward by Thiago Silva with deft control, then slipped a pass between two defenders to give Havertz time and space to finish into the corner in the 10th minute.

Havertz traded passes with fellow Germany international Timo Werner for the second goal in the 49th as fourth-placed Chelsea moved six points clear of fifth-placed West Ham United, whose game in hand is against Burnley on Monday.

Everton appear to be out of contention for Champions League qualification after losing to Aston Villa 2-1.

Anwar El Ghazi's 80th-minute winner for the visitors left Everton nine points behind Chelsea with a game in hand.

Villa went ahead in the 13th at Goodison Park through Ollie Watkins, then Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalised six minutes later for the Toffees.

Brighton & Hove Albion can start planning for a fourth straight season in the top flight after their 2-0 defeat of Leeds United secured their surivival.

Pascal Gross, with a penalty, and Danny Welbeck were the scorers.

Australian Associated Press