Football: Dzeko brace sends Man City top; but could lose lead if Chelsea, Liverpool win

Edin Dzeko of Manchester City celebrates after his team beat Everton in their English Premier League football match at Goodison Park in Liverpool, May 3, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Edin Dzeko of Manchester City celebrates after his team beat Everton in their English Premier League football match at Goodison Park in Liverpool, May 3, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Edin Dzeko scored twice as Manchester City took control of the Premier League title race by coming from behind to secure a nail-biting 3-2 win at Everton on Saturday. Manuel Pellegrini's team moved level on points with Liverpool, who travel to Crystal Palace on Monday, but are above the Merseyside club on goal difference.

City could lose first place as early as Sunday, when third-place Chelsea host Norwich City, but they will be top going into the final weekend if they beat Aston Villa in their game in hand in mid-week. With West Ham United due to follow Villa to the Etihad Stadium, the trip to Goodison Park represented City's biggest hurdle and they fell behind to a fine strike from England hopeful Ross Barkley after only 11 minutes. Sergio Aguero pulled them level before limping off through injury with less than half an hour gone.

Dzeko headed City ahead just before the interval and then tapped in the visitors' third goal early in the second half before Romelu Lukaku's diving header set up a nervous finish.

Although it was far from convincing, and Aguero's latest injury is another concern, City know that their nine-goal advantage over Liverpool in goal difference means that two more wins are likely to be enough to secure a second title in three years.

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