United’s 1-0 win at Sunderland gave them an 18-point lead but City cut that to 15 points by crushing Newcastle United 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
Carlos Tevez scored the opening goal in the 41st minute and David Silva made it 2-0 before half-time.
City captain Vincent Kompany added another in the 56th minute, and an own goal from James Perch made Newcastle’s misery complete.
City now have a five-point lead in second place after Chelsea suffered a 2-1 loss at Southampton.
Jay Rodriguez put the hosts ahead in the 23rd minute, but Chelsea captain John Terry equalised in the 33rd minute, heading in from a corner.
Rickie Lambert restored the hosts’ lead two minutes later with a superb free-kick from 25 yards, and the Saints held on for the win.
Spurs won 2-1 at Swansea City to leapfrog Chelsea into third place, although they have played a game more.
Jan Vertonghen’s put Tottenham ahead in the 17th minute and then teed up Gareth Bale to score from outside the goal area.
Michu replied with a 71st-minute header, but Spurs held on for the win.
Arsenal closed to within just two points of Chelsea with a 4-1 home win to Reading, who sank to the foot of the table in new manager Nigel Adkins’ first game in charge.
Goals from Gervinho, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud saw Arsenal build a 3-0 lead in 67 minutes, and Mikel Arteta added a fourth from the penalty spot after Hal Robson-Kanu hit back for the visitors.
Everton also took advantage of Chelsea’s slip-up with a 1-0 win at home to Stoke that put them in sixth place, thanks to a goal from Kevin Mirallas in the 28th minute.
Manchester United took a step closer to their 20th English league title by grinding out a 1-0 win at Sunderland.
While Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney rested ahead of an FA Cup quarter-final replay at Chelsea, Titus Bramble scored the game’s only goal in the 27th minute when he diverted Robin van Persie’s drilled shot into his own goal.
The defeat put Sunderland four points above the relegation zone in 16th place, although they’ve played more games than the lower teams.
Elsewhere, an 81st-minute goal from Arouna Kone gave Wigan a 1-0 win at home to Norwich that hauled the team out of the relegation zone at Aston Villa’s expense.
Meanwhile, Andy Carroll scored twice, with Gary O’Neil also on target, as West Ham United eased their own relegation fears by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-1.
In The Phuket News tipping competition, congratulations to players jeltanic and NEIL who both topped the March monthly table with 78 points.
In the overall standings, suncat100 remains a long way out in the lead on 539 points, although Blackrosebar on 495 has trimmed a few points from the gap.
This month (April 2013) the competition is sponsored by Australia Bar & Grill in Kata. The monthly winner will receive a B3,000 voucher to spend at the venue. The overall winner at the end of the season will win a brand new Honda Scoopy courtesy of AP Honda.
Tom's Tips Week 34:
Reading v Southampton Lose
Norwich v Swansea Lose
Stoke v Aston Villa Win
West Brom v Arsenal Lose
Liverpool v West Ham Win
Tottenham v Everton Win
Chelsea v Sunderland Win
Newcastle v Fulham Lose
QPR v Wigan Draw
Man Utd v Man City Win