Manchester City 4-0 Aston Villa

Sergio Aguero has scored nine goals in nine games in 2016, more than any other Premier League player

Manchester City kept their title hopes alive by scoring four second-half goals to thump Aston Villa and end a run of three straight Premier League defeats.

Bottom side Villa kept them at bay until the 48th minute, when Yaya Toure turned home David Silva's pass.

A Micah Richards mistake let Sergio Aguero make it 2-0 soon after, before Aguero exchanged passes with Silva to fire home a third.

Raheem Sterling tapped in City's fourth before Aguero missed a late penalty.

City's win sees them close the gap on both north London teams after Tottenham drew with Arsenal earlier - they are now two points behind the third-placed Gunners with a game in hand.

But they remain 10 points behind leaders Leicester, who beat Watford in Saturday's late kick-off.

One down, eight to go for City

City's poor form had put their top-four place in doubt, let alone their title challenge, but this was a convincing response to their critics.

There have been many question marks over City's defence recently but they were hardly tested here - Villa only managed two shots in total and only one on target, which saw Joe Hart deny Jordan Ayew with the score at 0-0.

So much of the game was played in Villa's half that only one of their players - Jordan Ayew (no. 19) - had an average position (based on where he touched the ball) in Manchester City's half. Only two of City's outfield players had an average position in their own half - their centre-halves, Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi

City's attack is far more reliable and, although they had to be patient against Villa's massed backline, their flurry of second-half goals means they are now the top scorers in the Premier League with 52 goals from 29 games.

Pellegrini said before kick-off that his side needed nine wins from their last 11 games to have any chance of becoming champions - he now has one of them.

Manager reaction: 'Man City's title experience important - Pellegrini'

Villa in deeper trouble

Villa boss Remi Garde insisted after the final whistle that his side can still stay up but, with nine games to go, their prospects are becoming even bleaker.

The gap between Villa and safety was eight points before kick-off, but was increased to nine by Sunderland's draw at Southampton.

"Until the end, I will believe we can do it but we have to be realistic," Garde told BBC Sport.

"If we play like we did in the first half here, we have a chance. If we play like we did in the second half, we have no chance."

Man of the match - Sergio Aguero (Man City)

He missed out on a hat-trick when he planted his penalty against the foot of the post but live-wire striker Sergio Aguero was still City's stand-out performer as he netted his 15th and 16th Premier League goals of the season

What next?

City, who are yet to rearrange their game in hand - which is at Newcastle - take on another struggling side, Norwich, at Carrow Road next weekend.

Villa will face another team vying for the title when they host Tottenham.

The stats you need to know

• Sergio Aguero has now scored 94 Premier League goals - at least 16 more than any other player since his debut.

• David Silva now has 56 Premier League assists, 12 more than any other player since his debut.

• Aston Villa are winless in 14 Premier League away games, one short of their record in the competition (15 in December 2003).

• Villa have failed to score in seven of their last nine Premier League games against Man City.

• Only two teams in Premier League history have had fewer than 16 points after 29 games (Sunderland in 2005-06 and Derby in 2007-08 - both 10).