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MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City smashed through the 100-goal barrier in the Premier League with a 4-0 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday that moved the team two points clear with a game left and within touching distance of a second title in three years. City turned a match gripped with tension into a procession with four goals in the final 26 minutes, with Edin Dzekos double ending Villas stubborn resistance and Yaya Toures spectacular solo goal completing the scoring in injury time. A draw at home to West Ham on Sunday will be enough for City to settle a thrilling title race, with only Liverpool capable of stopping them. Chelsea, in third place, has been knocked out of contention. If City does go on to capture the championship, it will have done so in style under attack-minded coach Manuel Pellegrini -- just as was desired by the clubs Abu Dhabi owners. "In the way we play, I am very happy to win the title this way," said Pellegrini, speaking as if the Premier League trophy was already in Citys hands. "There are different ways to win titles -- I choose this one with attractive football ... Maybe you can win titles other ways. For me, the esthetic part is very important." City has been most pundits favourite the whole season but the team is doing it the hard way -- just like in 2012 when it won the title with two injury-time goals in its final match. Pellegrinis side has been top for just 11 days this season - compared to 59 for Liverpool, 64 for third-place Chelsea and 128 for fourth-place Arsenal. But City has hit form just as Liverpool has started to blunder, dropping five points in its last two games. City, by contrast, has won its last four matches and has a superior goal difference of 13 to Liverpool. Also Wednesday, Sunderland beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 to guarantee another season in the Premier League and virtually relegate Norwich, which is three points behind West Brom but with a much inferior goal difference. There was a party atmosphere inside Etihad Stadium as City fans celebrated Toures brilliant goal, a powerful run through Villas defence from inside his own half. For the first 63 minutes, however, it had been very different. Villas packed defence had held firm under constant pressure and it was looking like one of those nights for City. Pellegrini remained calm on the touchline, though, and the hosts didnt abandon their passing philosophy, eventually making the breakthrough in the 64th when full back Pablo Zabaleta -- on yet another raid down the right -- crossed for Dzeko to steer home from close range. The goal was greeted by an outpouring of relief by the home fans but Dzeko -- and Zabaleta for that matter -- werent finished. From another teasing centre by Zabaleta, Samir Nasris effort was saved by goalkeeper Brad Guzan but the ball landed at the feet of Dzeko, who dribbled the ball into the corner in the 72nd for his fifth goal in three games. Villa started to push forward and that played into Citys hands. Toure cut the ball back for substitute Stevan Jovetic to curl a low shot into the corner from the edge of the area in the 89th, before the Ivory Coast midfielder capped the win with an emphatic fourth, his 20th of the campaign. "An amazing amount of goals," Pellegrini said, who hailed Toure as "the absolute complete midfielder." Chelseas Frank Lampard is the only other central midfielder to score 20 or more goals in the Premier League era, in the 2009-10 season. A month ago, Sunderland manager Gus Poyet said it would be a "miracle" if his team stayed up but thats exactly what it has done after first-half goals by Jack Colback and Fabio Borini against West Brom. Sunderland has picked up 13 points from its last five matches -- including wins over Chelsea and Manchester United and a draw at City. "I dont know if you will see something similar ever again," said Poyet, whose team is only the second since the Premier League started in 1992 to be last at Christmas and stay up. Despite the loss, West Brom is effectively safe as it is three points clear of Norwich but with a goal difference 17 better ahead of Sundays final round of the season. Curt Schilling Jersey . His right arm rested in a sling and was encased in a cast from above the elbow to his hand. "Im excited," Fernandez said with a grin. Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys .com) - The NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots intentionally deflated balls during Sundays AFC Championship Game against Indianapolis. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-zack-greinke-jersey/ . The Rangers announced after Thursdays 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees that they would purchase Williams contract from Triple-A Round Rock. The 32-year-old Williams was released by Houston earlier this month after going 1-4 with a 6. Randy Johnson Jersey .com) - Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar and New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo were named the NHLs players of the week on Monday. Custom Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys . Edwin Encarnacion carried the torch for two days at Fenway Park this week; Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista have had their moments; lately Anthony Gose has contributed.Since the Premier Leagues inception 25 years ago, English football has undergone some wholesale changes. With hi-tech new stadia and talent recruited from around the globe, the face of football has changed but how have teams, and specifically their formations, altered over the years?Modern systems require full-backs to provide defensive stability and attacking threat in tandem, a role in stark contrast to defence-orientated requirements of the past. At the other end of the pitch, the days of formidable strike partnerships appear to have disappeared, replaced by the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the lone centre-forward position or Adam Lallana in the fashionable false nine role. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. As part of Sky Sports News HQs evolution of football week, Danny Higginbotham takes a closer look at the latest trends...Defence: 4-4-2DANNY SAYS: This is still the best system, in my opinion. As long as it switches to 4-5-1 when out of possession its a formation that can outdo anyone, Leicester City showed that last season. The 4-4-2 formation was key to Leicesters Premier League title win The role of the full-backs is different in this system, at present we see full-backs play like wingers with both attacking at the same time. But historically when one full-back would attack the other would tuck in and make three at the back - if one full-back went, the other would not go.Defence: 4-2-3-1DANNY SAYS: This is a more traditional modern-day formation. One of the teams who utilise this system well are Tottenham. What they do very well is attack with both full-backs, who are expected to play both left-back and left midfield at the same time. The pace and athleticism of Walker and Rose has been key to Spurs direct style Spurs transfer from defence to attack so quickly and the full-backs are key to that as they break into open space with pace. One second theyre defending, the next the balls in the back of the net.The way that is done nowadays is down to the defensive side of things, teams want to maintain their defensive solidity when theyre attacking.This is achieved when the two centre-backs split and a midfielder drops back into the defensive line. Teams still have the strength that comes from having three at the back, meaning theyre less likely to be counter-attacked. Eric Diers defensive ability gives Spurs full-backs free reign to attack This has completely changed the role of the full-back, theyve got to be more athletic and fitter, because theyre responsible for the length of the pitch in attack and defence.Attack: 4-4-2DANNY SAYS: You used to see the big man and little man up front - Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips for example - and you didnt really see centre-forwards isolated. As such the big man would occupy the defenders, allowing the little man to feed off knock-downs.Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry were another formidable Premier League partnership. They worked differently though, Henry would stretch the game and Bergkamp would drop deep. Henry and Bergkamp formed a formidable partnership during their time at Arsenal Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke were telepathic with some of the goals they scored. They had a real understanding, they would always interchange positions.Then there was Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton, another partnership that ensured neither striker was isolated because they had a partner.With this formation, wide players, and the full-backs to some extent, would try and create a two-on-one against opposition wide players who loved going forward but werent the greatest defensively.We dont see a lot of goals being scored from crosses now but when there were two centre-forwards, and potentially a midfielder and winger from the opposite side, we did. With Premier League squads being so similar, a slight tactical change could be the difference between winning and losing games.dddddddddddd. Sky Sports pundit Danny Higginbotham This was arguably down to the fact there were more out-and-out wingers plying their trade in the Premier League, but the fact centre-forwards were rarely isolated played a massive part.Attack: 4-2-3-1DANNY SAYS: Nowadays with 4-3-2-1 we often see the centre-forward isolated and reliant on the three players behind him for support and to provide him with the opportunity to score goals. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a good example of the modern-day lone centre-forward as he carries out both attacking tasks.In the traditional formations, the smaller forward would work the channels but Ibrahimovic is often found stretching defences.At other times he allows the three supporting midfielders to attack the space in front of him, allowing him to operate in behind, as seen with his goal against Bournemouth. Watch Zlatan Ibrahimovic ruthlessly exploit the space vacated by his fellow attackers to score his first Premier League goal at Bournemouth The role of the striker has changed along with formations. The notion of a centre-forward is to create a gap between the midfielders and the defence.If you have a single centre-forward who wants to drop deep, the three midfielders behind him can push on into the space he has vacated. While if the forward holds a high line, that opens up space in the middle of the park for those behind him to play into.False nineDANNY SAYS: People talk about the false nine as though it was invented recently. Johan Cruyff actually brought it in at Barcelona in the late 80s and it was very successful.Liverpool are one of the teams who use the formation really well at the moment, with no recognised centre-forward in the line-up. Danny Higginbotham examines the evolution of formations and the changing role of strikers within football Jurgen Klopp plays with two holders in midfield in Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum and the four players in front readily interchange positions.They have utilised the formation so well that they vacate the number nine area completely and, in recent weeks, Adam Lallana in particular has had free rein to roam into the position. Its all about the players off the ball creating space for runners from deep to run in to.Ultimately, there are a lot of different tactical approaches and, with Premier League squads being so similar, a slight tactical change by managers could be the difference between winning and losing games.You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Also See: Premier League video Fixtures Table Live on Sky ' ' '