Manchester City into Champions League group stage

London - Manchester City assured themselves of direct entry into next season's Champions League with a 4-2 win away to Swansea City in Sunday's early Premier League match.

The top three sides in England at the end of the season are assured of a place in the group stage of European football's elite club competition, with the Premier League's fourth-placed team having to enter a qualifying round instead.

Three goals came before half-time at the Liberty Stadium, with Yaya Toure, assisted by an error from Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianksi, and James Milner putting City 2-0 up before Gylfi Sigurdsson pulled a goal back for Swansea on the stroke of half-time.

French striker Bafetimbi Gomis equalised for the Swans midway through the second half before Toure, with Fabianksi out of position, made it 3-2 to City with a low shot from the edge of the box.

Former Swansea forward Wilfried Bony made it 4-2 in stoppage-time with only his second goal since he moved in the mid-season transfer window.

City's win left them eight points clear of Manchester United, currently fourth, with only a maximum of six on offer to their local rivals in the Red Devils' final two games of the season.

But United, who face third-placed Arsenal at Old Trafford later on Sunday, could yet join already-crowned Premier League champions Chelsea and City in the top three.