Derby delight? How City can clinch Premier League title against United
Manchester City's path to Premier League glory becomes clearer with each passing week as Pep Guardiola's club steamrolls the competition in England's top flight.
Chelsea was the latest to crumble under the pressure of taking on the league leader. The defending champion failed to put up a fight at the Etihad on Sunday against a City team that will, barring an epic collapse, lift the trophy that Blues players paraded around Stamford Bridge last May.
City's stranglehold on the title race has only strengthened since the club moved to the summit in September and cruised past the competition to set a new Premier League record for consecutive wins.
A scoreless draw with Crystal Palace stopped City's historic win streak at 18 before Liverpool handed Guardiola's side its first loss in the Premier League. Other than a shock defeat to Wigan in the FA Cup, it's been smooth sailing in all competitions. Manchester City now has the chance to win the Premier League title in record time and deliver a massive blow to its city rivals in the process.
How City can clinch against Manchester United
Four wins, or 12 points, will secure the club's third Premier League trophy since 2012. But since Manchester United is the nearest challenger - sitting in third but with a game in hand over second-place Liverpool - City could technically clinch the Premier League title with a victory over the Red Devils at the Etihad Stadium on April 7.
However, capturing the silverware with a win over United is only possible if City collects six points from its next two league encounters, which are away affairs against Stoke City and Everton. City crushed the Potters 7-2 earlier this season, but only managed a 1-1 draw with Everton at the Etihad in a match that finished with the hosts down a man.
Assuming all goes to plan, victories over the next three opponents will see City go 19 points clear atop the table above United with just 18 points to play for in six remaining matches. The Red Devils will need to win their matches against Crystal Palace, Liverpool, and Swansea leading up to the April 7 encounter to keep the pressure on.
It would represent the earliest point in the Premier League season that a team has clinched the title, breaking United's record when Sir Alex Ferguson's team won the league with five matches remaining.
Earliest City can clinch?
A combination of results could pave the way for celebrations to take place in Manchester on March 31, assuming United doesn't beat Palace and draws with Liverpool before another disappointing result against Swansea.
City's title hopes would then rely on Liverpool, currently in second place, collecting no more than four points from games against Watford and Palace. Meanwhile, if Tottenham drops points at Bournemouth, City would also be required to beat Stoke and Everton to win the title that early.