Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised his side’s “amazing” run of form after they outclassed Arsenal to open up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

City have won nine consecutive league matches, a club record for a single season, have progressed to the knockout stage of the Champions League and are through to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

“We cannot deny the last two months have been amazing,” Guardiola said. “We knew how important this game was and we prepared well. The players gave an amazing performance.”

Kevin de Bruyne’s driven finish and a Sergio Aguero penalty put City in command and, even though substitute Alexandre Lacazette pulled one back for Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus sealed victory for the home side from close range.

Arsenal were aggrieved at the penalty awarded for Nacho Monreal’s challenge on Raheem Sterling and both Jesus and David Silva appeared to be offside for the third goal, but the visitors did not deserve to take anything from the game.

“It is unfortunate that the game finished the way it finished,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. “You can accept it if City win in a normal way, but this is unacceptable.”

Still, the Gunners would have been beaten by more had it not been for the saves of goalkeeper Petr Cech and the wastefulness of the hosts.

City go into the two-week international break with an extended advantage over second-placed Manchester United, who were beaten 1-0 at Chelsea.

Arsenal slip to sixth, 12 points behind City, and face a battle to regain a place in the Champions League.

Elsewhere, Alvaro Morata scored his first goal since September as Chelsea deservedly beat Manchester United to move a point behind the Red Devils in the Premier League.

Morata powerfully headed in his eighth goal for the club 10 minutes after the break as the Blues recorded a third consecutive league win.

David de Gea kept out further efforts from Morata and Eden Hazard as Chelsea looked to add to their lead.

United forward Marcus Rashford flashed an effort wide in the closing stages before substitute Marouane Fellaini’s close-range strike was saved by Thibaut Courtois.

•Pieced together from BBC reports.

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