LONDON (Reuters): Premier League leaders Manchester City brushed aside Leicester City 2-0 for their 16th successive win in all competitions as Manchester United welcomed back long-term absentees Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a 4-1 rout of Newcastle United.

With Tottenham Hotspur losing ground after a 2-0 derby defeat at neighbours Arsenal, the league continues to look an argument between Manchester’s big two who are separated by eight points.

A tap-in by Gabriel Jesus and a stunning strike from Kevin De Bruyne provided the City goals against a Leicester team who have often troubled them in the past.

The home side went close to equalising when Harry McGuire hit the post after the break, but City went straight up the other end and put the result beyond doubt with a stunning counter-attack that De Bruyne rounded off with an unstoppable 20-yard shot in the 49th minute.

The only concern for City manager Pep Guardiola was an injury to John Stones, who hobbled off before the break and may not play again this year.

The successful return of Vincent Kompany from injury will provide compensation although the Belgian was fortunate to escape with a booking for a foul on Jamie Vardy in the third minute.

United’s Pogba and Ibrahimovic were also back in action at Old Trafford. The Frenchman contributed an assist and scored United’s third in an impressive 70-minute appearance before Ibrahimovic made an unexpected return from the bench after seven months out with a knee injury.

At Anfield, Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool beat Southampton 3-0 to record three consecutive Premier League wins for the first time in 2017.

Leicester City’s Vicente Iborra and Wes Morgan in action with Manchester City’s John Stones – Action Images via Reuters

The Egyptian’s brace on 31 and 41 minutes made it 14 goals in 18 games for Liverpool with Philippe Coutinho rounding off the afternoon with their third to put them one point off the Champions League places.

Chelsea had an equally untroubled afternoon after beating West Bromwich Albion 4-0, a result that piled more pressure on Baggies manager Tony Pulis whose side are without a win in 11 games.

The Premier League’s two worst defences, Crystal Palace and Everton, predictably leaked goals as honours were shared in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park.

Palace were pegged back after twice taking the lead though James McCarthur and Wilfried Zaha although Christian Benteke should have sealed it with an easy chance for Roy Hodgson’s side in the second half.

Callum Wilson scored a hat-trick to earn 10-man Bournemouth victory over Huddersfield Town.

Burnley continued their impressive start to the season with a 2-0 win over Swansea City. Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes scored the goals to leave seventh-placed Burnley level on points with Liverpool and Arsenal.

Arsenal overpower Spurs in north London derby

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez in action with Tottenham’s Davinson Sanchez – REUTERS

Reuters: Shkodran Mustafi and Alexis Sanchez earned Arsenal a convincing 2-0 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Mustafi opened the scoring with a superb 36th-minute header and Sanchez doubled the advantage five minutes later with a close-range strike.

The result lifted Arsenal to fifth place in the table on 22 points, one behind Spurs.

Arsenal have now won 11 Premier League matches in succession at their home ground after their first league victory over arch-rivals Spurs in seven games.

The hosts started the better and Alexandre Lacazette should have done better than scoop a right-footed shot from the edge of the box high and wide in the fifth minute. Harry Kane fired straight at Petr Cech a minute later but Arsenal remained the more potent attacking force and almost took the lead when Hector Bellerin’s 10th-minute cross only just missed Lacazette’s toe.

Tottenham were operating solely on the counter and went close twice in quick succession, Christian Eriksen scraping the outside of the post in the 33rd minute before Kane’s deflected header was saved by Cech.

They were made to pay in the 36th minute, following a disputed foul from Davinson Sanchez on Alexis Sanchez. Ozil floated the resulting free kick into the box and Mustafi found the top corner with a brilliant guided header.

The hosts were now buoyant and doubled the lead five minutes later with another raid down the right flank.

Lacazette was fed by Bellerin and cut back for Sanchez, who made a mess of his first touch but lofted his second high into the net from a tight angle.

Tottenham were more urgent after the break but were unable to fashion clear-cut opportunities and increasingly became vulnerable to Arsenal counter-attacks as they pushed forward.

Sanchez had three chances to put the match beyond Spurs but lashed one of the efforts high and had the other two saved by Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Any hope of a way back into the match for Tottenham seemed to disappear when manager Mauricio Pochettino took off Kane and Dele Alli, both of whom were returning from injuries that had ruled them out of international duty.