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JACK GREALISH EYEING TOP FOUR FINISH FOR VILLA

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish has targeted at least a top-10 finish in the Premier League this season.

Villa, who play at home against Leicester on Sunday, are currently eighth and Grealish admits that is more than he had hoped for after last season’s relegation scare.

“It’s been a better season than we expected. In our heads, we’re all looking at finishing as high as possible,” the England midfielder told Villa’s official website.

“Whether that be 10th, ninth, eighth, seventh – that’s where we should be aiming now in my opinion.

“We’re in a good place, we still have a few games in hand, but we have a few sticky games coming up now, which will obviously be tough.”

Following Sunday’s clash with Leicester, Villa head to Leeds and then take on Wolves at Villa Park.

“Leicester are one of the most in-form teams in the league at the moment and they’ve got great players all over the pitch,” Grealish said.

“We know how much of a tough game that will be, but we just need to take it one game at a time.”

Villa narrowly avoided an instant return to the Sky Bet Championship last season, finishing one place and a point above the bottom three.

But they made a flying start to the current campaign, winning their first four top-flight fixtures and have rarely been outside the top 10.

Grealish, who has scored six goals and made 12 assists, has been instrumental in Villa’s progress under boss Dean Smith and he wishes a full house at Villa Park on matchday had been there to see it.

“With us having one of the best seasons we’ve had for a while, it would have been lovely if the fans were here this season,” he added.

“There are plenty of players that are playing week-in-week-out and have never played at Villa Park with it half full, never mind when it’s packed out.

“I’ve told them all a fair bit about what it’s like, saying ‘wait and see what it’s like when it’s fully packed out’. Hopefully that can happen soon.”

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WILFRED ZAHA TO STOP BENDING THE KNEE BEFORE CRYSTAL PALACE GAMES, SAYS MESSAGE HAS BEEN LOST.

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha says he will stop taking a knee before Premier League matches as part of English football’s anti-racism campaign because he believes the meaning of the ‘degrading’ gesture has been lost.

Players have been taking a knee since July, initially in support of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement before the Premier League and English Football League linked the gesture to their own anti-racism campaigns.

“I feel like taking a knee is degrading. Growing up, my parents let me know that I should just be proud to be Black, no matter what. I just think we should stand tall,” Zaha told the Financial Times’ Business of Football summit on Thursday.

“Taking the knee now… The meaning behind the whole thing is becoming something that we just do now. That’s not enough, I’m not going to take the knee.

“I’m not going to wear ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the back of my shirt, because it feels like it’s a target. We’re trying to say we are equal but these things are not working anyway.”

Last week, Championship side Brentford said their players would no longer take a knee before matches and will find other ways to support racial equality, but would back other clubs that continue to kneel before games.

“Now I don’t really tend to speak on racism aspects because I’m not here just to tick boxes,” Zaha added. “Unless there’s change, don’t ask me about it. Unless action is going to happen I don’t want to hear about it.”

Premier League players have also been racially abused online, prompting English football bodies to put pressure on social media companies to tackle the problem.

Manchester United’s Axel Tuanzebe, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, Chelsea’s Reece James, Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah, West Bromwich Albion’s Romaine Sawyers and Southampton’s Alex Jankewitz have all been victims in recent weeks.

“Increasingly this type of abuse towards Black players is becoming normalised,” Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham said at the summit, adding that the London club provides support to their players and reports abuse to the police.

“We can’t do this alone. How do you explain to a Black footballer that pirated content is taken down in minutes but not racist abuse?”

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ASHLEY BARNES’ STRIKE DENY FULHAM BACK TO BACK WIN

Ashley Barnes’ second-half goal stopped Fulham from moving within four points of safety as Burnley earned a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.

There were few clear-cut chances in the first half until James Tarkowski’s left-wing cross narrowly evaded Jay Rodriguez after a touch by Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Fulham went ahead on 49 minutes when Ola Aina chested in after Joachim Andersen’s flick-on from Ademola Lookman’s corner.

Burnley got back on level terms just three minutes later when Rodriguez picked out Barnes, who fired beyond Areola.

Josh Maja and Ruben Loftus-Cheek came closest to earning a second successive win for Fulham, who remain in 18th, six points adrift of 17th-placed Newcastle United.

Burnley move up to 15th on 27 points, eight above Fulham.

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EPL: MAN CITY THRASH EVERTON TO MOVE 10 POINTS CLEAR ATOP THE TABLE.

Manchester City moved 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League as second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva powered them to a 3-1 win at Everton.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side did manage to lay a glove at least as Richarlison cancelled out Phil Foden’s opener, only the second time in the last nine league games City have failed to keep a clean sheet, but there was no denying them a 17th straight win in all competitions.

And, as they became the first English top-flight side to start a calendar year with 10 consecutive league wins a row, it is harder to see who might deny Pep Guardiola a third Premier League title.

This match should have been played in December, postponed at short notice a little over six weeks ago due to a coronavirus outbreak within the City camp, but they look in rude health now

Though they travelled down the M62 without the in-form Ilkay Gundogan due to his groin injury, any sympathy for Guardiola lasted no longer than a glance at a substitutes bench including Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, and Fernandinho as City near full fitness.

But it was not the usual accomplished start, with some sloppy passing allowing Everton early glimpses of goal, while Aymeric Laporte – preferred over John Stones – almost fluffed a clearance in front of goal with Richarlison closing in.

Gradually City tightened up their game as play shifted towards the other end, where Silva went down under a challenge from Michael Keane but saw his penalty shouts fall on deaf ears.

Everton had another problem though as Yerry Mina was slow to get up and the Colombian was replaced by Seamus Coleman.

The reshuffled back four was soon under scrutiny. Mason Holgate got a vital touch to stop Rodri’s pass reaching the run of Joao Cancelo before Keane’s header prevented Mahrez’s cross from finding Gabriel Jesus at the far post.

And the pressure told with 32 minutes gone. Following a corner, Everton could only half-clear Mahrez’s cross and the ball fell for Foden whose shot took a deflection off Coleman to beat Jordan Pickford on the England goalkeeper’s return to the side.

City might have been expected to take complete control but instead they conceded six minutes later.

Coleman played an altogether different role in this one, picking out the run of Lucas Digne who fired onto the post, with the ball bouncing out to hit Richarlison on the thigh and go in.

It was only the second Premier League goal City had conceded in 45 days, and given the other was a Mohamed Salah penalty across Stanley Park, the first from open play.

The second half would be a different matter as City moved through the gears. Jesus, who had seven goals in his previous five against Everton, squandered a glorious chance when played in by Kyle Walker while Rodri headed Foden’s corner narrowly wide.

But the second goal came in the 63rd minute and in fine fashion.

Silva slipped the ball into the path of Mahrez as he cut in from the right, and with a sweep of his left boot the Algerian bent the ball in off the far post.

Ancelotti responded by sending on James Rodriguez and Josh King but there would be no second slip from City.

Instead they pushed further clear, with Silva putting his name on the scoresheet in the 77th minute as he linked up with Walker before lashing in a shot from the edge of the area.

Guardiola chose this as the moment to give De Bruyne his first action in almost a month, with this City juggernaut showing no signs of slowing just yet.

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GUNDOGAN WILL BE BACK FOR ARSENAL – GUARDIOLA

Pep Guardiola insists in-form midfielder Ilkay Gundogan should be fit for Manchester City’s game at Arsenal on Sunday after the midfielder missed their win at Everton.

Gundogan, who has scored four goals in his last two league games against Tottenham and Liverpool, missed the 3-1 win at Goodison Park on Wednesday night with a slight groin injury.

City boss Guardiola revealed that the German’s absence from Wednesday’s matchday squad was precautionary and he looks set to return at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.

‘He [Gundogan] is much, much better,’ Guardiola told the City club website after Wednesday’s win, their 17th straight victory in all competitions.

‘It is not a big issue, but to avoid risk today, we have given him a few more days to recover.

‘But for Arsenal and Borussia Monchengladbach he should be ready.

‘Of course Gundo is exceptional. We spoke about that. If you want to win titles and finals we need the whole squad.’

City face Borussia Monchengladbach next Wednesday in their Champions League last-16 first leg tie and will be boosted by the news of Gundogan’s fitness.

Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne also made his long-awaited return from injury on Wednesday night, as an 80th-minute substitute for Raheem Sterling.

Gundogan, meanwhile, is the most in-form player in the Premier League, having scored 11 goals in his last 12 league games.

City stretched their lead at the top of the table to 10 points as goals from Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva secured all three points against the Toffees

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WESTHAM THRASH SHEFFIELD UNITED

Declan Rice, Issa Diop and Ryan Fredericks each scored their first Premier League goals of the season as West Ham United beat Sheffield United 3-0.

After the home side had an early penalty decision overturned for offside by VAR, Rice scored from the spot four minutes before half-time after Chris Basham had brought down Jesse Lingard.

David McGoldrick was denied a Sheff Utd equaliser when Lukasz Fabianski superbly tipped his header over the bar.

Diop doubled the lead in the 58th minute when he rose highest to head Aaron Cresswell’s corner into the far corner of the net.

And Fredericks hit a late third after being set up by fellow substitute Said Benrahma.

The Hammers move above Liverpool to go fifth in the table on 42 points, behind Chelsea on goal difference.

Sheff Utd stay bottom on 11 points, 14 adrift of 17th-placed Newcastle United.

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MAJA’S DEBUT DOUBLE SECURES HISTORIC FULHAM WIN AT EVERTON

On-loan striker Josh Maja scored twice on his full Premier League debut as Fulham recorded a first league win at Everton in their history, with a deserved 2-0 victory ending a 12-match run without a win.

The 22-year-old former Sunderland man scored two typical poacher’s goals from close range.

It moved the third-bottom Cottagers to within seven points of Newcastle in 17th and offered them some hope of an escape if Maja, whose two goals incredibly moved him to joint-fourth on Fulham’s leading league scorers list this season, can reproduce this form on a more regular basis.

They will not find many opponents as passive as Everton, however, who blew the chance to strike a huge psychological blow for the forthcoming Merseyside derby.

Four points from this match and Manchester City on Wednesday would have put them above their rivals across Stanley Park ahead of Saturday’s short trip to Anfield.

But Everton were toothless without injured top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin and also lacked the necessary competitiveness to make Fulham’s first league win at Goodison Park in 28 attempts anything other than comfortable.

Bobby Decordova-Reid’s cheeky backheel from a corner looping over a crowded six-yard area and onto a post set the early tone and was followed by Harrison Reed driving just wide of the angle of post and crossbar and former Everton winger Ademola Lookman somehow shooting wide having cut in from the left.

Everton’s best chance came from full-back Seamus Coleman, who ran unchallenged from the halfway line to strike a post with a left-footed shot from outside the area in the 34th minute.

By then Richarlison had taken the last of his four touches of the half as even a move to a more central role did not improve his fortunes.

While Fulham failed to take advantage of having the better of the opening 45 minutes they did not need long to rectify that after the break.

Within five minutes of the restart Ola Aina burst forward from left-back to cross for the unmarked Maja to slide home his first Premier League goal on only his second appearance.

The same combination almost added a second but for the outstretched foot of Mason Holgate and that prompted a change of personnel and formation.

Coleman and midfielder Tom Davies made way for Michael Keane – with Holgate moving to right-back – and Josh King as manager Carlo Ancelotti made his second formation switch of the game by going to 4-4-2.

Maja struck again, though, when goalkeeper Robin Olsen tipped Reed’s shot on to a post and he anticipated well to tap home.

King was denied a debut goal by an offside flag but there was little else to trouble the visitors’ defence as Everton slipped to a third home defeat in four matches.

It was also the first time Ancelotti had failed to win in four home league games since December 2007 and next up are the in-form City.

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AUBAMEYANG HATRICK GIVES ARSENAL 4-2 WIN AGAINST LEEDS UTD

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his first Premier League hat-trick as Arsenal held off a Leeds United comeback to win 4-2 at Emirates Stadium.

Aubameyang netted his first on 13 minutes, when he cut in from the left side before firing low beyond Illan Meslier.

Arsenal went 2-0 ahead from the penalty spot on 41 minutes as Aubameyang sent Meslier the wrong way after the Leeds goalkeeper had fouled Bukayo Saka.

Dani Ceballos’s nutmegged pass after a slick team move then set up Hector Bellerin, who beat Meslier at his near post for the Gunners’ third on the stroke of half-time.

Aubameyang completed his treble two minutes after the restart with a close-range header from Emile Smith Rowe’s delivery.

Pascal Struijk’s header reduced the arrears on 58 minutes and Helder Costa added a second 11 minutes later, before Aubameyang was denied his fourth goal as he hit the post.

Arsenal’s biggest home win of the season moves them above Leeds to 10th spot on 34 points. Leeds drop to 11th, two points behind the Gunners.

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GUNDOGAN DOUBLE HELP CITY THRASH SPURS TO GO SEVEN POINTS CLEAR

Ilkay Gundogan struck a second-half double as Premier League leaders Manchester City powered to a record-extending 16th successive win with a 3-0 success over Tottenham.

The in-form German, fresh from being named as the player of the month for January, took his goal tally for the season to 13 as he added to Rodri’s 23rd-minute penalty at the Etihad Stadium.

Gundogan was also responsible for winning the spot-kick in another outstanding display but his evening ended prematurely as he went off injured soon after his superbly taken second goal, from an Ederson pass, on 66 minutes.

The win extended City’s lead at the top of the table to seven points and their overall unbeaten run in all competitions – since losing to Spurs in November – to 23 games. Their 16-match winning run, again in all competitions, is a record for an English top-flight side.

They showed their intent early with Gabriel Jesus having two shots blocked in quick succession but Tottenham did not intend to sit deep as Tanguy Ndombele made a driving run into the hosts’ box.

Spurs went close to taking the lead when Harry Kane hit the frame of the goal from a free-kick in the 14th minute. The England captain had worryingly clutched his angle after being fouled by Aymeric Laporte but he was soon on his feet and unlucky to see his curling effort strike the top of a post.

City made the most of that reprieve to hit the front themselves after Gundogan was brought down in the area by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

A week ago Gundogan had been the designated penalty-taker himself but, after missing against Liverpool, this time he deferred to Rodri.

It looked at one point as though goalkeeper Ederson was interested in taking it as the Brazilian wandered up to the halfway line but – despite speculation he may one day get the job – his turn will have to wait. Hugo Lloris almost got a hand to it, but Rodri’s low shot found the bottom corner.

The game became niggly for a period and Jesus got involved in a running battle with Erik Lamela. Spurs boss Jose Mourinho reacted furiously when the Brazilian won what he considered a cheap free-kick from the Argentinian.

Yet City continued to pose the bigger danger and they went close again when Gundogan had a shot blocked after a good run by Raheem Sterling and Jesus hit the bar with his follow-up attempt.

Gundogan got his reward early in the second half. He put City in firm control with his first on 50 minutes after another good run by Sterling, who cut all the way through the box from the right. Gundogan took over to finish tidily with an instinctive strike inside the near post, although Lloris was beaten too easily.

Gundogan’s best was still to come with his second just after the hour. Ederson picked him out in space with a long ball over the top and Gundogan’s control was so assured that that Davinson Sanchez was completely wrongfooted and collapsed in a heap. With space to shoot, Gundogan slipped the ball past Lloris.

The downside was that Gundogan appeared to tweak a groin muscle soon afterwards and he was promptly removed.

Mourinho turned to Dele Alli, for his first Premier League appearance in two months, and Gareth Bale, after a week of uncertainty and speculation over his fitness, but the outcome was not in doubt.

Bale did however show a flash of what he can do with a jinking run into the box but Ederson parried his strike.

Sergio Aguero was unexpectedly among City’s substitutes after recovering from Covid-19 but the club’s record goalscorer was not required on this occasion

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UNITED HELD TO 1-1 DRAW AT WESTBROM DESPITE FERNANDES STUNNER

Bruno Fernandes scored a brilliant volley as Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion.

West Brom went ahead in the second minute, when Mbaye Diagne headed in Conor Gallagher’s cross for his first Premier League goal.

Man Utd got back on level terms after 44 minutes, when Luke Shaw picked out Fernandes, whose volley flew past West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

After the break, Mason Greenwood and Scott McTominay both had efforts cleared off the line.

Diagne had two chances for a second goal. He was denied by an excellent David De Gea save when clean through before firing over from close range.

But the Baggies needed a magnificent Johnstone save to secure a point, as he tipped Harry Maguire’s header on to the post in the final minute of stoppage time.

Man Utd move up to second with 46 points but they lost ground this weekend on Manchester City, who are seven points clear with a match in hand.

West Brom stay in 19th on 13 points.