Manchester City goalkeeper Willy Caballero maintains his side are up for the Premier League title fight after a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth last night closed the gap on leaders Chelsea.

The Blues’ fourth successive win dragged them back to within eight points of Chelsea and Caballero insists they are hitting form at just the right time.

“We have to win our games. After we see what happens with the rest of the teams but we can only do our job,” said Caballero

“We fight together. We are really happy. I have been waiting for this chance for a long time so I always try to do my best for the team.”

(Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)

Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus limped off to be replaced by Sergio Aguero and man of the match Raheem Sterling praised the Argentine’s performance off the bench.

“We know Sergio’s ability and it is great to have a player like that in the squad. He is world class,” said Sterling.

“Before the game we knew it would be difficult. Bournemouth play amazing football at times and you saw that.

“Credit to them they pushed and pushed and luckily we got the two goals. I am always trying to get on the scoresheet, it doesn’t always happen.”

West Bromwich Albion defender Gareth McAuley hopes team-mate Nacer Chadli is back to his best after ending his barren run in front of goal at the weekend.

The 27-year-old immediately started paying back his transfer fee with four goals in his first five appearances.

But Chadli’s sixth-minute goal against West Ham United on Saturday was his first since netting against former employers Tottenham Hotspur on October 15th.

And McAuley hopes the Belgium forward can recapture the form from his early weeks at the Hawthorns.

“He’s a smashing player for us and we’re delighted he’s back on the scoresheet,” said McAuley, who headed a 96th-minute equaliser against the Hammers.

“Hopefully there’s more to come before the end of the season.

“When he came he started in blistering form and we’re certainly seeing that again now.

“We want to get him into areas where he can show his ability and class.

“He can take the Premier League apart.”

Unbeaten at home in the league this calendar year, Tony Pulis’s team will be looking to extend that run when they host AFC Bournemouth next time out, following the weekend’s break for The Emirates FA Cup.

Jordan Pickford admits he is thanking his lucky stars as he appears set to make a miraculous recovery from a knee ligament injury.

The England Under-21 goalkeeper was expected to be out for two months but, following a successful rehabilitation process, the Black Cats could see him back in action after just a four week lay-off, as he hopes to be in contention for Sunderland’s trip to Goodison Park in two weeks’ time.

This will be met with smiles on Wearside as Pickford was in fine form before sustaining the injury in a 3-1 loss to Manchester United on Boxing Day when he collided with team-mate Papy Djilobodji.

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Before his set-back, the stopper was influential in his side picking up valuable points against relegation rivals AFC Bournemouth, Hull City and Leicester City.

A product of Sunderland’s academy, Pickford revealed at the North East Football Writers’ Awards, which saw him named 2016’s Young Player of the Year, that his return is imminent.

“The knee is fine now,” said Pickford. “I’ve had a good six to eight weeks off but I’ve been working really hard in the gym and getting my knee right and its fine now.

“Hopefully, I’ll be ready for Everton.

“My cruciate could have snapped but it’s still intact so I think I’ve got away with one there.”

Harry Maguire is confident that a polished Hull City can avoid the drop this season and has heaped praise on the influence of new boss Marco Silva.

Despite losing their tenth away game of the season in Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Arsenal, Hull made it difficult for the Gunners and will feel slightly aggrieved that key decisions didn’t go their way.

Maguire is thriving under Silva and believes that the manager’s intricate preparation before games has helped lift the mood at the KCOM Stadium.

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“He has been brilliant since he came in,” said the defender. “I think we needed fine-tuning, as under Mike Phelan we were playing some really good football, but not getting the results.

“We were conceding sloppy goals, but he has come in and is very organised. He’s very thorough in what he does.

“He works tirelessly on the opposition and comes up with good game plans.

“Maybe three months ago, we would have gone to places like Arsenal and you would have heard it would be an easy victory.

“Now, though, everyone (at Arsenal) was saying they would have to play well to beat us.

“That is the change and we now have a lot of belief in this squad that we can stay in this league.”

Bournemouth left-back Charlie Daniels hailed the quality of Manchester City, claiming the Cherries aspire to be like Pep Guardiola’s side.

A Raheem Sterling strike and a Tyrone Mings own goal gave City a 2-0 win on Monday night, lifting them up to second in the Premier League, and left 14^th-placed Bournemouth looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.

Eddie Howe’s side are six points clear of the bottom three after 25 matches.

And 30-year-old Daniels, who has made 196 appearances for the Cherries, believes his side will not go far wrong if they model themselves on City.

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“It was very tough,” said Daniels. “They’re a fantastic side and one we probably aspire to be.
“We put a great deal of effort into it and on another day we maybe could have got one or two more chances.

“Overall we can be pleased with our application, we worked very hard.

“When we tried to press they seemed to have one or two men extra. We had a game plan but they seemed to get out of it most times, that’s the difference between a good side a top-quality side.

“We need to work hard and aspire to be like them because I do feel that we can do that with the squad that we’ve got.”

Captain Hugo Lloris insists Tottenham Hotspur still have plenty to play for this season, despite ending the weekend ten points behind Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table.

Spurs, in pursuit of the runaway leaders, have won one of their last four matches and were abject in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.

It has left their hopes of winning the title for the first time since 1961 in tatters, and Spurs’ primary goal now looks set to be keeping those beneath them at bay as they seek Champions League qualification for a second successive season.

Attentions turn to the Europa League and Emirates FA Cup before Spurs return to Premier League action.

Spurs are in Belgium on Thursday to meet Gent, then return home to meet Fulham on Sunday.

And Lloris believes the campaign, the last in which Spurs will play at White Hart Lane, can still be one to savour.

“It’s not the end,” said the 30-year-old. “There are a lot of games ahead, different competitions and we’re going to try to push as high as possible.

“We need to keep our chins up, keep working hard and be ready for the next game on Thursday.”

Without a Premier League win in 2017 Leicester City now languish one point above the relegation zone, but midfielder Danny Drinkwater remains confident they can turn it around.

Following Sunday’s 2-0 loss to fellow relegation rivals Swansea City, the Foxes will be licking their wounds and looking for answers as the search for a first league goal this calendar year moves into a seventh game.

Labelled “warriors” by manager Claudio Ranieri before last week’s Emirates FA Cup fourth round tie with Derby County though, Drinkwater believes the current squad have the fighting spirit needed to avoid the drop.

“If there’s a group of players that can turn things around, it’s us,” said the midfielder.

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“This is when we rely on ourselves and the fans. They’re doing their part to keep us on our toes and keep us going on the pitch.

“We need to do our part as a group of lads to make sure everyone is doing their part to improve. We’re in every day making sure we’re doing what we can do.

“We need to push ourselves and make sure we do all we can to get the three points next time around.

“There’s no way that it’s over and we all know that. Come the end of the season, we’ll turn it around I’m sure.”

West Ham United’s recent upturn in form coincided with Andy Carroll’s return to fitness, but with the striker absent against West Brom on Saturday, boss Slaven Bilic was pleased to see his team cope.

Carroll has scored four goals in his last four Premier League appearances, earning the Hammers nine points from that period, shooting them into the top half of the table.

The England international failed a late fitness test ahead of the visit from the Baggies to east London though, leaving Michail Antonio to lead the line in his absence.

Bilic’s men drew 2-2, throwing away two points when Gareth McAuley headed in a 96^th-minute equaliser.

Despite that late sucker-punch, Bilic was pleased with the way his team performed without their in-form star.

(Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)

“Andy is one of those key players for us. We played really good without him, with him it would have been even better,” said Bilic.

“But what pleased me is that we don’t depend on one player, we have a team who can compensate when one of the players isn’t playing, even if it is Andy Carroll.

“We got a point, you know, but we didn’t deserve less than three points. It was a great performance, a great comeback, with style.

“The crowd were enjoying it – it was not just in one dimension, across everything the guys were amazing.

“They did everything that I asked of them and that’s why it’s even more frustrating.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is convinced Mesut Ozil can be the man to help end his side’s Champions League hoodoo against Bayern Munich.

Arsenal travel to Munich to play the German champions in the first leg of their last-16 clash on Wednesday, the fourth time in five years the sides have met in the Champions League.

And Wenger is determined to change the Gunners’ fortunes against Bayern, having never beaten the German side over two legs in the competition.

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Wenger said of Ozil: “It’s time for him to score again, maybe he will find confidence back as well, because he misses chances. He is missing the chances that don’t look unfeasible for him.

“I felt he didn’t feel confident against Hull. It’s always a problem because you think he can discover something special, but it’s true that technically he missed things that he is not used to.”

Arsenal are ten points behind leaders Chelsea in the Premier League, whereas Bayern Munich are seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Wenger remains confident of an upset however, saying: “We’ve had bad experiences against them, but I feel that this is a good opportunity.

“I feel that we have a chance to qualify in the second leg, that will be very important. We go there not high, but to defend well as a team.”

Everton winger Aiden McGeady has admitted career on Merseyside is all but over.

McGeady is currently on loan at Preston North End and has made 19 appearances so far in the Championship this term – scoring three goals and providing six assists, including a wonder strike against Brentford on Saturday.

The winger has failed to have a real impact at Everton since joining from Spartak Moscow in 2014, and has made just 32 appearances in his time at Goodison Park, scoring only once.

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McGeady said: “I’ve still got another year at Everton but I think it’s quite clear that I’m not part of the manager’s plans there.

“If it comes to it and Preston want to offer me something, I like it here. I’m happy with how things have gone, I like playing under the manager, he has been good for me.

“I’ve gone from not playing, to getting my confidence back and playing the way I can, the manager doesn’t ever get on your case if you lose the ball when trying to make something happen.”

Everton are flying high in 7th position in the Premier League, and McGeady is yet to feature in a single game under manager Ronald Koeman since he took charge in June 2016.