Soccer-City in command at the top after win over Cardiff

Manchester City took command in the Premier League title race with a 2-0 win over Cardiff City that moved Pep Guardiola's side a point clear of Liverpool with six games of the campaign remaining.

City dominated from the outset, taking the lead in the sixth minute when Kevin De Bruyne ran on to a clever pass from Aymeric Laporte and blasted past Cardiff keeper Neil Etheridge from a tight angle.

Leroy Sane made it 2-0 a minute before the interval with a sweet left-foot drive after a clever chest pass from Gabriel Jesus.

Somehow though City were unable to add to their tally after the break with Etheridge making a series of fine saves as City peppered the Cardiff goal.

He saved a Laporte header from a Phil Foden cross in the 66th minute, the City teenager having started his first Premier League game.

In the following five minutes the Philippine international keeper then parried and pushed over the bar a fierce Riyad Mahrez drive; was at full stretch to keep out a Sane shot and then dealt expertly with a Foden effort -- the 18-year-old having also hit the post.

Cardiff had barely troubled the City defence but they came close to pulling a goal back on the break, in the 74th minute when Kyle Walker slipped but Oumar Niasse was unable to finish off the counter, Ederson racing out to deny him.

The result leaves 18th placed Cardiff five points away from the safety zone on 28 points. Burnley, Southampton and Brighton are all on 33 points, Huddersfield Town and Fulham have already been relegated. (Reporting by Simon Evans, editing by Pritha Sarkar)