Manchester City moved one step closer to Champions League football next season as Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic scored in the final five minutes to claim a 2-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola's team moved up to fourth with 58 points from their 33 matches, four points ahead of both sixth-placed Chelsea and Aston Villa seventh. The top five qualify for the Champions League next season.
O'Reilly turned in Matheus Nunes' inviting cross in the 84th minute before Kovacic blasted in from the edge of the box to turn an uninspired performance from Guardiola's men into a priceless three points.
It was Everton's third defeat in 15 league games since David Moyes returned for a second spell as manager. That means they have to wait to mathematically guarantee survival.
O’Reilly stabbed the ball into the net from four metres after connecting with Matheus Nunes’s low cross, before Kovacic drilled in the second goal from the edge of the box to ensure victory.
It came after hard work for City over 85 minutes as they battled to create chances.
The visitors dominated possession but Everton were rarely troubled until the closing stages as they sat back and waited for the chance to strike on the counter-attack or from a set-piece.
The hosts came closest to breaking the deadlock before half-time when James Tarkowski's header from a corner came back off the post.
Kevin De Bruyne, who rolled back the years in City's fightback from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace 5-2 last weekend, struggled to put his stamp on proceedings.
De Bruyne did have City's best first-half effort when his goalbound shot was blocked by Jake O'Brien.
Everton were left to rue not making the most of a positive start to the second period.
Jarrad Branthwaite should have scored when he nodded straight at Stefan Ortega after Tarkowski won another header inside the City box.
But the loss of Tarkowski to a muscle injury, that could end his season, proved to be a turning point.
Savinho's low shot from the edge of the box that was well-saved by Jordan Pickford and a wasted chance from Omar Marmoush, who fluffed his lines with just the England goalkeeper to beat, were warnings Everton did not heed.
O'Reilly has made a big impact in recent weeks at left-back and the 20-year-old netted his first Premier League goal when Nunes drilled in a low cross.
Substitute Kovacic made the points safe with an accurate low drive from Marmoush's lay-off.
Meanwhile, West Ham United were held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton after Lesley Ugochukwu scored an equaliser in added time for the already-relegated south-coast club.
With Southampton staring down the barrel of a 27th defeat of the season, Chelsea loanee Ugochukwu came to their rescue with a volley in the 92nd minute to move the bottom side to 11 points. West Ham are 16th with 36 points.
Brentford down Brighton
Brentford picked up their first home win in nine games in an eventful 4-2 victory against 10-man Brighton, aided by two goals and an assist from Bryan Mbeumo.
The loss dented Brighton's hopes of qualifying for European football next season and left them in 10th position on 48 points, now just two ahead of Brentford in 11th.
Mbeumo opened the scoring in the ninth minute before Danny Welbeck clawed a goal back for Brighton just before halftime.
Mbeumo netted again early in the second half - his 18th league goal of the season - before finding Yoane Wissa for Brentford's third in the 58th minute.
The Seagulls fought back via Kaoru Mitoma in the 81st minute despite having Joao Pedro sent off 20 minutes earlier. They looked intent on equalising but Brentford captain Christian Norgaard put the game beyond them with his side's fourth goal five minutes into extra time.
