Manchester City was left two points in front of champions Manchester United at the top of the English Premier League after a 1-0 win at home to Arsenal Sunday. David Silva scored the only goal of a high-quality contest in the 53rd minute after Mario Balotelli cut in from the left and let fly with a powerful low shot that Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny did well to save but could not hold. Sergio Aguero followed up and, as the ball came loose on the right, Silva pounced to score from close range. City missed several chances to double its lead and was almost made to pay when in-form Arsenal striker Robin van Persie received the ball just eight yards out only to shoot weakly at England goalkeeper Joe Hart. Then Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta nearly made it 2-0 for the host when his shot beat Szczesny only to bounce off the keeper's right post. Hart then preserved City's lead in the 90th minute when he tipped over a shot from Thomas Vermaelen that came through a crowd of players. In stoppage time, another Vermaelen strike curled just wide. Defeat meant Arsenal, beaten for the first time in nine games, stayed fifth in the table, 12 points behind City. Earlier Sunday, United returned to the summit for a couple of hours after a 2-0 win away to Queens Park Rangers. Wayne Rooney needed fewer than 60 seconds to open the scoring at Loftus Road before Michael Carrick made the game safe for the visitors in the 56th minute. Meanwhile, Tottenham moved up into third place, leapfrogging Chelsea to become London's top club, with a 1-0 win at home to strugglers Sunderland. Liverpool went above Newcastle and into sixth spot with a 2-0 win away to Aston Villa.
