Man. City striker Edin Dzeko runs to his team-mates after scoring against Man. United at Old Trafford, yesterday.

An Edin Dzeko double helped Manchester City move second in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over rivals Manchester United yesterday while Arsenal’s title hopes almost evaporated with a 2-2 home draw with Swansea City.

City took the lead after 43 seconds and never looked like ceding control, exposing their opponents’ soft centre almost at will, with Dzeko and Yaya Toure netting in the second half to inflict another painful defeat on United manager David Moyes.

Manchester United are now guaranteed to end the season with their lowest points total in Premier League history.

They have been defeated in six home games for the first time since 1978 and they have now lost three successive derbies for the first time in 45 years.

United fans, so supportive this season despite their team’s failings, vented their anger as City’s attack strolled towards the home defence unchallenged in attack after attack.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart was twice called into action, but only to save weak shots from Wayne Rooney and Marouane Fellaini.

Moyes made life easy for Manchester City too. Antonio Valencia was left on the bench and Adnan Januzaj did not even make the squad, leaving the home team with no width at all.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was also facing difficult questions when his side conceded a 90th-minute own goal from Mathieu Flamini to draw with struggling Swansea on the back of their 6-0 thrashing by Chelsea.

It looked like Arsenal would claim all three points when two second-half goals within a minute from Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud had cancelled out Wilfried Bony’s opener.

Everton made it four wins in a row to maintain their own push for Europe as they beat Newcastle United 3-0 with England hopeful Ross Barkley, Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku and Leon Osman all on target.

City have moved into the slipstream of Chelsea, three points adrift of the Premier League leaders with two games in hand.

Arsenal stay fourth, two points behind third place Liverpool who play Sunderland today.

Everton move fifth, six points behind Arsenal with a game in hand.

Playing today
West Ham vs Hull - 20.45
Liverpool vs Sunderland - 21.00

Summaries

Arsenal 2
Podolski 73; Giroud 74;
Swansea 2
Bony 11; Flamini 90og;

HT: 0-1. Att: 59,937.

Man. United 0
Man. City 3
Dzeko 1, 56; Toure 90;

HT: 0-1. Att: 75,203.

Newcastle 0
Everton 3
Barkley 22; Lukaku 53; Osman 88;

HT: 0-1. Att: 47,266.