Goals from Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane gave Manchester City a 2-0 win over bottom side Sunderland in the Premier League on Nissan Super Sunday.
Sunderland, who are now six points adrift from safety, saw Jermain Defoe hit the post in the first half, but City went into the break ahead after Aguero turned home a close-range opener on 42 minutes.
Aguero, who was dropped by Pep Guardiola earlier this year for new signing Gabriel Jesus, has now scored five goals in his last three games following the Brazilian's injury in mid-February.
In-form Leroy Sane then hit the second on 59 minutes to all-but kill the game off after a fine City move having been played through by man-of-the-match David Silva.
The result means City are up to third, eight points behind Chelsea, who have played the same amount of games but go to West Ham on Monday Night Football.
David Moyes named an unchanged Sunderland side for the first time in the Premier League this season, while City brought back five players following their FA Cup replay win over Huddersfield in midweek.
Sunderland went closest early on through Defoe, who hit the foot of the post from range before Fabio Borini headed the rebound wide of Willy Cabellero's goal.
Caballero was then at his best to save from Billy Jones' downward header from a Seb Larsson corner, while at the other end, Silva was inches away from converting Sane's centre from the left.
Jones again went close with a header, this time knocking it just wide from another Larsson corner, before City took the lead with three minutes of the half remaining.
Getting on the end of Raheem Sterling's deflected cross, Aguero flicked the ball beyond Jordan Pickford for his 12th league goal of the season, and his seventh in all competitions since the turn of the year.
It was 2-0 just before the hour mark from a blistering City move as Sane finished with his left foot off the inside of the post after Silva had played the German through on the left of the area.
Caballero stood firm moments later from Larsson's drilled effort from an acute angle, and Adnan Januzaj glanced a free header wide, while sub Kevin De Bruyne fired just over late on.
Aguero nearly netted his second at the death, but Pickford saved superbly from the Argentine's left-footed effort from 20 yards.
City are back in action on Wednesday night when they host Stoke in the Premier League, a game you can see live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm.
Player ratings
Sunderland: Pickford (6), Jones (5), Oviedo (5), Kone (5), O'Shea (5), Gibson (5), Ndong (5), Larsson (5), Januzaj (6), Borini (4), Defoe (5). Subs: Rodwell (5), Khazri (NA)
Man City: Caballero (6), Sagna (6), Stones (6), Kolarov (6), Clichy (6), Yaya Toure (7), Fernandinho (6), Silva (8), Sterling (7), Sane (8), Aguero (7). Subs: De Bruyne (6), Delph (NA), Nolito (NA)
Man of the match: David Silva