Raheem Sterling scored a hat-trick as Manchester City beat Watford in controversial fashion to go four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The England winger bagged three goals inside 13 minutes in the second half - the first of which should have been disallowed - to make it five straight wins in the league for Pep Guardiola's side.
Gerard Deulofeu grabbed a late consolation just 20 seconds after coming off the bench for Watford but the damage was already done.
Pep Guardiola started a strong side as he aimed to open up a gap between themselves and Liverpool with just nine games to go in the title race.
But the hosts found life difficult in early stages with Watford defending extremely deep and the crowd grew frustrated with loud groans heard from areas of the Etihad.
Sergio Aguero had the best chance to give City the lead, finding space at the back post but glanced wide from Bernardo Silva's cross.
That was the closest City came before the interval as they struggled to break down a resilient Watford side.
Then came the moment which showed why offside rules perhaps need to change. Just minutes after the break, Aguero was sent clear with a ball over the top and after chesting it down to Sterling, the winger bundled the ball home.
The assistant referee's flag went up and referee Paul Tierney went over to consult with him, having expected to award the goal. Replays showed the ball was played against Sterling by Adam Masina, but the winger was certainly offside. To the Watford players' fury, the referee awarded the goal and City, to their fortune, were ahead.
Then the floodgates opened. Sterling got his second just three minutes later, getting on the end of Riyad Mahrez's pinpoint cross and City were cruising all of a sudden.
Sterling completed his hat-trick just before the hour mark after a superb pass from David Silva. The 24-year-old cut inside Masina and then Christian Kabasele, before dinking over Ben Foster.
Watford got a goal back when substitutes Troy Deeney and Deulofeu combined within 20 seconds of coming on and the latter slotted past Ederson.
But any hopes of a comeback were dashed as City ensured they completed the job to edge closer to retaining their title ahead of Liverpool's game tomorrow.
