Premier League round-up

Carlos Tevez hit a hat-trick as Manchester City moved to within two points of Manchester United with a 6-1 drubbing of Norwich, while Wolves snapped their seven-game losing run to take a point at Sunderland but remain destined for the drop.

Swansea inflicted a fifth successive defeat on Blackburn to leave Steve Kean’s men deep in the relegation mire, while West Brom’s victory over QPR means Mark Hughes’ side still have work to do if they are to steer clear of danger.

Roberto Mancini may continue to insist that the Premier League title is out of Manchester City’s reach, but his players clearly have other ideas after they swept aside Norwich City 6-1 to move to within striking distance of leaders Manchester United.

Tevez’s golf swing was the subject of much debate during his self-imposed exile earlier this season, with the Argentina international keen to demonstrate how his handicap had improved as he celebrated hitting a hat-trick against the Canaries.

The striker set City on their way with a swerving shot which bamboozled John Ruddy before combining superbly with Sergio Aguero for his compatriot to lash home an unstoppable effort from outside the box.

Tevez then eased any nerves among the visiting fans as he nodded home following Andrew Surman’s volley which brought Norwich back into the contest after the break, before completing his treble after Aguero had struck again with Adam Johnson putting the finishing touch to a flowing move in added time.

Wolves claimed only their second point in nine matches under interim manager Terry Connor but their drab draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light means they remain eight points from safety with just four games remaining.

The contest on Wearside will not live long in the memory, with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake coming closest to breaking the deadlock for the visitors in the second period.

Blackburn’s plight is not so dire as that facing the men from Molineux, but a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Swansea, who snapped their own four-game losing streak in the process, means they remain second from bottom.

Gylfi Sigurdsson demonstrated once again why the Swans are so keen to make his loan move from Hoffenheim permanent as he curled a superb finish over Paul Robinson and into the top corner eight minutes before the interval.

And the hosts were two goals to the good soon after as Scott Sinclair found Danny Graham 12 yards out, with the striker rolling the ball across for Nathan Dyer to beat Robinson with the outside of his boot from close range.

Rovers’ woes increased in the second period as Sinclair dribbled into the box and fired over a low cross which eventually found the back of the net via the boot of the unfortunate Scott Dann after some six-yard box pinball.

QPR remain just two points above the bottom three after their 1-0 defeat to West Brom at the Hawthorns, but Wigan and Bolton now have games in hand on the Loftus Road side.

Graham Dorrans fired the Baggies in front in the 22nd minute when he was left in too much space on the edge of the box, with Paddy Kenny getting his fingers to the powerfully hit shot but unable to turn it around the post.

Billy Jones hit the post after the break as the Baggies broke through the 40-point barrier to effectively ensure that they will be playing top-flight football once again next term.