Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has talked up the importance of his side beating Hull City having seen many of their title rivals also pick up victories this afternoon.
City were forced to wait until the 72nd minute for the breakthrough at the KCOM Stadium, but eventually ran out 3-0 winners courtesy of goals from Yaya Toure and Kelechi Iheanacho, in addition to an own goal from Curtis Davies.
The likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United had already picked up maximum points when City kicked off, and Guardiola acknowledged that there was more pressure on his side to win as a result.
"I enjoyed it because we won but like always had to work hard for it. In the first half we forgot where the goal was, in the second half, our strikers saw the goal a bit more and after the first goal it was easy," he told BBC Sport.
"There is always pressure for us because the top of the league is tough and the other teams at the top had won today. Every game we play is like a final. You have to win, the other games sometimes you play before or after them but the goal is the same."
Man City's win takes them up to second in the Premier League table, at least until Liverpool host Stoke City tomorrow.
