Tevez scores twice as Manchester City leapfrog Arsenal into third

(CNN) -- Carlos Tevez scored two brilliant goals as Manchester City beat Stoke 3-0 in a re-run of the FA Cup final to leapfrog Arsenal into third place in the English Premier League.

The Argentina striker was in dazzling form to clinch victory for Roberto Mancini's side, just four days after they beat Stoke at Wembley to clinch their first piece of silverware in 35 years.

The victory takes City above Arsenal into third place in the table, meaning a win against Bolton on the final day of the season on Sunday will secure qualification into the group stages of the Champions League.

Arsenal, who were seen for months as the closest challengers to eventual title winners Manchester United, now face the prospect of finishing fourth and having to negotiate the qualifying rounds of the lucrative European club competition, where Bayern Munich and Villarreal could lurk.

Tevez's brace means he has scored 21 goals in the league this season and pulls level with Manchester United's Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov in the race for the Golden Boot.

The 27-year-old handed in a transfer request earlier in the season that was rejected and recently said he will decide whether to stay at the club in the summer, but Mancini told reporters his star forward is going nowhere.

He said: "Carlos is fantastic striker, a fantastic player for us and I think he will stay here next season. He told me this, that he wants to stay.

''He has a five-year contract and has told us he wants to stay. He said that before. He never had any problem.''

After a slow start to the game, Tevez opened the scoring on 14 minutes when he collected James Milner's pass inside and area and beat two defenders before lashing a shot into the net.

City retained almost complete control after that with England international Milner and former Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure spurning chances to double the lead before halftime.

But shortly after the break defender Joleon Lescott made it 2-0 with a close range header from Adam Johnson's free-kick.

Substitute Edin Dzeko should have registered his second league goal since a big money move from German club Wolfsburg in January but he fired an effort straight at Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen.

Tevez rounded off a perfect evening for City with a stunning free kick into the top corner from 25 yards after Glenn Whelan fouled Nigel de Jong outside the penalty area.