MANCHESTER (REUTERS) - Chelsea bolstered their top-four hopes with a 1-1 draw at Manchester United after the home side’s Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea gifted the Londoners an equaliser in the Premier league on Sunday (April 28).Â
United led through Juan Mata’s 11th minute strike, but just before halftime the visitors were level when De Gea weakly parried an Antonio Rudiger shot into the path of Marcos Alonso.Â
With two games remaining, the result put fourth-placed Chelsea on 68 points, two clear of Arsenal who are fifth and still three ahead of sixth-placed United in the race to earn a Champions League berth for next season.Â
“A draw is a good result ... Now we now have two games, one at home (Watford), one away (Leicester city), and we will try and be in the top four,†Chelsea’s Eden Hazard told Sky Sports.Â
“Chelsea have to play in the Champions League every year. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. And for myself too, I want to play in the Champions League.â€
After a stunning start to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign as United manager, his side have run out of steam, winning just two of their last 10 games in all competitions.Â
UNCHARACTERISTIC ERROR
The hosts dominated the first half, fully deserving to take the lead when marauding left back Luke Shaw latched onto a chip into the area from Romelu Lukaku and passed across the goal for Mata to score against his old club on his 31st birthday.Â
But De Gea, whose form has dipped in recent weeks with a string of uncharacteristic errors, failed to deal with Rudiger’s shot and Alonso pounced to steer the ball home from a tight angle and bring Chelsea level in the 43rd minute.Â
Mata said the United players were down but fully behind their 28-year-old Spain keeper De Gea.Â
“It is difficult when you have the top four so close. We have done an incredible job over the last months to get there. We will try until the end, but obviously we needed to win today,†he said.Â
“David is unquestionable for me. His level has been fantastic for this club. He has been the best player over the last years,†he added of his compatriot.Â
“We all have good and bad moments in our careers, the important thing is how we react. I have 100 per cent confidence in him, we all have. He will save many goals in the next games.â€
United began Sunday’s match full of zest and attacking threat, having lost 2-0 at home to title-chasing Manchester City in midweek, while Chelsea looked more resolute than in a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Burnley in their last game.Â
However, after trading blows in the first half at Old Trafford, the second period was largely disappointing with neither side on top, although United nearly won it at the end when defender Marcos Rojo’s header was cleared off the line.Â
Â
Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could return to training at the end of February. The 24-year-old has been out since suffering knee ligament damage during the Champions League semi
World Cup winner Buffon to leave Paris Saint-Germain. By. AFP who won the World Cup in 2006 and is Italy's most-capped player with 176 appearances, did not say whether he would be retiring
Guardiola expects Man City to suffer in tricky trip to Newport (Reuters) - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola predicts his side will "suffer" against fourth-tier Newport County in their FA Cup fifth round match on Saturday but has urged his players to adapt to a battered playing surface at Rodney Parade.
Soccer-Guardiola expects Man City to suffer in tricky trip to
Iran's official IRNA news agency says authorities have banned Iran soccer coach Carlos Queiroz from leaving the country over unpaid taxes.
Bengaluru: After the rout, State Congress introspection meet
FIFA Legends Bebeto and Fernando Couto will decide the fate of the 24 FIFA U-20 World Cup 2019 contenders as they join the stage for the Official Draw in Gdynia, Poland, on 24 February. Bebeto, a
La Liga: Gareth Bale 'nowhere near' being Real Madrid's leader, says Predrag Mijatovic Description: Gareth Bale, who has scored only four goals in the league this season, has been injured over 20 times since his 105 million euro signing from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013.
Bale "nowhere near" being Madrid's leader, says Mijatovic
On Saturday in the Champions League final, the Reds beat Tottenham 2-0 to lift the trophy for the sixth time, the first since 2005. standings, latest news and video. The Women's World Cup
Wijnaldum: Reds must forget 2018 final woes - espn.com
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he has forgiven Chelsea coach Marco Ianni for his celebration of Ross Barkley's late equaliser. As Chelsea scored to make it 2-2, Ianni appeared to
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho on Chelsea coach
MADRID, April 2 (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid left it late to see off Girona 2-0 at home on Tuesday as strikes from Diego Godin and Antoine Griezmann kept up their faint hopes of catching La Liga
Late Godin and Griezmann goals keep Atletico in title chase
Football: Ozil leads five-star Arsenal past Bournemouth
Paris (AFP) - Tottenham followed in Liverpool's footsteps by pulling off one of the most stunning fightbacks in Champions League history on Wednesday as Lucas Moura's hat-trick snatched a dramatic
Great UEFA Champions League comebacks
0 comments:
Post a Comment