ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Manchester City 3 Everton 1
LONDON • Manchester City did not have things completely their way against Everton so in emerging with the 3-1 Premier League win, the champions illustrated why they remained title favourites despite losing top spot last Saturday.
They also leapfrogged Liverpool to become leaders again until, at the very least, Manchester United visit Anfield today.
Everton arrived at the Etihad yesterday as the only side not to lose at City's home ground in the two league outings since Pep Guardiola took over in 2016, but left with the record shredded.
City did this by retaining the relentlessness that steamrollered most opponents and that finally wore the visitors' resistance down.
Guardiola made four changes from their midweek Champions League win over Hoffenheim, bringing in Fabian Delph, Riyad Mahrez, Fernandinho and Kyle Walker.
The City boss also resisted starting Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, despite the duo recovering from their respective injuries.
11
League matches Gabriel Jesus has gone scored in since August, a total of 487 minutes and 18 shots without netting.
Fears in recent weeks that City lack a natural predator in front of goal in the absence of Aguero were quashed by two fine finishes from Gabriel Jesus, who had previously scored only one league goal in 13 games this season.
Having not netted in City's past five games, the Brazil forward was delighted to break his scoring duck, saying: "I'm so happy with the game and with the win. This season is more difficult for me because other clubs are stronger.
"This game was difficult so I am happy. The game was amazing."
Teammate Bernardo Silva was equally thrilled with his side's response after last weekend's defeat at Chelsea, which ended their unbeaten league run, telling reporters: "We are happy especially as we knew we were playing a very tough team. To get the three points is very good."
With temperatures approaching freezing in Manchester, City were nearly caught cold by an early Everton break when Richarlison fired the first big chance of the game over from Lucas Digne's cross.
The Toffees, however, played a big part in their own downfall as Jesus opened the scoring midway through the first half.
Yerry Mina's hopeful punt gave away possession and the defender then played Jesus onside as the latter ran onto Leroy Sane's pass to fire low past Jordan Pickford.
Guardiola's men had to wait just five minutes after the break to make it 2-0, when a patient build-up again found Sane on the left and the Germany winger's cross was met by a bullet header from Jesus.
Marco Silva's players had barely offered any threat in the second period but they got a lifeline 25 minutes from time after Dominic Calvert-Lewin's header flicked off Delph and past the helpless goalkeeper Ederson.
Guardiola responded by sending on Raheem Sterling for Sane and in a week in which the England forward spoke out bravely about the alleged racist abuse he suffered last weekend at the hands of Chelsea fans, he also made his mark on the field by scoring immediately.
Jesus was involved again as he freed Fernandinho, who picked out Sterling to head home for his ninth league goal of the term.
De Bruyne then made his first appearance since Nov 1 - just his fourth in the league this term - after being sidelined by two separate knee injuries and his return will be an early Christmas present ahead of Liverpool's league visit on Jan 3.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE GUARDIAN
Maurizio Sarri has downplayed Pep Guardiola's suggestion that Chelsea are still in the Premier League title race as he prepares his team to face leaders Manchester City on Sunday. The 60-year-old Italian said his side were "lucky" to beat City in December when they ended the champions' 21-match unbeaten run with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
EPL: Chelsea Not In Premier League Title Race, Says Sarri
Arsenal boss Unai Emery believes that his team should focus only on themselves and not on other teams. The Gunners went back to 4th place in the Premier League after defeating Southampton 2-0 thanks to goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Emery calls on Ozil to produce consistency in training
Football News - England captain Harry Kane insists the Three Lions' squad are too united to be divided by the tension of club rivalries surrounding the English Premier League title race and
LONDON (AFP) - Gordon Banks, the England football team's goalkeeper when they won the 1966 World Cup, has died aged 81, his former club Stoke announced on Tuesday (Feb 12).. Read more at
England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks dies
LONDON (AFP) - Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne will stand trial for sexual assault in October after allegedly kissing a woman without consent on a train, a judge ruled on Tuesday (Jan 8)..
Former football star Gascoigne faces assault trial for
Warnock says Sala tragedy is most difficult week of his career. 0:00. I've been in football management for 40 years and it's been by far the most difficult week in my career, by an absolute
Emiliano Sala: Neil Warnock says he considered Cardiff future
March 30 (Reuters) - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrated his first game as permanent Manchester United manager with a 2-1 Premier League win over Watford at Old Trafford on Saturday. It was a far from
Rashford and Martial give United win over Watford
adtest.supersport.com/football/premier-league/news/190330/Rashford_and_Martial_give_United_win_over_Watford
It was the ninth goal during Solskjaer's reign for Rashford, who has blossomed in the last three months, and has replaced Romelu Lukaku as United's main man up front. Foster, once of United, has been Watford's best player this season, and he underlined why with a brilliant instinctive save to deny Martial from close range as United threatened
Man Utd - Watford 2-1 Rashford & Martial goals give Ole win
Brunei aim to keep momentum going. Hendra Azam (shielding the ball from Albirex Niigata's Daniel Martens) is one of Brunei's long-serving locals. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE. Published.
Brunei aim to keep momentum going, Football News & Top
Brendan Rodgers took a step closer to a return to the Premier League on Tuesday when Celtic chiefs said they had allowed him to talk to Leicester City who on Sunday fired manager Claude Puel. He has rebuilt his reputation in Scotland by leading Celtic to a back-to-back sweep of all three domestic
Leicester identify Rodgers as Puel replacement - thesun.co.uk
Moise Kean came off the bench to claim a late winner and put Juventus on the brink of clinching the Serie A title. If Napoli lose at home to Genoa on Sunday, Juve will be Italian champions for an
Moise Kean Winner Puts Juventus On Brink Of Serie A Title
Two goals in two minutes has seen the Socceroos comfortably dispatch Palestine 3-0 at the Asian Cup. Socceroos bounce back at the Asian Cup with Palestine win | Goal.com Live Scores
Socceroos will bounce back, declares Arnold - smh.com.au
Improved Suarez ready to make impact: Emery LONDON • With Granit Xhaka facing a late fitness test and Lucas Torreira suspended, Unai Emery has challenged Denis Suarez to finally make an impact in Arsenal's bid to climb back into the Premier League's top four.
Transfer news live: Man City in talks with - football.london
Synonyms for High stakes gambler in Free Thesaurus. Antonyms for High stakes gambler. 1 synonym for high roller: big spender. What are synonyms for High stakes gambler?
Gambling stakes -- Crossword clue | Crossword Nexus
Aston Villa will return to the top flight after a three year absence. Aston Villa held off a late fightback from Derby County to win promotion back to the Premier League with victory in the
Villa return to Premier League with win over Derby County
0 comments:
Post a Comment