LONDON (REUTERS) - Manchester City stumbled to the most sensational defeat of the Premier League season on Saturday (Dec 22) before neighbours Manchester United began their brave new world under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a glorious reminder of long-forgotten attacking swagger.
After City’s sensational 3-2 reverse against Crystal Palace at their Etihad fortress, United seemed liberated and re-energised after Jose Mourinho’s midweek sacking as they romped to a 5-1 win at Cardiff City – the first time they have hit five in the league since their golden Alex Ferguson era.
A remarkable 30-metre thunderbolt from Andros Townsend adorned Palace’s remarkable comeback from a goal down in the rain as Pep Guardiola’s champions City saw their 100 percent league home record this season shattered.
So, what recently looked like an imperious title defence now looks problematic as City lie four points behind leaders Liverpool, who had thrown down the gauntlet with a 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday.
There was more good news for the Reds as fourth-placed Chelsea also squandered their unbeaten home record with a 1-0 defeat by Leicester City.
Arsenal kept up their pursuit in fifth, thanks to a double from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a 3-1 home win over Burnley that put the Gabonese striker top of the league’s goalscoring charts.
After 18 matches, Liverpool are now the only unbeaten side left in England’s top four divisions on 48 points, with City on 44 and Tottenham Hotspur, who visit Everton on Sunday, third on 39. Chelsea and Arsenal both have 37, while United are on 29.
Â
Â
Â
Â
On a remarkable, rain-sodden afternoon at the Etihad, Manchester City, who had lost their season’s unbeaten record at Chelsea two weeks ago, seemed predictably dominant when striding into a first-half lead through Ilkay Gundogan.
But Palace responded quickly with a Jeffrey Schlupp strike and three minutes later a wondrous volley from 30 metres from the mercurial England international Townsend, which will be a contender for goal of the season.
Luka Milivojevic put the visitors further clear with a penalty after the break before Palace survived a late onslaught that saw Kevin De Bruyne score five minutes from time.
“It’s complicated but we fight until the last second. We are in December and we will try and recover and try and win games again,†shrugged Guardiola, conceding that his side needed to “recover mentally and recover physicalityâ€.
UNITED REBORN
In stark contrast, after a traumatic week which saw the end of Mourinho’s two-and-a-half-year reign, Manchester United seemed mentally and physically re-born, playing with verve, pace and attacking intent that reflected the smile of their still fresh-faced caretaker boss and old club hero, Solskjaer.
He was beaming after three minutes when Marcus Rashford’s free kick put United ahead and further goals before halftime from Ander Herrera and Anthony Martial – after a dazzling passing interchange – and a second-half double from Jesse Lingard made it a perfect start for the Norwegian.
United, with Paul Pogba back in the fold, poured forward in a free-spirited manner rarely seen under Mourinho and Lingard’s last-minute goal ensured they netted five in a league match for the first time since Ferguson’s final match in charge in 2013.
Chelsea’s loss at Stamford Bridge seemed almost as unlikely as Manchester City’s with Leicester facing the prospect of a third straight defeat but Jamie Vardy’s first-time finish soon after the break brought much-needed relief for the Foxes’ manager Claude Puel.
At the Emirates Stadium, the predatory Aubameyang took his season-leading tally of league goals to 12 with his double in the win over Burnley, one more than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Fulham earned a goalless draw at Newcastle United but remained bottom of the table on 10 points alongside Huddersfield Town, who were beaten 3-1 by a Southampton side that look rejuvenated under new Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuettl.
Watford moved into seventh place with a 2-0 win at West Ham United, thanks to goals from Troy Deeney and Gerard Deulofeu.
Hakeem Al Araibi (Reuters pic) DUBAI: FIFA says it has been in regular contact with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over the Bahraini soccer player arrested in Thailand in November over a
Football: Fifa says it's in regular contact with AFC over
sportsloveme.com/soccer/football-fifa-says-its-in-regular-contact-with-afc-over-detained-bahraini-player/
Football: Fifa says it's in regular contact with AFC over detained Bahraini player 01/17/2019 FIFA , FOOTBALL MATCHES , HAKEEM DUBAI (REUTERS) - Fifa says it has been in regular contact with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over the Bahraini footballer arrested in Thailand in November over a prison sentence in his homeland.
FIFA says in regular contact with AFC over detained refugee
Headline Kick It Out calls for action after Ashley Young is targeted with racial abuse. READ MORE Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits work to be done for Manchester United to reach the top
#Enough: PFA calls for action after more racist abuse
Your Best Football News Source Neymar hits half-century mark as PSG are held by Nice. season with a 1-1 Ligue 1 draw at home to Nice, with Neymar notching his
UPDATE 1-Soccer-Neymar hits half-century as PSG are held by Nice
Personal life. Ikhsan is the second eldest son of Singaporean footballing legend Fandi Ahmad and South African model Wendy Jacobs. He has four siblings, one older brother, Irfan Fandi who is in the Singapore national football team, and two younger brothers, Ilhan and Iryan, and the other being his sister Iman.
Football: Noh Rahman embracing learning curve as Home United
Man City star Kevin De Bruyne upbeat as he bids to put injuries behind him who has been limited to just 96 minutes of league football so far this season, started the midweek League Cup quarter
Man City's De Bruyne upbeat as he bids to put injuries behind
Mario Gotze concedes Borussia Dortmund have a "very difficult" Champions League group but expects the Bundesliga side to exceed last season's poor performance in the competition. Dortmund failed
Gotze predicts Borussia Dortmund success in Champions League
Manchester City will return to China this year for the first time since their ill-fated visit of 2016, when a game with cross-town rivals United was called off at the last minute.
Pray for no rain: Man City to return to China after Beijing
Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League with a confident 3-0 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday. The win moves Juergen Klopps's side three points above second-placed
Premier League: Liverpool back on top after dominant win over
LONDON (AFP) - Manchester City retained the Premier League title in style on Sunday (May 12), holding their nerve to come from behind against Brighton and see off a charging Liverpool after a
Football: Man City batter Brighton to retain Premier League
Ronaldo 'risks missing' Champions League quarter-final first leg
Football: Klopp plays down Liverpool fatigue concerns ahead
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen