SOUTHAMPTON (AFP) - Manchester City showed they are willing to accept the challenge of Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title with a 3-1 win away to Southampton on Sunday (Dec 30).
Following shock defeats by Crystal Palace and Leicester, reigning champions City cut the gap between themselves and Premier League leaders Liverpool to seven points ahead of their meeting with the Merseysiders at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.
But they allowed a limited Southampton side back into the game after a dominating start, which suggests there are still frailties for Liverpool to exploit.
David Silva put City ahead after 10 minutes but they passed up a number of chances to add to the lead and gifted Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg an equaliser in the 37th minute.
For a period, Pep Guardiola's side looked fragile, but a James Ward-Prowse own-goal and a header by Sergio Aguero just before half-time restored their confidence.
Saints' frustrations boiled over with a red card for Hojbjerg after a wild challenge on Fernandinho late in the game.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl sprang a surprise in his team selection by giving a debut to 18-year-old former Chelsea starlet Kayne Ramsay at right-back.
Â
Â
Â
City should have gone ahead in the fifth minute when Jack Stephens allowed Raheem Sterling to steal possession and set up David Silva.
But the City man tried to be too deliberate, with his shot blocked by goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
But Saints could also have taken a more surprising lead after eight minutes when Mohamed Elyounoussi's clever flick over the City defence sent Charlie Austin clear.
Austin's first touch, however, was dreadful and sent the ball into Ederson's grateful arms.
Instead of being a goal up, the home side were behind within a minute.
The left side of their defence was opened up with ease by a simple one-two, leaving Bernardo Silva clear of full-back Matt Targett and free to advance down the right. He had all the time he wanted to pick out the unmarked David Silva, who hit the ball first-time past McCarthy.
Riyad Mahrez then shot wide after a move that began with City playing a series of passes inside their own penalty area.
And Aguero squandered an excellent chance in the 25th minute, hitting his shot against McCarthy after Sterling had accelerated past the hapless Targett.
But overplaying at the other end almost proved City's undoing.
Ederson was nearly caught by Austin before dribbling round the striker. But he showed a mastery of the more conventional goalkeeping arts on the half-hour with a diving save to keep out Austin's glancing header from a corner by Ward-Prowse.
City did not heed the warning and Saints were level after 36 minutes.
Oleksandr Zinchenko was slow to see Hojbjerg closing in on him and the Southampton captain robbed the Ukraine defender and strode forward before lashing the ball in from 15 yards.
City double stuns Saints
Zinchenko could count himself lucky that referee Paul Tierney did not see his barge on Ward-Prowse after 44 minutes as a penalty.
And the home crowd were still complaining about that decision when City retook the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Sterling forced his way down the left and fired in a low cross that hit the foot of Ward-Prowse and zipped between the surprised McCarthy and his near post.
And the crowd's disbelief was complete three minutes into first-half stoppage time when Aguero rose unchallenged by Jan Bednarek to nod Zinchenko's cross under McCarthy.
In the second half both sides went through the motions. City had the points they needed and Southampton were happy to avoid further damage to their confidence and goal difference. But even then City could have had three or four more goals.
Sterling shot straight at McCarthy, Aguero hit the angle of the post and crossbar, and Mahrez blasted straight at the goalkeeper.
Frustration got the better of Hojbjerg, who launched into a scissors-style challenge on Fernandinho and was rightly sent off.
Claude Puel has spoken of his "honour" at being given the opportunity to manage Leicester following his sacking at the weekend. The 57-year-old Frenchman's 16-month reign came to an end after Saturday's 4-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, Leicester's sixth defeat in seven matches.
Sacked Puel says an 'honour' to manage Leicester
Premier League: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's winning run ends after Manchester United rescue draw against Burnley - * Man United fought back with late goals in 2-2 draw with Burnley * Burnley keeper Tom Heaton frustrated United * Paul Pogba's penalty reduced the deficit
Premier League: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's winning run ends after
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri says PLAYERS will decide if Kepa features vs Tottenham CHELSEA boss Maurizio Sarri has claimed the 'group' will decide if Kepa plays against Tottenham on Wednesday night.
Kepa Arrizabalaga: Chelsea squad 'respect' Maurizio Sarri's
Newcastle, United Kingdom: Liverpool struck late through Divock Origi to move back top of the Premier League with a thrilling 3-2 win at Newcastle on Saturday and keep their hopes of a first title for 29 years alive but suffered a major scare after injury to Mohamed Salah. Liverpool lost Salah to a
Liverpool back on top with 3-2 Newcastle win but Salah injured
As Jose Mourinho is sacked by Manchester United, we recall the highs and lows of his Old Trafford tenure. Mourinho leaves United after two and a half years in charge, his departure confirmed in
Jose Mourinho's highs and lows at Manchester United - Sportstar
Sky Sports Premier League, Cardiff City Stadium He may not want to take that risk here as Chelsea look to bounce back from their defeat at Everton two weeks ago, which would keep them within
Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham handed top-four boost as
'French Open sucks compared to Wimbledon sucks': Nick Kyrgios courts controversy once again as he takes swipe at Roland Garros before practice session with Andy Murray.
ABU DHABI (REUTERS) - Qatar's Abdulaziz Hatem scored with a stunning late strike as the 2022 World Cup hosts upset Son Heung-min's South Korea 1-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Cup for the
Hatem wonder strike secures Qatar upset of South Korea
Barcelona claimed their 13th Spanish Super Cup in style with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Sevilla on Wednesday night in the second leg at the Camp Nou, giving the Catalonians a whopping 5-0
Real Madrid stroll to an easy win as they put pressure on
Egypt striker Mohamed Salah has been named African Footballer of the Year for the second successive year at the Confederation of African Football's 2018 awards ceremony in Dakar on Tuesday. "I have dreamt of winning this award since I was a child and now I have done so twice in a row," Salah said soon after receiving his trophy in Dakar.
Salah retains African football award, Football News & Top
Two recent viral videos, including one where a woman wrongfully accused a 9-year-old black boy of sexually assaulting her at a deli, have become the latest focus of outrage of alleged racism and highlight a trend of white people being held accountable for their actions after recordings show the black person has done nothing wrong, reports NBC News.
Amid blackface outrage, parents rip racism at Forest Hills
Solskjaer unimpressed as United ease past Reading in FA Cup. takes a shot but fails to score during the English FA Cup third round match against Reading at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Solskjaer unimpressed as United ease past Reading in Cup
Football: Brighton to face Man City in FA Cup semi-finals
FIFA scrapped plans to expand the 2022 Qatar World Cup to 48 nations, deciding Wednesday to stick with 32 countries due to the political and logistical complexities of using another Persian Gulf
Qatar won't decide on 48-team World Cup until it has seen
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen