Tag: Manchester City

  • Bernardo Silva gets hat-trick as Manchester City whip Watford 8-0

    A Bernardo Silva hat-trick helped Manchester City to secure the joint second biggest English Premier League (EPL) victory in history on Saturday.

    They thrashed a bewildered Watford 8-0 at the Etihad Stadium, in an immediate response to their first league defeat since January at Norwich City last weekend.

    They blew Watford away by becoming the first side to score five goals in the first 18 minutes of a Premier League game.

    David Silva got Manchester City up and running after finishing off a delightful pass from Kevin De Bruyne in the first minute.

    Sergio Aguero’s 100th Premier League goal doubled the hosts’ advantage from the penalty kick spot thereafter.

    Riyad Mahrez curled a brilliant free kick into the net in the 12th minute, with a Bernardo Silva header and a Nicolas Otamendi tap-in completing the 18-minute rout.

    Read Also: UPDATED: Man. City wins 2018/2019 EPL title

    Watford brought on an extra defender just after the half-hour mark to try to stem the tide, seeing themselves through to half-time without further damage.

    Bernardo Silva added a sixth goal three minutes into the second period.

    He completed his first top-flight hat-trick with a close-range finish to make it seven.

    De Bruyne hammered home a superb eighth as Manchester City came up one short of Manchester United’s record 9-0 victory over Ipswich Town in 1995.

    NAN

  • Racism in football: Wright-Phillips canvases operation walk off the pitch!

     

    Former England footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips may have voted for operation walk off the pitch as solution to racism in football after he said it would be a ‘massive step’ if the national football team were to walk off the pitch in the event of racist abuse of black players.

    The retired Manchester City star told Good Morning Britain that he had been the target of monkey chants during his own career, and said teams whose fans shout racist abuse should forfeit the game.

    Chelsea star Tammy Abraham

    He also called for lifetime bans for racist fans, saying that ‘taking away something they love’ would expunge racist abuse from the game forever.

    Black England players were racially abused by locals during their victory over Montenegro earlier this year, and there are growing fears that members of Gareth Southgate’s side will be targeted when they travel to Sofia in October.

    UEFA fined the Bulgarian FA after alleged racist chanting towards black players during a Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia in September 2011.

    It is understood the option of walking off the field should an England player be racially abused is to be considered at a meeting of the team, though the squad is understood to be against such a stance.

    Wright-Phillips said: ‘I think it’d be a massive step. They would show a stand and say “look we’re not taking it any more”. ‘And my team mates that are not of ethnic colour or origin are backing me as well, so they’re swinging the same way as everyone else who watches it, and the people up above it are trying to help it.’

    He went on: ‘If its proven that there’s racial abuse, the team’s fans where there’s abuse should quit the game as a loss and the result should go to the winner basically.

    Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku

    Some many players have had to stomach racist abuse. Only rently Chelsea player Tammy Abraham got his own share of the abuse after he missed a penalty in the Super Cup, former Manchester United Romelu Lukaku was forced to lash out at racist fans who directed monkey chant at him at his new club Inter Milan recently.

  • EPL: Liverpool stay top with club record-breaking win at Burnley

    Premier League leaders Liverpool set a new club record of 13 straight top flight wins with a 3-0 victory at Burnley on Saturday, maintaining their two-point advantage over champions Manchester City.

    After Burnley started brightly, with forward Chris Wood forcing an early save out of Adrian, Liverpool got ahead in the 33rd minute, albeit in fortunate fashion.

    Trent Alexander-Arnold’s attempted cross from deep on the right hit the back of Wood and looped over Burnley keeper Nick Pope into the far corner.

    Read Also: Liverpool thrash Norwich to open new EPL season

    If Sean Dyche’s side felt luck was against them with the opener they had only themselves to blame when they handed Liverpool a second goal four minutes later.

    Burnley skipper Ben Mee passed straight to Roberto Firmino, who burst forward and then slipped the ball left to Sadio Mane, who finished with precision into the bottom corner.

    Firmino wrapped up the win nine minutes from the end, driving past Pope after good work from Mohamed Salah, who skipped past two challenges before setting up the Brazilian.

    The club’s previous record run was set between April and October 1990, when the team was managed by Kenny Dalglish.

    NAN

  • EPL: VAR strikes again, as Tottenham draw Man. City

    Substitute Gabriel Jesus had an injury-time goal ruled out by VAR as Tottenham left Manchester City with a 2-2 draw, scoring with their only two shots on target.

    Jesus looked to have extended Man. City’s winning Premier League run to 16 games with an effort on the stretch, but a handball in the lead up by Aymeric Laporte meant Spurs benefited from VAR again, just four months after their historic Champions League quarter-final at the Etihad.

    Read Also: Kompany leaves Man. City after eleven years

    Manchester City went ahead on Saturday evening through Raheem Sterling’s deft far-post header from a superb Kevin De Bruyne cross (20), but Spurs were soon level as Erik Lamela’s low, curling effort from 20 yards found the bottom corner (23).

    The champions went into the half ahead through Sergio Aguero’s sweeping close-range finish, again from De Bruyne’s wondrous right-wing delivery (35), but Spurs levelled again through Lucas Moura’s header, his first touch after being subbed on (56).

    SkySports

  • Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City (4-5 on pens)

    Liverpool did what they have been doing for the last 12 months: throwing everything at the side one of their former executives described a few months as ‘a machine.’

    They created most of the chances, were denied a goal by the bounce of a ball, paraded the game’s outstanding player in Mohamed Salah.

    And yet still they lost by the last kick of the ball, in a penalty shoot-out during which one missed kick, by Georgino Wijnaldum, was enough to deny them the victory. Gabriel Jesus found the composure to make it five converted penalties from five.

    The outcome was a reminder, if they really needed it, that Liverpool are the ones with all the running to do in the nine months which lie ahead.

    Jurgen Klopp was one the one who headed out with his familiar battle armour on.

    Pep Guardiola felt able to dress down in summer attire: beige cargo pants and white T-shirt.

    For an hour or more, it had the makings of a very familiar script. Liverpool trailed to a side against whom the faintest flaw remains treacherous.

    Read Also: Liverpool not envious of rivals’ spending, signings – Klopp

    Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold had allowed David Silva to occupy space between them in the game’s 12th minute and navigate a Kyle Walker free-kick into the path of Raheem Sterling who poked home.

    Alisson, short of match-readiness after his work for Brazil in the Copa America, would have expected to do better than allowing the ball to creep trough his legs and then escape his grasp.

    City proceeded to thread the ball around with a sense of security that was enhanced by the arrival of their new record signing Rodri at the back of midfield.

    The Spaniard slotted in immediately, looking a more elegant, mobile, version of Fernandinho, the man he has been bought to replace.

    Many of the moments of sublimity which followed belonged to Liverpool. Salah operated at a level which promised much for the nine months ahead, though his finishing could have been better.

    A cameo on the Liverpool right around the half hour mark told the story – Salah ghosting around Zinchenko, Otamedi and Silva in a tight space and emerging with the ball – and fully five chances fell to him.

    His decision-making could be questioned when he beat Zinchenko on the ground and in the air before racing free to shoot against the base of the post after 15 minutes: Divock Origi was in a more promising position. But his enervating run through the City left to hit the post again, on the hour mark, told of a player who will start this campaign in a better place than the last.

    The goal-scoring menace of Roberto Firmino was more fleeting – a half-volley on the spin after taking a high ball under control and looping it back over his head, in the game’s opening minutes.

    The grounds for optimism, from a Merseyside perspective, reside in the very distinct hints offered here that a City rearguard without Vincent Kompany is diminished. The Belgian did not always operate within the structure but his departure removes the calm sense of order that any unit requires.

    Nicolas Otramendi operating in his place, struggled to convince as he has always done at City. The young full back Oleksandr Zinchenko was second best to Salah in a difficult test. Guardiola sought out Kyle Walker for a talking to in which his discontent was transparently clear during a break in play, late in the first half.

    Virgil van Dijk thought he had pierced the deadlock just before the half hour mark when he arrived undetected to meet a corner with a half-volley which hit the underside of the bar and bounced onto the goal-line

    City’s only second half chance arrived on a break-away in which Sterling, fed through the centre by Walker, dithered and allowed the ball to run to Alisson. But they were displaying that trademark capacity to grind wins out when the equaliser came, exposing the flaw at the back of the team once more.

    A Jordan Henderson free-kick found van Dijk on the left of the box, from where his cushioned volley found the head of Joel Mati[, who got the better of Otamendi, to head home.

    How City defied a Liverpool equaliser only Walker knows. After Zinchenko had been beaten again by the man he was trying and failing to mark, Salah raced through on goal, struck a shot which John Stones blocked and subsequently looped a header over Bravo which Walker arrived to clear from the line with a scissor kick.

    There was time for Salah to feed substitute Xherdan Shaqiri for yet another strike at Bravo’s left post before the course of the 90 minutes was run. It brought the shoot-out from which City demonstrated their clinical streak.

    Read Also: Liverpool trio, Messi, Ronaldo, U.S. World Cup winners head FIFA award shortlists

  • UPDATED: Man. City win 2019 Community Shield

    Manchester City won the Community Shield on penalties after edging Liverpool in an entertaining game in front of a raucous Wembley.

    Georginio Wijnaldum’s penalty was saved by Claudio Bravo with Gabriel Jesus scoring the winning kick.

    The meeting between two outstanding sides did not disappoint.

    City’s Raheem Sterling finally scored his first goal against his old club when he turned home David Silva’s flick-on from close range.

    The woodwork was hit three times in quick succession in the second half, as Sterling struck the post with a one on one, Virgil van Dijk shot against the underside of the bar and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah hit a post.

    Read Also: UPDATED: Man. City wins 2018/2019 EPL title

    The Reds were level when Joel Matip headed home from Van Dijk’s cross.

    At that stage, Liverpool were the most likely team to win with Salah having at least three chances – most remarkably when his header was sensationally cleared off the line by a Kyle Walker bicycle kick.

    And so the game went straight to penalties with City scoring all of theirs.

    A game whose competitive status is often questioned – and might end up meaning little as the season goes on – was nonetheless an entertaining start to the top-level season. A curtain-raiser if you will.

    BBCSports

     

    Read Also: Aguero wins Community Shield for Man City

  • Wolves beat Man City on penalties to win Asia Trophy

     

    Premier league defending champions Manchester City played their hearts out against hard fighting Wolves but failed to clinch the Asia Trophy in Shanghai on Saturday.

    Goalkeeper Rui Patricio was the hero for Wolves, saving three spot-kicks after the highly entertaining encounter ended goalless. Wolves won the exhibition tournament 3-2 on penalties. It was a story of missed penalties for Pep Guardiola’s City.

    Raheem Sterling missed a first-half penalty for City, who dominated at a full Hongkou Stadium but were blunt in attack without Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus.

    Pre-season games are notoriously poor barometers for the season to come, especially when played in stifling heat like in Shanghai.

    But both sides fielded close to their full-strength sides and Guardiola and counterpart Nuno Espirito Santo will be glad to escape without any serious injuries to their squads.

    Leroy Sane, the German winger wanted by Bayern Munich, started for City and won the Sterling penalty, but otherwise had a quiet game before being substituted on the hour.

    Kevin De Bruyne was Guardiola’s captain for the night – the City armband is up for grabs following the departure of talisman Vincent Kompany.

    Sterling should have put City in the lead but instead blasted his 20th minute penalty over the bar to let Chinese-owned Wolves off the hook.

    The England international forward, playing through the middle, then blew a golden chance from close range with only goalkeeper Patricio to beat.

    In the third-fourth playoff, Newcastle United beat West Ham United 1-0 to give Steve Bruce victory in his first match as head coach. The Premier League proper begins on August 9.

  • Manchester City desperate to win treble, says Kompany

    Manchester City’s victorious players were adamant on Sunday amidst the celebrations that greeted the completion of their magnificent English Premier League (EPL) triumph on the English south-coast.

    The players, led by team captain Vincent Kompany, insisted that this was still just the infancy of their era of dominance.

    After Manchester City’s 4-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion sealed the successful defence of their crown, the Belgian and his men already had their eyes on a unique English treble.

    They said they must win the English FA Cup final against Watford next weekend.

    Not only that, Pep Guardiola’s insatiable team were already thinking beyond the magnificent 2018/2019 campaign.

    They are contemplating a third straight English title win next season, with the Spaniard having said they would get even better.

    Trophy-hunting had now become, explained one of their young luminaries Leroy Sane, like a “kind of addiction… You just want to win it again and again.”

    Read also: Manchester City, Liverpool dominate PFA team of the year

    Manchester City’s “Captain Marvel” Kompany, whose thunderbolt against Leicester City on Monday for a 1-0 win was critical to their title push, echoed his team’s feelings, saying: “I’m desperate, desperate, desperate to win the FA Cup next week.

    “You don’t even know how much it’s a priority. We’ll celebrate tonight and then after that it’ll be all about (the final next Saturday) and we’ll do everything we can to win this game which is so important to us.”

    Guardiola will then become the first manager to complete the single-season English domestic treble of league, FA Cup and League Cup titles with a win at Wembley.

    But he was already thinking beyond that to next season.

    “It’s the toughest title I’ve won in all my career, by far,” said the 48-year-old Spaniard after praising his pursuers Liverpool, who finished just a point behind in the highest-quality English title race ever witnessed.

    “It will be tougher next season but we’ll be stronger too. I have a feeling next season we will try to be where we are this year.”

    If City were to win a third straight title, it would be the first time since Manchester United achieved the feat between 2007 and 2009 under Alex Ferguson.

    “We have to congratulate Liverpool and say ‘thanks’ because they pushed us so much. For us, it’s incredible — 198 points (in two seasons) and (to) make back-to-back wins,” added Guardiola.

    The 33-year-old Kompany, who joined in 2008 from Hamburg, felt it was the best triumph of his storied Manchester City career.

    “This was by far the hardest title, the most draining one. Just constantly knowing that you have to win, you have to perform, and we defeated one of the all-time greatest teams in England and I’m proud of that,” he said, after Manchester City notched up 14 straight wins in the league.

    The Belgian said he had never wanted to know what was happening at Anfield on Sunday.

    There was a time when Liverpool were leading Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 and Manchester City went a goal behind at Brighton, shifting the title balance towards Merseyside.

    “I had no absolutely no interest in what Liverpool were doing. If anyone had told me about what they were doing, I would have lost my head, I’d have lost my mind,” he said with a smile.

    “I’m just so happy that when we conceded, the team just kept coming back,” he added, referring to Sergio Aguero’s equaliser within 90 seconds of Glenn Murray scoring for Brighton and goals from Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan.(Reuters/NAN)

  • UPDATED: Man. City wins 2018/2019 EPL title

    Manchester City retained the Premier League title after surviving a scare on the final day to see off Brighton 4-1 at the Amex and beat Liverpool to top spot.

    For 88 seconds on the south coast, Liverpool were heading for the title as they led Wolves and City fell behind to Glenn Murray’s header, but Pep Guardiola’s men found their stride to finish on 98 points — one ahead of the Reds.

    Murray gave Brighton a shock lead on 26 minutes, his finish from a corner sending Liverpool fans into delirium, but City quickly responded.

    Sergio Aguero struck the ball through Mat Ryan’s legs after a good pass from David Silva two minutes later, and then Aymeric Laporte headed home unmarked from a corner on 38 minutes to make it 2-1.

    Riyad Mahrez, making a rare start, finished superbly just after the hour, and Ilkay Gundogan’s majestic free kick put City in total control and turned the closing stages into a party for the visiting fans.

    Liverpool beat Wolves 2-0 at Anfield but, despite finishing their season with 97 points, were denied a first Premier League title since 1990 by Manchester City’s win.

    Chances were few and far between in the opening exchanges but Liverpool took the lead after 17 minutes when Trent Alexander-Arnold crossed from the right and found Sadio Mane unmarked in the box to hammer home.

    Matt Doherty got through on the right for Wolves, but his curling shot crashed off the top of the bar with Alisson beaten.

    Alexander-Arnold whipped in another fine cross for Mane to head his second after the break before Premier League Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk was denied by the crossbar.

    Manchester United’s disappointing season stumbled to a dismal conclusion as they were beaten 2-0 at home by relegated Cardiff.

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were unable to muster much response after Cardiff took a surprise lead after 23 minutes when Andreas Pereira fouled Nathaniel Mendez-Laing in the area and Mendez-Laing converted the penalty.

    Neil Warnock’s side made it 2-0 when Mendez-Laing tapped home at the far post — but they were grateful to keeper Neil Etheridge for a fine save from Marcus Rashford’s header moments later.

    Jesse Lingard shot wide as United searched in vain for a route back into the game, Antonio Valencia making his final appearance for them when he replaced Diogo Dalot.

    Read Also: Aguero ruled out of Man.City/ Liverpool UCL clash

    Europa League finalists Chelsea ended the season in third place after a 0-0 draw at Leicester.

    Maurizio Sarri’s side made a purposeful start and came close through Ross Barkley, who was denied by Kasper Schmeichel, and Gonzalo Higuain, who turned and fired narrowly wide.

    Willian had another effort for Chelsea, but Leicester began to ask more questions of the Londoners after the break.

    On-loan midfielder Youri Tielemans was narrowly off-target with a long-range volley, and David Luiz had to make a crucial late interception as Ben Chilwellfired a dangerous cross deep into the area.

    Tottenham made sure of fourth spot as they drew 2-2 at home to Everton to finish a point clear of North London rivals Arsenal.

    Spurs, fresh from their astonishing Champions League comeback against Ajax in midweek, struck after only three minutes when, following a corner, Eric Dierhammered home.

    They failed to make the most of that early advantage as Everton worked their way back into the contest, the Merseysiders equalising through Theo Walcottafter 69 minutes and going ahead three minutes later when Cenk Tosun struck.

    But Christian Eriksen, so often an inspiration for Tottenham, proved to be so once again when he curled home a free kick to equalise.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice as Arsenal won 3-1 at Burnley but had to settle for fifth place.

    Aubameyang hit the post in a dominant opening spell for the Europa League finalists, but Burnley were a whisker away from taking the lead when Chris Wood’s shot the inside of an upright.

    Josh Lowton was next to try his luck for the Clarets, but Aubameyang broke the deadlock after 52 minutes when he latched on to a poor Jack Cork backpass and struck his 22nd goal of the season after 63 minutes.

    Ashley Barnes pulled one back two minutes later to keep Burnley’s hopes alive, but Eddie Nketiah struck in the final seconds to ensure the points went to the Gunners.

    Crystal Palace ended their season on a high as they beat Bournemouth 5-3in an outstanding game at Selhurst Park.

    Palace led after 24 minutes when Wilfried Zaha’s cross from the right fell for Michy Batshuayi to steer in, and Batshuayi repeated the trick when he slid home Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pass six minutes later.

    The Eagles were three goals clear with 37 minutes gone when Jack Simpsondiverted the ball into his own net, but Jefferson Lerma produced a stunning 25-yard drive to give Bournemouth a foothold and they made it 3-2 early in the second half thanks to Jordon Ibe.

    Patrick van Aanholt eased Palace nerves after 65 minutes, but Josh King made it 4-3 with more than a quarter of an hour to play before Andros Townsend put matters beyond doubt with a stylish Palace fifth.

    West Ham ended their campaign in style with a 4-1 victory at Watford.

    After a bright start from Watford, West Ham went ahead after 15 minutes as Mark Noble rounded off a combination with Michail Antonio with a smart finish, and Antonio was again in the thick of the action when his shot was tipped onto the bar and Manuel Lanzini headed home.

    Watford pulled a goal back within a minute of the restart, Gerard Deulofeucashing in on a poor Pablo Zabaleta backpass — but moments later the hosts were down to 10 men as Jose Holebas was shown a red card for bringing down Antonio.

    Marko Arnautovic made it 3-1 to the visitors and Noble completed the scoring from the spot as the Hammers wrapped up the points with a flourish.

    Newcastle rounded off their season in dominant fashion as they eased to a 4-0 win at relegated Fulham.

    The Magpies made a whirlwind start and were two goals up inside the first 11 minutes, Jonjo Shelvey firing into the top corner and Ayoze Perez doubling the advantage with a tap-in after Christian Atsu’s shot was saved.

    It was all over on the hour when Fabian Schar leapt high to head home a corner, and there was still time for Salomon Rondon to add another for the visitors when he prodded home.

    Southampton and Huddersfield ended their seasons with a point apiece in a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s.

    The Saints broke through shortly before half-time, Nathan Redmond striking in style as he cut inside from the left and blasted into the net from outside the area.

    But Huddersfield, long since relegated, were determined not to bow out of the Premier League without a fight and levelled 10 minutes into the second half through Alex Pritchard, who charged down an attempted clearance from keeper Angus Gunn and slotted home.

    ESPN

  • UPDATED: Man City beat Leicester 1-0 to dislodge Liverpool at the top of EPL

    Manchester City defeated Leicester City 1-0 on Monday to regain the Premier League leadership from Liverpool and stretch the title race to the final day of the season on Sunday.

    City scraped the win, thanks to an incredible second-half goal by Vincent Kompany, which broke Leicester City’s resistance at Etihad Stadium, in a match watched by an estimated 54,506 people.

    After Liverpool bounced to the top of the league table on Saturday after beating a stubborn Newcastle United, City badly needed a win to regain the top of the table.

    Man City’s first clear opening came on 32 minutes when Sergio Aguero’s header was brilliantly clawed off the line by Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel after it hit the woodwork.

    Ilkay Gundogan twice went close either side of half-time, before Leroy Sane’s introduction gave fresh impetus to the defending champions.

    Aguero was denied superbly by Schmeichel again before Kompany hammered a 25-yard shot into the top corner on 70 minutes.

    Former Man City striker Kelechi Iheanacho spurned a great opportunity to level for Leicester, but Man City held on to go top on 95 points, one point above Liverpool with one match left.

    Leicester City stay ninth on 51 points.

    Manchester City would next meet Brighton & Hove Albion at the American Express Community Stadium on Sunday, the final day of the 38-match league, while Liverpool would host Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield.