Premier League
IT’S ALL REDS AS MAN UNITED JOIN LIVERPOOL ON TOP OF PREMIERSHIP TABLE
Manchester United moved level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League on Friday (Jan 1) as Bruno Fernandes’ penalty saw off Aston Villa 2-1 in an entertaining clash at Old Trafford.
Anthony Martial’s header five minutes before the break was just reward for a bright start by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men, but they were pegged back by Bertrand Traore’s equaliser just before the hour mark.
Just three minutes later, though, United’s talisman Fernandes won the game from the spot after Paul Pogba had been upended inside the area.
Another season just contending for a top-four finish looked in store for United after winning just two of their opening six league games.
But as all the other contenders have stumbled in recent weeks, the Red Devils have now taken 26 from a possible 30 points to mount an unexpected title challenge.
Solskjaer’s side needed a 93rd minute winner to beat Wolves on Tuesday, but were far faster out the blocks this time round.
Martial forced Emiliano Martinez into an excellent save high to his left inside 10 minutes before Fred, Pogba and Fernandes fired efforts just off target.
The breakthrough came five minutes before the break and owed much to Pogba’s ingenuity with the Frenchman finally starting to find form despite the speculation over his future.
Pogba and Marcus Rashford combined to send Aaron Wan-Bissaka free down the right and his cross was headed home by Martial at the near post.
Villa were on a five-game unbeaten run themselves to earn a place in the top six and showed why with their start to the second-half as United were forced back.
Jack Grealish was again at the heart of all the visitors’ best work going forward and it was from his cross that Ollie Watkins’s header produced a fine reflex save from David De Gea.
From Grealish’s next dangerous delivery, Villa deservedly equalised as this time Traore took a touch and slotted low past De Gea.
However, Dean Smith’s men quickly undid their good work as a soft challenge from Douglas Luiz on Pogba was deemed enough for a penalty by referee Michael Oliver.
Fernandes’ near-perfect penalty record continued as he slotted the spot-kick just out of the reach of Martinez for his 15th goal of the season.
Pogba should have rounded off a promising performance by sealing the points when he side-footed just wide when unmarked inside the area before more Martinez heroics denied Fernandes a double as he turned the Portuguese’s fierce effort onto the crossbar.
And United needed a big save from their own goalkeeper in stoppage time to hang on as De Gea sprang to his right to turn Matty Cash’s long-range effort behind.
Everton lack ‘quality’
Earlier, Everton missed the chance to close to within a point of the top two as they were beaten 1-0 at home by West Ham.
The Toffees failed to exert themselves on a West Ham side playing their third game in six days and were punished when Tomas Soucek slotted home the winner four minutes from time.
“It was not a good game,” said Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti.
“We didn’t have opportunities and we didn’t concede opportunities, they had a lucky deflection and we lost the game. We could play with more intensity and more quality up front.”
David Moyes’ men had the toughest festive fixture schedule in the Premier League in terms of rest and he said there has been a change in mindset with the Hammers this season to battle through adversity.
“The players have played three games in six games, they are amazing,” said Moyes, who won for the first time as a visiting manager at Goodison Park, where he made his name in 11 years in charge of Everton.
“I don’t think there was any difference in the fitness levels so great credit to the players, there has been a big change in the mentality here at West Ham.”
Victory took West Ham to within three points of third, although they remain in 10th in a tight Premier League table.
-AFP
New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim said he is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task he faces when he moves to England from Portugal but he is looking forward to the challenge.
The Premier League club announced Amorim’s appointment earlier this month, with the 39-year-old Portuguese set to arrive from Sporting on Monday on a contract until June 2027.
Amorim, who replaces sacked Dutchman Erik ten Hag at United, marked his final game as coach of Sporting with a 4-2 comeback victory at Braga on Sunday.
“I feel ready for the new challenge,” he told reporters after the match.
“I’m not naive, I know it’s going to be very different, very difficult. I’m at peace now, I can focus on my new job and I’m looking forward to starting tomorrow.”
Considered one of Europe’s brightest young managers, Amorim’s first match is slated for Nov. 24 at promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
United are 13th in the league on 15 points from 11 matches, four points adrift of Chelsea in third. Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has guided the side to three wins and a draw in all competitions since Ten Hag was fired on Oct. 28.
“I know it will be difficult to reproduce what I have here elsewhere, but there are other places with different exposure and pressure … It’s been a fantastic adventure,” said Amorim, who has won the Primeira Liga twice with Sporting.
“I apologise for this mid-season decision, but I felt it was my time and my way.”
-Reuters
The ongoing Nigeria Premier Professional League (NPFL) has continued to throw up interesting results following away results recorded by two struggling teams, Ikorodu City and Bayelsa United against their respective opponents.
It was Bayelsa United’s lone goal win against former Champions, Rivers United tutored by Finidi George that was the biggest result of the day and ensured the host lost two matches consecutively after the 0-3 bashing in Lagos last week against host, Ikorodu City.
Early in the seventh minute ensured that Rivers United remained in the second position with 21 points from 11 matches.
Elsewhere, resurgent Ikorodu City continued their impressive run after a bad start with a 2-1 win away at Katsina United. After conceding an early goal via Moses Effiong in the 22nd minute, the Oga Boys bounced with an equaliser from Emmanuel Solomon on the dot of half-time.
With the match looking like a draw, the away side scored the winner late in the match when Solomon stood tall and scored the second goal that gave his side two consecutive wins.
The result lifted the Ikorodu City side away from the relegation zone and now occupies 12th position with 14 points.
Former champions, Enyimba of Aba and Remo Stars of Ikenne played a goalless draw in Aba.
The result did not alter their respective positions on the log as Remo Stars still led the rest at 22 points and Enyimba is in third position with 19 points.
Resurgence Heartland FC maintained their current form with a lone-goal win at home scored by Christian Molokwu in the 8th minute against Sunshine Stars of Akure.
Coach Emmanuel Amuneke’s side is now out of relegation water as they occupied the ninth position on the log with 15 points.
Kwara United won away at Nasarawa by a lone goal scored by Emmanuel Ogbole in the final minute of the first half.
The Afonja Warriors had to endure with a man down in the final quarter of the match following second yellow by Victor Adeoye in the 71st minute.
In Minna, Niger Tornadoes compounded the woes of Akwa United with another defeat by a lone goal scored in the 48th minute by Papa Daniel.
The result, lifted the winning side into fourth position on the log at 17 points while former champions, Akwa United are now rooted at the bottom of the table with just nine points.
Defending champions, Enugu Rangers secured a goalless outing against the host, Plateau United.
Rangers failed to take advantage of the host’s one-man down all through the second half after John Amah received a straight red and the result leaves the Red Antelopes in the sixth position at 16 points while Plateau United are in eighth position with 15 points.
In Ibadan, Shooting Stars walloped visiting El-Kanemi by three goals to nil. Samuel Ayanrinde opened the score in the 27th minute and Abubakar Ibrahim Aliyu doubled the lead for the host 10 minutes later and Adams Mustapha got the third goal in the 61st minute.
The win pushed the Oluyole Warriors out of relegation and now occupies 10th position with 15 points while El Kanemi has dropped to 7th position at 16 points.
On Saturday, Bendel Insurance had lost at home to Kano Pillars just as Lobi Stars 3-1 against Abia Warriors
NPFL WEEK 11 RESULTS
Enyimba 0-0 Remo Stars
Shooting Stars 3-0 El Kanemi
Katsina Utd 1-2 Ikorodu City
Heartland 1-0 Sunshine
Nasarawa 0-1 Kwara Utd
Tornadoes 1-0 Akwa Utd
Plateau Utd 0-0 Rangers
Rivers Utd 0-1 Bayelsa
Insurance 0-1 Pillars
Lobi Stars 3-1 Abia Warriors
Manchester City slumped to a fourth successive defeat as Brighton & Hove Albion hit back from a goal down to beat the struggling Premier League champions 2-1 at home on Saturday.
Matt O’Riley’s goal condemned City manager Pep Guardiola to the worst run of his illustrious coaching career and left his side in danger of falling adrift in the title race.
Leaders Liverpool can open a five-point lead over City if they beat Aston Villa in the day’s late kickoff.
Brighton, who lost to Liverpool having been in front a week ago, moved into fourth place on 19 points from 11 games with City on 23 points and Liverpool on 25.
Fulham climbed to seventh after a 2-0 win away at London rivals Crystal Palace while Brentford came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-2 and move into the top half.
Wolverhampton Wanderers finally tasted victory after a wretched start to the season as they beat fellow strugglers Southampton 2-0 to climb off the foot of the table.
Pablo Sarabia scored after two minutes — Wolves’ fastest goal in a Premier League match — and Matheus Cunha wrapped up the points to the relief of manager Gary O’Neil.
West Ham United and Everton played out a dull 0-0 draw at the London Stadium.
City, thrashed 4-1 in Lisbon by Sporting in the Champions League in midweek having seen a 32-match unbeaten Premier League run ended by Bournemouth last weekend, seemed to be back on track when Erling Haaland scored his 12th league goal of the season after 23 minutes on the south coast.
Guardiola’s side gradually lost their grip, though, and Joao Pedro equalised for the hosts in the 78th minute before O’Riley combined with Pedro to fire in the winner.
City have lost four successive games in all competitions for the first time in 18 years while for Guardiola it is the first time he has ever lost four in a row as a manager.
Goals by Emile Smith Rowe and Harry Wilson gave Fulham maximum points at Selhurst Park where the hosts were reduced to 10 men after Daichi Kamada was shown red for a dangerous tackle.
Brentford twice trailed at home to Bournemouth but striker Yoane Wissa’s double sealed a comeback win.
-Reuters
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