Premier League
Manchester City hit back to deny Salah-inspired Liverpool
Manchester City twice came from behind to prevent Liverpool moving back to the top of the Premier League in a pulsating 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday (Oct 3).
Liverpool weathered a City storm in the first half and hit the English champions with a sucker punch when Sadio Mane opened the scoring just before the hour mark.
Phil Foden levelled before Mohamed Salah looked to have won the game with a moment of individual brilliance as he jinked around four defenders before firing past Ederson.
His goal had Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp waxing lyrical.
“Only the best players in the world score goals like this,” said Klopp. “Absolutely exceptional.
“Because this club never forgets anything, people will still talk about this goal in 50-60 years when they remember this game.”
However, Kevin De Bruyne’s shot that deflected in off Joel Matip nine minutes from time salvaged the point Pep Guardiola’s men at least deserved.
“What a game! That is the reason the last years Man City and Liverpool were always there because we try to play in this way,” said Guardiola.
“That’s why the Premier League is the best. It was really great. Unfortunately we couldn’t win, but we didn’t lose.”
A share of the spoils leaves the title race tantalisingly poised with Liverpool a point behind leaders Chelsea and City two points off the top in third.
It could have been much worse for City as a 0-0 draw at home to Southampton two weeks ago left them three points off the top of the table ahead of two of the most daunting away trips in the Premier League.
However, rather than being cut adrift from the contenders to take their title, they have laid down a marker in schooling Chelsea on their own patch and doing the same to Jurgen Klopp’s men for the majority of a thrilling contest.
Guardiola’s side won 4-1 when the sides met behind closed door last season, but City have still not won in front of a crowd at Anfield since 2003, long before an Abu Dhabi takeover transformed the club’s fortunes.
They should have ended that run by putting the game beyond doubt in a dominant first-half when, not for the first time this season, they just lacked the finishing touch.
Foden had the majority of the chances before the break, but could not find a way past Alisson Becker.
Bernardo Silva’s mazy run beyond five players cut open the Liverpool defence, but Foden’s low shot was repelled by the Brazilian international.
The England international then had strong claims for a penalty or a red card against James Milner for a foul outside the box waived away by referee Paul Tierney.
De Bruyne headed over a glorious chance with Foden this time the creator before Alisson had to sprint off his line to block from Foden once more just before the break.
Liverpool were clinging on for the half-time whistle, but were able to reorganise themselves at the break to turn the game into a far more competitive contest in the second-half.
Mane hit City with the sucker punch as Salah skipped past Joao Cancelo and played in the Senegalese to slot calmly into the far corner.
Anfield was suddenly stirred and Liverpool’s players crashed into challenges in response as they didn’t allow City to get into the rhythm they enjoyed before the break.
However, one slick move from Guardiola’s men finally saw them find the net to level 21 minutes from time.
Gabriel Jesus skipped across the face of the Liverpool box before finding Foden, who this time drilled the ball low into Alisson’s far corner.
Guardiola was then infuriated as Milner avoided a second yellow card after chopping down Silva.
And moments his later his mood soured even more when Salah’s stunning solo goal swung the game in Liverpool’s favour.
The Egyptian danced around Cancelo, Silva and Aymeric Laporte before firing on his weaker right foot high past Ederson.
Guardiola was then booked for taking his protests too far, but five minutes later he was screaming in celebration as De Bruyne’s effort from the edge of the box deflected in off Joel Matip.
Liverpool had the best chance to win the game in a breathless finale, but Rodri blocked Fabinho’s goal-bound effort after Ederson flapped at a free-kick.
-AFP
Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said a decision about under-fire manager Erik ten Hag is not his call, and was reticent about whether he still has faith in the team’s boss amid their worst start to the Premier League season since 1986-87.
“I don’t want to answer that question,” Ratcliffe told the BBC. “I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call, it’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.
“That team that’s running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren’t there in January, February, March or April — Omar (Berrada, CEO), (Sporting Director) Dan Ashworth — they only arrived in July.
“They’ve only been there . . . you can count it in weeks almost — they’ve not been there a long time so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.”
Ten Hag’s job was the subject of speculation for much of last season en route to the team’s lowest Premier League finish of eighth. After an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City and an end-of-season review, however, Ten Hag signed a new contract to extend his stay at Old Trafford until 2026.
“Our objective is very clear, we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously, that’s very clear,” Ratcliffe said.
Ten Hag continues to plead for patience from fans with the team languishing 13th in the Premier League table, having lost three of their six opening games. They were headed towards defeat by Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before Harry Maguire scored a last-gasp goal to salvage a 3-3 draw.
-Reuters
Arsenal can go all the way and end their 21-year wait for a Premier League title this season, winger Bukayo Saka said after his side beat Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Arsenal finished runners-up in 2022-23 and took the Premier League title race to the final day last season before once again finishing second behind Manchester City.
The north London side are in the mix this season, sitting third in the league standings, and their impressive victory over French heavyweights PSG underlined their title credentials, with Kai Havertz and Saka scoring in the match.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on us but I do think that this is the year (that we can win the title),” Saka told CBS Sports.
“I think we’ve been close the last two years and we’re getting closer but this hopefully will be the year.”
Saka, who has established himself as a key player at Arsenal and was their top-scorer in the Premier League last season, said the club’s near misses had left him hungry for success.
“Previous years, I’ve come runners-up a lot. It’s just that spirit in me that I want to win this season and of course, I believe in myself a lot,” the 23-year-old told Amazon Prime.
“With those two things, it helps. We believe in ourselves, we believe we’re a top team. We showed that tonight (against PSG). I did tell the boys we have to make a statement when big teams are coming to the Emirates.”
Arsenal next host 19th-placed Southampton in a league match on Saturday.
-Reuters
Premier League
In ‘Battle of Four Super Eagles’ Aina and Awoniyi are lost in the Forest as Bassey and Iwobi triumph
Four Super Eagles players were in a contest Saturday night in an English Premier League battle that paired two on both sides.
Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi were in the Fulham side that raided Nottingham Forest who paraded the duo of Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi.
It was one of the late Premier League matches of the day. Iwobi and Bassey were in the winning side as Nottingham lost 1-0 at home.
Awoniyi had a good chance to score in the 19th minute after getting on the end of a nice pass. Unfortunately for him, he smashed his volley just wide.
The first half did not see many chances and it ended goalless. Awoniyi had just one shot on goal and by the break, coach Nuno Espirito Santo decided to take him off for Anthony Elanga.
However, that did not give Forest the attacking edge they were looking for.
Rather, just three minutes into the second half, they conceded a penalty. Fulham striker Raul Jimenez made no mistake as he converted with aplomb to make it 1-0 to his side.
Iwobi had a good chance to score in the 61st minute after a nice build-up from the midfield.
But his strike was blocked by a defender. Despite the fact that they were searching for goals, Nottingham Forest failed to create much in the final third.
Aina was decent, but could not do much in the attacking third. On the other hand, Bassey was sturdy at the back for Fulham. After 90 minutes, the game ended 1-0 to Fulham.
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