Premier League
Pulisic scores as leaders Chelsea stroll past Leicester
American forward Christian Pulisic was back among the goals as Premier League leaders Chelsea extended their advantage at the top of the table to six points with a comfortable 3-0 win at Leicester City on Saturday (Nov 20).
The visitors raced into a two-goal lead inside 28 minutes after Antonio Rudiger climbed highest from a corner to head home and N’Golo Kante arrowed in a rare goal.
Leicester improved after the break, but Chelsea remained in control and put the game to bed when Pulisic, who has endured a frustrating, injury-interrupted season, stepped off the bench and scored in the 71st minute.
The victory, Chelsea’s fifth from six away league games this season, moved the Blues onto 29 points, six clear of second-placed champions Manchester City, who play West Ham United on Sunday.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions after erasing the bitter taste of a frustrating 1-1 draw against lowly Burnley before the international break.
“It’s a good away game, an excellent result. We created a lot of chances,” the German manager said.
“We knew we needed to be strong from first to last minute. This is what we did.
“N’Golo is outstanding. He finds another gear on the pitch, when he plays with a free mind he can be the difference.”
Leicester, who have for so long been top-four challengers in the Premier League, are well off the pace in 12th after their fifth loss of the season.
Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers switched to a three-man central defence in a bid to shore up his leaky rearguard, but the Blues easily found holes in the formation.
Chelsea started brightly, with former Leicester full back Ben Chilwell denied by the crossbar early on.
The goal that gave the visitors the lead was always likely to come via one route though: Coming into the match, no side had scored Premier League goals with headers this season than Chelsea, and no team has conceded more via headers than Leicester. Sure enough, some slack Leicester marking allowed Rudiger in to head home.
It was a well-timed reminder of the German’s quality as Chelsea try to persuade the 28-year-old to sign an extension to a contract that runs out at the end of the season.
“Everybody wants him to stay. It’s pretty clear,” Tuchel said.
“Sometimes there’s a delay in these things, but he knows which club he plays for – a fantastic club in a fantastic league.
“We need a bit of patience and hopefully there will be a happy ending.”
It was all too easy for Chelsea thereafter, with Leicester, who beat the Blues in their previous two meetings – last season’s FA Cup final and a Premier League victory at the King Power in January – offering no response.
With Leicester also allowing far too much space ahead of them, Kante took advantage to make it two, given time to carry the ball to the edge of the home penalty area before firing in.
It took the hosts until the 58th minute to create a shot on or off target, with substitute James Maddison shooting straight at Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, before Daniel Amartey did actually force Mendy into a fine stop.
Chelsea’s strength in depth was clear for all to see as two substitutes combined to put the game to bed, as Hakim Ziyech fed Pulisic, who scored his first Blues goal since August at the near post.
It could have been more, with Chelsea having three goals ruled out for offside, and would not have been undeserved, given their dominance at the King Power Stadium.
-Reuters/AFP
Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.
City, who are looking to qualify for Europe’s top club competition for a 15th straight season, have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and are seventh, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.
Guardiola’s side are four points behind Nottingham Forest, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification berth.
“When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of their home match against Everton.
“They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League. The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are.”
After hosting Everton later on Thursday City travel to face Leicester City on Dec. 29.
-Reuters
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Bukayo Saka will be sidelined for “many weeks” after suffering a hamstring injury in Arsenal’s 5-1 win at Crystal Palace, manager Mikel Arteta said Monday.
Asked at a press conference about the 23-year-old England international’s condition, Arteta said: “It is not looking good. He will be out for many weeks.”
Saka was filmed leaving Selhurst Park on crutches on Saturday, souring what had been a comprehensive second win over the Eagles in four days.
Arteta said after the match: “He felt something in his hamstring. He couldn’t continue. He will have to be assessed, so I’m pretty worried about that one.”
He also revealed on Monday that Raheem Sterling had injured his knee and would be out for many weeks.
Arteta was asked if there was a fear Saka would not return before the end of the season.
“No (there’s no fear),” he said. “I’m very optimistic he’ll be back before the end of the season.”
The Spaniard said it was part of the “development of a player”.
“It could have been much worse. It could have been something else that can take you out for a year,” he said.
“It’s how you react to that, how you overcome that situation and it’s a great learning process for him as well.
“It is what it is. He’s injured, we cannot change it. We’re going to use this time now to help him.”
Saka is crucial cog in Arsenal’s attack, scoring five Premier League goals and providing 10 assists this season, and his absence will be keenly felt.
Arteta said he was “putting some ideas together” about how to cope in the winger’s absence.
“We went through the period with Martin (Odegaard) and the period with five, six defenders missing,” he said. “We’re taking it with positive energy.”
Arsenal, who have finished as Premier League runners-up over the past two seasons, host relegation-threatened Ipswich on Friday.
The Gunners are third in the Premier League table, six points behind leaders Liverpool having played a game more.
-AFP
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Premier League
Ola Aina spearheads Nottingham Forest’s continued push for Europe with an impressive win at Brentford
Ola Aina was in his best element as he propelled Nottingham Forest to hand Brentford their first home defeat of the season.
Aina opened scoring in an eventual 2-0 defeat of Brentford who were unbeaten at home in 10 games in all competitions, which included nine victories, but the loss leaves them 12th in the standings with 23 points.
With Aina’s goal and an additional one by Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest will celebrate Christmas in the Premier League’s top four.
They are provisionally up to third position with 31 points.
“Most of the players were on the floor at the end. It’s difficult to come here,” Elanga said.
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