Premier League
Algeria’s Mahrez earns City win at Chelsea to narrow gap with Arsenal
Second-half substitute Riyad Mahrez earned Manchester City a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Thursday to move Pep Guardiola’s 2022 champions to within five points of leaders Arsenal in the Premier League.
Mahrez got on the end of a perfectly placed cross from fellow sub Jack Grealish in the 63rd minute after City upped the tempo following a lacklustre first half from the visitors.
Guardiola’s halftime talk and substitutes proved the difference, because City were often outplayed in the first half despite Chelsea’s injury woes.
The Spanish coach looked delighted and relieved when the final whistle went and said the team had been sloppy and slow in first half.
“In the second half we were miles, miles better in every department. It’s a big result for us,” he told Sky Sports.
Chelsea lost two key forwards to injury within the first 22 minutes, with former City stalwart Raheem Sterling apparently injuring a hamstring shortly after kickoff and U.S. international Christian Pulisic taking a knock.
Graham Potter’s side were already missing England full backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James as well as midfielder N’Golo Kante. Then Chelsea’s ever-present England midfielder Mason Mount failed to make the squad after an injury in training earlier this week.
While City move closer to Arsenal Chelsea are stranded in unaccustomed 10th place after some poor performances under Potter.
Potter might be encouraged by his young substitutes who fought hard against a powerful City side and had some bright moments with 19-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka hitting the post in the first half. But they could not get past an experienced defence, ably marshalled by John Stones.
“It’s a big three points for us,” Stones said adding the side regretted dropping points in a draw against Everton in their last game. “How we especially played in the second half was brilliant.”
Manchester City, who knocked Chelsea out of the League Cup late last year, host Chelsea next Sunday in the FA Cup.
-Reuters
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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