Premier League
Chelsea held by Liverpool in first game after Potter’s sacking
Chelsea wasted a host of chances to beat Liverpool as the troubled Blues were held to a 0-0 draw on Tuesday in their first Premier League match since Graham Potter’s sacking.
Potter was axed on Sunday after the former Brighton manager’s disastrous reign climaxed with a wretched home defeat against Aston Villa.
Chelsea are seeking their third permanent manager of the campaign, with Potter hired in September following Thomas Tuchel’s shock dismissal.
In the meantime, Bruno Saltor, a member of Potter’s backroom staff, made his managerial debut as Chelsea interim boss.
Bruno managed to coax a lively performance from Chelsea, but – as was so often the case under Potter – they paid the price for a lack of cutting edge.
Chelsea remain 11th, leaving them with an uncertain future despite the massive investment in new signings made by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly since he took over last year.
“These have been emotional days and the players have been able to keep focused. It’s a difficult season for them. To come back from what we have had in the last few days is incredible,” Bruno said.
“I have asked the players to play with their hearts and I think we saw that on the pitch. We create chances and I think we deserved to win.”
Liverpool hardly looked much better as a third successive league game without a win damaged their faint hopes of finishing in the top four.
Eighth-placed Liverpool are seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
“I saw a lot of great challenges, people flying into tackles and that’s what we need,” Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said.
“That’s what we have to build on it. If things don’t go your way you have to fight through this and make steps. Sometimes smaller ones, sometimes bigger ones. This was a smaller one.”
In response to Liverpool’s dismal 4-1 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday, Klopp dropped Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold as the Reds boss made six changes.
It was Chelsea who made the stronger start of the two troubled teams and Mateo Kovacic’s shot was blocked on the line by Ibrahima Konate.
Reece James saw his fierce finish disallowed for offside against Enzo Fernandez, while Wesley Fofana was narrowly off target with a headed chance.
Chelsea’s Kai Havertz dragged a good chance wide from N’Golo Kante’s pass.
Darwin Nunez and Joe Gomez forced good saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga as Liverpool finally threatened just before half-time.
Kovacic blazed a glorious chance over soon after the interval, while Havertz’s effort was disallowed for handball when the German’s shot hit Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker and rebounded into the net off his arm.
Leicester’s first game since Brendan Rodgers’ departure on Sunday ended in a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes, led by caretaker bosses Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler after Rodgers’ exit by “mutual agreement”, have now gone seven league games without a win and sit second bottom of the table.
Ollie Watkins put Villa ahead in the 24th minute and although Harvey Barnes equalised after 35 minutes, Leicester’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was sent off in the 70th minute for a second booking.
Bertrand Traore’s 87th-minute curler, his first goal for Villa since 2021, piled on the misery for Leicester.
Leeds climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest at Elland Road.
Orel Mangala bagged his first goal in English football to fire Forest ahead.
But Jack Harrison equalised eight minutes later with a close-range finish after Keylor Navas spilled Marc Roca’s shot.
Luis Sinisterra put Leeds in front in first-half stoppage time, cutting inside and curling his shot into the far corner.
Leeds are two points clear of the relegation zone, while Forest are outside the bottom three on goal difference.
Third-bottom Bournemouth remain in deep trouble after a 2-0 home defeat against Brighton.
Albion took the lead in the 28th minute through teenage forward Evan Ferguson’s audacious backheel, with Julio Enciso’s first goal for the club wrapping up the points in injury time.
– AFP
Egyptian outlet, Ahram, has reported that Mohamed Salah has signed a new contract with Liverpool, extending his stay at Anfield beyond the 2024-25 season as he prepares for what could be the final chapter of a storied career with the club.
While the terms of the agreement were not disclosed, British media reports indicate the 32-year-old forward has signed a two-year extension, keeping him at the club until at least 2027.
Salah, who joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, has become a modern-day icon at Anfield.
The Egyptian international has scored 243 goals in 394 appearances—third on the club’s all-time scorers list—and has helped the Reds secure seven major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League titles.
“I had my best years here,” Salah told the club’s website. “Hopefully it’s going to be 10. I signed because I believe we can still win big trophies together.”
He has maintained his prolific form this season, scoring 32 goals and providing 22 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. His 27 Premier League goals currently lead the division.
During his time with Liverpool, Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times, been named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year twice, and claimed two FWA Footballer of the Year awards.
Now entering the latter stages of his career, Salah remains focused on adding more silverware to his collection and further cementing his legacy at Liverpool.
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Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who became the second-youngest Premier League player when he made his senior debut in Monday’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United, had to wear a blank shirt because it is sponsored by an online cryptocurrency gaming platform.
Britain’s Gambling Act 2005, which underwent a review in 2020, prohibits players under 18 from wearing kits displaying gambling sponsors. Monga, an England U16 international, made his senior debut at 15 years 271 days old.
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri remains the youngest Premier League player in history, having debuted in the competition when he was 90 days younger than Monga.
Leicester, who suffered an eighth straight loss in the league without scoring a goal, are 19th in the standings, 15 points below the safety zone.
-Reuters
Manchester United and Manchester City players came under fire for their amiable hugs and handshakes after playing out an entirely forgettable 0-0 Premier League derby draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.
In a match between teams limping through disappointing seasons, City failed to leapfrog Chelsea in their bid for Champions League qualification and remained fifth in the table while United languished in 13th place.
Pundits said the friendly post-game scenes were an indication of a lack of passion.
“I think the congratulations and love-in that I’m watching says both teams are happy with a 0-0,” former United captain Gary Neville said on Sky Sports. “The best Man City and Man United teams would be very disappointed with the way they’ve approached the end of that game.
“It looks like it’s Sunday afternoon and they’re going to go for a roast dinner together now.”
Former United midfielder Roy Keane agreed.
“They get interviewed after as if a draw isn’t too bad,” Keane said. “A draw doesn’t get you anywhere fast. This is not enough, this isn’t good enough.”
United manager Ruben Amorim shrugged off the comments with a smile.
“I understand that Gary Neville is critical about everything,” he said. “And then I understand that in the moment we are doing the worst (United) season in history. Manchester City who won everything in the past this season are struggling. So we are not in the best moments to give the best spectacle to every fan.
“And then when we are not fighting for the big things, of course, it’s different. You have to look at the context of the game, and I understand the critical aspect of the players that played in this game in a different way (such as Neville and Keane), because they were fighting every time for the titles, so it’s a different context.”
The mood was not entirely convivial, however, with
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola unhappy about the boorish chants by United fans aimed at his midfielder Phil Foden.
“A lack of class, but it is not United, it is the people,” Guardiola said. “We are so exposed, people who are now on the screen in world football – managers, owners and football players, especially.
“And, honestly, I don’t understand the mind of people involving the name of Phil’s mum in that. So it’s a lack of integrity, a lack of class and they should be ashamed. But it is what it is, so it’s happening everywhere, I would say, not just in UK.”
Guardiola said he was not concerned about Champions League qualification.
“Eight games. Crystal Palace (their next game on Saturday). We go for it,” he said. “I’d prefer to have 10 more points or 12 more points. In the previous season, there were five, six or seven games left, we were already fine, but it’s what it is.”
-Reuters
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