Premier League
Man City beat lowly Leicester for first win in five league games
Savinho and Erling Haaland scored to give Manchester City a much-needed 2-0 victory, in manager Pep Guardiola’s 500th game in charge, over Leicester City at King Power Stadium on Sunday, the champions’ first win in five Premier League games.
City’s second win in 14 games across all competitions meant they climbed two spots to fifth place in the standings with 31 points, 11 behind leaders Liverpool who have two games in hand. Leicester remain in the danger zone in 18th place.
Savinho netted his first goal for City in the 21st minute when he pounced on a rebound from Phil Foden’s long shot after Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk pushed the ball into his path. The Brazilian fired into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Haaland, who has just two goals in eight league games in his worst stretch of his Premier League career, doubled City’s lead in the 74th minute when he headed home a looping cross from Savinho, who latched onto a pass from Kevin de Bruyne.
Their victory was far from a walkover, however.
Leicester fans screamed for a penalty early on when Jamie Vardy found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from a counter-attack. Ortega brought Vardy down in the box but Man City were saved by the offside flag.
Josko Gvardiol nearly cost Guardiola’s team a first-half goal with a disastrous header back to Ortega that was intercepted. City’s disorganised back line saw Facundo Buonanotte clatter a shot off the bar minutes later.
Leicester had another glorious chance early in the second half when Vardy headed into the box and James Justin got a touch on it that looked headed into the back of the net before Manuel Akanji cleared it off the line.
-Reuters
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said he will never be “comfortable” in the role and that his job could be in danger if he does not deliver, despite the club paying a hefty sum to release him from Portuguese side Sporting last month.
United have lost five of their last seven games in all competitions and sit 14th in the Premier League, where they are closer to the relegation zone than Champions League places.
United paid an 11 million euro ($11.48 million) release fee to bring in Amorim and the team showed initial promise, including a famous win over fellow strugglers Manchester City.
But the team crashed out of the League Cup, while Thursday’s defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers — their fourth loss in five league games — has left Amorim’s side 11 points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
“The manager of Manchester United can never, no matter what, be comfortable,” Amorim told reporters.
“I know that if we don’t win, regardless of if they paid the buyout (clause to sign me) or not, I know that every manager is in danger and I like that.
“I like that because that is the job. You can argue that I have been here one month and I’ve had four training (sessions), but we are not winning. That is the reality and I’m quite comfortable with that.”
Amorim admitted United’s fans have grown weary with their run of poor results and their task does not get any easier with Monday’s home game against Newcastle United.
Eddie Howe’s side have moved up to fifth on the back of three straight league victories, while United are without their captain Bruno Fernandes, who was sent off at Wolves.
“We have to expect that any play from Newcastle near our box is going to make the stadium nervous and our players have to cope with that,” Amorim said.
“We want to be competitive and try to win the game … I just want to give something to the fans,” he added.
-Reuters
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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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