Premier League
LAMPARD SAVOURS WIN OVER OLD MENTOR MOURINHO
When the final whistle blew on Sunday, jubilant Chelsea coach Frank Lampard ran to the visiting fans to throw his coat into the crowd in celebration, as if their 2-0 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur had been a cup final victory.
For Lampard, it was not only his most significant league win in charge of Chelsea, against one of their biggest rivals, after a run of four defeats in five games.
It was also a triumph of tactics over his former mentor Jose Mourinho who, as Chelsea manager 15 years ago, turned Lampard from a promising player into the club’s all-time top goal-scorer and one of England’s best midfielders of his age.
Lampard’s Chelsea were in control from start to finish on Sunday. Two first-half goals by Willian, one of them a penalty, could have been followed by others.
Spurs were taken by surprise by the visitors’ formation which included three central defenders and the return of left-back Marcos Alonso to add attacking threat.
Mourinho said Lampard had resorted to the same three-at-the-back system that was familiar to the team after former Chelsea coach Antonio Conte used it to win the league title in the 2016-17 season.
“They played in a system where they are very comfortable with, a system where they played for two years with Antonio Conte,” Mourinho said.
Lampard bristled at the suggestion. “I’m not trying to clone anyone’s system,” he said.
“The way that I play, the message that I give is different. The players took the plan on incredibly well as we all saw.”
Lampard said he played three central defenders to snuff out the threat from Spurs’ ability to get their attackers behind the back line, while the use of wing-backs helped to stretch the hosts’ typically compact defence.
“We had an element of protection in the way it worked but it also allowed us to have loads of control of the ball,” he said.
He also rejected Mourinho’s comment that Antonio Rudiger deserved “an Oscar” for his part in an incident that left Spurs with 10 men for the last 30 minutes after Son Heung-min was sent off for raking his studs on the Chelsea defender’s midriff.
But Lampard stressed there was no bad feeling towards his former coach.
“To go up against a manager I respect so much from my playing days and for everything he’s done in the game, and win, that obviously feels good,” Lampard said.
“Even if we had anything on the line during the heat of the 90 minutes, which we didn’t, it wouldn’t change that. What Jose’s done in his career and did for me as a player, means I have respect forever for him on that one.”
-Reuters
England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court over a 2020 incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees after his arrest in a brawl in which two police officers were assaulted.
Maguire, who was detained for two days following the incident and denied any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on multiple charges.
In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing nullified Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.
Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The 32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. His legal team will appeal against the guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.
Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences related to the incident and received suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
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Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.
Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace
Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.
Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.
The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.
“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”
Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.
The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.
The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.
Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.
United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.
Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”
Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”
For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.
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