Premier League
Man City deepen Man United crisis with 2-0 derby win
Manchester United suffered another home humiliation as Manchester City cruised to a 2-0 win at Old Trafford on Saturday (Nov 6) to raise further questions over the future of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Eric Bailly’s own goal and Bernardo Silva’s strike on the stroke of half-time was the difference between the sides on the scoreboard.
But that did little justice to the chasm between the teams as only a string of stunning saves from David De Gea prevented United from a thrashing similar to the 5-0 humbling they were handed by Liverpool less than two weeks ago.
Solskjaer bought himself some time with a 3-0 win at Tottenham last weekend.
But United have now won just one of their last six Premier League games and could finish the day 11 points off the top of the table should Chelsea beat Burnley at Stamford Bridge.
Solskjaer’s switch to a back five worked a treat at Spurs, but that owed much to the return of Raphael Varane from injury.
Without the French World Cup winner, who sustained a hamstring injury against Atalanta on Wednesday, the Norwegian’s decision to retain the same system quickly backfired.
Bailly was included for the first time in the Premier League this season and took only seven minutes to give City the perfect start when he sliced Joao Cancelo’s cross into his own goal.
United have won just five of Cristiano Ronaldo’s 13 appearances since the five-time Ballon d’Or winner returned to the club.
Had things gone differently in the final days of August, Ronaldo could have been lining up for City as they pursued the 36-year-old to fill the void left by Sergio Aguero.
Ronaldo’s goalscoring heroics have kept United alive in the Champions League, but he has netted just once in the last six Premier League games.
The Portuguese nearly bailed out a terrible first 45 minutes from the Red Devils when his volley was brilliantly saved by Ederson and Mason Greenwood failed to turn the rebound into an empty net.
But it was De Gea who was by far the busier ‘keeper.
The Spaniard spread himself to miraculously block from Gabriel Jesus before saving from Cancelo, Kevin De Bruyne and denying a second own goal off the boot of Victor Lindelof.
However, even De Gea was at fault for City’s second when Silva got an outstretched leg to Cancelo’s cross and the United stopper flapped the ball into his own net.
Boos greeted the half-time whistle as the travelling City support gleefully chanted “Ole’s at the wheel” to mock the United boss.
Solskjaer responded by introducing former City winger Jadon Sancho, who has failed to hold down a place in the United team in recent weeks despite costing £73 million (S$133 million) to sign from Borussia Dortmund in July.
Sancho injected a little more pace into the United attack, but the home side were still barely able to sustain any pressure as City’s passing triangles left them chasing shadows in the Manchester rain.
Phil Foden hit the post and Jesus had strong appeals for a penalty waived away as City could easily have won by a far more comprehensive margin.
A shock 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend left Pep Guardiola’s men with little margin for error in the title race.
City, though, have often saved their best performances for the big occasion this season as they have now taken seven points from a possible nine in away games against Chelsea, Liverpool and United.
Chelsea’s lead at the top of the table is cut to two points as City move up to second, a point ahead of Liverpool, who travel to West Ham on Sunday.
-AFP
Premier League
Manchester United tighten hold on third in the Premier League with win over Aston Villa
Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha buried a second‑half strike off a pinpoint through ball from Bruno Fernandes for a club-record 16th Premier League assist in a season to lift the hosts to a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Casemiro and substitute Benjamin Sesko scored United’s other goals in a result that tightened United’s grip on third place in the standings on 54 points after 30 games, while fourth-placed Villa have 51 points.
United, who were playing their first game in 11 days, were keen for a victory after interim boss Michael Carrick’s seven-game unbeaten run ended in a 2-1 loss to 10-man Newcastle United on March 4.
With 22 points from a possible 27 under Carrick’s leadership, Sunday’s win will invariably lead to more questions about his chances of becoming United’s permanent manager.
“It was a slightly different game today going into it being so close in the league and making the small jump we could if we won, off the back of a defeat,” Carrick said. “It was a small test and we haven’t really had that.
“The boys dealt with it really well, had a really good week and applied themselves well. Everything is so so encouraging. We’ve got a lot to play for.”
The game looked headed for a draw before Cunha scored from the left side of the box in the 71st minute, with Fernandes recording his 100th assist for the club across all competitions.
With eight games left, Fernandes is also four shy of matching the Premier League record for assists in one season of 20 held by Thierry Henry (2002-03) and Kevin de Bruyne (2019-20).
“He’s had so many big moments, to score a goal, to make a pass,” Carrick said of Fernandes. “Training or games, he’s always there. Really good with the corner. The pass to Matheus was fantastic to cap off a good performance all around.”
Sesko put the game out of reach 10 minutes later with a blistering shot from the centre of the box.
Casemiro put United ahead in the 53rd minute with a glancing header from a Fernandes corner.
Ross Barkley levelled in the 64th with a shot from the middle of the area. After a lengthy VAR check to determine whether the ball glanced off an offside Amadou Onana, the goal stood.
A better second half salvaged a decent game after a dreary first 45 minutes plagued by errant passes and slipping players.
United did have some decent first-half chances including a header from Amad Diallo that goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez stretched backwards to keep out of the net. Diogo Dalot had a terrific chance inside the box that he launched over the bar.
Leny Yoro’s block spoiled one of Villa’s best chances and led to a long-range shot from Fernandes at the other end that he sent just wide of the post.
Villa have not won a league game since February 11, and an animated manager Unai Emery spent much of the afternoon stomping his feet and waving his arms in frustration.
“How we are progressing after we did fantastic months in October, November, December, the last two months we are struggling,” Emery said. “It’s Manchester United here at home, and they are now in good moment. And of course, they played a very intelligent match.
“I think we can get better. The result at the end was a bad result for us. We must accept it and try to analyse now to get better for the next challenge.”
-Reuters
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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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