Month: September 2020

Manchester United earned a dramatic 3-2 victory over Brighton with a Bruno Fernandes penalty awarded after the full-time whistle on Saturday.

Neal Maupay scored Brighton’s first goal of the game with a penalty in the first half which he delicately chipped into the goal while Marcus Rashford hit the target for United and Lewis Dunk scored an own goal.

Solly March thought he had earned the side a point with a last minute goal but Bruno Fernandes polished off a penalty on 100 minutes after a Maupay handball to secure United’s first win of the season.

Brighton shot out of the blocks at the Amex with Leandro Trossard hitting the post after just eight minutes with a left-footed shot.

The post was to prove to be Brighton’s downfall with three shots in the first-half — two from Trossard — rebounding off either side of David de Gea’s goal.

Despite Brighton’s better start, it was United who found the back of the net first with Mason Greenwood on 33 minutes. However, replays show Rashford was offside in the build up and the goal was disallowed.

Brighton finally caught their break seven minutes later when Fernandes gave away a penalty for a clumsy challenge on Tariq Lamptey.

Maupay stepped up to take the spot kick and drifted a slow chip into the middle of the goal while De Gea dived to the left.

Brighton’s lead only lasted three minutes though after a Fernandes free kick from outside the box was put in by Dunk for his fifth own goal in the Premier League as he battled with Harry Maguire.

It was a busy day for referee Chris Kavanagh. Two minutes into the second half he awarded a penalty to Brighton after Aaron Connolly went down under a challenge from Paul Pogba. The decision was then overturned after VAR replays showed that the Ireland international stepped across Pogba.

Rashford thought he had put United ahead on 52 minutes but he was offside when Greenwood crossed the ball to him and the goal was disallowed.

Rashford made up for it three minutes later though with a beautiful display of individual skill. A pass from Fernandes on the left sent him running into the box. He dummied and danced around the Brighton defence before hitting a left-footed shot into the net.

Brighton battered United defence in the final stages and March thought he’d got an equaliser with his close-range header at the far post found its way into the back of the net.

It wasn’t to be Brighton’s day, however, and an outstretched arm from Maupay saw the home side give away a penalty after the final whistle was blown.

Brighton thought they had survived the last minute drama when March cleared Maguire’s header off the line and the final whistle went.

However, VAR replays showed that Maguire’s shot had hit Maupay’s raised hand before being cleared off the line. Kavanagh returned to the pitch from the sideline TV and awarded a penalty to United.

Fernandes stepped up to take it and in the final act of the game hammered the ball into the right-hand corner on the 100th minute.

“We got away with one,” United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told BT Sport after the game. “Maybe one point we deserved, we didn’t deserve more. But the character deserved more.

“They are a difficult team to play against. We don’t have the legs and sharpness but we will get there. We have plenty of work ahead.”

Brighton manager Graham Potter said he was “proud” of the performance his players displayed.

“All the little things have gone against us but we were really good for 90 minutes and we have to take that forwards,” he added.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has claimed that the decision to sell Luis Suarez had already been made before he took over in the Camp Nou dugout following Lionel Messi’s swipe at the club’s handling of the Uruguayan’s exit.

Suarez spent six trophy-laden years at the club, cementing a reputation as one of the Blaugrana’s greatest strikers in history in the process, while also striking up a close relationship with Messi both on and off the pitch.

Messi took a fresh dig at the Barca board on Friday in an emotional farewell post to his good friend, but Koeman, who believes he has been painted as the “villain” in the saga, has stated that the decision to move on the 33-year-old had been taken before his arrival.

It seems that I have been the villain of this film,” the Dutchman told a press conference on Saturday. “But before I arrived here, some decisions had already been made and I supported those decisions – it wasn’t up to me.

“I only showed respect to Luis Suarez as a person and a player. I told him that if he stayed it would be difficult for him to play but that he would be part of the squad.”

Koeman went on to say that Messi appears to be unaffected by Suarez’s departure on the training pitch, with the Argentine remaining professional throughout what has been an emotional few months.

“It’s normal that Messi is sad when a friend of his leaves the club. But Leo has been an example for everyone in training and in games. Not a training session goes by in which he has not shown great commitment. I have no doubts about him.”

And while it has been a summer of discontent for the Barca faithful, one thing fans can look forward to is the development of young attacker Ansu Fati, who Koeman confirmed is part of his plans for the new season.

“Ansu Fati is a great talent,” he said. “Few players at his age are at his level. He is young and has things to learn, but if he already made his first-team debut then it means something.

“He’s a player for the future of the club, although, even at his age, his level is impressive enough to play in the first team.”

Bayern Munich beat Sevilla 2-1 after extra time on Thursday to lift the UEFA Super Cup and complete a quadruple under coach Hansi Flick, in the first European game played with some fans in the stands since the sport returned amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Substitute Javi Martinez headed in the winner in the 104th minute after Europa League winners Sevilla had taken a 13th-minute lead through Lucas Ocampos’s penalty and Bayern levelled through Leon Goretzka in the 34th.

Bayern were the better side throughout and missed a bagful of chances through Robert Lewandowski, Benjamin Pavard and Thomas Mueller in the first half.

The Bavarians, unbeaten now in 32 consecutive matches, also won the domestic league and Cup double as well as the Champions League after Flick took over last November. Their last defeat dates back to December, 2019.

“It was an intense game but we deserved to win,” Flick told reporters. “We are not yet fully in our rhythm despite our big win (8-0) over Schalke 04 on the weekend.

“But the mentality of the team, especially after going 1-0 down, was sensational. They battled back against very strong opponents and deserved the win.”

But it was Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer who kept them in the game when he twice denied Youssef En-Nesyri with superb saves before Martinez benefited from being given too much space to head in on the rebound.

The Spaniards gradually ran out of steam, however, and it was only a matter of time until Bayern scored again.

Martinez, who is reportedly close to agreeing to a return to Athletic Bilbao this season, had come on five minutes earlier and benefited from being given too much space to head in on the rebound.

The Spaniard also scored in extra time in Bayern’s only previous Super Cup win in 2013.

Some 15,000 fans were seated in Budapest’s Puskas Arena with the game seen as a test event for the gradual return of fans to European games.

“We all know it is not easy to take right decision,” Flick said of allowing fans. “But it felt good to have an atmosphere in the stadium. It felt a bit more like football. I hope all the fans return home healthy.”

The match was held amid a growing second wave of COVID-19, with Hungarian cases at record highs, which had prompted warnings of the possible consequences of mass gatherings such as this game.

Pep Guardiola has suggested Liam Delap will get more chances after the 17-year-old striker marked his Manchester City debut with a goal.

Delap, son of former Stoke defender Rory, scored City’s opener in the 2-1 win over Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup third round on Thursday and with Sergio Aguero still absent because of a knee problem, Guardiola says he may get more opportunities this season.

“The problems we have up front, Liam will stay with us,” said Guardiola. “He’s a different striker than what we have in terms of his physicality. We see in the training sessions how good a finisher he is. He’s still working but we are delighted for his performance. He played really well.”

Delap, who was signed from Derby in 2019, only found out he was in the team on the morning of the game but took just 18 minutes to open his account with a superb finish after a through ball from Phil Foden, who went on to score the winner in the 75th minute.

“I was buzzing to get the call up and to top it with a goal, I can’t ask much more,” said Delap. “I just want to keep working hard in training and I’ll take every chance I get.

“I’ll probably be smiling for a couple of weeks.”

As well as Delap, United States international goalkeeper Zack Steffen was also handed his City debut after spending a season on loan at Fortuna Dusseldorf. Steffen had little to do as Bournemouth only managed one shot on target but he still did enough to impress his manager.

“He made one good action from a counter-attack and he was calm and safe,” said Guardiola. “He made a good performance.”

Liverpool will face Arsenal in the pick of the ties in next week’s Carabao Cup fourth round.

The Reds will welcome the Gunners to Anfield twice in the space of a matter of days after they face them in the Premier League next Monday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side strolled into the last-16 with a commanding 7-2 win over League One side Lincoln City at Sincil Bank, where Xherdan Shaqiri opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick after nine minutes.

Takumi Minamino measured in a fine shot to make it 2-0 shortly afterwards, with local lad Curtis Jones grabbing two more goals to make it 4-0 by half-time.

Japan international Minamino scored his second in the opening seconds of the second half, with Tayo Edun and Lewis Montsma scoring for the Imps either side of a Marko Grujic strike, with Divock Origi scoring the seventh.

Manchester City had to battle somewhat harder to shrug off Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

City youngster Liam Delap – son of Stoke City legend Rory – gave the hosts the lead, only for the Championship side to level before the break through Sam Surridge.

Phil Foden then grabbed the winner 15 minutes from time.

Pep Guardiola’s men now face a trip to fellow Premier League outfit Burnley next week.

Elsewhere on Thursday, Aston Villa eased past Championship side Bristol City 3-0 at Ashton Gate thanks to goals from Ollie Watkins, Bertrand Traore and Anwar El-Ghazi.

Dean Smith’s men will host Stoke City in the next round.

The fourth round draw in full:

Liverpool vs Arsenal
Burnley vs Manchester City
Brentford vs Fulham
Everton vs West Ham
Aston Villa vs Stoke City
Leyton Orient/Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea
Newport County vs Newcastle United
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester United.

Chelsea have signed Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy on a five-year deal.

The Senegal international, 28, made 25 league appearances for the Ligue 1 side after joining from Reims in 2019.

He completed his medical on Tuesday, with manager Frank Lampard having said he wants to increase competition with club record signing Kepa Arrizabalaga, who cost £71m.

“I’m so excited to be joining Chelsea,” Mendy said. “It’s a dream for me to be a part of this exciting squad.”

Kepa was at fault for Liverpool’s second goal in the 2-0 Premier League defeat by the Reds on Sunday, which was described as “a clear mistake” by Lampard.

The Spanish international was also dropped last season after errors in games.

That included the FA Cup final, when the 25-year-old was replaced by second-choice goalkeeper Willy Caballero, who is 38.

Last season for Rennes, Mendy kept nine clean sheets in 24 Ligue 1 appearances, compared to Kepa’s eight cleans sheets in 33 Premier League appearances.

Mendy’s save percentage was 76.3% and he conceded a goal every 114 minutes. Kepa’s save percentage was 53.5%, conceding a goal every 63 minutes.

However, Kepa’s passing accuracy was 79.7% compared to Mendy’s 70.1%.

Mendy, who has eight international caps, becomes Frank Lampard’s eighth signing of the transfer window.

He follows in the footsteps of former Chelsea keeper Petr Cech, who joined the Blues from Rennes in 2004 and is now the club’s technical and performance advisor.

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said: “As soon as Petr Cech and our technical team identified Edouard as the most suitable goalkeeper to complement our existing group, there was only one player we wanted to bring in.

“Edouard arrives following a season of real success with Rennes, he is ambitious for more, and we welcome him to our club.”