Month: February 2021

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GUNDOGAN DOUBLE HELP CITY THRASH SPURS TO GO SEVEN POINTS CLEAR

Ilkay Gundogan struck a second-half double as Premier League leaders Manchester City powered to a record-extending 16th successive win with a 3-0 success over Tottenham.

The in-form German, fresh from being named as the player of the month for January, took his goal tally for the season to 13 as he added to Rodri’s 23rd-minute penalty at the Etihad Stadium.

Gundogan was also responsible for winning the spot-kick in another outstanding display but his evening ended prematurely as he went off injured soon after his superbly taken second goal, from an Ederson pass, on 66 minutes.

The win extended City’s lead at the top of the table to seven points and their overall unbeaten run in all competitions – since losing to Spurs in November – to 23 games. Their 16-match winning run, again in all competitions, is a record for an English top-flight side.

They showed their intent early with Gabriel Jesus having two shots blocked in quick succession but Tottenham did not intend to sit deep as Tanguy Ndombele made a driving run into the hosts’ box.

Spurs went close to taking the lead when Harry Kane hit the frame of the goal from a free-kick in the 14th minute. The England captain had worryingly clutched his angle after being fouled by Aymeric Laporte but he was soon on his feet and unlucky to see his curling effort strike the top of a post.

City made the most of that reprieve to hit the front themselves after Gundogan was brought down in the area by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

A week ago Gundogan had been the designated penalty-taker himself but, after missing against Liverpool, this time he deferred to Rodri.

It looked at one point as though goalkeeper Ederson was interested in taking it as the Brazilian wandered up to the halfway line but – despite speculation he may one day get the job – his turn will have to wait. Hugo Lloris almost got a hand to it, but Rodri’s low shot found the bottom corner.

The game became niggly for a period and Jesus got involved in a running battle with Erik Lamela. Spurs boss Jose Mourinho reacted furiously when the Brazilian won what he considered a cheap free-kick from the Argentinian.

Yet City continued to pose the bigger danger and they went close again when Gundogan had a shot blocked after a good run by Raheem Sterling and Jesus hit the bar with his follow-up attempt.

Gundogan got his reward early in the second half. He put City in firm control with his first on 50 minutes after another good run by Sterling, who cut all the way through the box from the right. Gundogan took over to finish tidily with an instinctive strike inside the near post, although Lloris was beaten too easily.

Gundogan’s best was still to come with his second just after the hour. Ederson picked him out in space with a long ball over the top and Gundogan’s control was so assured that that Davinson Sanchez was completely wrongfooted and collapsed in a heap. With space to shoot, Gundogan slipped the ball past Lloris.

The downside was that Gundogan appeared to tweak a groin muscle soon afterwards and he was promptly removed.

Mourinho turned to Dele Alli, for his first Premier League appearance in two months, and Gareth Bale, after a week of uncertainty and speculation over his fitness, but the outcome was not in doubt.

Bale did however show a flash of what he can do with a jinking run into the box but Ederson parried his strike.

Sergio Aguero was unexpectedly among City’s substitutes after recovering from Covid-19 but the club’s record goalscorer was not required on this occasion

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UNITED HELD TO 1-1 DRAW AT WESTBROM DESPITE FERNANDES STUNNER

Bruno Fernandes scored a brilliant volley as Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion.

West Brom went ahead in the second minute, when Mbaye Diagne headed in Conor Gallagher’s cross for his first Premier League goal.

Man Utd got back on level terms after 44 minutes, when Luke Shaw picked out Fernandes, whose volley flew past West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

After the break, Mason Greenwood and Scott McTominay both had efforts cleared off the line.

Diagne had two chances for a second goal. He was denied by an excellent David De Gea save when clean through before firing over from close range.

But the Baggies needed a magnificent Johnstone save to secure a point, as he tipped Harry Maguire’s header on to the post in the final minute of stoppage time.

Man Utd move up to second with 46 points but they lost ground this weekend on Manchester City, who are seven points clear with a match in hand.

West Brom stay in 19th on 13 points.

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ALISSON, LIVERPOOL MISERY CONTINUES AS LIVERPOOL LOSE AT LEICESTER.

Alisson suffered another nightmare as Liverpool’s title defence was left hanging by a thread after a late collapse at Leicester.

The goalkeeper gifted Jamie Vardy a game-changing goal as the Foxes scored three times inside a dramatic final 14 minutes to clinch a 3-1 win.

Alisson, fresh from two huge gaffes against Manchester City, aided Liverpool’s late capitulation when he came and missed Youri Tielemans’ long pass and Vardy ran the ball in.

James Maddison had already levelled before Harvey Barnes struck to compound the visitors’ misery.

Mo Salah had given them a second-half lead but Jurgen Klopp’s side are 10 points behind leaders Manchester City – having played two games more – after a third straight defeat.

Vardy also missed two excellent chances when he headed at Alisson and hit the bar in the first half.

It was a stunning turnaround and the Foxes moved into second, six points ahead of Liverpool.

Klopp would have never envisaged such a collapse after a bright start, despite Maddison trying to lob Alisson from inside his own half.

Jordan Henderson’s raking 50-yard pass sent Salah clear of Ricardo Pereira yet the forward failed to get the ball under control as he burst into the area

Vardy lifted the ball over from an angle after Barnes picked him out and Liverpool’s injury worries continued when James Milner was forced off after just 17 minutes, Thiago replacing him.

It failed to dent the visitors’ momentum, though, and they continued to probe with Salah giving Pereira a difficult half.

The Egypt international skipped away and his cross was turned wide by Sadio Mane before Kasper Schmeichel produced a world-class save to deny Roberto Firmino’s header – although Henderson was flagged offside in the build up.

Leicester’s sloppiness with the ball aided their top-four rivals but they should have opened the scoring nine minutes before the break.

Barnes picked out Vardy in the area but, unmarked seven yards out, he headed straight at Alisson.

It was a chance the former England striker would usually take and he missed another golden one soon after.

Debutant Ozan Kabak’s slip allowed Maddison’s impudent flick to send the striker clear but his rising drive hit the bar.

For all their possession, Liverpool could have gone into the break two goals down but started the second half as they did the first, pinning the Foxes back.

Klopp’s side struggled to create clear openings but did come close after 57 minutes.

Pereira brought down Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 30-yard free kick clipped Vardy in the wall and bounced off the bar.

Leicester’s resolve looked like holding firm, with the returning Wilfred Ndidi quietly efficient, but Liverpool finally broke through after 67 minutes.

Alexander-Arnold found Firmino in the area and his cute turn teed up Salah to curl into the corner from 15 yards.

Liverpool looked on course for victory but collapsed in a frantic final 14 minutes.

First Leicester thought they had a penalty after Thiago brought down Barnes, only for VAR to rule the foul came outside the box.

It mattered little though as Maddison’s low free kick flashed straight in – although it was only given after a VAR check with Daniel Amartey ruled fractionally onside.

Three minutes later Alisson rushed out to Tielemans’ pass but clattered into Kabak instead to leave Vardy with a simple finish.

It got worse for the visitors with five minutes left when Barnes broke free on the left and fired past Alisson.

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BURNLEY CRUISE TO VICTORY AT CRYSTAL PALACE

Burnley returned to winning ways in style after a quick start proved key to a 3-0 win away at Crystal Palace.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Jay Rodriguez netted inside 10 minutes at Selhurst Park and Matt Lowton added a brilliant third after the break to end a four-match run without a victory for Sean Dyche’s team.

It moved the Clarets to 26 points and 11 clear of the relegation zone but the Eagles’ woes without talisman Wilfried Zaha continued. In his absence, Palace have lost 18 of their last 20 top-flight games and the latest spoiled Roy Hodgson’s 350th Premier League game in management.

Without their top goalscorer due to a hamstring injury, Christian Benteke and Michy Batshuayi started together up front for only the second time this season but for a third consecutive game the hosts conceded early.

It was largely down to their own doing too with Scott Dann and Patrick Van Aanholt failing to clear Erik Pieters’ cross from deep and Gudmundsson teed himself up before he fired into the corner after five minutes.

The Iceland midfielder ended a lengthy goal drought in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at home to Brighton and this latest effort made it two in two league games for the ex-Charlton player.

Burnley should have doubled their advantage four minutes later when Ashley Barnes’ shot was deflected behind for a corner by Dann but they did not have to wait long for a second.

From the resulting set-piece, Dwight McNeil’s inswinging delivery was not dealt with by home goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and Rodriguez had the easy task of heading home from inside the six-yard area.

It was more poor defending by the Eagles, but Rodriguez did not complain after bringing his 20-match wait for a top-flight goal to its conclusion.

A couple of efforts from Benteke signalled the hosts’ eagerness to get back into the contest yet both were comfortable for Nick Pope.

In Zaha’s absence, the onus was on Ebere Eze to create for Palace and he curled wide following good work by Jordan Ayew from the opposite flank.

With the deficit at the break still two goals, Hodgson’s men had to start strongly after half-time and the opposite happened.

Full-back Lowton had not scored in the Premier League since April 2013 and he became the most recent player to break a duck at Selhurst Park.

The defender produced a marauding run on the right, dribbling past Eze and Luka Milivojevic with ease before he bounced past Van Aanholt.

After he played a one-two with Rodriguez on the edge of the area, Lowton applied the desired finish when he brilliantly volleyed home to make it 3-0 after 47 minutes.

Palace summoned Andros Townsend and Jean-Philippe Mateta but the race was run for the home side.

Burnley’s day did end on a sour note though when captain Bee Mee left the pitch on a stretcher after an innocuous coming together with Ayew.

The centre-back was put in a neck brace following a five-minute delay and Pieters was also forced off late on with an injury.

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MARTINEZ RESCUES VILLA IN BRIGHTON DRAW

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero as his side held Brighton & Hove Albion to a goalless draw at the Amex Stadium.

Brighton had the better of the chances in the first half, with Leandro Trossard and Dan Burn denied superbly by Martinez.

Although Ross Barkley fired an effort straight at Robert Sanchez for the visitors, Brighton continued to threaten after the interval.

Alexis Mac Allister’s deflected shot drew another smart stop from Martinez and, after Neal Maupay fired just wide, Joel Veltman and Adam Lallana were also kept out by the Argentinian, who made nine saves in total to keep his 12th clean sheet of the season.

Villa move up to eighth place with 36 points, four points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, with two matches in hand.

Brighton, who extended their unbeaten Premier League run to a club-record six matches, are 15th on 26 points

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FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP: BENJAMIN PAVARD SCORES AS BAYERN EDGE TIGRES TO LIFT CUP

Bayern Munich won the Club World Cup final in Qatar on Thursday as Benjamin Pavard’s second-half winner sealed a 1-0 victory over Mexico’s Tigres, the Germans claiming a “six pack” of titles within 12 months.

Pavard’s close-range tap-in was enough to give European champions Bayern their sixth title in quick succession.

This is the eighth year in a row that the Champions League winners have gone on to win the Club World Cup, as Bayern follow in the footsteps of last year’s champions Liverpool.

Bayern are the second side to win all six available titles within a year after Barcelona managed the feat in 2009.

Hansi Flick’s men had already won the Champions League, Bundesliga, German Cup, UEFA Super Cup and German Super Cup last season.

“It feels good to have the six pack — six titles in a row is something very special for us,” said Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski, who helped set up Pavard’s goal.

“I think this is one of the biggest achievements in football, how we played will be remembered for a long time.”

Since Flick took charge of Bayern in November 2019, the European champions have lost just five games, giving him more titles than defeats as boss.

“I hope there won’t be any defeats in the near future and there will be more victories than defeats,” said Flick.

“In terms of the title, this was a statement. It’s amazing what the team was able to do.

“It was really impressive how everyone played.”

Defeat meant heartbreak for Tigres, the first Mexican side to reach the Club World Cup final as CONCACAF champions.

Bayern grabbed the winner when Joshua Kimmich’s cross — intended for Lewandowski — bounced off the hands off Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman and into the path of Pavard on 59 minutes.

The goal stood after a lengthy VAR review, while Bayern also had a first-half goal by Kimmich ruled out with Lewandowski offside.

Bayern were forced into two changes to their starting line-up after a double blow in the build-up.

Thomas Mueller dropped out after being quarantined having tested positive for COVID-19 , while defender Jerome Boateng flew back to Germany for “personal reasons” amid reports his former girlfriend was found dead in Berlin.

“Thomas feels good, he has no symptoms,” said Lewandowski.

“It was bad news (that) he tested positive for Covid, but we knew we had to not think about the situation and win for Thomas.”

Serge Gnabry took Mueller’s place, with Lucas Hernandez and Niklas Suele forming a new centre-back partnership.

After a strong start, Bayern looked to have gone ahead when Kimmich let fly with a long-range strike, but Lewandowski saw the flag go up.

After Pavard gave Bayern the lead, Bayern midfielder Corentin Tolisso hit the post.

Bayern deserved the win and kept up the pressure, with Flick clenching his fists in celebration at the final whistle.

Flick will give his squad two days off when they get back to Germany before Bayern’s next Bundesliga game against strugglers Arminia Bielefeld on Monday.

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MAN CITY DRAW EVERTON IN FA CUP QUARTER FINALS.

Premier League leaders Manchester City will travel to Everton in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Pep Guardiola’s City, the competition favourites, reached the last eight with a 3-1 win at Swansea on Wednesday while the Toffees went through with a memorable 5-4 defeat of Tottenham after extra time.

City, who have won their last 15 games in all competitions in a record-breaking run for an English top-flight side, are also due to face the Merseysiders in a rearranged Premier League game next week.

It is a game in which there could be some needle after Guardiola criticised Everton’s response to the postponing of their scheduled match in December when five City players tested positive for Covid-19.

In another mouthwatering quarter-final tie, Manchester United, currently second in the Premier League, were handed a trip to third-placed Leicester.

The two sides fought out a 2-2 draw when they last met on St Stephen’s Day.

Southampton’s reward for their victory over Wolves on Thursday was an away trip along the south coast to Championship side Bournemouth.

The final tie saw the winners of Thursday’s late game between Barnsley and Chelsea drawn at home to Sheffield United.

The ties are scheduled to take place over the weekend of March 20-21.

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TAMMY ABRAHAM HELP CHELSEA CRUISE PAST BARNSLEY TO BOOK A SPOT IN THE FA CUP Q/FINAL.

Tammy Abraham saved Chelsea’s blushes with a second-half winner at Barnsley as his side scraped through to the last eight of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win.

Abraham struck the fifth-round tie’s only goal from close range, but it was tough luck on Barnsley, who put up a valiant effort.

The Sky Bet Championship side had the game’s best chances against Thomas Tuchel’s mis-firing Blues.

But they fell short in their bid to pull off a repeat of their club’s heroics against Chelsea in the same competition 13 years ago.

The Reds produced a huge quarter-final upset in 2008 when Kayode Odejayi headed their winner, but this time they paid the price for failing to take their chances.

They were unlucky not to have led at half-time, with Callum Brittain twice going closest to breaking the deadlock.

The midfielder’s close-range effort from Alex Mowatt’s excellent cross in the 10th minute forced a superb reaction save from Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Then just before half-time Brittain fired goalwards following a clever corner routine only for his shot to be deflected off target.

In between, Chelsea were denied what appeared to be a penalty by referee Martin Atkinson.

Tammy Abraham galloped on to Billy Gilmour’s throughball and Barnsley defender Toby Sibbick caught the Chelsea striker’s foot as he slid in for a goal-saving challenge.

Tuchel sent on Reece James and Antonio Rudiger for Marcos Alonso and Andreas Christensen at the start of the second half in a bid to kick-start his mis-firing side.

But Barnsley continued to look the more dangerous. Cauley Woodrow’s effort was blocked by Rudiger before Chelsea flickered into life.

Callum Hudson-Odoi wriggled free of two Barnsley defenders on to the left edge of the penalty area, but pulled his 60th-minute shot wide.

The Londoners had not mustered an effort on target, but threatened again when Rudiger’s header from Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick flashed wide.

James added real pace and power down Barnsley’s left side and it was the England right-back who fashioned Chelsea’s breakthrough.

He stormed beyond Barnsley’s cover and his fine low cross was tapped home from close range by Abraham to give Chelsea a 64th-minute lead.

Replays showed Abraham was offside when James played the ball across and the Premier League side will be grateful there are no video assistant referees in the FA Cup.

Abraham then rescued Chelsea at the other end, bailing out Arrizabalaga.

The Blues goalkeeper failed to get anywhere near another Mowatt free-kick and Abraham headed Barnsley substitute Michael Sollbauer’s hooked effort off the goal-line from under the crossbar.

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DANNY INGS STARS AS SAINTS SINKS WOLVES TO MARCH TO FA CUP LAST EIGHT

Danny Ings helped Southampton into the FA Cup quarter finals after a 2-0 win at Wolves.

The striker ended a five-game goal drought as the Saints look to lift the trophy for the first time in 45 years.

Stuart Armstrong settled the game in stoppage time after John Ruddy’s mistake.

The visitors deserved their victory as Nuno Espirito Santo’s selection gamble for the hosts backfired.

Nuno made six changes – including giving captain Conor Coady a rare rest – in a surprise selection considering the FA Cup remained Wolves’ best chance of success – and a return to Europe – this year.

They continued to stutter though, having won just four times since November, and will seek instant revenge in the Premier League at St Mary’s on Sunday.

While Ralph Hasenhuttl made five he was still able to recall Kyle Walker-Peters and hand Mohammed Salisu his debut after an £10.9million summer move from Real Valladolid.

The Saints – who also included James Ward-Prowse – tried to make their strength tell early.

Ruddy gathered Armstrong’s drive at the second attempt as Ings lurked before the striker, with one goal in his previous 10 games, was then thwarted by Romain Saiss.

Armstrong continued to cause problems and Max Kilman’s sprawling block turned his drive behind.

Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster was, aside from one hurried clearance, a spectator, although Salisu survived a VAR review when Morgan Gibbs-White tumbled under pressure in the box.

Wolves, with just 23 goals in 23 Premier League games, struggled to pose a threat but Southampton’s early dominance had waned and Saiss lifted Joao Moutinho’s free kick over just before the break.

The hosts then escaped three minutes into the second half when Armstrong missed a glorious chance. The midfielder arrived unmarked in the area but managed to sidefoot Ryan Bertrand’s cross wide with the goal gaping.

Ings saved his blushes a minute later when he fortuitously opened the scoring with his eighth goal of the season. The striker burst through and when his initial shot was saved by Ruddy the ball ricochet back off Ings and rolled in.

It was initially ruled offside but a VAR review showed the forward was onside.

However lucky, it was a lead Southampton deserved and the visitors now had a platform but Fabio Silva came close to an instant leveller when he fired Gibbs-White’s cross over the bar.

It summed up Wolves’ wastefulness and allowed the hosts to pass the three hour mark without a shot on target.

Nathan Redmond should have punished them after 67 minutes when he wasted the chance to finish the tie. The winger raced onto Armstrong’s pass, only for Ruddy’s smart save to turn the ball wide.

Wolves’ still had hope and they pushed to send the game into extra time – with Forster saving from Adama Traore at the far post after Salisu missed Pedro Neto’s cross.

But Armstrong made it 2-0 in stoppage time when Ruddy made a hash of Leander Dendoncker’s backpass and Nathan Tella teed up the midfielder to curl in off the post.

Wolves then avoided further misery when VAR overturned a penalty, awarded by Jon Moss, when it showed Moutinho’s foul on Tella was outside the box.

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Neymar Doubtful For PSG – Barcelona Champions League Clash

Neymar is in danger of missing Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League last-16 first leg against former club Barcelona after suffering a groin injury in Wednesday’s Coupe de France win over Caen.

The Ligue 1 champions go to the Camp Nou on Tuesday, before facing Barça in the return in Paris on 10 March.

Neymar was forced off shortly before the hour mark against Caen after a heavy challenge by defender Steeve Yago. 

Having immediately asked to be brought off, the Neymar was able to walk off the field and headed straight down the tunnel at the Stade Michel d’Ornano.

If his absence from the first leg against the Catalan giants is confirmed, the 29-year-old would be the second major PSG player to be ruled out in the run-up to the tie, after Ángel di María was sidelined by a thigh injury suffered in the 3-0 Ligue 1 victory over Nimes a week ago.

He will undergo tests on Thursday to ascertain the exact extent of his injury.

Speaking to reporters post-match, PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino said: “It’s difficult to know how bad the injury is right now. We’ll see tomorrow. It’s difficult to say anything about it at the moment. I need more information […]. It’s an adductor problem.”