Tag: English Premier League

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MAJA’S DEBUT DOUBLE SECURES HISTORIC FULHAM WIN AT EVERTON

On-loan striker Josh Maja scored twice on his full Premier League debut as Fulham recorded a first league win at Everton in their history, with a deserved 2-0 victory ending a 12-match run without a win.

The 22-year-old former Sunderland man scored two typical poacher’s goals from close range.

It moved the third-bottom Cottagers to within seven points of Newcastle in 17th and offered them some hope of an escape if Maja, whose two goals incredibly moved him to joint-fourth on Fulham’s leading league scorers list this season, can reproduce this form on a more regular basis.

They will not find many opponents as passive as Everton, however, who blew the chance to strike a huge psychological blow for the forthcoming Merseyside derby.

Four points from this match and Manchester City on Wednesday would have put them above their rivals across Stanley Park ahead of Saturday’s short trip to Anfield.

But Everton were toothless without injured top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin and also lacked the necessary competitiveness to make Fulham’s first league win at Goodison Park in 28 attempts anything other than comfortable.

Bobby Decordova-Reid’s cheeky backheel from a corner looping over a crowded six-yard area and onto a post set the early tone and was followed by Harrison Reed driving just wide of the angle of post and crossbar and former Everton winger Ademola Lookman somehow shooting wide having cut in from the left.

Everton’s best chance came from full-back Seamus Coleman, who ran unchallenged from the halfway line to strike a post with a left-footed shot from outside the area in the 34th minute.

By then Richarlison had taken the last of his four touches of the half as even a move to a more central role did not improve his fortunes.

While Fulham failed to take advantage of having the better of the opening 45 minutes they did not need long to rectify that after the break.

Within five minutes of the restart Ola Aina burst forward from left-back to cross for the unmarked Maja to slide home his first Premier League goal on only his second appearance.

The same combination almost added a second but for the outstretched foot of Mason Holgate and that prompted a change of personnel and formation.

Coleman and midfielder Tom Davies made way for Michael Keane – with Holgate moving to right-back – and Josh King as manager Carlo Ancelotti made his second formation switch of the game by going to 4-4-2.

Maja struck again, though, when goalkeeper Robin Olsen tipped Reed’s shot on to a post and he anticipated well to tap home.

King was denied a debut goal by an offside flag but there was little else to trouble the visitors’ defence as Everton slipped to a third home defeat in four matches.

It was also the first time Ancelotti had failed to win in four home league games since December 2007 and next up are the in-form City.

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AUBAMEYANG HATRICK GIVES ARSENAL 4-2 WIN AGAINST LEEDS UTD

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his first Premier League hat-trick as Arsenal held off a Leeds United comeback to win 4-2 at Emirates Stadium.

Aubameyang netted his first on 13 minutes, when he cut in from the left side before firing low beyond Illan Meslier.

Arsenal went 2-0 ahead from the penalty spot on 41 minutes as Aubameyang sent Meslier the wrong way after the Leeds goalkeeper had fouled Bukayo Saka.

Dani Ceballos’s nutmegged pass after a slick team move then set up Hector Bellerin, who beat Meslier at his near post for the Gunners’ third on the stroke of half-time.

Aubameyang completed his treble two minutes after the restart with a close-range header from Emile Smith Rowe’s delivery.

Pascal Struijk’s header reduced the arrears on 58 minutes and Helder Costa added a second 11 minutes later, before Aubameyang was denied his fourth goal as he hit the post.

Arsenal’s biggest home win of the season moves them above Leeds to 10th spot on 34 points. Leeds drop to 11th, two points behind the Gunners.

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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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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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Man City into FA Cup quarters with record 15th straight win

It’s 15 straight victories and counting for Pep Guardiola’s irrepressible team, which has another domestic treble in its sights.

One of the most relentless schedules in the history of English soccer hasn’t stopped Manchester City putting together a record-setting run of wins.

It’s 15 straight victories and counting for Pep Guardiola’s irrepressible team, which has another domestic treble in its sights.

By beating second-tier Swansea 3-1 to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday, City broke the record for most consecutive wins in all competitions by a top-flight team, a mark that had lasted for nearly 130 years. Preston won 14 in a row in 1892 and that was later matched by Arsenal’s class of 1987.

City has gone one better during a pandemic, when matches in the Premier League or domestic cup competitions are being played every three or four days to fit them into a condensed season that started a month later than usual.

Indeed, by also advancing last month to the English League Cup final, City has played every weekend and midweek since Nov. 21 except for an eight-day break from Dec. 26-Jan. 3 during which the team’s training ground was closed because of a coronavirus outbreak. The number of first-team players to test positive ran into double figures.

“That means a lot in this toughest period, in the Christmas and winter time,” said Guardiola, whose side leads the Premier League by five points with a game in hand. “To do what we have done in this time is quite remarkable.”

Guardiola earned his 200th win in 268 games in charge of the team.

City won 20 straight games in all competitions from August-December 2017, also under Guardiola, but one of those victories came in a penalty shootout in the League Cup after a 0-0 draw after extra time.

Also advancing to the last eight was Sheffield United, a 1-0 winner against second-tier Bristol City, and Leicester, which beat Brighton by the same score thanks to Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

EASY FOR CITY

In the 2018-19 season, City became the first English team to achieve the domestic treble, beating Swansea en route to winning the FA Cup that year by coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the quarterfinals.

City didn’t need to produce anything as dramatic this time, taking the lead in the 30th when Kyle Walker’s low cross into the penalty area was missed by the sliding Ferran Torres at the near post and ended up creeping inside the far post.

Rodri played in Raheem Sterling to double the advantage in the 47th, before Gabriel Jesus controlled a header across goal by Bernardo Silva and slammed in a left-footed shot three minutes later.

Morgan Whittaker grabbed a consolation for Swansea, which included two United States internationals — Jordan Morris, who made his first start, and Paul Arriola, who made his debut as a second-half substitute following his loan move from D.C. United. Their U.S. teammate, Zeck Steffen, played in goal for City.

Everton was hosting Tottenham in the late game Wednesday.

Manchester United and Bournemouth advanced to the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

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MIKE DEAN TO MISS PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES AFTER DEATH THREATS

Referee Mike Dean has decided not to officiate at any Premier League games this weekend after he and his family received death threats following recent controversial red card decisions, media reported on Monday.

Dean was criticised after he sent off Southampton defender Jan Bednarek during their 9-0 defeat at Manchester United last Tuesday and West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek during Saturday’s 0-0 draw away to Fulham.

Bednarek was sent off for a last-man challenge on United forward Anthony Martial, while Soucek was dismissed after appearing to accidentally elbow Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in the face.

Both decisions were overturned on appeal.

Mike Riley, chief of the refereeing body PGMOL, condemned the abuse directed at Dean.

“Threats and abuse of this nature are totally unacceptable and we fully support Mike’s decision to report these messages his family received to the police,” Riley said.

“Nobody should be a victim of abhorrent messages like this. Online abuse is unacceptable in any walk of life and more needs to be done to tackle the problem.”

Dean will take charge of Leicester City’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday, the BBC said.