Tag: English Premier League

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SILVA, GUNDOGAN SCORE IN CITY’S 2-0 WIN OVER VILLA.

Bernardo Silva’s superb strike and a last-minute Ilkay Gundogan penalty earned Manchester City a 2-0 win over a battling Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s side enjoyed much of the possession, but were frustrated by a well-drilled Villa defence.

Phil Foden twice went close in the first half, heading at Emiliano Martinez, before pouncing on a wonderful Kevin De Bruyne through-ball, only to be denied by Matty Cash’s block.

After the break, Bertrand Traore showed sublime control from a long throw by Martinez and slipped past De Bruyne, but his final shot lacked power on 52 minutes.

City responded, with Joao Cancelo clipping the woodwork two minutes later.

Silva broke the deadlock with 11 minutes remaining, controlling Rodrigo’s pass before unleashing an unstoppable left-footed shot.

Gundogan wrapped up the points from the spot after Cash had handled.

City’s sixth straight Premier League win sends them second, on 38 points, above Leicester City on goal difference and two points below Manchester United, with a match in hand on both.

Villa, whose head coach Dean Smith was sent off shortly after Silva’s goal, lie 11th with 26 points.

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PREMIER LEAGUE TO TRIAL CONCUSSION SUBSTITUTION.

The Premier League could begin trialling the use of concussion substitutes as soon as next week.

Clubs have voted in favour of conducting the trial in England’s top flight.

Each team will be allowed up to two extra substitutions per game if concussion is suspected in a player.

The issue of concussion and head injuries has been brought into focus by the number of ex-players living out their later years battling dementia.

Clubs’ attitudes towards head injuries have also been called into question, none more so than when David Luiz stayed on for Arsenal after a clash of heads that fractured the skull of Wolves striker Raul Jimenez in November.

Arsenal say they followed all the proper protocols at the time.

The trial could begin as early as the middle of next week if it is okayed by the game’s lawmakers, IFAB.

A Premier League statement read, “The trial will be confirmed when the implementation of the reporting processes, including private medical information, has been resolved with IFAB and FIFA.

“With player welfare the Premier League’s priority, the protocols will allow a maximum of two concussion substitutes to be used per team, with the opposition side able to use the equivalent number.

“The additional concussion substitutions may be made regardless of the number of substitutions a team have made already.

“The trial is a result of the IFAB’s consultation with stakeholders and recommendations from their concussion expert group to allow additional substitutions for players with actual or suspected concussion.”

Meanwhile, all Premier League games through to the end of February will be televised.

Fans are no nearer a return to English stadia, with COVID-19 numbers out of control.

The split between rights holders will be revealed in due course.

The Premier League said, “The Premier League and its clubs are committed to an accessible solution for fans.

“These plans have been made with the cooperation of our broadcast partners, working with us to deliver these additional matches while stadiums are missing the supporters who are such an integral part of the game.”

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LEICESTER GO TOP OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE AFTER BEATING CHELSEA 2-0.

First-half goals by Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison powered Leicester City to the top of the Premier League in Brendan Rodgers’ first career win against Chelsea.

Ndidi fired the Foxes ahead from the edge of the penalty area on six minutes following a well-worked corner.

Jamie Vardy’s scooped effort was then kept out on 34 minutes thanks to a touch from Blues goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

On 38 minutes, Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Jonny Evans fouled Christian Pulisic, but a VAR review showed the offence had taken place just outside the area.

Mason Mount fired the resulting free-kick over the crossbar and seconds later, a defensive mix-up at the other end allowed Maddison to make it 2-0.

James Justin sent a free header wide and Youri Tielemans had a shot well saved by Mendy on 57 minutes as the dominant hosts threatened a third.

They closed out an assured 2-0 win after Timo Werner’s late effort that was disallowed for offside.

With 19 matches played, Leicester are top with 38 points, one ahead of Manchester United, who have played a match fewer and face Fulham on Wednesday.

Chelsea lie eighth on 29 points.

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ANTONIO HELPS WESTHAM EDGE WESTBROM AS LONDONERS EXTEND WIN RUN.

Michail Antonio’s second-half strike claimed three points for West Ham United as they stretched their unbeaten run to five.

Manuel Lanzini twice went close for the hosts in the first half, while Aaron Cresswell and Said Benrahma linked up well on the Hammers’ left.

When Benrahma swung over a deep cross in first-half stoppage time, Vladimir Coufal squared it back for Jarrod Bowen to chest into the net.

Six minutes after the break, the Baggies were level when Matheus Pereira slammed a low, angled shot beyond Lukasz Fabianski.

Eight minutes later Dara O’Shea did brilliantly to head a close-range Lanzini effort off the line, before Declan Rice twice went close.

On 66 minutes, Cresswell’s delivery was nodded back across goal by substitute Andriy Yarmolenko, and Antonio hooked in the winner.

There was still time for West Brom substitute Darnell Furlong to shoot just wide in the final minute.

After their third successive league victory West Ham climb to seventh, with 32 points, their highest tally at the halfway point of a Premier League season.

West Brom remain 19th on 11 points.

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COVID-19: 16 NEW CASES ANNOUNCED IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE AFTER RECENT TEST.

Sixteen new positive cases were reported among Premier League players and staff in the latest round of Covid-19 testing, the league has announced.

The positives represent a drop of 20 compared to the last set of figures, and came from 3,115 players and staff who were tested between Monday and Sunday last week.

The Premier League has gone back to twice-weekly testing following an increase in coronavirus infections in the UK.

The league has been affected by a number of postponements since December, with Aston Villa’s last two matches having been called off due to an outbreak at the midlands club.

Players hugging and kissing during goal celebrations have been in the spotlight over the last week, with the league’s chief executive Richard Masters suggesting clubs could practise safer celebrations in training to “get the hang of it”.

It is understood the league felt there was some progress in how the protocols were observed by players at the weekend, but that the situation will continue to be monitored closely.

It is understood the first 10 of the 16 positives were recorded in testing which took place between Monday, January 11th and Thursday, January 14th, with the remaining six picked up in the testing period between Friday, January 15th and Sunday, January 17th.

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AUBAMEYANG SCORES BRACE AS GUNNERS SINK NEWCASTLE.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in a match for the first time this season as Arsenal earned a comfortable 3-0 win over Newcastle United.

Aubameyang had already struck a post and fired over in the first half before he put the Gunners ahead in the 50th minute.

The Gabonese striker collected a long pass from Thomas Partey, got the better of Emil Krafth and fired high past Karl Darlow.

Bukayo Saka doubled the lead 10 minutes later when he swept home a pinpoint pass from Emile Smith Rowe.

Aubameyang struck again from close range after excellent work by Cedric Soares to cross from the byline.

Andy Carroll had the Magpies’ best chance when he thumped a shot wide on 59 minutes.

Arsenal, unbeaten in five Premier League matches, climb to 10th place with 27 points.

Newcastle are now winless in seven top-flight encounters and remain 15th on 19 points.

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UNITED RETAIN TOP SPOT AFTER EARNING A POINT AT ANFIELD.

Manchester United kept their place at the top of the Premier League table with a goalless draw at defending champions Liverpool, as goalkeeper Alisson’s heroics denied them a victory at Anfield.

Liverpool enjoyed much of the first-half possession and created several chances, including Andy Robertson’s half-volley over the crossbar and Roberto Firmino’s tame effort into the hands of David De Gea.

Man Utd came close to breaking the deadlock with their only shot of the opening period, Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick flying inches wide of Alisson’s goal.

After the break, Harry Maguire denied Roberto Firmino a tap-in before Mohamed Salah fired wide for the hosts.

Alisson then kept out Fernandes with a fine reaction save before superbly keeping out Paul Pogba’s close-range strike late on, either side of Thiago forcing De Gea to palm his long-range shot wide.

A 12th match unbeaten takes Man Utd to 37 points, two more than second-placed Leicester City.

Liverpool are three points behind Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team in third.

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TOTTENHAM BEAT SHEFFIELD UTD TO ENTER TOP FOUR.

Brilliant goals from Harry Kane and Tanguy Ndombele helped Tottenham Hotspur move up to fourth in the table with a 3-1 win at Sheffield United.

Spurs went ahead on five minutes when Serge Aurier headed in a Son Heung-min corner from close range.

Jose Mourinho’s side added a superb second goal five minutes before the break.

Kane produced an exquisite turn from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s pass before firing beyond Aaron Ramsdale from outside the penalty area for his 12th league goal of the season.

Sheff Utd responded on 59 minutes when David McGoldrick scored with a firm header from John Fleck’s excellent cross.

But any hopes of a second-half fightback were diminished by Ndombele three minutes later, when he sublimely lobbed the ball beyond Ramsdale from an acute angle after a dinked through-ball by Steven Bergwijn.

Spurs move ahead of Manchester City, who have two matches in hand, on 33 points. Sheff Utd remain bottom, 11 points from safety.

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MASON MOUNT ON TARGET AS CHELSEA BATTLE 10 MAN FULHAM TO VICTORY.

A late goal from Mason Mount proved the difference as Chelsea battled to victory against 10-man Fulham.

Chelsea had the best of a goalless first half at Craven Cottage, with Mount smashing a shot off the bar, before a low strike by Hakim Ziyech was tipped wide by Alphonse Areola.

A minute before half-time, Fulham’s task got harder as Antonee Robinson was sent off for a reckless challenge on Cesar Azpilicueta.

After the break, Chelsea continued to press for an opener with substitute Tammy Abraham heading a great chance straight at Areola.

The deadlock was finally broken on 78 minutes, when Areola palmed a cross from Ben Chilwell out into the path of Mount, who steered the ball in.

Fulham stay 18th, with 12 points, after a first defeat in six matches, while a first win in four lifts Chelsea to seventh on 29 points.

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ANTONIO’S EARLY STRIKE HELP WESTHAM EDGE BURNLEY AT THE LONDON STADIUM.

Michail Antonio’s ninth-minute goal made it back-to-back victories for West Ham United as they beat Burnley to move up to eighth.

The West Ham forward, making his first league start since 30 November, tapped in at the far post from Pablo Fornals’ left-wing cross to make it 10 goals across his last 12 starts in the competition.

West Ham nearly doubled their lead when Angelo Ogbonna headed against a post, before Chris Wood flashed a shot wide for Burnley as it remained 1-0 at half-time.

Antonio was denied a second when his header was cleared off the line by Ben Mee, who missed a chance to equalise, along with substitute Jay Rodriguez.

West Ham have 29 points, while Burnley drop to 17th on 16 points, four points above the relegation zone.