Categories
football Sports News

BURNLEY 0-3 CHELSEA: ZIYECH INSPIRES BLUES TO IMPRESSIVE VICTORY AT TURF MOOR

Hakim Ziyech scored one goal and created another on his first Premier League start as Chelsea beat Burnley 3-0 at Turf Moor.

Ashley Barnes had Burnley’s best chance on five minutes but, after controlling a ball over the top, the striker shot over.

Ziyech’s first Premier League goal came in the 26th minute, when the Moroccan converted a low shot that wrongfooted Nick Pope.

Chelsea doubled their lead on 63 minutes when Mason Mount’s corner was powerfully headed in by Kurt Zouma.

Ziyech turned provider seven minutes later for Timo Werner to make it 3-0, with the German only starting after Christian Pulisic was injured in the warm-up.

Chelsea are five unbeaten and rise to fourth with 12 points.

Burnley are bottom with just one point.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

AIT-NOURI DEBUT GOAL, PODENCE STRIKE HELP WOLVES EASE PAST EAGLES TO LEVEL ON POINTS WITH LEAGUE LEADERS

A debut goal by Rayan Ait-Nouri set Wolverhampton Wanderers on the way to a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, putting them level on points with the Premier League’s top two.

The hosts took the lead on 18 minutes when a cross from Daniel Podence was half-cleared, only for 19-year-old French wing-back Ait-Nouri to find the corner with a low shot.

Leander Dendoncker crashed a spectacular long-distance effort against the crossbar just before Podence doubled Wolves’ lead on 27 minutes, meeting Pedro Neto’s cross with a side-footed finish for his first goal of the season.

Palace had both a Michy Batshuayi goal and a penalty for a foul on Patrick van Aanholt ruled out for offside following Video Assistant Referee reviews.

Dendoncker and Podence had chances to extend Wolves’ lead after the break, while Wilfried Zaha went close at the other end.

With four minutes remaining, Luka Milivojevic was sent off for a challenge on Joao Moutinho after Martin Atkinson used the Referee Review Area.

Wolves are level with first-placed Everton and second-placed Liverpool on 13 points. Palace are ninth on 10 points.

Categories
football Sports News

JOTA MAKES HISTORY, FABINHO OUT INJURED AS REDS BEAT MIDTYLLAND.

Liverpool sealed a 2-0 win over FC Midtjylland on Tuesday night, though the game won’t exactly live long in the memory for all those who witnessed it. The Reds failed to spark into life for much of the game, with the Danish visitors having the best of the first-half chances in the UEFA Champions League match.

It was Liverpool who eventually took the lead, after some fine work on the right-hand side by Trent Alexander-Arnold provided Diogo Jota with a simple tap-in for the club’s 10,000th goal.

Liverpool lost Fabinho to a suspected hamstring injury, and Jurgen Klopp was forced to bring on a number of starters to try to hold onto the win. With seconds remaining, Mohamed Salah smashed home a penalty to secure a 2-0 victory one that takes Liverpool to the top of Group D on six points.

Rhys Williams looked assured in the back line after coming on, which seemingly provides Klopp with another centre-back option he can rely on. In addition, the contribution of the full-backs was, as always, exemplary. While Jota’s goal was simple enough, his impressive start to life on Merseyside will do a great deal to convert any remaining cynics.

Liverpool didn’t register a single shot in the first half an hour — a damning stat indeed for the likes of Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino. Both looked well off the pace, while the midfield pivot of Jordan Henderson and James Milner also seemed to lack urgency or intent. The home team did improve as the game wore on, but this very much felt like a Liverpool side that was playing within itself rather than playing to impress the boss.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

CITY’S INJURY WOES WORSEN BY AGUERO’S RETURN TO THE SIDELINES.

Pep Guardiola fears this season could come down to the survival of the fittest after Sergio Aguero dealt Manchester City a fresh injury blow.

Aguero, City’s record goalscorer, could be out for another month after suffering a muscular injury in Saturday’s game at West Ham.

The Argentinian was playing just his third match since recovering from the knee operation he had in June.

City had been trying to ease him back into action but he encountered a problem in the first half of the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium and was withdrawn at the interval.

With Gabriel Jesus also sidelined, the 32-year-old’s latest setback leaves City without a frontline striker for Tuesday’s Champions League Group C clash at Marseille.

To compound matters, Fernandinho, Benjamin Mendy and Nathan Ake also miss out at the Stade Velodrome while Aymeric Laporte and Kevin De Bruyne have only just returned to fitness in a difficult start to the season.

Manager Guardiola recognises, however, City are not the only club to struggle due to the nature of this season’s pandemic-affected calendar.

Guardiola said: “We are not an exception compared to the other teams in Europe. We’re on the same schedule. Now it is recovery, preparation, recovery and preparation, recovery and preparation.

“We don’t have time to practise much. Everyone got the statistics in the Premier League, we have 47 per cent more muscular injuries than the same period last season. It’s not just about City, it’s about everyone.

“If the people can reflect on this and the guys to protect the players it will be good for the future, if we don’t it will increase. Now we have to protect the players as best as possible. The strongest ones will survive, the others will fall down.”

With hindsight, Guardiola admits it may have been wise to bring in another striker over the summer but the club spent the bulk of their transfer budget on defensive pair Ruben Dias and Ake.

Guardiola said: “We considered it, we thought about it another type of striker but we could not.

“If you decide to buy a striker, it has to be a striker in the league of Gabriel and Sergio, but we cannot afford it. That is the reality.”

“It depends on the injury,” Guardiola said. “When it is minimum it will be 10-15 days. If it is longer it will be three weeks to a month. I don’t know.”

While City’s form in the Premier League has been mixed, they began in the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Porto. Victory over a Marseille side beaten in their opener by Olympiacos could see them establish an early position of strength in the group.

The French side are managed by Andre Villas-Boas, the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss.

Guardiola said: “He is an experienced manager, he knows perfectly the Premier League.

“He’s a young manager who’s had success and he is doing a good job here in Marseille.”

Categories
football Sports News

BRIGHTON 1-1 WESTBROM: LATE GRANT STRIKE EARNS WESTBROM DRAW.

Karlan Grant earned his side their first away point of the season with his maiden goal for the club as West Bromwich Albion battled out a 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Graham Potter’s side looked more threatening early on. Neal Maupay converted Adam Lallana’s cross only for his effort to be ruled out for offside, before Leandro Trossard’s shot was saved.

Five minutes before half-time Tariq Lamptey caused problems in the West Brom area and Branislav Ivanovic’s attempted clearance struck Jake Livermore before rebounding into the net.

The Baggies pushed for an equaliser after the break, Matheus Pereira shooting wide and then striking a post, and on 83 minutes Grant lashed in a fine finish to level.

Brighton stay 16th with five points, two ahead of West Brom, who lie a place further back.

Categories
football Sports News

BURNLEY 0-1 SPURS: HARRY KANE’S EIGHT ASSIST AND SON’S EIGHT GOAL OF THE SEASON SEAL VICTORY FOR MOU’S SIDE.

Son Heung-min’s late header sent Tottenham Hotspur up to fifth place in the Premier League after a 1-0 away success at Burnley.

The match sparked into life late in the second half after Harry Kane cleared a header from Burnley’s James Tarkowski off the line.

Son passed up one clear chance before Harry Kane flicked on a corner to the South Korean, who dived headlong to break the deadlock on 76 minutes.

Earlier in a close contest Ashley Barnes’ 20th-minute effort was ruled out for offside and in the second half Josh Brownhill shot just wide for the hosts before Tarkowski headed over.

Kane intervened to keep out a second Tarkowski header before Son struck the winner for a league-leading eighth goal of the season.

Spurs move up to fifth place with 11 points, two off the lead, while Burnley lie 18th.

Categories
football Sports News

SOTON 2-0 EVERTON: SAINTS HANDS TOFFEES FIRST LEAGUE DEFEAT.

James Ward-Prowse and Che Adams scored first-half goals as Southampton ended Premier League leaders Everton’s unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 win.

Danny Ings set up both goals. The first came in the 27th minute when he played a one-two with Ward-Prowse, who drove into the far-left corner from inside the area.

Eight minutes later, Ings crossed from the left to the far post, where Adams fired low into the net.

Gylfi Sigurdsson had thumped the bar from 20 yards before Southampton took the lead but the Toffees were second best.

Their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Lucas Digne was shown a straight red card for a foul on Kyle Walker-Peters in the 72nd minute.

Everton stay top on goal difference from Liverpool while the win moves Southampton from 13th to fifth.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

LIVERPOOL 2-1 SHEFFIELD UTD: JOTA HEADER SEALS LIVERPOOL COMEBACK WIN.

Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota were on target as Liverpool came from behind to beat Sheffield United at Anfield.

Reds full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold almost scored from a free-kick inside his own half early on before Sander Berge’s 13th-minute penalty gave the visitors a lead for the first time this season.

The visitors threatened to extend their lead through Oli McBurnie, who fired wide, and Ben Osborn, who was thwarted by the returning Alisson.

But on 41 minutes Liverpool rallied, Firmino reacting quickest to score after Aaron Ramsdale had saved Sadio Mane’s header.

Substitutes David McGoldrick and Oliver Burke both fired wide in the final 15 minutes as the Blades searched in vain for an equaliser.

A first victory in three matches lifts Jurgen Klopp’s team to second place, behind leaders Everton on goal difference.

Sheffield United have one point from their six matches.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

MENDY DENIES UNITED AS CHELSEA FORCE RED DEVILS TO BARREN DRAW.

Edouard Mendy produced a spectacular save to deny Marcus Rashford scoring a stoppage-time winner for Manchester United as they shared a goalless draw with Chelsea.

The Chelsea goalkeeper, who had thwarted the United striker when one-on-one with an outstretched leg in the first half, went full length to parry away Rashford’s curling strike.

Mendy had also turned behind Juan Mata’s curled effort in a first half of few chances.

United substitute Edinson Cavani almost scored with his first Premier League touch just before the hour, but his flick found the side-netting.

United are still searching for their first home win of the season and stay 15th with seven points.

A fourth match unbeaten leaves Chelsea sixth on nine points.

Categories
football Sports News

FULHAM 1-2 CRYSTAL PALACE: ZAHA STARS, EAGLES MOVE TO 5TH ON THE LOG AS FULHAM MISERY START LINGERS.

Wilfried Zaha’s fifth goal in six matches helped Crystal Palace to a 2-1 win over 10-man Fulham.

Palace took the lead against the run of play at Craven Cottage with a first Premier League goal from Jairo Riedewald, who finished Zaha’s clever pass on eight minutes.

After twice going close for Fulham, Ademola Lookman struck a post on 26 minutes and Aleksandar Mitrovic couldn’t convert the rebound.

Palace doubled their lead on 64 minutes when Zaha slid in Michy Batshuayi’s cross at the far post.

Fulham’s hopes of a late recovery were hit by a red card for substitute Aboubakar Kamara for a bad foul on 88 minutes after a VAR review.

Deep into stoppage time, Tom Cairney’s long-range strike gave Fulham a first home goal of the season.

Palace rise to fifth with 10 points, while Fulham remain bottom on just one point.