SOUTHAMPTON (AFP) - Manchester City showed they are willing to accept the challenge of Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title with a 3-1 win away to Southampton on Sunday (Dec 30).
Following shock defeats by Crystal Palace and Leicester, reigning champions City cut the gap between themselves and Premier League leaders Liverpool to seven points ahead of their meeting with the Merseysiders at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.
But they allowed a limited Southampton side back into the game after a dominating start, which suggests there are still frailties for Liverpool to exploit.
David Silva put City ahead after 10 minutes but they passed up a number of chances to add to the lead and gifted Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg an equaliser in the 37th minute.
For a period, Pep Guardiola's side looked fragile, but a James Ward-Prowse own-goal and a header by Sergio Aguero just before half-time restored their confidence.
Saints' frustrations boiled over with a red card for Hojbjerg after a wild challenge on Fernandinho late in the game.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl sprang a surprise in his team selection by giving a debut to 18-year-old former Chelsea starlet Kayne Ramsay at right-back.
Â
Â
Â
City should have gone ahead in the fifth minute when Jack Stephens allowed Raheem Sterling to steal possession and set up David Silva.
But the City man tried to be too deliberate, with his shot blocked by goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
But Saints could also have taken a more surprising lead after eight minutes when Mohamed Elyounoussi's clever flick over the City defence sent Charlie Austin clear.
Austin's first touch, however, was dreadful and sent the ball into Ederson's grateful arms.
Instead of being a goal up, the home side were behind within a minute.
The left side of their defence was opened up with ease by a simple one-two, leaving Bernardo Silva clear of full-back Matt Targett and free to advance down the right. He had all the time he wanted to pick out the unmarked David Silva, who hit the ball first-time past McCarthy.
Riyad Mahrez then shot wide after a move that began with City playing a series of passes inside their own penalty area.
And Aguero squandered an excellent chance in the 25th minute, hitting his shot against McCarthy after Sterling had accelerated past the hapless Targett.
But overplaying at the other end almost proved City's undoing.
Ederson was nearly caught by Austin before dribbling round the striker. But he showed a mastery of the more conventional goalkeeping arts on the half-hour with a diving save to keep out Austin's glancing header from a corner by Ward-Prowse.
City did not heed the warning and Saints were level after 36 minutes.
Oleksandr Zinchenko was slow to see Hojbjerg closing in on him and the Southampton captain robbed the Ukraine defender and strode forward before lashing the ball in from 15 yards.
City double stuns Saints
Zinchenko could count himself lucky that referee Paul Tierney did not see his barge on Ward-Prowse after 44 minutes as a penalty.
And the home crowd were still complaining about that decision when City retook the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Sterling forced his way down the left and fired in a low cross that hit the foot of Ward-Prowse and zipped between the surprised McCarthy and his near post.
And the crowd's disbelief was complete three minutes into first-half stoppage time when Aguero rose unchallenged by Jan Bednarek to nod Zinchenko's cross under McCarthy.
In the second half both sides went through the motions. City had the points they needed and Southampton were happy to avoid further damage to their confidence and goal difference. But even then City could have had three or four more goals.
Sterling shot straight at McCarthy, Aguero hit the angle of the post and crossbar, and Mahrez blasted straight at the goalkeeper.
Frustration got the better of Hojbjerg, who launched into a scissors-style challenge on Fernandinho and was rightly sent off.
Eden Hazard has paid tribute to Cesc Fabregas as the Spanish midfielder edges closer to completing a move away from Stamford Bridge to join French side Monaco. Hazard and Fabregas have been teammates in West London for the last four-and-a-half seasons, winning two Premier League titles and the FA Cup together.
Chelsea Forward Eden Hazard Pays Brilliant Tribute to
BARCELONA -- Lionel Messi put Barcelona on the verge of the Champions League final with a devastating double in a 3-0 home win over Liverpool in the first leg of their last-four clash on Wednesday, taking his goal tally for the Catalans to 600.
Football: Messi torments Liverpool with 600th Barca goal in 3
Maurizio Sarri issues public APOLOGY to Chelsea fans days after heated dressing room row CHELSEA boss Maurizio Sarri has issued an apology to the club's fans after the humiliating 4-0 defeat by
No one at United is blaming de Gea, Football News & Top
Huddersfield manager Jan Siewert has backed Philip Billing after the club's Danish midfielder was subjected to "brainless" racist abuse on social media. West Yorkshire Police arrested a 16
Huddersfield ace Philip Billing exposes sick racist abuse
Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu has said he plans to offer Lionel Messi a new contract in the hope the Argentinian will stay at the club his whole career. Messi's current deal runs until 2021
Want Messi To Always Be At Barca - Barcelona President Opens
Football: Liverpool look built to last. Manager Jurgen Klopp has re-established them as continental superpowers but Liverpool still have not won the league title since Margaret Thatcher was the
Klopp's Reds: Built to last - FOAR - LFC News, Opinions
Gianni Infantino sole candidate for FIFA presidency in June vote The 48-year-old has been in charge of FIFA since February 2016, after succeeding the disgraced Sepp Blatter following the
Football: Gianni Infantino re-elected FIFA president
Manchester City will assess injured duo Bernardo Silva and Oleksandr Zinchenko before Sunday's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace. Pep Guardiola's Silva was a surprise late
Vunipola stands firm after 'liking' Folau's anti-gay comments
Ronaldo and Silva shine as Portugal dominate best Nations League XI Monday, Jun 10 2019 12:28 Transfer roundup (09/06/19) - Wan-Bissaka, Bale and Umtiti amid reports
Ronaldo gets the gold with Silva lining - finance.yahoo.com
Juventus forward Ronaldo came second in the 2018 Ballon d'Or vote behind his old Real team mate Modric, while Messi was fifth, a ranking met with some consternation at both the Argentine's
Modric criticises Ballon d'Or gala snub by Messi, Ronaldo
Even when everything is in flux — when a bright, young Ajax team can go to Turin and beat wily old Juventus, when Cristiano Ronaldo can miss out on the Champions League semifinals, when guards seem to be changing and eras ending — a 3-0 second-leg quarterfinal victory over Manchester United featured soccer's one great, enduring constant: Messi beaming, Barcelona winning, opponents left
Messi's genius is enough for Barcelona to win the Champions
Shape up or ship out: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warns his Manchester United squad they must be fit before pre-season or they will not go on tour. The Manchester United squad languish 39 points behind
Shape up or ship out: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warns his
Football: Arsenal's Ramsey set to cash in with Juventus move
watch coppa america live streaming world
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch soccer live stream app
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch usa soccer live stream
watch coppa america live streaming usa
watch champions league live streaming now tv
soccer tv live football streaming garuda select
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming nz
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch champions league live stream gratis
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch premier league live in stream
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
watch soccer games live stream free app
watch us soccer live stream
watch coppa america live streaming gratis
watch coppa america live streaming now
best site to watch live soccer streaming
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch coppa america live streaming yify
watch soccer live streaming reddit
watch soccer live stream links
watch champions league live streaming video
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch live streaming soccer manchester united
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch soccer world cup live streaming
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch english premier league live streaming online
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
watch champions league live streaming juventus
watch champions league live stream uk
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
watch soccer games live stream free
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch champions league live streaming eng
watch live streaming soccer world cup
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
where to watch premier league live streaming
watch premier league stream reddit
watch premier league live streaming video
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
watch champions league live streaming live
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
watch soccer game live now
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch soccer aid live stream
watch champions league live streaming now free
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch premier league live streaming vk
watch champions league live streaming crictime
watch coppa america live streaming totalsportek
watch live streaming of premier league football
watch champions league live streaming match
watch uefa champions league quarter final draw live streaming
#comico #barcelona #hotcoffee #goal #golazo #copaamerica #zidane #kickoff #fut #salah #kopisusu #Barcelona #romania #freekick #rockstar #mancity #chocolatecoffee #livesports #hoffenhiem #soccerbible #ronaldo #sumbertv #premierleague #crossfit #mane #watchlive #conference #satira #acmilan #coffeebreak #cappucino #arsenal #liverpoolfans #bayern #calciatoribrutti #beatifulgame #transfernews #fcbarcelona #coutinho #realmadridcf #Liamgallagher #vip #meunier #klopp #myfootballuniverse #Sunday #londoncity #americanfootball #cristiano #goodday #battuteepiche #livestreaming #footballmemes #gooners #elcasico
No comments:
Post a Comment