City open 13 factors lead in EPL, Coutinho scores on debut

0
60

Pep Guardiola’s largest problem now will probably be convincing his Manchester City gamers for the English Premier League title race.

“My job is to get it out of my players’ minds and minds,” Guardiola mentioned after City beat nearest rivals Chelsea 1-0 on Saturday. “Trying not to believe what other people are going to say.”

With City main on 13 factors, it is hardly shocking that the fellows have already handed Guardiola’s relentless crew a sixth title in 11 seasons, principally.

After all, the defending champions are heading in the right direction for a 12-match victory within the league after a superb curling strike from Kevin De Bruyne in a sealed victory within the seventieth minute on the Etihad Stadium. City have misplaced two video games all through the season – they must lose at the very least three of their remaining 16 matches to be out in first place – and have already performed all the highest groups away from residence.

Liverpool, 14 factors behind in third place after taking part in two video games quick, appear to be the one crew actually able to stopping City. Given the look and pedigree of the town, that is additionally inconceivable.

Chelsea had been effectively overwhelmed, regardless that Thomas Tuchel’s crew didn’t miss many probabilities in opposition to City, which dominated possession and saved the guests in their very own half for a lot of the match.

“We won’t give up,” Tuchel mentioned, “but if City keep winning every game, no one can catch them.”

Liverpool will probably be seeking to shut City’s hole once they beat Brentford at residence on Sunday.

Coutinho fails United

Philippe Coutinho made his debut for Aston Villa with a late equalizer to make a dramatic comeback in a 2–2 draw in opposition to Manchester United, for which Bruno Fernandes scored twice to place the guests 2–0 forward.

Coutinho, on mortgage from Barcelona, ​​was concerned in Jacob Ramsey’s objective within the 77th, earlier than tapping residence 5 minutes later from inside a raucous six-yard field at Villa Park.

With Cristiano Ronaldo nonetheless lacking with a hip harm, Fernandes took heart stage for seventh-placed United as final season earlier than the arrival of his Portugal teammates. The playmaker opened the scoring with a sixth-minute long-range strike, which rammed by way of goalkeeper Amy Martinez’s arms, and added a shocking second by crashing a shot off the crossbar within the 67th.

It was the second assembly of the groups in per week, after an FA Cup match gained by United on Monday.

Norwich of Bottom

Norwich are on the backside of the league. Everton is heading in direction of it.

A 2–1 residence win over Everton pushed Norwich to 18th place and drew the guests into the image of relegation, whereas placing extra strain on their supervisor Rafa Benitez within the course of.

Everton supporters’ frustration with Benitez seems to be boiling over, with a fan working throughout the sphere at Carrow Road within the first half and making his technique to the Spaniard earlier than being stopped by the stewards.

Benitez was referred to as upon to depart the membership earlier than the sport, with Banners holding up, after which Norwich scored two objectives in fast succession – an personal objective from close-range strikes from Michael Keane and Adam Idah – reeling from Everton. to depart.

Richardson pulled again a bar for the guests shortly after approaching with an overhead kick, however Everton have remained with out a league win since early December and are fifteenth, six factors above the relegation zone.

Newcastle denied

The new signing is but to alter Newcastle’s fortunes.

Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood – January 2’s rookie – started a 1-1 draw at residence to Watford, inserting Newcastle within the backside three with only one win all through the season.

Watford scored by way of a Joao Pedro header within the 88th minute to grab some extent after Alan Saint-Maxiim put Newcastle forward.

It was one other disappointing outcome for Newcastle, who on Trippier’s debut got here per week after shedding to third-tier Cambridge United at residence within the FA Cup.

Also on Saturday, Wolverhampton jumped to eighth place after beating Southampton 3-1. Raul Jimenez, Conor Cody and Adama Traore – with their first season on – scored for the Wolves, and James Ward-Prause’s free kick made it 2-1 within the 84th.

,
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS

Leave a reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here