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.
Qatar's Abdulaziz Hatim scored with a stunning late strike as the 2022 World Cup hosts upset Son Heung-min's South Korea 1-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Cup for the first time on Friday.
UPDATE 1-Soccer-Hatem wonder strike secures Qatar upset of
Harry Kane is set for his first Tottenham Hotspur start in 53 days after shaking off an ankle injury.The Spurs striker was forced off during the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal with
Should Harry Kane start the Champions League final
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted that his side got away with a sloppy display during their 2-1 win over Watford on Sunday, believing that they have put themselves "almost in the driving seat" to finish in the top four. Goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rates Anthony Martial's chances of
Find live NCAA Football scores, NCAA Football player & team news, NCAA Football videos, rumors, stats, standings, team schedules and more on FOX Sports.
From Madrid - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Roberto Firmino is fit to feature in the Champions League final clash with Tottenham on Saturday night. Firmino missed Liverpool's
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will break incredible Pep Guardiola record if Manchester United beat Burnley. Man Utd welcome Burnley to Old Trafford in the Premier League fixture on Tuesday evening as Ole
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer equals long-standing record as Man
'Expired' Molde deal to ease way for Solskjaer Related Story Football: Solskjaer has restored United's culture and identity, says former treble teammate Schmeichel
Solskjaer confirms his contract in Norway has expired
Everton avoided a third consecutive Premier League home defeat as Kurt Zouma's header and a late goal by Dominic Calvert-Lewin earned them a flattering 2-0 victory over Bournemouth at a rainy Goodison Park on Sunday.
Soccer-Everton ride luck for 2-0 victory at home to
Football: Singapore Premier League club Warriors barred from
What's gone wrong for Chelsea? 5 ways Maurizio Sarri can prevent crisis. The Blues suffered a setback vs Wolves with the Italian under pressure ahead of the Man City clash
Sarri proved beyond doubt who's in charge at Chelsea by
Gazzaniga, 27, has made 10 Spurs appearances this season, including two in the Premier League when Lloris was unavailable in September. Lloris is much more experienced than Gazzaniga, but Jenas fears that the Frenchman's poor form could cost Spurs a place in the top four if manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn't make a change.
Jermaine Jenas calls on Spurs to drop Hugo Lloris for Paulo
Football; Guardiola salutes 'incredible' Manchester City. Pep Guardiola hailed his "incredible" Manchester City stars as they swept back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win at
Pep Guardiola salutes Liverpool after Man City title triumph
Dijon's French midfielder Florent Balmont vies with Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish defender Juan Bernat during the French L1 football match. (JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK/AFP) Marquinhos, Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored PSG's goals in their first outing since their disastrous exit from the Champions League in the last
PSG win in first outing since Champions League nightmare
PSG's Dani Alves house burgled during match. Paris Saint-Germain's Dani Alves, Neymar and Thiago Silva walk on the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on February 13, 2018 on the
PSG's Dani Alves house burgled during match - L'Equipe
China strips South Korea of football trophy for 'indecent' celebrations with his foot on the Panda Cup. South Korea's victorious under-18 team were stripped of the Panda Cup on Thursday after
China strips South Korea of football trophy for 'indecent
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen