Football: Chelsea see off Spurs as Jesus grabs late Man City winner

LONDON -- Chelsea strengthened their grip on a Premier League top-four place on Saturday by beating London rivals Tottenham 2-1 as Manchester City edged past Leicester despite another attack of the penalty jitters.

Sheffield United will rue missing out on the chance to clamber above Tottenham into fifth place after drawing at home to struggling Brighton.

Liverpool's staggering 19-point lead over second-placed Manchester City means the title race is effectively over, with much of the focus turning to the scramble to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Frank Lampard's fourth-placed Chelsea went into their match against Jose Mourinho's Spurs at Stamford Bridge without a win in their past four Premier League matches and just one point clear of Spurs.

Fringe players Olivier Giroud and Marcos Alonso were recalled by Lampard and both rewarded their manager's confidence by scoring in the home win.

The result means Lampard has completed a league double against his former boss this season after their 2-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December.

But the match was overshadowed by a VAR controversy, with officials ruling that Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso did not deserve to be sent off for a "leg breaker" stamp on Cesar Azpilicueta.

World Cup winner Giroud put Chelsea ahead in the 15th minute when he reacted quickest to finish beyond Hugo Lloris after Ross Barkley had struck a post.

Chelsea doubled their advantage three minutes into the second half, Alonso drilling in a first-time shot after being set up by Barkley.

Alonso's free-kick hit the bar before Antonio Rudiger deflected Erik Lamela's shot into his own net in the 89th minute to give Spurs late hope.

Lampard criticised VAR after Lo Celso was allowed to stay on the pitch.


- 'Leg-breaker' -

"I hate to call for red cards but that is a leg breaker," he said. "Everybody knew they made a mistake. I was just waiting for the red card to be shown."

Adding to Lampard's frustration, television broadcaster BT Sport reported that VAR officials had told them Lo Celso should have been sent off.

As it stands, a fifth-placed finish could guarantee Champions League football next season because Manchester City have been banned from Europe's elite competition for two years.

City hope to have their appeal against the ban heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport before the start of next season.

Substitute Gabriel Jesus struck late on for City at the King Power Stadium after Aguero saw his second-half spot-kick saved by Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

City have failed to score from each of their past four penalties, with each spot-kick being missed by a different player.

But they bounced back to see off Leicester and the 1-0 win leaves them seven points clear of their opponents, cementing their position in second place.

Jamie Vardy will rue hitting the post early in the match and Leicester had two penalty appeals turned down in an engaging contest.

"We have missed four penalties in a row but maybe we will shoot a penalty when we need it to win something," Man City coach Pep Guardiola told the BBC. "The keepers are good too, but the next one we are going to score."

Sheffield United had a chance to steal a march on their rivals for a Champions League place next season, with Manchester United, Wolves, Arsenal and Everton not in action until Sunday.

They took the lead at home against Brighton through Enda Stevens but Neal Maupay equalised for the south coast club on the half-hour.

The 1-1 draw leaves Sheffield United in sixth place on 40 points, level with Tottenham.

Sheffield manager Chris Wilder said he was proud of his team's efforts in tough conditions.

"There was just a relentless nature of our game, we were knocking on the door and if it don't open, it don't open, but not for want of trying and not for want of an attitude that's exceptional and has been all season," he said.

Burnley beat Bournemouth 3-0 to win for the fourth time in five Premier League matches and lift themselves to eighth in the table while Southampton won 2-0 at home to Aston Villa to move 10 points clear of the drop zone.

Runaway league leaders Liverpool host struggling West Ham on Monday. 

Agence France-Presse

Football: Lampard returns to Chelsea as manager

Chelsea appointed Frank Lampard as their new manager on Thursday, as owner Roman Abramovich turned to a familiar face rather than an experienced hand to replace Maurizio Sarri and lead the club into a new era.

Lampard, adored by Chelsea fans as the heart and soul of the club's midfield during a trophy-laden 13 years at Stamford Bridge, was handed a three-year contract having left second tier Derby County.

"I am immensely proud to be returning to Chelsea as head coach," Lampard told the club website. 

"Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however, my sole focus is on the job in hand and preparing for the season ahead.

"I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club and I cannot wait to get started."

A relative rookie as a manager, the 41-year-old Lampard earned plaudits for taking Derby into the Championship playoff final in his first year in the dugout -- even if they just missed out on promotion to Aston Villa.

He faces no small task in returning Chelsea to the status of Premier League title contenders following Sarri's departure to Juventus and Eden Hazard's move to Real Madrid.

His rebuilding efforts at Chelsea will also be hampered by a FIFA transfer ban.

Sarri, who departed after one season at Stamford Bridge, guided Chelsea to the Europa League title and third place in the Premier League but was never loved by Chelsea fans.

"Lamps" will have no such problems.

The former England midfielder played a key role in Chelsea's golden era, making 648 appearances and scoring a club record 211 goals between 2001-2014. In that time, he won three Premier League titles as well as the Champions League.

"After 13 years with us as a player, where he became a club legend and our record goalscorer, we believe this is the perfect time for him to return and are delighted he has done so," Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said.

"We will do everything we can to ensure he has all the support required to be a huge success."

Lampard's former Chelsea team mate Petr Cech joined the club as a technical and performance advisor last month, and the pair will play a key role in the overhaul of the playing squad.

Chelsea, however, have been handed a two-window transfer ban by world soccer's governing body FIFA for breaching rules regarding the international transfer and registration of players under 18.

The club appealed against the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month.

The ban could force Lampard to put his trust in youngsters, a blueprint he developed at Derby where he blooded a number of Chelsea loanees.

Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham were all involved in the playoff final at Wembley and they could all be back in west London next season.

With teenager Callum Hudson-Odoi having made the breakthrough under Sarri last season, Lampard may appear the ideal choice to construct a Chelsea side based on youth.

Chelsea, who finished third in the league last season, kick off their 2019-20 campaign against Manchester United on Aug. 11. 

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru Editing by Toby Davis)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lampard makes losing MLS debut for New York City FC

Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard had an unhappy Major League Soccer debut on Saturday when his new club New York City FC were beaten 3-2 by the Montreal Impact.

The 37-year-old received a rousing ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd when he came on as a substitute in the 69th minute, with New York FC already 2-1 behind.

Montreal went further ahead when Ignacio Piatti scored from the penalty spot in the 84th minute, his second goal of the game, before New York FC managed a consolation through Thomas McNamara one minute later.

It was a satisfying away win for the Impact over a New York team that also included Spaniard David Villa and Italian Andrea Pirlo.

More than a year has passed since New York City, a new team in their first MLS season announced they had signed Lampard, who spent 13 years with Chelsea.

Lampard however played for English Premier League team Manchester City, who are majority owners of the New York side, for the 2014-15 season, before joining the MLS though his debut was further delayed by a calf injury.

Montreal are sixth in the Eastern Conference on 27 points, three ahead of New York City, who have played three more games.

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com