Record-breaking City march on, Everton's woes continue

LONDON - Manchester City restored an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 come-from-behind win at Huddersfield Town, while Everton's season went from bad to worse following a toothless 4-1 defeat at Southampton on Sunday.

Huddersfield appeared on course to earne an impressive point against City but Raheem Sterling bundled home a fortunate 84th-minute winner for the visitors after Sergio Aguero had earlier converted a penalty to cancel out Nicolas Otamendi's own goal.

With a 12th victory in 13 games, Pep Guardiola's City have made the best ever start to a Premier League season and lead second-placed rivals Manchester United by eight points.

Southampton's Charlie Austin scored twice as they coasted to victory over managerless Everton, while Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez scored a 92nd-minute winner as they climbed into the top four with a 1-0 victory at stubborn Burnley.

City did not sweep aside Huddersfield as many expected, but the manner of their post-match celebrations illustrated how important victory was on a winter's evening in Yorkshire.

They may have had many more eye-catching performances this season, but Sunday's victory was typical of title-winning sides.

A rapidly-maturing Sterling, who has scored 12 times in 18 games this season in all competitions, won the penalty that led to Aguero's equaliser and was in the right place at the right time late on to score after Gabriel Jesus was denied.

"Today was a game that epitomised the Premier League - winter is here, it's colder, it's harder to move the ball, they defended well," said City captain Vincent Kompany after his side reached 37 points from a possible 39.

"I feel the team deserved the win, we kept at it, even being 1-0 down we believed."

United are second on 29 points after a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday followed by Chelsea (26), who drew 1-1 at Liverpool (23), Arsenal (25) and Tottenham Hotspur (24).

EVERTON WOES

Everton have scored just 13 league goals since the departure of striker Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United in the close season, while the 28 they have conceded is the most of any side in the top flight this term.

On the south coast, Dusan Tadic gave Southampton a deserved lead with a neat finish in the 18th minute before Everton equalised when Gylfi Sigurdsson's long-range effort went in despite hitting the crossbar twice and the post once.

Austin restored the home side's lead with a close-range header in the 52nd minute before adding a near carbon-copy second to double the advantage six minutes later.

Steven Davies added a fourth with a superb effort late on as Everton's despondent players capitulated after the break.

The Toffees, who sit two points above the relegation zone with 12 points, have now won only once under caretaker manager David Unsworth.

"I take responsibility, but we all have to as well," said former Everton defender Unsworth. "We're in a tough place and things have to change quickly.

"Confidence is as low as it has ever been. The club has to decide (on a new manager) and the sooner that happens the better. The players need this resolving.

"What I see is a happy squad but I'd rather have an unhappy squad that's winning. I want what's best for the club and I hope the players do too."

NERVELESS PENALTY

After top-four contenders Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool failed to win on Saturday, Arsenal capitalised but were indebted to Sanchez's nerveless late penalty against Burnley.

Arsenal have now won three successive games against the Lancashire club with goals on or after the 90th minute.

"In the first half we didn't find our game, they stopped us from playing very well," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. In the second half it was a question of the final ball and patience, not making a mistake at the back,"

Asked about the late penalty decision, the Frenchman said: "From outside it looked 100 percent (a penalty).

And regarding the battle for Champions League qualifying places, he added: "It's early, (the top four) changes from one week to another. We wanted to win away from home and we did it. Let's focus on the next one."

(Reporting by Tom Hayward; editing by Ken Ferris)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Injuries mar Man City's history night

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom -- Injuries to center-backs Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi overshadowed proceedings as Manchester City reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time after drawing 0-0 with Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday.

Leading 3-1 from last month's away leg, Manuel Pellegrini's side completed the job in forgettable fashion, with Jesus Navas's shot against the post for City the nearest either side came to breaking the deadlock.

But first-half injuries to captain Kompany and Otamendi cast a pall over the evening at a hushed Etihad Stadium, leaving City vulnerable in defence ahead of Sunday's derby with Manchester United in the Premier League.

"It is a very important achievement for the club. This is a club that is growing and continuing to develop as a big club," said Pellegrini.

"Vincent unfortunately has another muscular injury in his calf, which he has had before. We'll know tomorrow (Wednesday) or after tomorrow how serious it is. Usually with muscular injuries, minimum a month.

"Otamendi has an important kick and can hopefully recover in the next couple of days."

While progress in the Champions League represents a historic achievement for Pellegrini, who will hand over to Pep Guardiola at the season's end, the injuries could have a costly impact on City's attempt to resurrect their domestic title challenge.

The League Cup winners have fallen 12 points below leaders Leicester City, although they retain a game in hand, and face challenges from both United and in-form West Ham United for their top-four place.

Pellegrini welcomed Yaya Toure back from the heel problem that had caused him to miss Saturday's frustrating 0-0 draw at Norwich City, but within seven minutes he was counting the cost of another injury.

After misjudging a bounce on the City right, Kompany slipped as he tried to recover the situation and immediately realised that he had done himself damage, passing the ball out of play and signalling to the bench before limping off with a look of disgust etched on his face.

The Belgium international, who has suffered 14 calf injuries since 2008, was soon joined in the home changing room by Otamendi, who came off second-best in a collision with Vitaliy Buyalskiy.

- Aguero miscues -

The Argentine attempted to play on, before admitting defeat, leaving City with reserve centre-backs Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis in the heart of their defence.

It was not a combination that will have inspired great confidence among the home support and there were early nerves as Mangala's missed kick from Demichelis's pass almost let Lukasz Teodorczyk in on goal.

With the atmosphere affected by the double injury blow, City struggled to get going and when Navas managed to pick Sergio Aguero out with a right-wing cut-back, the Argentine miscued.

Visiting goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy was not tested until early in the second half, when he showed a neat touch to control the ball on his thigh after a defender had inadvertently prodded it towards his own goal.

City began to show signs of life, Toure curling a free-kick over the bar and Aguero dragging a shot wide, before Navas collected a pass from Toure and drilled a low shot against the left-hand upright.

Moments later, City goalkeeper Joe Hart made his first save of the night, comfortably fielding an effort from Andriy Yarmolenko after the Ukraine winger robbed Gael Clichy.

Toure continued to drive the home team forward and he threatened to make the breakthrough from Navas's cut-back, only for Shovkovskiy to save.

There were two late scares in the hosts' box when first Buyalskiy and then substitute Olexandr Yakovenko took aim, but Hart blocked alertly on both occasions, giving City a clean sheet for only the second time in their 18 Champions League home games.

"We had chances to score and Manchester had chances to score," said Dynamo coach Sergiy Rebrov.

"The guys showed they deserved to be in the Champions League. This game was a good experience."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

FOOTBALL: City and United draw, Liverpool held

Man City top after bore draw, Klopp still awaits win

Steve Tongue, Reuters

Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League after a 0-0 draw with Manchester United on Sunday but the much-hyped meeting proved far less eventful than the day's other derby.

Man City have 22 points from 10 games, the same as Arsenal, while United are in fourth place with 20 points.

United manager Louis van Gaal claimed his team had "controlled the game" at Old Trafford but it was only in the last few minutes of a dismal game that they looked like scoring.

Jesse Lingard hit the bar from a clever chip by Anthony Martial and Chris Smalling forced Joe Hart into his one significant save.

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Suarez treble gives Barca comeback win over Eibar

Reuters

Barcelona needed Luis Suarez to be at his clinical best with a hat-trick in a 3-1 comeback win at home to modest Eibar on Sunday which put the champions level on 21 points with arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Atletico Madrid, the only other team apart from Spain's Big Two to win the league in more than a decade, stayed firmly in the hunt when Yannick Carrasco scored the pick of the goals in a 2-1 victory at home to Valencia.

Real, who host Barca in the first of the season's two La Liga 'Clasicos' on Nov. 21, lead on goal difference with nine matches played after they secured a nervy 3-1 win at 10-man Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Atletico, the 2014 champions, are third on 19 points, one ahead of fourth-placed Celta, who are a point clear of Villarreal in fifth after they drew 0-0 at promoted Las Palmas on Sunday.

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Klopp denied first win, says Liverpool lack belief

Reuters

Juergen Klopp said his Liverpool side lacked self-belief after they were held 1-1 at home by Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday, leaving the German coach still without a win from his three games in charge.

Christian Benteke's majestic 77th-minute header looked like giving Liverpool the win, but Sadio Mane equalised for the visitors to frustrate the Anfield crowd.

Klopp's arrival, following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers, was greeted with great expectation but three consecutive draws have served as a reality check.

"There was still 10 minutes to go when Southampton equalised," Klopp told reporters. "We didn't give up physically, it's not that we stopped our game physically, but we didn't believe any more that we could turn the game around."

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Olympiakos equal club record with eighth win in a row

Graham Wood, Reuters

Spanish defender Alberto Botia was twice on target as Olympiakos Piraeus equalled a 39-year-old club record by chalking up their eighth league win in a row with a 2-1 success at Atromitos on Sunday.

Marco Silva's Greek league leaders have been in unstoppable form since the start of the season, and their 100 percent record was maintained courtesy of Botia's double.

After heading home a 59th-minute corner, Botia escaped the hosts' defenders again four minutes later to head a second.

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PSG march past St Etienne, Marseille end winless streak

Reuters

Paris St Germain extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 after a routine 4-1 win over St Etienne on Sunday, while Marseille ended a seven-game winless streak with a 2-1 triumph at Lille.

Monaco won 1-0 away at Reims and Olympique Lyonnais overcame Toulouse 3-0 at home on Friday.

With second-placed Angers only managing a 0-0 home draw against Guingamp on Saturday, reigning champions PSG went seven points clear at the top of the table.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com