LONDON (AFP) - Manchester City exacted some measure of revenge on Tottenham for their Champions League exit as Phil Foden's first Premier League goal earned a 1-0 win to move them back top of the table on Saturday (April 20).
Pep Guardiola's men edge one point ahead of Liverpool once more with four games of a titanic title race left for both sides.
For all their Champions League heroics to get to the semi-finals this season, Tottenham still have much to do to qualify for the competition next season as they could easily end the Easter weekend outside the top four should Arsenal and Chelsea beat Crystal Palace and Burnley at home respectively.
City's quest for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies was ended by defeat on away goals to Spurs on Wednesday, despite winning a thrilling quarter-final, second leg 4-3.
However, they remain on course for a first ever treble of domestic trophies in England as they survived a nervy finale thanks to another blistering start.
City have made a habit of firing out of the blocks this season and just like in midweek to kickstart a kamikaze encounter, they struck within five minutes.
Foden was making just his second Premier League start and immediately justified Guardiola's faith in the 19-year-old by heading home Sergio Aguero's nodded pass across goal from Bernardo Silva's cross.
Â
Â
However, history could easily have repeated itself as after four goals were shared in the opening 11 minutes on Wednesday, Spurs had numerous chances to strike back.
Son Heung-min had already forced Ederson in a smart save from a narrow angle before City scored and the Brazilian goalkeeper had to rush from his goal once more to deny Christian Eriksen an equaliser on 15 minutes.
Two minutes later the Dane played provider with a glorious ball to free Son in behind the City defence.
However, the South Korean, who scored twice in midweek to end City's European dreams for another season, was caught up just in time by Aymeric Laporte, who made a perfectly timed last-ditch tackle.
Despite Tottenham's chances on the break, it was the hosts who were still dominating territory and possession with Bernardo Silva a constant threat.
The Portuguese's outstanding season was rewarded as he was named alongside teammates Aguero and Raheem Sterling in the six-man shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award and Jan Vertonghen was fortunate to escape without conceding a penalty when he appeared to trip Silva inside the area.
Spurs were without captain Hugo Lloris through injury and his understudy Paulo Gazzaniga looked nervous early on, but the Argentinian goalkeeper got down to save Silva's next effort.
Guardiola's decision to leave Kevin de Bruyne out for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final between the sides was doubly questioned after the Belgian bagged a brilliant hat-trick of assists in midweek.
However, Guardiola's reasoning for being cautious with his playmaker after an injury-plagued season was understandable as de Bruyne limped off again just before the break and may well now miss the rest of the campaign.
Both sides suffered from their midweek exertions and the blazing sun as the second-half meandered along at a much more subdued pace.
Spurs had a big penalty appeal of their own turned down when Kyle Walker handled inside the area against his former club.
Sterling briefly thought he had completed a hat-trick in stoppage time on Wednesday with the goal that would have sent City through to the Champions League last four until VAR ruled the goal out for offside.
And the England international could not believe his misfortune once more when Gazzaniga stuck out an outstretched leg to prevent Sterling sealing a vital three points from Leroy Sane's cut-back.
Instead, City had to suffer through the closing stages knowing one mistake could cost them the title.
But they held on as Spurs suffered an eighth straight away defeat to English opposition.
If Dejan gives a sign on Monday - 'I feel brilliant' - then we'd have to think anew," Klopp added. "But in the moment we prepare the game and in this preparation Dejan is not involved. We have to find other solutions." The post Liverpool's Lovren unlikely to face Bayern, says Klopp appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
Liverpool News - Lovren unlikely to be fit in time to face
22nd October 2009. The cellar club with merely 1 win, 7 draws and 13 goals scored was the perfect sparring partner for Sengkang Punggol whom their fans would claim it to be "bla
Singapore national football team - Wikipedia
Previous article Ronaldo return looms large over Juve's European hopes - The Straits Times Next article U.S. judge defers ruling on PG&E $350 million bonus plan EURO-NEWS
Cristiano Ronaldo: Injured Real Madrid star has return date
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates with Jordan Henderson at the end of the match REUTERS. Liverpool crushed Arsenal 5-1 to move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday but manager Juergen Klopp still would not get involved in any talk of winning the title.
Kane and Lloris rescue point for Spurs against Arsenal. 02/03/2019 the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in London, yesterday
Kane and Lloris rescue point for Spurs against Arsenal
London (AFP) - Premier League stars will be among the footballers taking part in a 24-hour social media boycott on Friday as part of a protest against racist abuse online. The campaign, which is being co-ordinated by England's Professional Footballers' Association, urges players to stay off all s
Premier League players to boycott social media in racism
Football. Home football; Transfers; PSG take charge with 2-0 win at United, Pogba sent off. first leg match and had talisman Paul Pogba sent off late in the game on Tuesday.
Champions League: PSG take charge with 2-0 win at United
Man City's Sterling treated differently by British media, says Pogba. Sports when asked whether the media treated Sterling differently because of the colour of his skin. say racism in
Man City's Sterling treated differently by British media
Gareth Bale '100 per cent' committed to Real Madrid despite speculation over his future, claims agent Description: Bale played the full 90 minutes when Real suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against lowly Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, but Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane later questioned whether he was fully focused.
Bale '100 percent' committed to Real, claims agent - Punch
Football News - Fabio Quagliarella attributed his new-found serenity, after years of a stalker nightmare, to his stunning form as the 36-year-old became the oldest player to score for Italy
Real Madrid's forward Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring during the Spanish La Liga match between Real Madrid and SD Huesca at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, on March 31, 2019.
Benzema saves Real Madrid blushes with late Huesca winner
Rescuers said on Thursday they had ended the search for the plane carrying Premier League player Emiliano Sala which disappeared over the English Channel three days ago, adding the chances of
UK rescuers end search for missing plane carrying soccer
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 29, 2019, with the headline 'Barca stroll to their 26th LaLiga title'. Print Edition | Subscribe.
Barca stroll to their 26th LaLiga title - theworldnews.net
We trust ourselves: Yoshida, Football News & Top Stories
Definition of shape up or ship out in the Idioms Dictionary. shape up or ship out phrase. What does shape up or ship out expression mean? Definitions by the largest
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen