Manchester City’s relentless march in direction of the Premier League title was interrupted as their 21-match successful streak in all competitions was ended by a shock 2-0 residence defeat to rivals Manchester United on Sunday (March 7). Pep Guardiola’s facet might have few complaints as a second-minute penalty transformed by Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw’s positive end early in the second half earned United a shock win.
While City nonetheless lead the desk by 11 factors with 10 video games left, second-placed United confirmed there are chinks in the armour of Guardiola’s facet as they ended a disappointing run of outcomes in opposition to the so-called huge six. Victory for United put them in a fairly wholesome place in their quest to make sure a top-four end as they’re eight factors forward of fifth-placed Everton who play fourth-placed Chelsea on Monday at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool’s horrendous run of kind continued as they misplaced a sixth successive residence league recreation – this time 1-0 in opposition to relegation battlers Fulham – to drop to eighth. Ordinarily Fulham’s first win at Anfield since 2012, sealed by Mario Lemina’s objective on the stroke of halftime, would have been an enormous shock however such is Liverpool’s present malaise it turned simply one other unhappy statistic for the crumbling champions.
“This team is an extreme team. We were extremely successful and now we have an extreme situation as well but we will fight through,” Liverpool supervisor Juergen Klopp mentioned.
Fulham’s win moved them stage on factors with Seventeenth-placed Brighton and Hove Albion and just one level behind Newcastle United, who might solely handle a 0-0 draw with second-from-bottom West Bromwich Albion. “It’s a big win. There’s a lot of emotion and I am very proud,” Fulham boss Scott Parker mentioned.
Gareth Bale and Harry Kane mixed in exhilarating trend with two objectives apiece in Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace to maneuver into sixth spot, two factors behind Chelsea. Kane claimed assists for each of Bale`s objectives taking his complete for the season to 13, in addition to his 16 objectives.
“He’s fantastic, an incredible striker. He showed that again tonight. It was a fantastic performance again from him and we are lucky to have him here,” Bale who has scored six objectives in his final six video games, mentioned of the Tottenham skipper.
Manchester United had not crushed any of the so-called ‘big six’ this season till Sunday, however supervisor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is beginning to change into one thing of a nemesis for his City counterpart Pep Guardiola after a fourth derby victory since he took over at Old Trafford in December 2018.
City have been shocked after 34 seconds when referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot after Gabriel Jesus introduced down Anthony Martial simply contained in the field and Fernandes transformed. Shaw drove residence United’s second and regardless of a great deal of possession City couldn’t penetrate United`s pink wall.
Fernandes mentioned United had not given up hope of reeling in City. “The league is not a sprint. It`s a marathon. We have to do our best and not think about others,” he mentioned.
Guardiola was beneficiant in his evaluation of his cross-city rivals. “It was a fantastic game. United make incredibly high pressing and they are so fast on the counter. We played good. Unfortunately we couldn`t be clinical up front so we congratulate United,” he mentioned.
“We will be the news because we lost. But the news is 21 victories in a row. There are still 30 points to play for and we have to start to win again.”
