Liverpool, Man City settle for draw in tabletoppers’ clash
GOALLESS Riyad Mahrez misses late penalty as Pep Guardiola’s side fails to breach Anfield bastion
LIVERPOOL: Riyad Mahrez missed a late penalty as Liverpool and Manchester City played out a tense 0-0 draw that saw the Premier League champions move top of the table on goal difference.
A match billed as a clash between the two title favourites failed to live up to lofty expectations with both teams struggling to create clear chances at Anfield on Sunday.
But Mahrez should have won it for City with four minutes to go after Virgil van Dijk was penalised for bringing down Leroy Sane, instead blasting his spotkick well over the crossbar.
With two unbeaten league records on the line a close match was always likely, City appearing wary of Liverpool’s threat having already lost three times to Jurgen Klopp’s side in 2018.
And, despite Mahrez’s miss, a point apiece was a fair result as both teams cancelled each other out, the draw leaving Liverpool in third, below Chelsea, with all three on 20 points.
Mohamed Salah fired an early shot wide before Dejan Lovren was arguably fortunate not to concede a spot-kick when he bumped Sergio Aguero over in the penalty area.
James Milner had to be replaced due to injury and Liverpool were sloppy thereafter, although City lacked cohesion and the first half ended without a shot on target from either side.
A wild Fernandinho strike from 35 yards that flew well off target summed up City’s frustrations, with a low-key Aguero booked for a poor challenge on Jordan Henderson.
Mahrez should have hit the target on the hour-mark, but pulled his effort wide of the post, then Salah shot straight at Ederson as the game finally opened up in the second half.
Alisson denied Mahrez with a smart stop at his near post in the 75th minute, but the best chance of the game was still to come.
Referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot when Van Dijk brought down substitute Sane, Mahrez smashing his kick over the crossbar to leave the game deadlocked.
CHELSEA BEAT SAINTS
SOUTHAMPTON: Ross Barkley scored his first goal for Maurizio Sarri’s unbeaten Chelsea to help move them provisionally top of the Premier League in a 3-0 win at Southampton on Sunday.
Willian had a shot deflected on to the crossbar and Danny Ings missed a golden opportunity from close range at the other end, before Barkley created the opener for Eden Hazard.
The English midfielder pressed high to win back the ball and set up Hazard, the division’s top scorer, who netted his seventh of the league season after 30 minutes at St. Mary’s.
Barkley, who signed for Chelsea in January from Everton, bundled in the second with his knee from Olivier Giroud’s acrobatic cross although TV replays suggested David Luiz had committed a foul in the build-up.
Hazard played in substitute Alvaro Morata to seal the win in stoppage time.
Barkley’s goal and assist completed a memorable few days for the midfielder, who has just been recalled to the national squad for the games against Croatia and Spain.
“Ross Barkley is playing well. He scored and made an assist. He is doing well and working hard on the training ground,” said Hazard.
“It’s too early to be thinking about the title, we know it is tough to win,” said Hazard. “But it is good to be up there.
ARSENAL CRUISE
LONDON: Arsenal swaggered to a ninth successive win as Alexandre Lacazette’s double and a goal of the season contender from Aaron Ramsey inspired a 5-1 rout of Fulham on Sunday.
Unai Emery’s side turned on the style on the banks of the River Thames, recording their biggest win of the season as the resurgent Gunners moved into the Premier League’s top four.
Lacazette was at the centre of Arsenal’s powerful show at Craven Cottage, with his superb second-half strike restoring their lead after Andre Schurrle had cancelled out his opener.
Ramsey’s audacious backheeled goal put Arsenal in complete control to cap a stunning move that recalled the club’s finest days under Emery’s predecessor Arsene Wenger.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted twice in the closing stages as Arsenal won six consecutive league matches within a single campaign for the first time since 2016.
They have also recorded three consecutive away league victories for the first time in two years.
Fulham are the only side in the Premier League yet to keep a clean sheet this season and it was easy to see why as Arsenal carved holes in the hosts’ creaky five-man defence.
“It was an important goal for Aaron and an important goal for us. The best performer for us is every player,” said manager Unai Emery with more than a touch of understatement.
“Our performance over the 90 minutes was very important; to be together and with our performance we found each moment and each player.”