United hold Reds, Chelsea lose
GIANTS HUMBLED Mourinho’s men frustrate Liverpool, defending champions stunned by Palace
LONDON: Manchester City maintained their blistering start to the season as the Premier League leaders demolished Stoke 7-2, while champions Chelsea crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly Crystal Palace on Saturday.
With second placed Manchester United settling for a stalemate at Anfield earlier in the day, it was their Manchester rivals who provided the thrills as City moved two points clear at the top.
CHELSEA STUNNED
Bottom of the table Palace had lost their opening seven league games without scoring a goal, the worst start to a season in English top-flight history.
But stunningly it was Chelsea who were the victims as they finally ended that goal drought at Selhurst Park.
Palace took the lead in the 11th minute when Yohan Cabaye’s effort was deflected in for an own goal by Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta.
Tiemoue Bakayoko equalised for Chelsea seven minutes later as the France midfielder headed his first Premier League goal from a Cesc Fabregas corner. There was even worse to come for Chelsea as Wilfried Zaha restored Palace’s lead with a fine curling strike in first half stoppage-time.
Fabregas hit the crossbar but Chelsea were unable to avoid a second successive league defeat after their damaging 1-0 loss to Manchester City before the international break.
Antonio Conte’s fouth placed side, beaten three times this term, are now nine points behind City.
TACTICAL STALEMATE
At Anfield, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was left infuriated by United boss Jose Mourinho’s ultra-cautious game-plan.
Mourinho’s team had just six touches in Liverpool’s penalty area as United goalkeeper David De Gea made a superb save from Joel Matip to maintain the visi- tors’ unbeaten start to the season.
Klopp’s spluttering side have only one win in eight games in all competitions.
“I think Man United came here for the point and they got it,” Klopp moaned. “I’m sure if we played like this, you could not do this at Liverpool. Obviously for Man United it is OK.”
Inevitably, Mourinho had no regrets, saying: “Their midfield today was stronger than my midfield. I had (Ander) Herrera and (Nemanja) Matic and nobody on the bench to make it different.
“The second half was a bit of chess, but my opponent didn’t open the door for me to win the game.”