Man United’s Lukaku proves too much for former club Chelsea
Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku shrugged off criticism of his scoring record against the biggest teams after an outstanding performance on Sunday sent his former club Chelsea home with a 2-1 Premier League defeat from Old Trafford.
The Belgian striker’s goal to cancel out Willian’s opener for the visiting side was the first time Lukaku had scored in seven games against top-six sides this season.
United’s man-of-the-match also made the winning goal for substitute Jesse Lingard with a perfect cross.
“It’s a good day for me and we won so that’s the most important thing,” he told the BBC.
“To get the goal before halftime was really important for us. We showed our qualities and our desire in the second half.”
The win moved second-place United to 59 points with 10 games left, six clear of Chelsea, which has slipped to fifth in the battle for the top four and Champions League qualification.
“It was a good, intense game to play in, with a bit of skill here and there, I think the neutral fan would have enjoyed it today,” added Lukaku, who now has 13 league goals this season.
“At the end of the day I just want to work hard for the team, and if I improve I’m really satisfied.”
There was widespread praise for 21-year-old United midfielder Scott McTominay, who did not suffer in comparison with the club’s record signing Paul Pogba.
“I’m fearless, I just want to get on the pitch as much as I can now,” said McTominay, who is qualified to play for either England or Scotland.
“When we went behind, we had to chase the game a bit. But in the second half we were completely in control. They’ve got brilliant players all over the pitch but I think everyone of us put in a massive shift today.
“I’m really enjoying my football at the moment, it’s great to be playing in the Premier League and the Champions MANCHESTER CITY forward Sergio Aguero (left) scores his team’s first goal past Arsenal ’keeper David Ospina (right) during City’s 3-0 victory in last night’s League Cup final at Wembley Stadium in London. League regularly, but at the end of the day it’s a really good three points for the team.
“It’s great when any manager talks about you, but when it’s Jose Mourinho it’s extra special, I just have to remain humble, and keep working hard for the team.”
Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater felt a 2-1 defeat was an unfair result.
“We definitely deserved more, first half we were dominant,” he said. “Second half was more even, but we didn’t deserve to lose that match, no way.
“Obviously there are bits we can improve on, first of all we can improve on not conceding, and scoring more goals, but football can sometimes go against you and today’s one of those days.
“It’s down to us now, we have to get our results in order and hopefully the other teams’ results will look after themselves.”
In Sunday’s other Premiership contest, Harry Kane headed a late winner to give Tottenham Hotspur a deserved 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace that lifted it into fourth place.
Kane headed home from Christian Eriksen’s corner in the 88th minute to make up for two glaring misses earlier in the match at Selhurst Park.
He should have put Tottenham ahead early on when the ball fell to him in the middle of the box after a mistake by Patrick van Aanholt but Wayne Hennessey spread himself well and the striker’s shot ballooned over the bar.
The England striker was guilty of a more glaring miss early in the second half when Eriksen passed from the right and Kane, with time and space on the left, shot wide of the far post.
“We left that very late,” Kane said. “But we kept going until the end and eventually got our rewards. We have had a tough patch, with a few tough games recently, now we have to keep that momentum going, into the next games.”
It was Kane’s 35th goal of the season and made him the Premier League’s leading scorer this season with 24, one ahead of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
City tops Arsenal for Cup crown
Manchester City won manager Pep Guardiola his first trophy in England on Sunday, romping to a 3-0 victory over Arsenal in the English League Cup soccer final at Wembley Stadium.
Sergio Aguero opened the scoring for City early in the first half, collecting a ball hoofed up the field from his own keeper and chipping it over Arsenal’s David Ospina, before Vincent Kompany and David Silva guaranteed the honors with two more goals in the second half.
City, which appears to have sealed the Premier League title barring a monumental collapse, did not even have to hit top gear to lift the trophy for the third time in five years. (Reuters)