Gabriel Jesus and Mkhitaryan star as Manchester rises
LONDON: Gabriel Jesus and Henrikh Mkhitaryan stole the headlines as Manchester City and Manchester United made up important ground in the race for Champions League qualification with wins on Sunday.
Jesus, 19, marked his full home debut for City by scoring twice, including a 92nd-minute winner, to give Pep Guardiola’s side a 2-1 win over Swansea City that lifted them up to third.
Mkhitaryan scored one goal and made another in a 3- 0 victory at relegation-threatened champions Leicester City that took United to within two points of the top four.
“It was really important for us. We lost two points in the last match at home and had three consecutive draws, so we needed the points,” said United manager Jose Mourinho.
“I am happy. We don’t have a league defeat since October and if we could transform the unlucky draws to victories, we would be in an amazing position.”
Mourinho’s side remain sixth, a position they have occupied since November, but Arsenal, beaten 3-1 by leaders Chelsea on Saturday, and Liverpool, stunned 2- 0 by Hull City, are now within reach.
United are a point behind Liverpool, two points below fourthplace Arsenal and four points off City, who trail secondplace Tottenham Hotspur by one point and Chelsea by 10.
After three successive league draws, Mourinho changed tack for the trip to the King Power Stadium, bringing in Juan Mata for Michael Carrick and ditching his usual 4-1- 4-1 system for a 4- 4-2.
But United, who were missing Wayne Rooney through illness, looked of f their game until a first- half switch to a 4-2- 3-1 formation. The move brought Mkhitaryan into the number 10 role and he put United ahead in the 42nd minute, beating Robert Huth to Chris Smalling’s header on halfway and sprinting clear to score. Less than 90 seconds later it was 2- 0 as Zlatan Ibra himovic expertly steered Antonio Valencia’s cross past K asper Schmeichel for his 20th goal of the season. Mkhitaryan turned creator as United put the game to bed five minutes into the second half, facilitating a one-two with Mata that freed the Spaniard to beat Schmeichel at his near post.
It was Leicester’s 13th defeat of the campaign and kept Claudio Ranieri’s men a slender point above the relegation zone.
“It is important now to get the confidence,” Ranieri said.
“Last season everything was right and the players got confidence. Now they are anxious.”
In an unflinching post-match interview, Schmeichel said Leicester’s predicament was “embarrassing”.
“It is time for every single one of us, from the top to the bottom of this club, to stand up and be counted,” he told Sky Sports.
It was really important for us. We lost two points in the last match at home and had three consecutive draws, so we needed the points. Jose Mourinho, Manchester United manager
MANCHESTER, Uni t ed Kingdom: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits even he is surprised by the stunning start Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus has made to his career in English football.
The 19-year- old scored twice on his full home debut as City recorded a 2 - 1 victory over Swansea City on Sunday, meaning the youngster has scored three goals on his first two starts in the Premier League.
After arriving in England at the start of last month, Jesus is emerging as one of the most exciting prospects to land in the English top f light for some time.
“Yes, I ’ m surprised,” said Guardiola, whose side climbed to third place in the table, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea.
“When he came here after he finished the season and won the ( Brazilian) championship with Palmeiras, we spoke.
“The last two or three years he never had a break because Brazil played a lot of games. I said, ‘ Take your time, come back when you feel you’re ready.’
“But he’s 19 years old, Brazilian guys are physically strong and he only needed a few training sessions to be ready.
“The guy told me he is never t i red, a lways healthy and recovers quickly. We need to protect him, but everybody is surprised at his level.”
Jesus opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a close- range vol ley and gave City victory in stoppage time after Gyl f i Sigurdsson had levelled with nine minutes to play.