Liverpool end Manchester City’s unbeaten run in EPL
Manchester City have fallen to their first Premier League defeat of the season at the hands of Liverpool, who ran out 4-3 winners in a thrilling contest at Anfield.
The hosts took the lead after just nine minutes as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s early strike set the tempo for an enthralling top-four clash, but City went into the break all square courtesy of Leroy Sane’s equaliser.
A spell of three goals in just eight minutes from Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah put Jurgen Klopp’s side in complete control of the match, although even then the result did not look safe with City keen to press forward at every available opportunity and Liverpool in no mood to sit back.
The Reds were almost made to pay for their gung-ho attitude when Bernardo Silva pulled one back in the 84th minute and Ilkay Gundogan set up a grandstand finale in stoppage time, but they held out for all three points to climb up to third in the Premier League table and end City’s dreams of immortality in the process.
Liverpool were without new £75m man Virgil van Dijk due to a hamstring injury, but they were able to welcome top-scorer Mohamed Salah back into the starting lineup following a spell of his own on the sidelines.
City had a chance to take a lead into half time too when Fernandinho found himself in space within shooting distance, only to drag his effort well wide of the target.
It was the third time that all three of Liverpool’s attackers had been on the scoresheet this season and a clear message that the Reds are still a potent force going forward even without Philippe Coutinho, although the lingering questions at the other end of the field once again surfaced during the final 15 minutes as City roared back.
Without Sanchez, Arsenal loses 2-1 to Bournemouth
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Alexis Sanchez left at home, Arsenal squandered a lead by conceding two goals in five minutes to lose 2-1 at Bournemouth in the Premier League yesterday.
Callum Wilson equalised in the 70th minute for Bournemouth before setting up Jordon Ibe for the winner in the 74th minute, intensifying Arsenal’s problems in what could be developing into another crisis under Arsene Wenger.
Hector Bellerin opened the scoring in the 52nd for Arsenal, which is in sixth place and has dropped five points off the Champions League qualification positions.
Wenger said Sanchez was omitted because the Chile international was “being vague” while Manchester City and Manchester United fight for his services.
It seems inevitable that Sanchez will depart this month, leaving the team without its game-changer and top scorer from last season.
“Half in, half out,” Wenger said of Sanchez’s current position at Arsenal. “You never know this kind of situation during the transfer period.”
Mesut Ozil was also missing because of injury and Arsenal’s lineup looked a shadow of the past teams under Wenger.
“We were 1-0 up and suddenly we lost two goals and we don’t know where they came from,” Wenger said. “It is very frustratDecember.
Yesterday Bournemouth-Arsenal ...................... 2-1 Liverpool-Manchester City ............... 4-3
Standings
Man. City Man. United Liverpool Chelsea Tottenham Arsenal Burnley Leicester Everton Watford West Ham Crystal Palace Bournemouth Huddersfield Newcastle Brighton Southampton Stoke West Brom Swansea P W D L F A Pts 23 20 2 1 67 17 62 22 14 5 3 45 16 47 23 13 8 2 54 28 47 23 14 5 4 41 16 47 23 13 5 5 46 21 44 23 11 6 6 41 30 39 23 9 7 7 19 20 34 23 8 7 8 34 32 31 23 7 6 10 25 38 27 23 7 5 11 33 42 26 23 6 7 10 29 41 25 23 6 7 10 21 33 25 23 6 6 11 24 35 24 23 6 6 11 19 39 24 23 6 5 12 21 31 23 23 5 8 10 17 29 23 23 4 9 10 23 34 21 22 5 5 12 23 47 20 23 3 10 10 18 30 19 23 4 5 14 14 35 17
ing. Overall we have to look at it in a very objective and harsh way — we made mistakes we should not have made.
“The team that fights against relegation will fight and you cannot afford any concentration mistake.”
It was a first Premier League win over Arsenal for Bournemouth, and a first victory against a top-six side this season that lifts Eddie Howe’s team into 13th place.
“In this division, if you can get two or three wins your whole outlook can change,” Howe said. “Then if you get two or three defeats it all changes. We have just tried to be very stable.
“That was a famous win for the club.”