The Malta Independent on Sunday
Silva, De Bruyne orchestrate City’s 5-0 win over Palace
Manchester City playmakers David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne orchestrated a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace in the English Premier League on Saturday, as Pep Guardiola’s team rediscovered its attacking potency at Etihad Stadium to cement a top-four place.
Running an open game from central midfield, Silva and De Bruyne both scored and played a part in another goal curled home sweetly by Vincent Kompany. Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Otamendi, again from a free kick by De Bruyne, added late goals as Palace was swept aside, leaving the visitors still to definitely secure their top-flight status for another season.
City climbed to third place, above Liverpool on goal difference, and opened up a four-point gap to fifth-placed Manchester United, which plays at Arsenal today. Another season in the Champions League is looking increasingly likely for City with games left against Leicester and West Bromwich Albion at home and away to Watford.
Despite being without injured top scorer Sergio Aguero, City recorded its biggest league win under Guardiola, having often struggled to put away teams at home because of wayward finishing and sloppy defending.
“We wanted to set up this chain of homes games right,” Kompany said. “It couldn’t have gone any better. But we need to repeat those performances in the next two games at home.”
Everything City did went through Silva, who passed a late fitness test to return after missing the recent draws against Man United and Middlesbrough. His creativity and vision was sorely missed by City in those games, and Palace didn’t know how to deal with him here.
Silva was given a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 67th minute, the damage to Palace done by then.
Silva gleefully swept home his opening goal after Martin Kelly, a right back playing at centre back, failed to adequately head clear a short cross from Sterling. It was Silva’s 50th goal for the club.
City dominated possession and pounded the Palace goal - Sane was thwarted three times by goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey - but still gave its opponent space at the other end, with Willy Caballero saving well from Christian Benteke’s downward header late in the first half.
It got messy for Palace after halftime, from the moment De Bruyne collected Silva’s pass and cut the ball back for Kompany to lash in a curling shot from 15 meters in the 49th.
De Bruyne ran onto Gabriel Jesus’ lay-off to curl in a shot from the edge of the area that squirmed past Hennessey in the 59th, Sterling drilled in left-footed from substitute Pablo Zabaleta’s nod-down in the 82nd, and De Bruyne curled in a free kick for Otamendi to head past Hennessey in injury time.
Palace is six points ahead of thirdto-last Swansea, having played a game extra.
Leicester revival continues with 3-0 win over Watford
Leicester kept up its revival since dismissing title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri by beating Watford 3-0 in the English Premier League yesterday.
The soon-to-be-deposed champions have won seven of their 10 league games following the departure of Ranieri, who was fired with Leicester close to the relegation zone. Now, they have moved into ninth place and have the form to secure a top-half finish.
The goals came from midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Riyad Mahrez, and Marc Albrighton.
Ndidi lashed home from 10 metres in the first half at Kingpower Stadium after the ball fell loose after a corner.
Mahrez celebrated making his 100th Premier League appearance by doubling the lead in the 58th, sprinting onto Jamie Vardy's flickon and beating Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes from a tight angle.
Vardy then fed Albrighton to add a third goal in the third minute of injury time.
Watford has lost its last three games without scoring.
Hull loses to increase relegation fears
Hull coach Marco Silva’s 41match unbeaten home record as a manager ended when his side lost to last-placed Sunderland 2-0 to intensify its relegation fears in the English Premier League yesterday.
Silva had not lost a home league game since 2014, a period taking in spells in charge of Estoril, Sporting Lisbon, Olympiakos, and now four months at Hull.
Billy Jones struck in the 69th minute and Jermain Defoe added a second goal in injury time at the KCOM Stadium for Sunderland, which was relegated last weekend when Hull drew at Southampton thanks to a last-minute penalty save.
The result also was a boost for next-to-last Middlesbrough, which was six points behind Hull with three games left. Middlesbrough visit Chelsea tomorrow.
Burnley safe as Vokes strikes twice in 2-2 draw
Sam Vokes scored two secondhalf goals to effectively guarantee English Premier League survival for Burnley in a 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion yesterday.
The Clarets went ahead at Turf Moor in the 56th minute through Vokes’ first-time finish into the bottom right corner after Ashley Barnes' cross.
The Baggies responded by scoring twice in 12 minutes - through Salomon Rondon and Craig Dawson - having previously gone nearly nine hours without a goal. Dawson put West Brom ahead in the 78th for the Baggies’ 15th setpiece goal of the season.
Vokes grabbed an invaluable point four minutes from time with a header, after Ben Foster was unable to reach Robbie Brady’s chipped free kick before Vokes.
Swansea beats Everton 1-0, out of relegation zone
Swansea moved out of the English Premier League relegation zone by beating Everton 1-0 thanks to Fernando Llorente first-half goal.
The striker bundled in a far-post cross with his left shoulder in the 29th minute for his 13th goal of the season, allowing Swansea to climb above Hull and out of the bottom three with two games remaining. Friday West Ham-Tottenham....................1-0 Yesterday Manchester City-Crystal Palace ......5-0 Bournemouth-Stoke City................2-2 Burnley-West Bromwich Albion .....2-2 Hull City-Sunderland ......................0-2 Leicester City-Watford ...................3-0 Swansea City-Everton.....................1-0 Today Tomorrow
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