The Malta Independent on Sunday
Aguero marks new deal with goal as City thrashes Cardiff 5-0
Sergio Aguero celebrated signing a new contract with Manchester City by scoring the opening goal in a 5-0 win over Cardiff in the English Premier League yesterday.
The Argentina striker’s fourth league goal of the season came on his 300th appearance for City, which bounced back from its surprise midweek loss to Lyon in the Champions League.
Bernardo Silva, Ikay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez – with two second-half goals as a substitute – also scored at Cardiff City Stadium as City recorded a fifth win in the opening six games of its title defence.
City announced on Friday that Aguero penned a one-year extension to his contract, tying him to the club until 2021 and likely meaning he’ll see out a decade at Etihad Stadium.
The fans’ favorite was back in the starting lineup after getting dropped to the bench against Lyon and was dangerous throughout, getting his goal in the 32nd by finishing off a squared ball by Bernardo.
The Portugal playmaker turned scorer three minutes later when he flicked in a cross from Leroy Sane.
Gundogan curled in a classy third just before halftime after exchanging passes with Raheem Sterling, before Mahrez scored in the 67th – with his first since joining in the offseason from Leicester – soon after replacing Aguero and again in the 89th.
Wolverhampton spoils Ferguson’s Man U homecoming in EPL
Alex Ferguson was back at Old Trafford for the first time since his serious health scare in May, but Manchester United was unable to mark the occasion with a win as it was held by Wolves to 1-1 yesterday.
Ferguson, who underwent emergency brain surgery, received a standing ovation from the crowd when he took his seat in the directors' box before the English Premier League game.
It was an emotional moment for the 76-year-old Scot, who reacted with a wide grin and by raising his arms to salute the crowd.
United went in front after 18 minutes as Paul Pogba produced a lovely touch on the edge of the penalty area before steering the ball into the path of Brazilian Fred, who found the bottom corner of the net.
Promoted Wolves spoiled the party, though, by snatching the equalizer in the second half. Raul Jimenez did well well to hold the ball up inside the area before setting up Joao Moutinho for a leftfoot drive that gave United goalkeeper David De Gea no chance.
Liverpool sweeps past Southampton for 6th straight EPL win
Liverpool stayed perfect in the Premier League with its sixth straight victory yesterday after beating Southampton 3-0 at Anfield.
Switzerland international Xherdhan Shaqiri marked his first start for the club with a role in two first- half goals. His deflected cross was turned in by Wesley Hoedt for the opener and a brilliant curling freekick against the crossbar presented Mohamed Salah with a simple close-range effort for the third.
Either side of those goals, Joel Matip scored his first at Anfield as Southampton was pulled apart by a Liverpool side still nowhere near top gear.
Juergen Klopp’s team is top with 18 points though Chelsea can go level on points if it wins at West Ham on Sunday.
Liverpool still has some way to go to match the club’s best start to a campaign, though, as the 199091 side won 10 successive competitive matches.
Klopp changed his system to accommodate Shaqiri, switching to 4-2-3-1 with Salah moved to the centre and Shaqiri playing behind.
In the 10th minute Shaqiri cut in from the left to race onto Sadio Mane’s perfectly-weighted throughball, hitting a right-footed shot off Shane Long onto Hoedt with scrambling goalkeeper Alex McCarthy unable to keep it out.
Salah was denied by a superbly timed block from Cedric Soares after combining with Roberto Firmino but that led to the second goal as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner was powerfully headed home by Matip, making his first start since March 31.
Salah avoided the worst drought of his short Liverpool career in first-half added time thanks to his anticipation and no shortage of Shaqiri brilliance, netting his 30th goal in his last 31 Anfield appearances.
He was denied a second for offside in the 89th minute after Mario Lamina had cleared James Milner’s shot off the line.
The only downside to the afternoon was the departure of Virgil van Dijk with a bruised rib.
For Southampton it was a third loss in six league matches.
Spurs beat Brighton 2-1
Harry Kane moved alongside Jermain Defoe as the joint fifth highest Tottenham scorer of all time on 143 as the London club emerged from a slump by beating Brighton 2-1 in the English Premier League yesterday.
Tottenham had lost three games in a row for the first time under coach Mauricio Pochettino, but put things right in soaking conditions.
England striker Kane ended a personal five-game goalless run for club and country when he converted a penalty after Davy Proepper handled a free kick by Kieran Trippier just before halftime.
Brighton wasted a good chance to equalise through Anthony Knockaert and was made to pay when Tottenham added a brilliant second goal following a sweeping move in the 76th minute.
Trippier, Eric Dier, and Lucas Moura were all involved and Erik Lamela scored after being teed up by Danny Rose.
Kane fired straight at Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan three times before Knockaert made up for his earlier miss by grabbing a consolation goal in injury time.
Palace’s Wan-Bissaka struck by bottle in Newcastle draw
Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka was struck by a bottle thrown by visiting fans as his side drew with Newcastle 0-0 in the English Premier League yesterday.
Newcastle, still waiting for its first league victory of the season, turned in another toothless showing.
The traveling Newcastle supporters marked Mike Ashley’s first appearance at a game since May 2017 by protesting against the club owner.
Driving rain drummed home the harsh realities that winter is coming, and on this evidence, lean times could await both clubs.
Burnley earn first win by crushing Bournemouth 4-0
Burnley rose off the bottom of the English Premier League after thumping Bournemouth 4-0 for its first win of the season on Saturday.
Four straight defeats and only one point from five games added up to Burnley's worst start to a topflight campaign for nearly a century.
Bournemouth, by contrast, arrived at Turf Moor in the top five after its best opening to a Premier League, but quick-fire goals from Matej Vydra on his full debut and Aaron Lennon late in the first half eased Burnley nerves.
Substitute Ashley Barnes added a late double to make it 4-0, the first time Burnley has scored four in a game since December 2016.
Their first win in 10 league games moved them up to 16th in the standings, while Bournemouth dropped to sixth place. Liverpool Man City Chelsea Watford Tottenham Man United Bournemouth Leicester Arsenal Wolves Crystal Palace Everton Brighton Southampton Fulham Burnley West Ham Newcastle Cardiff Huddersfield Juventus Fiorentina Sassuolo Spal Napoli Sampdoria Parma Genoa Lazio Roma Udinese Turin Cagliari Atalanta Inter AC Milan Empoli Bologna Frosinone Chievo PW D 6 6 0 6 5 1 5 5 0 6 4 1 6 4 0 6 3 1 6 3 1 6 3 0 5 3 0 6 2 3 6 2 1 5 1 3 6 1 2 6 1 2 6 1 2 6 1 1 5 1 0 6 0 2 6 0 2 6 0 2 PW D 4 4 0 5 3 1 5 3 1 5 3 0 4 3 0 4 2 1 5 2 1 3 2 0 4 2 0 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 5 1 2 4 1 1 4 1 1 3 1 1 5 1 1 4 0 1 4 0 1 4 0 2 L F A Pts 0 14 2 18 0 19 3 16 0 14 4 15 1 11 6 13 2 12 7 12 2 9 9 10 2 10 11 10 3 11 10 9 2 10 9 9 1 6 6 9 3 4 6 7 1 8 9 6 3 8 10 5 3 6 9 5 3 8 13 5 4 7 10 4 4 5 11 3 4 4 8 2 4 3 14 2 4 3 14 2 L F A Pts 0 9 4 12 1 11 3 10 1 12 8 10 2 4 4 9 1 6 6 9 1 9 2 7 2 6 5 7 1 6 6 6 2 3 4 6 1 7 7 5 1 4 4 5 1 4 4 5 2 4 7 5 2 7 6 4 2 5 4 4 1 5 5 4 3 4 6 4 3 0 5 1 3 0 10 1 2 5 11 -1 Leeds M’boro West Brom Sheffield U. Wigan Derby Brentford Bristol City Notm Forest Sheffield W Norwich Blackburn Aston Villa Swansea Bolton QPR Birmingham Stoke Rotherham Reading Hull Millwall Ipswich Preston PW D 9 5 3 9 5 3 9 5 2 9 5 1 9 5 1 9 5 1 9 4 3 9 4 2 9 3 5 9 4 2 9 4 2 9 3 5 9 3 4 9 3 4 9 3 3 9 3 1 9 1 6 9 2 3 9 3 0 9 2 2 9 2 1 9 1 3 9 0 5 9 1 2 L F A Pts 1 19 7 18 1 11 3 18 2 22 12 17 3 15 11 16 3 14 11 16 3 13 10 16 2 16 10 15 3 14 11 14 1 11 9 14 3 14 14 14 3 13 13 14 1 11 11 14 2 15 14 13 2 7 6 13 3 9 12 12 5 7 15 10 2 7 8 9 4 12 16 9 6 6 14 9 5 12 13 8 6 9 16 7 5 7 13 6 4 6 12 5 6 9 18 5