Manchester City extends lead with hardfought win
LONDON: Manchester City was forced to defend deep in the final stages at Watford yesterday but ensured its titlechasing juggernaut kept rolling on with a 21 victory that extended its lead at the top of the Premier League to five points.
The defending champion, unbeaten in the league, was again without Argentine striker Sergio Aguero but closeseason signing Riyad Mahrez showed his worth by setting up Leroy Sane for the first goal before scoring himself.
Bournemouth moved up to sixth with a 21 home win over lowly Huddersfield Town, while there were comfortable wins for West Ham United and 10man Brighton & Hove Albion.
City was having trouble finding a way past Watford keeper Ben Foster at Vicarage Road but the Englishman will not want to see the replay of him being beaten by the chest of Sane five minutes before the break after a Mahrez cross.
Algerian Mahrez then fired home himself shortly after halftime to set Pep Guardiola’s marauding side on the way to what looked like an easy victory.
Watford did not give up though and Abdoulaye Doucoure fired in from close range five minutes from time. Watford, without a win since October, pushed City deep into its half but could not stop it claiming a 13th win in 15 league games this term.
It is not often City resorts to clearing the ball high and away from its defence as it did near the end at Watford, but Guardiola said the result was the most important thing.
‘‘For five minutes they were better than us . . . you cannot win easily for 38 games, that is impossible,’’ the Spanish coach said.
Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser notched a goal and an assist each to snap the southcoast side’s fourgame losing streak with a 21 home win over Huddersfield Town.
Wilson gave the hosts the lead after five minutes with a superb header from a free kick that Fraser whipped in. Wilson returned the favour 17 minutes later by passing to the unmarked Fraser who slotted the ball past keeper Jonas Lossl.
Terence Kongolo pulled one back for the visitors seven minutes before halftime with a header but it was not enough to stop Eddie Howe’s side moving up to sixth spot.
Brighton was reduced to 10 men against Crystal Palace but won 31 thanks to goals from Glenn Murray, Leon Balogun and Florin Andone.
Murray converted a 24thminute spot kick for his ninth goal of the season before Shane Duffy was sent off for a clash with Patrick van Aanholt after a penalty appeal was turned down.
The host doubled its lead just after the halfhour mark through substitute Balogun before Andone scored the third in firsthalf stoppage time.
Luka Milivojevic converted a late penalty for Palace after a foul on Wilfried Zaha but it was too late for Roy Hodgson’s side which slipped to 15th, three points above the relegation zone.
West Ham’s 31 victory over Cardiff City at the London Stadium was its second successive win.
Lucas Perez came off the bench to score twice shortly after halftime before Michail Antonio headed home a third.
Cardiff’s Josh Murphy bundled in a consolation. — Reuters