Spurs draw; Rooney finally breaks record
TOP SHOT: Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero shoots at goal in their match against Tottenham Hotspur yesterday TOTTENHAM Hotspur’s run of seven consecutive wins came to an end with a 2-2 draw against a muchimproved Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium yesterday.
The match was scoreless at half time despite considerable City pressure, but Pep Guardiola’s men opened the scoring in the 49th minute through Leroy Sane, when Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a failed attempt to head clear, leaving Sane with an open goal.
A Lloris fumble four minutes later gave Kevin de Bruyne City’s second.
After 58 minutes Dele Alli reduced the deficit with a header from a brilliant Kyle Walker cross and Son Heung-min equalised for Spurs from a Harry Kane pass in the 77th minute, just after Kyle Walker came close to being sent off.
New City signing Gabriel Jesus came on as a substitute and appeared to have scored straight away, only for his effort to be ruled out.
The result leaves Spurs in second place, six points behind leaders Chelsea, who have a game in hand.
WAYNE Rooney became Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer in dramatic fashion as his last-ditch wonder goal rescued a 1-1 draw at Stoke yesterday.
Rooney surpassed Bobby Charlton’s tally of 249 goals for United when he struck with a superb effort deep into stoppage-time at the Britannia Stadium.
The 250th goal of Rooney’s glittering United career was just the 31-year-old’s fifth of a difficult season and came as a timely reminder of the striker’s class after he was relegated to the role of a fringe player for long periods this term.
It was also much needed by United, who had fallen behind in the 19th minute when Juan Mata deflected Erik Pieters’ shot into his own net.
Rooney’s magic moment arrived four minutes into stoppage time when he curled a superb free kick past Stoke goalkeeper Lee Grant.
Rooney’s wonder goal extended United’s unbeaten run in the league to 13 matches, but lost in the euphoria of his landmark strike was a disappointing result that leaves his team three points adrift of the top four.
AT ANFIELD, Jurgen Klopp’s third-placed side wasted a chance to close the gap on leaders Chelsea in an error-strewn display that left them without a win in their last three league games.
Fernando Llorente put Swansea ahead in the 48th minute when the Spanish striker punished poor defending from a corner to slot home from close range.
Llorente struck again with a powerful header from Tom Carroll’s cross in the 52nd minute before Liverpool were given a lifeline by Roberto Firmino’s header three minutes later.
Brazil forward Firmino netted again to draw Liverpool level with a fine finish in the 69th minute, but Iceland midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson pounced to convert the winner in the 74th minute after more sloppy play from the Reds rearguard.
Swansea had started the day at the bottom of the table, but their firstever league win at Anfield in 16 visits lifted them out of the relegation zone and condemned Liverpool to their first home league defeat for 12 months.
SEAMUS Coleman’s last-gasp strike gave Everton a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace that plunged the hosts into the relegation zone.
Ronald Koeman’s team maintained the momentum from last weekend’s rout of Manchester City as Coleman converted a Tom Davies pass in the 87th minute.
Palace are now third bottom and have yet to secure a league win since Sam Allardyce replaced the sacked Alan Pardew in December.
ANDY Carroll showed West Ham can thrive without Dimitri Payet as his brace inspired a 3-1 victory at Middlesbrough. Carroll netted with a brilliant bicycle kick in last weekend’s win over Crystal Palace and the burly striker was back on the scoresheet with a ninth-minute header.
Middlesbrough equalised through Cristhian Stuani’s 27th-minute tapin, but Carroll side-footed home two minutes before half time before Jonathan Calleri’s stoppage-time
The disappointing result leaves his team three points adrift of the top four Palace have yet to secure a league win since Sam Allardyce replaced Alan Pardew
effort.
SUNDERLAND slumped to the bottom of the table after a 2-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion, whose goals came from Darren Fletcher and Chris Brunt.
BOURNEMOUTH twice came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw against Watford at Dean Court.
Watford took the lead through Christian Kabasele, but Josh King bagged Bournemouth’s equaliser.
Troy Deeney restored Watford’s advantage, only for Benik Afobe to level in the closing stages. — AFP