Man City put up a sterling show against The Gunners
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling condemned Arsenal to a second defeat of the season as they got a 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League yesterday.
Sterling slotted home in the 23rd minute after a Phil Foden shot was parried by visiting keeper Bernd Leno.
Arsenal created openings but City’s back four, with Ruben Dias partnering Nathan Ake in the centre of defence, looked more solid than in the opening games of the campaign.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s new signing, midfielder Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid, made his first appearance for the Gunners with seven minutes remaining.
Klopp baffled by VAR
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was left baffled by the offside decision that cost his team victory in the Merseyside derby and concerned about two injuries suffered in the 2-2 Premier League draw with Everton.
The champions thought they had won with a stoppage-time goal by Jordan Henderson but a VAR review found a narrow margin of offside and cancelled out the goal.
Liverpool also had Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk taken off with an injury early in the game and Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara picked up a knock from a wild challenge by Richarlison which resulted in a red card for Everton’s Brazilian.
“I am a real supporter of VAR. (Last season) the armpit was offside. Now, there is no armpit offside, everyone tells me it was not offside but it does not lift my mood. We lost one player with Virgil and maybe another with the red card. Not our day,” he said.
The German said his players hadwatched the VAR incident on a laptop in the dressingroom but did not understand how the decision was made.
Van Dijk was hurt in the seventh minute due to a wild challenge from Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, after the referee blew for offside. The England goalkeeper was not even cautioned for the lunging tackle.
“Virgil, it is not good,” said Klopp, who defined Pickford’s actions as “not a challenge the keeper can do”.
“He plays on with pain, he never misses a game. I don’t know how bad it is but it is not good,” he said.
Thiago eventually got up from Richarlison’s red-card challenge and was able to create the opening for Henderson’s disallowed goal but later reported an injury.
But the Liverpool boss was pleased with the way his team responded to their 7-2 mauling at Aston Villa.
“The performance was top, it was a top game and a good game for both teams,” Klopp said.
“We were dominant against a side full of confidence and with a clear plan. It was probably the best away game (against Everton) since I was at Liverpool.”
Lampard frustrated
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard was frustrated by his side’s defensive capitulation in a 3-3 draw with Southampton at Stamford Bridge after the visitors came from behind twice to earn a point.
Timo Werner grabbed a first-half double while Kai Havertz scored in the second as Chelsea’s new recruits opened their Premier League accounts but the Saints capitalised on defensive mistakes and stole a point with a stoppage-time equaliser.
“You go two goals up, youwant to finish it off. It was the best we’ve played this season for sure at this stage,” Lampard told BBC Sport.
“But Southampton are a good side. They put pressure on us off the ball. They put us under pressure after the first goal.
“My message at halftime was that the goal shouldn’t change too much. We never got to the same levels in the second half. We can do better... We need to be more solid and making individual mistakes gives other teams chances.”
Kepa Arrizabalaga was back in goal with new signing Edouard Mendy sidelined with an injury and he was involved in a defensive error when Southampton made it 2-2 through Che Adams.
Lampard, however, refused to blame the Spanish goalkeeper who has been suffering a crisis of confidence after errors in previous games saw him dropped from the starting line-up. —