Sunderland edge closer to big drop
DAVID MOYES’ SIDE 10 POINTS FROM SAFETY Everton end Leicester’s winning streak with 4 superb goals.
Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic likened himself to film character Benjamin Button after inspiring his team to a 3-0 victory at Premier League basement club Sunderland yesterday.
Ibrahimovic, 35, opened the scoring with his 28th goal of the season and after Seb Larsson had been sent off for Sunderland, goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford completed victory.
“I feel like Benjamin Button. I was born old and will die young,” Ibrahimovic said, citing the 2008 Brad Pitt film about a man who ages in reverse.
In the day’s other game, league top scorer Romelu Lukaku took his tally to 23 goals with a brace as Everton ended Leicester City’s six-game winning run with an entertaining 4-2 victory.
United extended their unbeaten record to 21 league games and climbed to fifth place in the table, four points below fourth-place Manchester City, who have played a game more.
“The result was good,” said United manager Jose Mourinho, whose side will return to sixth place if Arsenal win at Crystal Palace today.
Sunderland have lost six and drawn one of their last seven games and now lie 10 points adrift of safety, relegation to the Championship looming closer with each passing week.
“Today the result was helped by the referee,” said Sunderland manager David Moyes, the former United boss.
“Manchester United were playing well, but the red card was a decision that went against us.
Everton drew level with sixthplace Arsenal, having played three more games, after thwarting Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare’s quest for a sixth successive league win and seventh in total.
Home-grown 18-year-old midfielder Tom Davies put Everton ahead after only 31 seconds following a dart into the box by Kevin Mirallas.
“After we got to 4-2 we really controlled the game and it’s one of the most complete performances of the season,” said Everton manager Ronald Koeman.
“Everybody knows Lukaku is a key player for Everton and we will try to do everything to keep him here.”
Leicester, who visit Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, remain 11th. – AFP