Sterling show rocks Villa ‘Ruthless’ Leicester rout Saints
London, Oct.
26: Pep
Guardiola was relieved Manchester City found their rhythm in time to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to three points as Raheem Sterling inspired a 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
Guardiola’s side survived a tame opening period as second half goals from Sterling, David Silva and Ilkay Gundogan put Villa to the sword.
Guardiola’s side closed the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to three points thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Ilkay Gundogan at the Etihad Stadium.
But City boss Guardiola was frustrated with the way his players struggled to establish any momentum in the first half, just days after they fell behind against Atalanta in the Champions League before eventually winning 5-1.
He fears City will be caught out in future if they continue to play so lethargically in the first half. “Of course, respect and credit for Aston Villa. The first half we played football but we don’t play in the way we should play,” Guardiola said.
“We were better in the second half. I don’t know if it was because of the early goal.
“In the second we play in the way we normally are but we have to try and play 90 minutes. We played just 45.”
City’s second successive league win means Liverpool are under pressure to beat Tottenham at Anfield in Sunday’s clash between last season’s Champions League finalists.
At the Amex Stadium, Everton blew a 2-1 lead in the final 10 minutes to leave Silva fighting to save his job. Silva’s side were in trouble after 15 minutes when Pascal Gross smashed a freekick past Jordan Pickford for his first goal since April.
Everton drew level five minutes later when Richarlison met Lucas Digne’s corner with a header that deflected off Brighton defender Adam Webster into his own net.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin came off the bench to put Everton ahead from Mason Holgate’s pass in the 74th minute.
SILVA WOES
However, Brighton’s Neal Maupay scored an 80th minute penalty after Michael Keane was controversially ruled by VAR to have fouled Aaron Connolly.
And Everton defender Digne added to Silva’s woes when his stoppage-time own goal from Leandro Trossard’s cross left Everton two points above the relegation zone after their fifth defeat in their last six league games.
Watford remain bottom of the table after a 0-0 draw against Bournemouth.
The Hornets are still without a league win this season and haven’t won in nine home league games dating back to April.
Lys Mousset finished a memorable week on a high note with the equaliser in Sheffield United’s 1-1 draw at West Ham.
The hosts took the lead in the 44th minute through Robert Snodgrass’s cool finish from Andriy Yarmolenko’s pass.
Southampton, Oct. 26: Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers hailed his team as “ruthless” for their recordequalling 9-0 rout of Southampton in the Premier League on Friday as besieged Saints coach Ralph Hasenhuttl insisted: ‘Blame me’.
Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy both hit hat-tricks as Rodgers’ side moved second in the table.
The rout equalled Manchester United’s 9-0 demolition of Ipswich at Old Trafford in March 1995 for the biggest win in Premier League history.
“We were ruthless. I’m very proud to stand and be the manager of that team,” said Rodgers after a game played out in driving rain at St Mary’s Stadium.
“A mark of the good sides is you don’t let up. We wanted to show we’re a good side and we certainly did that in the second half.
“We were ruthlessly simple in our game. When you’re so many goals up you can easily slow but we kept focused. We want to be a top team and to be a top team you must be clinical.”
Hasenhuttl saw his team slip into the bottom three and he pulled no punches after a performance which also saw Ryan Bertrand redcarded after 10 minutes.
“The performance was a disaster and I have to apologise and take 100 percent responsibility — I’ve never seen a team act like this, there was no fight for anything,” admitted the Saints’ coach.
Southampton midfielder Nathan Redmond added: “It was an embarrassing performance, the stuff of nightmares.”
Leicester are just five points behind league leaders Liverpool, who host Tottenham on Sunday.
Ben Chilwell began the destruction in the 10th minute when he tapped in on the rebound, and Ryan Bertrand’s red card — awarded via VAR for a late tackle on Perez in the build-up to the opener — helped the away side open the floodgates.