Wolves stun Man City with Traore double
Last-gasp Milner keeps Liverpool flying • Spurs crash again • Arsenal up to 3rd • Newcastle edges Man U
MANCHESTER (Reuters) – Nerves affected Manchester City in its surprise 2-0 defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, according to manager Pep Guardiola, whose side is now eight points behind leader Liverpool after eight matches.
Wolves had three early chances to punish City’s sloppy passing and lax defending and although the defending champion survived those opportunities, Guardiola said they impacted his team’s approach.
“It was a bad day, sometimes it happens,” said Guardiola, who pointed the finger more at wayward passing than his makeshift central defensive pairing of Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho.
“We started quite well and after we conceded two situations in our buildup where it’s impossible to defend, we got a little bit nervous.
“We controlled them better in the second half but at the end with us attacking and people up front, we lost balls in positions it is so difficult and they were clinical.
“Before that we hit the post we had actions but the way we played was not good. It was not a good day, we didn’t play good,” he said.
The former Barcelona boss, who has won the last two Premier League titles, said his belief in his team remained unshakeable despite them suffering a second loss in four games.
“I know these guys, they can still do it. It was a bad day, a bad game. Credit to the opponent. What’s happened has happened.
“Now is the time to come back. The results will dictate the situation, but we are in October and there’s a long way to go,” he said.
On Saturday, a stoppage-time James Milner penalty sparked huge celebrations at Anfield as Liverpool beat Leicester City 2-1 for an eighth successive Premier League win.
The contrast with Tottenham Hotspur, whom the Reds beat in last season’s Champions League final, could not be more marked as Mauricio Pochettino’s side continued to ship goals in a 3-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion. Aston Villa thumped Norwich City 5-1, Burnley edged Everton 1-0 and Crystal Palace won 2-1 at West Ham United.
Liverpool looked determined and was well in control when Sadio Mane scored the opener – his 50th league goal for the club – after getting on the end of a superb through ball from Milner.
But Leicester was always a threat on the break and looked to have secured a point when James Maddison equalized 10 minutes from time before a rash Mark Albrighton challenge on Mane set up Milner’s penalty chance.
“We had to dig deep and find the points,” said Milner, who said he just had to concentrate and stay calm to convert his 16th spot-kick in 18 attempts for Liverpool.
“The boys have done it time and time again. There was a few tired legs and it was about getting the result.”
The game ended with several players from both sides confronting each other as passions threatened to boil over.
Tottenham’s defeat at the Amex stadium was compounded by a horror injury to ’keeper Hugo Lloris, who was taken to hospital after injuring his arm in trying to keep out Neal Maupay’s opener on three minutes.
The French stopper, who made a howler against Southampton last week and conceded seven against Bayern Munich, was badly at fault in parrying the ball straight into Maupay’s path.
But recriminations were soon forgotten as the severity of his injury became clear and Lloris was treated on the pitch for six minutes before leaving on a stretcher. Spurs later confirmed he had dislocated his elbow.
Pochettino said the injury so early in the game affected the rest of the team although questions remain about another substandard Spurs performance so soon after their mauling by Bayern.
Brighton’s other goals were scored by 19-year-old Irish striker Aaron Connolly in his first Premier League start.
“I’ve been watching the Premier League
since I was four or five, so to be playing in it now, and then to score and to win 3-0, it really is a dream come true,” said Connolly.
Brazilian striker Wesley scored twice for Aston Villa in the 5-1 win over Norwich although he spurned the chance of a firsthalf hat-trick by missing a penalty.
That hardly mattered as Villa recorded its highest away Premier League win in 11 years against a side that had conquered Manchester City in its previous home game.
Bottom side Watford remained without a Premier League win this season after being held to a goalless draw by Sheffield United at Vicarage Road.
Meanwhile, Arsenal moved up to third in the standings after David Luiz scored his first goal for the club in a nervy 1-0 win at home to Bournemouth on Sunday in which the visitors missed a flurry of chances to level in the second half.
Also on Sunday, Chelsea closed in on the top four as striker Tammy Abraham scored his eighth league goal of the season to help the Blues secure a 4-1 win at struggling Southampton, while Newcastle United’s Matthew Longstaff enjoyed a dream Premiership debut by scoring a late winner as his side beat visiting Manchester United 1-0 to move out of the bottom three.