Man City sink Chelsea to close in on title; Coutinho denies Man Utd
TUCKER, St James — Orville Powell, president of promoted Jamaica Premier League (JPL) team Montego Bay United, has questioned the wisdom of one venue being approved to host games in the league set to start this weekend.
Only the field at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence at The University of the West Indies, Mona, has been approved to host games, and Powell says that decision makes no sense in the context that other venues had been approved to host schoolboy football games.
Earlier, JPL executive Christopher Williams had said they were seeking permission to use other venues, including Drax Hall in St Ann and the
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Manchester City opened up a 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Kevin De Bruyne’s sublime strike beat Chelsea 1-0, while Philippe Coutinho enjoyed a dream Aston Villa debut to rescue a 2-2 draw against Manchester United on Saturday.
Everton boss Rafael Benitez is reportedly on the verge of being sacked after a 2-1 defeat at Norwich that lifted the Canaries to within a point of safety as Newcastle and Watford played out a 1-1 draw.
Meanwhile, Premier League bosses have been criticised by Tottenham for postponing their derby clash with Arsenal on Sunday despite the Gunners missing just one player due to coronavirus.
De Bruyne broke Chelsea’s resistence 20 minutes from time at the Etihad Stadium when the Belgium midfielder escaped N’golo Kante and bent a perfectly-placed shot into the far corner of Kepa Arrizabalaga’s goal from 20 yards.
City’s 12th-successive league win effectively ended the Blues’ title aspirations.
Third-placed Liverpool can close the gap at the top to eight points with their two games in hand, but it would a collapse by the champions to deny them a fourth title in five seasons.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel sent his side out to contain City.
But after the game, the German was critical of Romelu Lukaku, who gave the latest in a long list of subdued displays
Montego Bay Sports Complex in St James, after playing almost the entire previous season on the artificial turf in Kingston.
Eighteen venues had been approved by the Government to host schoolboy games in both the rural and corporate competitions, including Wespow Park where Montego Bay United are based.
A 19th venue, the Montego Bay Sports Complex, had also been given the nod to host game, but had not been used so far for what has been termed economic reasons by ISSA, given the cost to use the venue when they did not have permission to allow paying spectators.
At Tuesday’s press conference at Wespow Park to announce Ricky Hill as the since his club record transfer from Inter Milan last year.
At Villa Park, the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo due to injury brought the best out of Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese had been United’s talisman in the 18 months prior to Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford, but had scored just once since September. new technical director and to introduce the squad, Powell told the Jamaica Observer the decision was not to approve new venues as that was already accomplished.
“We have had a few games here and we are looking at a venue which would make it a lot more economically viable, also the Catherine Hall stadium,” he said.
“We are not asking for more venues it be approved, there are already approved so use them.”
Powell pointed out that playing every game at the same venue would be an unfair advantage to the four teams based outside Kingston — MBU, Humble Lion, Vere United and Mt Pleasant Football Academy.
“I have to think something
Fernandes had a helping hand from Villa ‘keeper Emilano Martinez, who let his long-range strike slip through his legs to open the scoring on six minutes.
A thumping finish from the midfielder midway through the second half looked to have got United back to winning ways in the league.
But Jacob Ramsey pulled is seriously wrong with our decision making processes,” Powell argued.
“The Premier League is an expensive venture and people have invested a lot into it, so I have to be upset.
“All I can ask is ‘What is the Government thinking? The same protocols that were a goal back before Coutinho marked his return to the Premier League in style by firing home Ramsey’s cross.
United remain seventh, still five points adrift of the top four.
Benitez’s unhappy spell at Everton looks like coming to an end before the face Villa next weekend after Norwich snapped an eight-game given to schoolboys’ football is now being with withheld from a business entity which is all about revenues and we are trying to make some money,” he pointed out, “I guess some oversight was involved but what we are hearing makes no sense,” Powell noted.
winless streak thanks to two goals in two minutes at Carrow Road.
Everton defender Michael Keane turned into his own net to open the scoring before Adam Idah poked past Jordan Pickford.
Richarlison reduced the deficit with an audacious overhead kick on the hour mark.
But it wasn’t enough for the Toffees and Benitez, already disliked after his spell with Everton’s Merseyside rivals Liverpool, was met with a banner saying “get out of our club’ banner” at full-time.
Joao Pedro’s late leveller for Watford at St. James’ Park means Newcastle remain in the bottom three.
Allan Saint-maximin gave the Magpies the lead early in the second half, jinking past two defenders before drilling a superb low strike beyond Ben Foster.
But Newcastle failed to add a killer second goal and Pedro made them pay with an 88th-minute equaliser, the Brazilian thumping a header past Martin Dubravka from Kiko Femenia’s cross.
Newcastle, who gave a debut to New Zealand striker Chris Wood after his move from Burnley, slipped to second last and remain two points behind fourth-bottom Watford.
Wolves beat Southampton 3-1 at Molineux to extend their unbeaten league run to four games.
Raul Jimenez, Conor Coady and Adama Traore were on target for Bruno Lage’s men, who are now just six points off the top four.