Win moves Man City three clear
MANCHESTER: Manchester City beat bottom club Sheffield United 10 to move three points clear of Manchester United, which was held to a goalless draw at Arsenal in the English Premier League yesterday.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ disappointing campaign continued with a 10 loss to Crystal Palace but Newcastle United ended its poor run of form with an impressive 20 win at Everton.
A ninthminute goal from Brazilian Gabriel Jesus gave City a 10 win over Sheffield United which had delivered the title chaser a major boost with its midweek win at Manchester United.
Jesus slotted home from close range after Ferran Torres took advantage of poor defending to wriggle free and pick out his unmarked teammate.
City was not at its slickest best against Chris Wilder’s wellorganised defence, although goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale did well to keep out a fine drive from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Aymeric Laporte’s header.
The visiting side threw on attacking players as it looked to sneak a point and gave Pep Guardiola’s side a scare with a late John Fleck effort that flashed wide.
City has 44 points from 20 games and United three points behind but having played a game more. Thirdplaced Leicester City had a chance to leapfrog Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side with a win over
Leeds United this morning.
Chances were also hard to find at the Emirates, where Manchester
United ended a disappointing week having given up five points in the title race.
Arsenal came out strongly after the interval and Alexandre Lacazette came closest to scoring for the home team, with a 56thminute curling free kick that struck the bar.
The best two chances for United fell to Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani but he was wide of the target both occasions.
United set a club record of 18 away games unbeaten in the league while Arsenal, eighth on 31 points, has not lost since December 19.
Wolves is without a win in eight games after Eberechi Eze’s goal gave Palace a muchneeded win at Selhurst Park.
Eze broke the deadlock on the hour, firing a low leftfooted strike past Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio.
Newcastle United celebrated its first Premier League win in 10 games and lifted pressure off manager Steve Bruce after two goals from Callum Wilson secured a 20 win at Everton.
Wilson fired the visiting team in front with a brilliant header in the 73rd minute and the former Bournemouth forward added the second in stoppage time from close range.
Ivan Cavaleiro came off the substitutes bench to grab a late equaliser as Fulham held fellow struggler West Bromwich Albion to a 22 draw at the Hawthorns.
Fulham went ahead in the 10th minute when Aleksandar Mitrovic slipped a through ball to Bobby CordovaReid, who slotted it past West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
West Brom equalised early in the second period when Brazilian playmaker Matheus Pereira’s cross was stabbed home by defender Kyle Bartley.
Pereira appeared to have earned a first home league win for West Brom under manager Sam Allardyce when he smashed the ball past Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
But Fulham salvaged a point after Harrison Reed’s cross found fellow substitute Cavaleiro, who headed home 13 minutes from time.
In yesterday’s late game, England midfielder Jack Grealish fired in a superb cross for Ross Barkley to head home as Aston Villa overcame a slow start to beat Southampton 10 at St Mary’s.
Danny Ings had a late goal ruled out for offside for Southampton, which slumped to its third league defeat in a row. — Reuters