United burst City’s winning bubble
• Fernandes penalty and Shaw goal end City’s 21-game unbeaten run that started in November
Manchester City’s 21-match winning streak was ended by Manchester United on Sunday with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side enjoying a 2-0 Premier League derby win at the Etihad Stadium.
The result narrows City’s lead over United at the top of the table to 11 points with 10 games remaining and was City’s first defeat in all competitions since November 21.
City were stunned after just 34 seconds when referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the penalty spot after Gabriel Jesus brought down Anthony Martial just inside the box.
Bruno Fernandes took the penalty with Ederson getting his right hand to the shot which squeezed in the corner to give the visitors the lead.
Luke Shaw had a great chance to double their advantage shortly after the opener but the fullback shot straight at Ederson from a good position in the box.
City had an appeal for a penalty turned down when Raheem Sterling tangled with Fred in the area and Riyad Mahrez went close just before the break.
United, tactically and defensively solid throughout, doubled their lead when keeper Dean Henderson threw a clever and fast ball out to Shaw who burst past two City defenders and after a swift exchange with Marcus Rashford, drove into the bottom far-corner.
Earlier Liverpool slumped to a club-record extending sixth consecutive home league defeat as they lost 1-0 to Fulham after a first-half goal by Mario Lemina.
The defeat by the relegationthreatened visitors marks the first time since the 1953/1954 season that the Reds have lost six games at Anfield in a league campaign.
Liverpool stay seventh on 43 points, four points off fourthplaced Chelsea having played a game more. Fulham remain in the bottom three on 26 points after 28 games but now only trail 17th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion on goal difference.
Juergen Klopp made seven changes to the side that lost 1-0 at home to Chelsea on Thursday, but it made little difference as Lemina outmuscled Mohamed Salah on the edge of the box to take possession before lashing home in the 45th minute.
Liverpool’s fortunes were summed up when unmarked substitute Sadio Mane had a great opportunity to equalise in the 80th minute but mistimed his downward header and the opening came to nothing.
Klopp dismissed suggestions Fulham were more up for the game than his reigning champions, who have looked a shadow of the team that romped to the title last season.
“The winner is always right. My boys wanted it. It’s easy to judge, they [Fulham] have won it, so wanted it more. I don’t think that’s the problem,” he told Sky Sports before giving a more damning assessment in the post-match media conference.
“It was not good enough. We conceded a goal, didn’t score, lost the game, it was not good enough,” he added.
Liverpool had the lion’s share of the ball but yet again failed to convert possession into chances as Fulham’s defence worked
hard to prevent the home side from penetrating.
As Liverpool poured forward late on, Joachim Andersen threw himself to block a late Andy Robertson cross..
“The second half, you don’t plan it to go like that, but we showed another side to us — character, resilience and doggedness. I’m very proud of
the team today,” Fulham manager Scott Parker said.
In the early game, West Bromwich Albion’s hopes of avoiding relegation were dented as they missed several chances in a 0-0 draw at home to fellow strugglers Newcastle United.
The result left Newcastle four points above the drop zone in 16th place on 27 from as many
games, while West Brom stayed second-bottom on 18 from 28, eight points from the safety area.
Newcastle had the upper hand in the opening 15 minutes as they staged several fast breaks and only a superb clearance by Darnell Furlong from a Joelinton cross denied Ryan Fraser a close-range tap in.