Congratulations to Liverpool, says Pep
LIVERPOOL scored three times in nine minutes on the way to a dramatic 4-3 win over Manchester City yesterday which ended the Premier League leaders’ unbeaten start to the season.
Liverpool struck after less than 10 minutes when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain surged forward from midfield to collect a neat layoff from Roberto Firmino and send a low shot past City goalkeeper Ederson. Leroy Sane equalised shortly before the interval, but Liverpool blew City away after halftime with Firmino chipping Ederson to restore the home side’s lead and Sadio Mane striking from the edge of the box.
Egypt international Mohamed Salah looked to have completed the rout when he collected Ederson’s clearance and sent the ball sailing back over the stranded keeper’s head, but City substitute Bernardo Silva grabbed one back and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan prodded home in stoppage-time.
City’s first league defeat in 23 games this season left them 15 points clear at the top, ahead of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
“Congratulations to Liverpool for the victory,” City manager Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports. “The game was in our hands at 1-1, but our finishing was not good and then it went suddenly to 4-1. You have to live this kind of situation in the season.
“The reality is we lose the game, we have a week to recover and prepare for the Newcastle game. All credit to the opponent, we know how difficult it is against a Jurgen Klopp team, so aggressive, at Anfield too. We did a good performance apart from a few minutes.
“In every press conference for the last few months you have said that the Premier League is done and I always said no. We will defend our position game by game.”
Alexis Sanchez is “half in, half out” of Arsenal, manager Arsene Wenger said after the Chilean, widely tipped to leave the Emirates, was left out of the squad for their 2-1 Premier League defeat against Bournemouth yesterday.
The 29-year-old, who arrived in north London from Barcelona in 2014, is out of contract in the close season and has been linked with moves to both City and United.
However, both Sanchez and German World Cup winner Mesut Ozil could depart in January to avoid them leaving as free agents in the off-season.
“Half in half out, you never know this kind of situation during the transfer period,” Wenger told the BBC after yesterday’s disappointing defeat.
“That is why I decided to focus on the game (and leave him out).”
Before the game – which Arsenal lost despite taking the lead early in the second half – Wenger said that a decision on Sanchez’s future was “imminent”.
“Yes (it’s imminent). Don’t read too much in it because even I don’t know which way it will go.”
“He’s being vague at the moment. The situation is not completely decided one way or the other, so I left him at home.”
One of the Premier League’s brightest attacking players, Sanchez has cut an increasingly forlorn figure during a disappointing campaign. – Reuters