Man City hang on to Liverpool’s coat-tails by their fingernails
● Manchester City kept Premier League leaders Liverpool in their sights yesterday after battling back to beat Chelsea as Jose Mourinho ended Tottenham’s away-day woes in his first game in charge.
Leicester saw off Brighton 2-0 to stay second, eight points behind Jurgen Klopp’s men, and struggling Arsenal needed a stoppage-time goal to draw 2-2 with lowly Southampton.
Liverpool’s hard-fought 2-1 win at Crystal Palace meant City went into their evening match against high-flying Chelsea 12 points behind the pacesetters.
Frank Lampard’s men had the better of the early stages in Manchester and N’Golo Kante gave them a deserved lead midway through the first half. But the lead lasted only eight minutes before Kevin De Bruyne equalised after a wicked deflection off defender Kurt Zouma left goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga helpless.
Pep Guardiola’s City were soon in the lead after Riyad Mahrez cut inside from the right to fire a low left-footed shot through Fikayo Tomori’s legs and into the far corner and they held on to seal a vital 2-1 win.
Earlier, Liverpool once again demonstrated their knack for last-gasp winners, with Roberto Firmino finishing from close range after a goalmouth scramble.
Liverpool had looked set to drop points for just the second time this season after Wilfried Zaha cancelled out Sadio Mane’s opener in the 82nd minute.
“We are not out there to show we invented football,” said Klopp. “We have a job to do to get results. We did that again.
“I have no problem that we were not brilliant today. You just have to make sure you are ready to fight for the result and we were that from the first minute.”
Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester kept up their dogged pursuit of the leaders, with secondhalf goals from Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy giving them a fifth successive league win.
In the early kick-off at the London Stadithat
I have no problem that we were not brilliant today. You just have to be ready to fight for the result
um, Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane were on the scoresheet for Spurs as Mourinho won his first game in charge 3-2 days after replacing the sacked Mauricio Pochettino.
“It was very, very important. Eleven months without music in the away dressing room, without a smile, without happiness and they did it,” said the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss on ending Spurs’ away-day blues.
“That’s where I belong (on the touchline), is my natural habitat,” added Mourinho. “I just love it. When things go in your direction, winning is the best feeling.”
Southampton took an early lead at the Emirates through Danny Ings, only for Alexandre Lacazette to level.
James Ward-Prowse restored Southampton’s lead in the second half but Lacazette saved some of Unai Emery’s blushes with a goal deep into stoppage time.
In-form Wolves won 2-1 at 10-man Bournemouth courtesy of a Joao Moutinho free-kick and Raul Jimenez’s goal to climb to fifth in the table.
Norwich lifted themselves off bottom in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory at Everton and Burnley won 3-0 at Watford, who are now bottom. Manchester United face Sheffield United today.