The Herald (South Africa)

Man City remain top after derby victory

-

Premier League champions Manchester City stayed two points clear at the top on Sunday with a dominant

3-1 win in the derby against Manchester United.

Liverpool, having beaten bottom club Fulham 2-0 at Anfield, will go into the internatio­nal break in second place after receiving a favour from neighbours Everton, who held Chelsea to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile, Arsenal had to come from behind to extend their unbeaten run to 16 games in all competitio­ns with a 1-1 draw at home to promoted Wolverhamp­ton Wanderers.

Man City moved on to 32 points from 12 games, while Liverpool have 30 and Chelsea 28, with all three teams unbeaten in the league.

City were on top from the start against a United team missing the injured Paul Pogba.

David Silva scored the first goal after 12 minutes and Sergio Aguero added a second soon after halftime.

Jose Mourinho’s side barely threatened until substitute Romelu Lukaku came on to win a penalty that Anthony Martial converted just before the hour mark.

But despite City largely controllin­g the game, it took a late third goal by substitute Ilkay Gundogan to ensure there could be no repeat of United’s dramatic comeback to win 3-2 in the same fixture last season.

United remain eighth and 12 points behind the leaders.

There was controvers­y at Anfield after Liverpool took the lead against struggling Fulham just before halftime. The London side felt Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic should not have been given offside as he headed home and that goalkeeper Alisson took the subsequent free kick when the ball was moving.

Less than 15 seconds later from a lightning Reds break, it was in the net at the other end, put there by Mo Salah.

Xherdan Shaqiri scored a fine second goal, after which the heart seemed to go out of a Fulham team who remain bottom of the table with only one win from their 12 games.

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri set a record in the Premier League era by completing his first 12 games without defeat, but he would have expected more than a goalless draw at home against Everton. –

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from South Africa