We’ve to change the dynamics: Guardiola Hazard hits Chelsea hundred in win at Watford
CAPE TOWN — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has urged his side to “accept the reality” following a surprising dip in form that has seen them lose three of their last four Premier League fixtures.
The Citizens were in imperious form at the start of the campaign going unbeaten for 15 matches before suffering their first defeat of the season at Chelsea on December 8.
The 2-0 defeat to Chelsea proved to be an omen of what was to come, with Crystal Palace and Leicester City both taking maximum points from their clash with Guardiola’s side later in the month.
Table-topping Liverpool now boast a sixpoint lead at the top of the table, with Tottenham leapfrogging Man City into second place on Boxing Day after a 5-0 rout of Bournemouth.
Many pundits and fans will already have one eye on the upcoming clash with Liverpool in the new year, but Guardiola wants his players to remain focused on their next encounter, a trip to Southampton on Sunday.
“We have to accept the reality. It’s happened, accept the reality and try to win again for our confidence,” Guardiola said. “Now there will be doubts but we have to change the dynamic.
“I have to think about what the team needs and then try to win again.
“In football you are able to win a lot of games and lose a lot of games. We have to think about Southampton next and recover mentally.”
He continued: “The reality is we have lost three in four and to be real contenders we need to win again, so we focus on Southampton.
“We have made an incredible amount of points at this stage and if we can get the same, or more, in the second half of the season then we are fighting to win the championship. But at the moment, the reality is that two more teams are better than us.”
Meanwhile, Unai Emery apologises to Brighton fans after kicking water bottle into crowd — and hitting supporter — during Arsenal’s draw at Amex Stadium
Unai Emery apologised to Brighton supporters after booting a water bottle into the crowd during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Amex Stadium.
The Spaniard kicked the bottle and it flew up, LONDON — Eden Hazard scored his 100th and 101st Chelsea goals as Maurizio Sarri’s men moved back into the Premier League top four by grinding out a 2-1 win at Watford on Boxing Day.
Two of the three goals came in first-half stoppage time as the Belgian’s opener was quickly cancelled out by Roberto Pereyra’s spectacular strike.
However, Hazard made sure he was the matchwinner as he was brought down by Ben Foster and then converted the resulting spot-kick early in the second half to move Chelsea two points ahead of Arsenal in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Despite fuming at Chelsea’s lack of focus in losing at Stamford Bridge for the first time in charge of the Blues to Leicester on Saturday, Sarri named the same starting line-up with Hazard again serving as the focal point of the attack ahead of Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata.
Hazard had to wait for his chances to come, but showed why Sarri persists with him through the middle as he coolly rounded Foster to give Chelsea the lead.
Until that point Willian had the visitors’ only clear chance when he also rounded the ‘keeper but could only strike the post from a narrow angle. And Watford will believe they were well worthy of their equaliser just a minute after falling behind.
Jose Holebas’s corner perfectly picked out Pereyra on the edge of the Chelsea box and the Argentine connected sweetly on the volley to find the bottom corner.
The hosts had claims for a penalty waved
glancing off one fan, to Emery’s immediate regret.
Brighton fans surrounding the incident reacted furiously but to his credit, the Arsenal manager apologised straight away.
He also walked over to the section of supporters in question once the full time whistle had been blown to express his contrition once again.
Emery was also seen explaining his actions to the fourth official on the touchline. away when Gerard Deulofeu tumbled under a shoulder barge from David Luiz, but there was no controversy when at the other end
After the game he briefly explained what had happened: ‘I said to them, “apologies”, because I kicked the bottle after a disappointing action for us in the last minutes.
‘It wasn’t hard, but it touched one supporter for them. I said to them I’m sorry.’
It was a flashpoint for the Gunners boss in a frustrating Boxing Day evening against Chris Hughton’s spirited side. moments later Hazard was hauled down by Foster.
Hazard picked himself up to dispatch the penalty confidently and by the end Chelsea’s margin of victory should have be en greater.
Willian and N’Golo Kante drilled low shots inches wide and Foster had to race back to his goal after going forward for a late Watford corner to deny Hazard his hattrick with the last action of the game. — AFP.
The officials were satisfied that the incident was dealt with and decided not to include it in the match report. The Seagulls responded to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s opening goal with a Jurgen Locadia equaliser.
Mesut Ozil was brought off at half-time but Arsenal failed to come up with a winner and Brighton continually threatened on the break. — Sport24-Dailyonline.com MILAN — Juventus star forward Cristiano Ronaldo has come to the defence of Kalidou Koulibaly after the Napoli defender was the target of racist chants during a match against Inter Milan.
Next to a photo of him being marked by Koulibaly during a match between Napoli and Juventus earlier this season, Ronaldo writes in Italian on Instagram, “In the world and in football there always needs to be education and respect. No to racism and to any sort of insult and discrimination!!!”
Koulibaly had monkey noises directed at him throughout the Serie A game on Wednesday at Milan’s San Siro stadium. He was sent off in the 81st minute after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, the second for sarcastically applauding the referee after being shown the first.
Koulibaly earlier made a decisive goal-line clearance to deny Inter captain Mauro Icardi.
After the game, Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti threatened to lead his team off the field the next time one of his players was subjected to continued racist abuse.
Ancelotti asked several times for the match against Inter to be halted after the chants, and announcements warning fans this would happen were made but no further action was taken.
Koulibaly posted on Twitter of his pride of being born in France to Senegalese parents.
“I’m sorry about the defeat and especially to have left my brothers! But I am proud of the colour of my skin. Of being French, Senegalese, Neapolitan: a man,” he wrote in Italian.
Inter beat Napoli 1-0 for the first time in nearly 50 years — since 1971.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Milan said yesterday he was ashamed of the racist chants directed at Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly during Wednesday’s Serie A match between Inter and Napoli at the San Siro.
Sala also asked the Napoli player for forgiveness on behalf of the city of Milan.
The 27-year-old had been subjected to monkey noises from home supporters throughout the match. He was later sent off as Inter won the game 1-0. Victory, though, was overshadowed by the chanting.
“The boos aimed at Koulibaly were shameful,” said Sala on Facebook.
“A shameful act towards a true athlete who wears the colour of his skin with pride.”
The mayor, who was at the San Siro for the match, said he would continue to go to games but would not tolerate any racist chanting.
“I will continue to watch Inter but at the first chant I will make a small gesture. I will get up and leave. I will do it for myself, aware that whoever abuses a black athlete won’t give a damn about me,” said Sala. — AFP-AP.