LONDON (REUTERS) - Top-class goals from Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero took Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League in a 2-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday (March 30).
City's seventh successive league victory keeps alive their hopes an unprecedented quadruple of League Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies this season.
A wayward ball from Fulham's Timothy Fosu-Mensah gifted the visitors the lead in the fifth minute.
Sergio Aguero intercepted the Dutchman's pass just outside the area and passed to Silva, who cut across past two defenders and drove his left-footed shot into the corner past the diving Sergio Rico in goal.
City manager Pep Guardiola told reporters that Silva was playing so well he had made himself a fixture in the lineup.
"The way he is playing, I cannot do anything else but put him on the pitch," he said.
Fulham, who were missing top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic after the international break, kept five men in the back line in a bid to keep City's attack at bay, leading to one-way traffic. In the end, the Cottagers were unable to register a single shot on target all game.
Â
The home side's captain Tom Cairney won a freekick on the corner of the box in a rare break forward in the first half that had the home fans clapping and stamping their feet to rattle the century-old Johnny Haynes Stand.
However, Joe Bryan's cross was a whisker too high for Ryan Babel to head cleanly, and the ball went wide.
City's Silva turned provider in the 27th minute, pouncing onto a loose ball and passing to Aguero, who sprang forward past three defenders and shot from a tight angle up into the opposite corner for his league-leading 19th goal of the season.
Caretaker manager Scott Parker's Fulham have now failed to record a win in 14 games against City in all competitions and have lost the last eight in a row.
The result takes City back to the top of the Premier League on 77 points, one ahead of Liverpool who host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
"Now it's the last part of the season, seven games left. It's easy: Every game we play we have to win if we want to be champions," Guardiola said.
For Fulham, the outlook is bleak. They remain in 19th place on 17 points, and will now most likely need to win every one of their remaining six matches to have a chance of avoiding relegation.
"We understand the predicament. The main focus now is we push and we end the season on a positive after a difficult campaign," Fulham boss Parker told reporters.
"We have another game on Tuesday and we have to do better. We have six games left and mathematically we're still in it," defender Cyrus Christie said.
REUTERS: China was all but confirmed as host nation of the next Asian Cup tournament in 2023 after the only other bidders South Korea withdrew from the process. The Korean Football association
China all but confirmed as 2023 Asian Cup hosts after Korea
Angry Messi says son questions why Argentines criticize him on Friday how he struggles to deal with criticism of his performances for Argentina's national team, saying that even his six-year
Furious Messi says son asks why Argentines criticize him
Mohamed Salah's involvement in the Champions League final came to a premature end last year but it took less than two minutes for him to put things right this time around as his early effort was
Defence could be key as Barcelona and Liverpool lock horns
Paul Scholes, the former Manchester United midfielder, has been appointed as the new manager of League Two club Oldham Athletic, signing a one-and-a-half year contract at his boyhood club.
Paul Scholes appointed manager of Oldham Athletic | Football
Football: Italy upset Australia at Women's World Cup with
Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) - Japan cashed in on a defensive mix-up and a controversial penalty as they stunned favourites Iran 3-0 in the Asian Cup semi-finals to move one win away from
Football: 'Emotional breakdown' as Japan stun imploding Iran
Hack Kahoot Quizes and answers with our advanced free bot that can spam the game in seconds
Kahoot! - Wikipedia
Manchester City retained the Premier League title in style on Sunday (May 12), holding their nerve to come from behind against Brighton and see off a charging Liverpool after a thrilling campaign.
Manchester City retain Premier League title in come from
Angry Messi says son questions why Argentines criticize him Soccer / 29 March 2019, 8:00pm / Lionel Messi says he struggles to handle the criticism when it comes to playing for the national team.
Angry Messi says son questions why Argentines criticise him
Spurs beaten for first time in new stadium; Saints stay up by Michail Antonio ensured West Ham United became the first visiting team to win at Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium as Mauricio
Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial both injured in Manchester United's Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain Man Utd's Martial, Lingard to miss Chelsea, Liverpool matches : The Standard
Football: Man United's Martial, Lingard to miss Chelsea
Goals from Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino earned Liverpool a 2-0 win over Porto on Tuesday as Juergen Klopp's side took the upper hand in their Champions League quarter-final tie without killing
Liverpool vs. Porto score: Firmino, Keita give Reds
Chelsea have been handed a huge incentive to claim a top three finish in the Premier League. With Tottenham Hotspur failing to beat Bournemouth yesterday afternoon, the Blues can climb above their London rivals today and stay there with a win on the final day of the season next weekend.
Cardiff v Chelsea & Liverpool v Tottenham live in Premier
0 comments:
Post a Comment