Brighton – Arsenal 3:0
Scored for Arsenal: Saka (33, penalty), Habertz (62), Trussard (86)
Arsenal took advantage of the fact that Liverpool will play only tomorrow, beat Brighton 0:3 away, and temporarily rose to first place. The Gunners are now a point ahead of Liverpool and Manchester City.
Bokayo Saka, who did not play in the middle of the week due to injury and did not practice yesterday either, returned straight to the lineup and showed that he is back to fitness. Saka had several good opportunities in the opening and only inaccuracy against the Dutch goalkeeper Bart Perbruchen prevented him from scoring early on.
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Andrew Trussard scores Arsenal’s third goal today Photo: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Andrew Trussard scores Arsenal’s third goal today Photo: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Gabriel Jesus and the brakeman Gabriel also recorded misses, but in the 33rd minute the gunners took the lead. Jesus burst into the box and was thwarted, and Saka made it 0:1 with a successful penalty. In the second half, Arsenal looked relaxed and played good football. An exchange of passes between Jorginho and Kai Hubertz ended with the German’s goal in the 62nd minute, and in the 86th minute he scored the third for substitute Andrew Trussard.
Arsenal’s goal difference from Liverpool is nine, and 11 from City, which could be critical towards the end of the season.
Crystal Palace – Manchester City 4:2
Scorers for Palace: Jean-Philippe Mattea (3), Odson Edouard (86); City scored: Kevin de Bruyne (13, 70), Rico Lewis (47), Erling Holland (66)
Three days before it meets Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, today (Saturday) Manchester City beat Crystal Palace 2:4 away, and will come to the intriguing game with a calm mind. The English champion came back from an early deficit on the way to victory, which temporarily elevates it to second place, with the same number of points as the leader Liverpool – but with an extra game. Jurgen Klopp’s team will play against Manchester United tomorrow.
Despite falling behind in the third minute, City showed great ability, especially in the second half, and enjoyed an excellent display from Kevin de Bruyne and Arling Holland, who returned to the lineup after being sidelined midweek against Aston Villa. Phil Foden, who was brilliant with a hat-trick against Villa, has been rested. Jeremy Duco and Bernardo Silva also remained on the bench, while Oscar received the team shirt.
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Erling Holland scores Manchester City’s third, today Photo: REUTERS/Tony Obrien
Erling Holland scores Manchester City’s third, today Photo: REUTERS/Tony Obrien
The opening was, as mentioned, by the hostess. Already in the third minute, John Stones gave a careless pass, Palace took advantage of this and went on a rampage, Adam Wharton sent Jean-Philippe Matata, and the latter ran forward and kicked to the far post and in – a surprising 0:1 for Crystal Palace. But within ten minutes City had already equalized. In the 13th minute, Jack Grealish dribbled down the left wing to the line, passed between two defenders to De Bruyne, and the Belgian turned an artist’s ball from the edge of the box into the far post – 1:1.
City did dominate the game but their defense, absent Manuel Akanji, was not focused and it almost cost them dearly at the end of the first half. Akanji entered at halftime in place of Yoshko Garbidiol, and this substitution contributed to an improvement in both defense and attack. Two minutes from the start of the second half, Akanji started the attack with a pass to Grealish, the English midfielder’s ball was not well cleared – and right defender Rico Lewis scored from ten meters to make it 1:2. Second career league goal for Lewis, when the first was also against Palace, and City completes a turnaround.
Grealish continued to make names on the left. In the 66th minute, he passed to De Bruyne, who scored Holland’s first goal after exactly one month, since the match against Copenhagen in the Champions League, and 1:3 to City. Four minutes later, Grealish again put in a ball from the left side, this time to Rodri, who passed it to De Bruyne, and the Belgian continued without stopping with a tremendous ball in – 1:4 and his second goal of the game. Odson Eduard scored another goal towards the end (86) – 2:4 for City at the end.
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Ollie Watkins equalizes 3:3 and gives Aston Villa a point, today against Brentford Photo: David Davies/PA via AP
Ollie Watkins equalizes 3:3 and gives Aston Villa a point, today against Brentford Photo: David Davies/PA via AP
After the defeat against City in the middle of the week, Aston Villa again conceded a large amount of goals, finishing only 3:3 against Brentford after already leading 0:2 – and may lose the fourth place to Tottenham tomorrow. Ollie Watkins scored a brace for Villa, and was also the one to bring them back from 3:2 down in the 80th minute to give them a point.
Everton took a big step on the way to staying with 0:1 over Burnley (who were close to relegation) from a goal by Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Luton is still below the red line, but a turnaround and a big 1:2 win over Bournemouth with a winning goal by Carlton Lewis in the first minute of extra time gives them hope for the rest.
West Ham did not give up a place in Europe after a 1:2 victory at Wolves away (Lukas Pacta and an Olympic goal from James Ward-Prowse’s corner) and came close. Newcastle beat Fulham 0:1 away from a goal by Bruno Guimaraes.
