Liverpool hold Manchester City in title showdown, Newcastle crush Chelsea
LONDON: Trent Alexander-Arnold’s late equaliser rescued Liverpool in their 1-1 draw at title rivals Manchester City after Erling Haaland bagged his 50th Premier League goal, while Newcastle routed woeful Chelsea 4-1 on Saturday.
Alexander-Arnold struck 10 minutes from the end of a tense summit meeting at the Etihad Stadium after Haaland’s landmark strike looked like extending City’s record home winning run.
Leaders City had won their previous 23 games on home turf in all competitions. Haaland converted Nathan Ake’s pass with a fine finish from just inside the area in the 27th minute, reaching his half-century of goals in the competition in record time in his 48th appearance.
But Pep Guardiola’s men went flat after that and Alexander-Arnold made them pay, drilling his shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area before celebrating by putting a finger to his lips the City fans.
“It’s a tough place to come. If we’d played really well today, we could have won, but we didn’t. We played ok,” Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said. “For the moment we’re in, we should take the point as a success. I have nothing to complain about.”
Guardiola was involved in a heated exchange of words with Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez at the final whistle, with Klopp having to lead his player away from the confrontation.
“That was an excellent performance. I’m really proud that after eight years we are still playing that way. We were really good in all departments and needed to be against an incredible team,” Guardiola said.
At St James’ Park, injury-hit Newcastle were stretched so thin that Eddie Howe had to name three goalkeepers among his substitutes.
But sixth placed Newcastle ignored their fitness issues to bounce back from successive defeats against Bournemouth and Borussia Dortmund.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak fired home from Lewis Miley’s pass to open the scoring in the 13th minute.
RAMPANT NEWCASTLE
Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling equalised with a superb free-kick 10 minutes later, but Jamaal Lascelles restored Newcastle’s advantage with a header on the hour.
And less than 60 seconds later, Joelinton punished Thiago Silva after the Chelsea defender mis-controlled Cole Palmer’s pass.
Chelsea right-back Reece James was sent off for a second booking in the 73rd minute and Newcastle rounded off their demolition 10 minutes later when Anthony Gordon slotted home.
It was the heaviest defeat of Pochettino’s first season in charge and the second successive game that Chelsea conceded four goals.
Fourth bottom Luton secured their first home league win this season as Crystal Palace were beaten 2-1 at Kenilworth Road.
Jacob Brown’s 83rd minute goal won it for Luton after Palace’s Michael Olise cancelled out Teden Mengi’s opener.
West Ham staged a dramatic fightback to steal a 2-1 win that added to rock bottom Burnley’s relegation fears.
Jay Rodriguez claimed his first goal this season with a 49th minute penalty, but Dara O’Shea’s 86th minute own goal put West Ham level before Tomas Soucek won it in stoppage-time.
Brighton won for the first time in seven league games as Joao Pedro inspired a 3-2 victory at Nottingham Forest Anthony Elanga struck for Forest after three minutes, but Evan Ferguson hauled Brighton level in the 26th minute.
Pedro scored for Brighton in first half stoppage-time and also converted a 58th minute penalty.
Brighton’s Lewis Dunk was dismissed after being booked twice for dissent in the space of 60 seconds in the 73rd minute, just prior to Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty for Forest.
Marcus Tavernier scored twice as Bournemouth won 3-1 at third bottom Sheffield United.
Tavernier’s brace came either side of Justin Kluivert’s noteworthy strike, with Oliver McBurnie’s late reply no consolation for United.
Kluivert is only the third player — after Florin Raducioiu and Stevan Jovetic — to score in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.
Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2023
