Tag: English Premier League

LONDON: Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool deserved no more than a 2-2 draw against newly-promoted Fulham in a pulsating start to their Premier League season on Saturday.

Aleksandar Mitrovic twice put the impressive hosts ahead, but Darwin Nunez came off the bench to make a huge impact on his Premier League debut.

The Uruguayan, who arrived at Anfield in a deal that could rise to 100 million euros ($102 million) from Benfica, flicked home to level at 1-1 and then teed up Mohamed Salah for an equaliser 10 minutes from time.

Liverpool’s season had got off to a flying start by getting the better of Manchester City to win the Community Shield in what was billed as an early showdown between the two title contenders.

However, the Reds were punished for a sluggish performance in the first hour in what could prove a costly concession of two points.

“The best thing about the game was the result,” said Klopp. “We got a point from a really bad game.

“The result was fine, I don’t think we deserved more than that. The performance can be massively improved.”

Mitrovic scored 43 goals in as many games last season as Fulham romped to the Championship title and gave Liverpool an early warning as he stabbed just wide inside the first minute.

Much to Klopp’s frustration on the touchline, the visitors did not wake from their slumber and were finally punished on 32 minutes when Mitrovic outmuscled Trent Alexander-Arnold at the back post to head in Kenny Tete’s cross.

“We have to respect Liverpool but of course do our job and trust ourselves,” said Fulham boss Marco Silva. “We did a great first half, almost perfect the way we controlled and blocked. In the second half, we matched them.”

Liverpool flickered into life before the break as Luis Diaz smashed against the post from a narrow-angle.

However, it was not until the introduction of the towering presence of Nunez that the Champions League finalists began to pose a persistent threat.

Nunez was at fault when Fulham were inches away from doubling their lead when he was caught in possession and the ball was fed to Neeskens Kebano, who drilled off the inside of the post.

At the other end, Liverpool’s new striker quickly made his presence felt as an audacious flick from Salah’s cross was saved by Marek Rodak.

Moments later a replica move did deliver Nunez’s first Premier League goal as he backheeled in from Salah’s low cross 26 minutes from time.

At that point, there appeared only one winner, but Mitrovic showed a surprising fleetness of foot to turn Virgil van Dijk, who clipped the Serbian striker inside the box.

Mitrovic coolly slotted the resulting penalty low past Alisson Becker, but Fulham failed to hold out in the final 18 minutes for a famous win.

Another long ball into the box towards Nunez caused panic in the Fulham defence and the ball eventually fell kindly to Salah to score on the opening weekend of the Premier League for a sixth consecutive season.

Liverpool could even have snatched victory five minutes into stoppage time when Jordan Henderson’s long-range strike came back off the crossbar.

But a point was the least Fulham deserved as they made a strong start in their bid to avoid relegation for a fourth consecutive season when in the top flight.

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MANCHESTER: English Premier League club Manchester United confirmed the departure of its midfielder, Juan Mata when his contract ends with the club at the end of this month.

“Thank you for dedicating eight years of your career to United, Juan. Everyone at the club wishes you all the best for the future,” said United in a farewell statement to Mata.

The Spanish footballer served the club for eight years after he was transferred from the rivals, Chelsea in January 2014, making 285 appearances for United and scoring 51 goals.

The 34-years old midfielder helped the club to clinch FA Cup, League Cup, and Europa League during his time at Old Trafford.

The Spaniard will follow the suit of Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard, who United announced would also be leaving at the end of their contracts on Wednesday.

The summer of change at Old Trafford began as new manager Erik ten Hag took charge, who attempts to revive the team after it slipped to 6th position in the recently concluded season of the English Premier League.

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LONDON: Manchester City made a timely come back after two goals down to draw the match and earn a point against West Ham, here on Sunday. The draw however made the side wait to lift the Premier League.

City’s grip on the Premier League seemed doubtful in the first half as the Hammers led 2-0 following Jarrod Bowen’s well-taken double.

However, four minutes after the restart, Jack Grealish made the first strike for the visitors, and Vladmir Coufal headed Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick into his own net as City escaped loss in a top-flight match.

The side then also got a chance to win after Craig Dawson fouled Gabriel Jesus which earned the side a vital penalty strike but Mahrez’s failure to avail the opportunity barred the side from lifting the title.

The City are still four points ahead of the second-placed Liverpool, with one match to go. The side can clinch the Premier League by defeating Aston Villa on the final day.

Liverpool, on the other hand, potentially got a chance to level with the City by winning their remaining two matches if the latter lose their match against Aston Villa.

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LIVERPOOL: Everton kept alive their hopes of Premier League survival by shocking Chelsea 1-0 on Sunday, as Arsenal maintained their two-point lead over Tottenham in the battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Arsenal were 2-1 winners at West Ham to move back above Spurs, who earlier beat Leicester 3-1 thanks to a Son Heung-min double.

Everton’s huge win at a raucous Goodison Park means Frank Lampard’s side is just two points from safety and have a game in hand to come over Leeds and Burnley.

The only goal arrived just a minute into the second half when Richarlison pressured Cesar Azpilicueta into losing possession and the Brazilian forward finished coolly from Demarai Gray’s pass.

Mason Mount’s shot hit both posts as Chelsea sought a response before man-of-the-match Jordan Pickford sprinted across his line to keep out Azpilicueta’s follow-up effort.

The England goalkeeper also denied Antonio Rudiger at point-blank range and kept out Matteo Kovacic in a nervy seven minutes of stoppage time.

Former Chelsea boss Lampard, who took over from the unpopular Rafael Benitez at the end of January, has struggled to revive the fortunes of the Merseyside giants, who last played outside the top flight in the 1953/54 season.

But he was delighted with the passion shown by his players and the supporters.

The defeat leaves third-placed Chelsea still with work to do to seal their place in the Champions League next season.

The Blues’ lead over Tottenham is down to five points, but Thomas Tuchel’s men have a comfortable run-in on paper.

Arsenal’s centre-backs got the job done to keep the Gunners on course to end a five-year absence from the Champions League.

Rob Holding’s header from Bukayo Saka’s corner put the visitors in front at the London Stadium.

West Ham had one eye on the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek, but David Moyes named a strong side and was rewarded with an equaliser before half-time from Jarrod Bowen.

The Hammers’ strength from set-pieces has been one of the successes of their season.

But they were undone at the back from another corner as this time Gabriel Magalhaes turned in Gabriel Martinelli’s cross.

Tottenham took full advantage of Leicester naming a much-changed side ahead of their Europa Conference League second leg against Roma.

Harry Kane powered home a header from Son’s corner midway through the first half and Son doubled the lead on the hour mark after a pass from substitute Dejan Kulusevski.

Son scored a third in the 79th minute to kill the game, curling an unstoppable effort into the top corner for his 19th Premier League goal of the season before a late consolation for Kelechi Iheanacho.

The battle for fourth could come down to a north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal on May 12.

But Mikel Arteta’s men will hope to extend their lead to five points next weekend when they host relegation-threatened Leeds, while Spurs face a daunting trip to title-chasing Liverpool.

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LONDON: Son Heung-min fired Tottenham to a crucial 3-1 win against West Ham as the South Koreans double lifted his side within three points of the Premier League’s top four on Sunday.

Antonio Conte’s team went in front through Kurt Zouma’s own goal before Son doubled their lead.

Said Benrahma reduced the deficit, but Son struck again in the second half to give Tottenham a fourth victory from their last five league games.

Tottenham move up to the fifth place and sit just three points behind their north London rivals Arsenal in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top-four finish.

Although Tottenham have played a game more than Arsenal, they are firmly in the hunt with a clash against the Gunners still to come later this season.

After the high of beating Sevilla to reach the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday, this was a major setback to West Ham’s hopes of clinching a top-four berth.

David Moyes’ men are seventh and trail Arsenal by six points, with the Gunners holding two games in hand.

Tottenham had lost five of their previous seven Premier League London derbies this season.

But they took the lead in the ninth minute when Zouma deflected Harry Kane’s pass into his own net as he tried to stop the delivery.

There was extra relish in the celebrations of Tottenham fans who jeered Zouma following the French defender’s shocking abuse of his pet cat.

Son was inches away from doubling Tottenham’s lead with a fierce drive that smacked off the post.

The South Korean forward did not have to wait long to get on the scoresheet as he latched onto Kane’s defence-splitting pass and lifted a clinical finish past Lukasz Fabianski in the 24th minute.

It was a landmark moment for Kane and Son, who have combined for 38 Premier League goals with 19 assists each, the most of any duo in the competition’s history.