Liverpool hold Man City in title showdown, Newcastle crush Chelsea

AFP |  Manchester

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

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 yesterday.

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, but second placed Liverpool’s escape act means third placed Arsenal will go top if they win at Brentford in yesterday’s late game.

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.

Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling equalised with a superb freekick 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.