Football / News / Sports

Mohamed Salah’s stunning goal earns Liverpool 1-0 win vs Man City

The Egyptian forward was picked out by goalkeeper Alisson and produced a stunning touch and turn, spinning Joao Cancelo in the process.

Salah then kept his composure to steer the ball past Ederson. It was a truly magical goal and has the potential to be one of the standout moments of the season.

The kick. The touch. The turn. The finish. What a sensational goal.

Tight first half at Anfield

Thirteen points separated the Premier League heavyweights at the start of the afternoon.

Previously unbeaten City have been magnificent during the opening weeks of the campaign, inspired by their £51 million summer signing Erling Haaland.

All eyes were on the prolific Norwegian forward at Anfield and he was City’s biggest goal threat during the first half, testing Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson on two occasions.

Haaland will feel that he should have broke the deadlock shortly before half-time with a header from Kevin De Bruyne’s inch-perfect cross.

Liverpool held their own during the opening 45 minutes but only managed to get one shot on target.

Salah’s moment of magic seals Liverpool win

Salah almost put the hosts 1-0 up early in the second half but the Egyptian forward, who scored a lightning-quick hat-trick against Rangers in midweek, saw his effort stopped by a superb Ederson save.

At the opposite end of the pitch, City scored through Phil Foden, only for the goal to be disallowed following a VAR review. Haaland had fouled Fabinho in the build-up to the chance and the goal was chalked off, much to Pep Guardiola’s frustration.

The game had suddenly burst into life. Salah then picked out Diogo Jota moments later but the Portuguese forward headed over the bar.

Alisson then produced another save from Haaland before Salah curled wide with 20 minutes left on the clock.

There was confusion shortly afterwards when it appeared that Salah was one of three players Jurgen Klopp wanted to substitute.

But he stayed on and then scored one of the best goals we’ll see this season in the Premier League, …

Football / Sports

Haaland hat trick leads rout vs Nottingham Forest

Manchester City turned on the class to hammer Nottingham Forest 6-0 as an Erling Haaland hat trick set them on their way.

Haaland scored a perfect hat trick in the opening 38 minutes (his second hat trick in the last four days) to set a new Premier League record for the most goals scored by a single player in their first five games in the competition.

Joao Cancelo scored a beauty and then Julian Alvarez scored his first two Premier League goals in the second half to add deserved gloss to the scoreline.

City have now gained 13 points from a possible 15 to start to the season and remain unbeaten, while Forest have lost three of their first five games and have four points.

What we learned from Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest

Haaland is not human: We all knew he was going to be brilliant and, on paper, he was exactly the striker City needed to finish off the boatload of chances they create every game. But nobody thought he would be this good, right? Back-to-back hat tricks is insane and so is Haaland. He has set a new PL record with nine goals in his first five games and he could have scored more. He is only 22 years old and he is set to play with Phil Foden for the next five years (at least). That is a scary thought for the rest of the Premier League. Yes, there will be tougher tests than Crystal Palace and Forest, but Haaland is doing exactly what is being asked of him.

Forest continue to struggle with fluidity: With so many new players coming in and out of the team, it was always going to be tough for Forest to find their rhythm early in the season. But even away at Man City, this was bleak. At a period in the first half they had just three percent of possession over a five minute period. Three. Steve Cooper knows his team won’t be judged by their performances …

Football / Sports

Erling Haaland goals seal opening win for Manchester City

Erling Haaland scored twice on his Premier League debut as Manchester City opened their title defence with a dominant win at West Ham United.

The striker got off the mark in the first half at the London Stadium as he won and then converted a penalty to give City a deserved lead.

West Ham struggled in the heat as City took charge of the ball and it wasn’t until the hour mark that David Moyes’ side posed any questions of the champions.

But it left space at the other end and Kevin De Bruyne’s perfect pass released Haaland, as the 22-year-old finished under Alphonse Areola to double City’s lead.

Relive the action from the London Stadium below after Manchester United were beaten by Brighton

West Ham vs Manchester City

  • 35’ GOAL! Haaland wins and scores penalty to get off the mark in the Premier League
  • 65’ GOAL! Haaland races clear and finishes to double City’s lead with his second

West Ham United FC 0 – 2 Manchester City FC…

Football / Sports

Chelsea complete signing of England forward Raheem Sterling from Manchester City

Chelsea on Wednesday announced that they have completed the signing of England forward Raheem Sterling from Manchester City.

Sterling has signed a five-year contract with The Blues and has already linked up with the squad in Los Angeles where the team is currently on their pre-season tour.

The English forward has been a consistent performer for Manchester City over the past seven seasons, hitting double figures in goals in each of the campaigns and winning nine major honors during his time. He has also won the Premier League title four times.

Chelsea’s Chairman and co-controlling owner Todd Boehly expressed his happiness about signing Sterling and said that the forward is a serial winner and the move is an important step in strengthening the squad.

“Raheem Sterling is a serial winner and his signing is an important step in strengthening our squad. We are delighted for Raheem to return to London with Chelsea, and we look forward to seeing his world-class talent on display at Stamford Bridge,” said Boehly.

The 27-year-old also opened up on his happiness in joining Thomas Tuchel’s side and said he aims to achieve more success with the Blues. Sterling is also happy to be back in London, his hometown, and said it would be a great opportunity to play in front of friends and family.

“First and foremost, it’s a pleasure to be here. I’ve obviously achieved a lot in my career so far, but there is still so much more to achieve and I’m really looking forward to doing that in a Chelsea shirt, under Thomas’s management.”

“London is my home and where it all started for me, and it’s amazing I now have the opportunity to play in front of friends and family week in, week out at Stamford Bridge. I’m really looking forward to meeting the fans there soon.”

“I do want to take the opportunity to thank Todd, Behdad, the ownership group, Thomas, and all involved in the process of getting me here.”

“I can’t wait to get going now and continue …

Football / Sports

Arsenal sign Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City

Arsenal have completed the signing of Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City, both clubs and the player announced Monday.

Sources also added that Arsenal will pay £45 million plus a further £10 million in add-ons to sign the striker, who will wear their No. 9 shirt.

“It’s been a pleasure to play for Manchester City,” Jesus said. “I feel like I am a better player now than when I arrived — and to win 11 trophies has been amazing.

“My four Premier League titles are particularly special for me. I want to thank everyone at City — the manager, my teammates and the fans — for all the support they have given me over the past 5½ years.”

As Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta added, “I’m very excited. The club has done a tremendous job to recruit a player of this stature. I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here.

“This is a position that’s been on our radar for a long time now, and we have managed to get a player that we all wanted, so I’m really happy.”

Arsenal, who have already signed midfielder Fabio Vieira and United States goalkeeper Matt Turner, are looking to strengthen after missing out on Champions League football.

Arteta’s side were in need of a striker after Alexandre Lacazette returned to Lyon on a free transfer this summer while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Barcelona for free in January.

Jesus, who had only one year remaining on his contract at City, contributed 13 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Premier League champions last season, and the 25-year-old can play in all attacking positions.

In total, he scored 95 goals in 236 matches for City.…

Football / Sports

Man City sign Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United

Manchester City have completed the signing of Kalvin Phillips from Leeds on a six-year contract, in a deal worth an initial £42m.

Phillips becomes the Premier League champions’ third signing of the summer following the arrival of Erling Haaland and back-up goalkeeper Stefan Ortega Moreno.

The 26-year-old, who will wear the No 4 shirt at the Etihad, was Pep Guardiola’s priority target to replace Fernandinho at the base of midfield.

Phillips leaves boyhood club Leeds having become a key figure at Elland Road as part of their return to the Premier League during Marcelo Bielsa’s three-and-a-half seasons in charge.

“I am absolutely delighted to have joined Manchester City,” Phillips said. “City have again proved to be the best team in the country with an amazing squad and a manager in Pep Guardiola who is rightly considered to be the finest in the world.

“To be able to play under Pep and learn from him and his coaching staff as well as be part of such a fantastic squad is a prospect that I am incredibly excited about.

“City are a world-class club with world-class staff and facilities and it’s a dream come true to have joined the club. Now I can’t wait to get started and to look to try and help the team to go on and achieve more success.”

Injury restricted Phillips to just 23 appearances in all competition last season but he returned towards the end of the campaign to help Jesse Marsch’s side escape relegation to the Championship.

The 26-year-old is also considered a key part of Gareth Southgate’s England set-up and is expected to travel as part of the squad for the World Cup in Qatar in November.

Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, said: ““We are absolutely delighted to be able to welcome Kalvin to Manchester City.

“He is a player that we have long admired, and at both domestic and international level, he has proved his fantastic ability and quality over the past few seasons.

“His reading of the game, alongside his passing …

Football / Sports

Manchester City win a title race to be crowned champions of England

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described his players as “legends” after they completed one of the most memorable comebacks in English Premier League history on Sunday.

At 2-0 down to Aston Villa with less than 15 minutes left, even the most ardent City fan must have been dreading the worst, knowing they needed a win to guarantee winning the league.

The game and the title looked to be slipping away until this side, yet again, proved just how special it is by scoring three times in five minutes to provide a dramatic conclusion to the Premier League season that many will remember for some time.

It was a win fitting for the occasion. A fourth league title in five years is simply remarkable and testament to what Guardiola has done since arriving at the Etihad Stadium six years ago.

“Four Premier Leagues. These guys are legends already; people have to admit it,” said Guardiola after an extraordinary Sunday.

“This group of players are absolutely eternal in this club because what we achieved is so difficult.”

Manchester City lifts the trophy after a memorable title race against Liverpool. – Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Comeback irony

The mentality of this team and its manager had been questioned after City fell victim to Real Madrid’s stunning comeback in their Champions League semifinal this season. City was just minutes away from booking its place in the final of European football’s most prestigious competition but snatched defeat from the jaws of victory after buckling under Madrid’s pressure – eventually losing the second leg 3-1.

It was a result that might have crushed City’s players in its immediate aftermath, but this title win will go some way towards healing those wounds.

“I called Real Madrid and they gave me good advice!” Guardiola joked with reporters when asked how his side completed the comeback against Aston Villa.

“No explanation in Madrid, no explanation today. It’s momentum. Sometimes, it’s nice to live in these kinds of situations. I had the feeling this will help us to be …

Basket Ball / Sports

Four for De Bruyne as Manchester City roll to Victory

Kevin De Bruyne scored his 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th goals of this Premier League season as Manchester City took its next steps toward another Premier League title with a 5-1 defeat of Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux on Wednesday.

Raheem Sterling set up one of De Bruyne’s goals and scored in the 84th minute. Two of De Bruyne’s goals were unassisted and Bernardo Silva set up another as City moved to 89 points, three more than Liverpool. City now has a seven-goal advantage in goal differential with two matches left for each side.

Leander Dendoncker briefly had the score 1-1 with his 11th-minute goal, but De Bruyne had his hat trick by the 23rd minute. His fourth came at the hour mark, and Sterling’s goal was cued up by Joao Cancelo.

Wolves’ hopes of seventh place aren’t very good after the draw. Bruno Lage’s men are five points back of West Ham United with two just two matches remaining for each club.

Wolves vs Man City final score, stats

Wolves 1, Man City 5

Scorers: De Bruyne (7′, 16′, 24, 80′), Dendoncker (11′), Sterling (84′)

Shot attempts: Wolves 6, Man City 11

Shots on goal: Wolves 3, Man City 4

Possession: Wolves 35, Man City 65

Three things we learned from Wolves vs Man City

1. Four points left (at most): Pep Guardiola’s been saying that City needs to win all of its game down the stretch in order to hold off Liverpool, but that’s no longer true. City can lay claim to its fourth title in five seasons if it takes four of six points available to them from Week 37 (West Ham away) and Week 38 at home (Aston Villa).

2. De Bruyne on fire: The 30-year-old Belgian brought his finishing boots and actually smashed the post in the 90th minute in a performance that could’ve given KDB as many goals as Sergio Aguero scored a few years ago. De Bruyne is up to 15 goals and seven assists this Premier League season. De Bruyne entered the …

Football / Sports

Real Madrid mounts stunning comeback to beat Manchester City and reach Champions League final

Real Madrid battled back from the brink of elimination to overcome Manchester City and book its place in the Champions League final.

For the third knockout tie in a row, Real looked down and out. Though this is a team that has become accustomed to improbable heroics, even by its own absurd standards Wednesday’s late, late show to secure a 3-1 victory over City was cutting it fine.
With City leading 4-3 from the first leg, Riyad Mahrez’s second-half goal had seemingly booked his team passage through to the final in Paris.
However, two goals either side of the 90-minute mark from substitute Rodrygo turned the game on its head and sent the match to extra time.
In truth, it then felt as though there was going to be only one winner.
Just three minutes into extra time, Karim Benzema — who had been rather anonymous all game by his own high standards — was fouled by Ruben Dias inside the box and made no mistake dispatching the penalty. That goal secured Real’s 6-5 aggregate victory.
No matter how deep of a hole Real seems to find itself in, the magic inside the Bernabeu always seems to pull the team out.
For three successive rounds, Carlo Ancelotti’s side has been on the verge of elimination. Now, somehow, it finds itself with a chance to win a record-extending 14th title when it takes on Liverpool in Paris’ Stade de France on May 28.
It will be the fifth time Ancelotti has reached the Champions League final as a manager, the only man to have ever achieved that feat.
“A por la 14,” read the writing on the back of Real’s celebratory shirts. “Let’s go for number 14.”

Real down, but now out

It took less than eight minutes for tempers to flare for the first time, as Luka Modric and Aymeric Laporte both received yellow cards for their part in a scuffle that was sparked by Casemiro’s poor tackle on Kevin De Bruyne.
Casemiro, as he so often inexplicably manages to
…
Football / Sports

Man City vs Real Madrid final score: PL leaders win 7-goal thriller

Kevin De Bruyne had a goal and an assist and Manchester City thrice led by multiple goals in a 4-3 defeat of Real Madrid in a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

City opened up a 2-0 lead and Real Madrid never made it level over 90 minutes as Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva all joined De Bruyne on the score sheet.

Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior scored on either side of halftime to bring the score to 2-1 and 3-2, but Carlo Ancelotti’s Real can be thankful to be down only two goals as City ran all over Madrid in the first half.

The second leg comes Tuesday at the Bernabeu, as City looks to return to the European Cup final for a second-successive year and Real looks to keep alive its hopes of a record 14th title.

Man City vs Real Madrid final score, stats

Man City 4, Real Madrid 3

Scorers: De Bruyne (2′), Jesus (11′), Benzema (33′), Foden (53′), Vinicius (55′), Bernardo Silva (74′), Benzema (pen. 82′)

Shot attempts: Man City 16, Real Madrid 11

Shots on goal: Man City 6, Real Madrid 5

Possession: Man City 60, Real Madrid 40

…
Football / Sports

Harry Kane trains with team-mates for first time this season after exiting isolation

Harry Kane had not trained with his Tottenham team-mates until Tuesday morning; striker was forced to isolate after returning from holiday and trained individually on Monday; 28-year-old missed Spurs’ 1-0 win against Manchester City – who are interested in signing him – on Sunday.

Kane had been staying at Spurs’ training ground hotel, The Lodge, after coming back to the UK from his holiday in the Bahamas, via Florida. The England captain was required to isolate upon his return, meaning he was unable to join his Spurs team-mates as they prepared to face Manchester City in their Premier League opener on Sunday.…