Premier League
MAN CITY EDGED PAST BURNLEY TO RETURN TOP
Sergio Aguero’s 20th Premier League goal of the season left Manchester City just two wins from the title after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor yesterday.
Aguero, who has now scored nine times in his past eight appearances against Burnley, struck in the 63rd minute, with a shot that only just crossed the line despite the best efforts of defender Matt Lowton to keep it out, although goal-line technology was needed to award the goal.
The win takes City on to 92 points, one ahead of Liverpool, with two games to play.
Victories at home to Leicester a week on Monday, and away at Brighton the following Sunday will see Pep Guardiola’s side retain their English title.
For the first time in months, City’s elimination from the Champions League means they will crucially have a free midweek to prepare for those key matches.
By contrast, Liverpool must travel to Newcastle next weekend, either side of the two legs of their Champions League semifinal against Barcelona, before hosting Wolves on May 12.
City have now won 12 consecutive Premier League games but they had to work to maintain their composure against the Clarets.
Guardiola’s side enjoyed the bulk of possession, but found creating clear chances difficult. When they did, Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton was in excellent form.
Heaton, a former Manchester United reserve, made two excellent saves in the opening minutes of the second half. He was alert at his near post to beat away Aguero’s shot, after Raheem Sterling’s neat flick had created the opening, before beating out Bernardo Silva’s snap shot at the end of a goalmouth scramble.
Sean Dyche’s side knew before kick-off they were mathematically certain of Premier League survival, yet played as if they too were fighting for the title.
Burnley even caused City the occasional first-half problem.
Jack Cork chested down a ball on the edge of the penalty area and then hit a shot that struck visiting captain Vincent Kompany full in the face.
As the home fans appealed for handball and screamed for a penalty, referee Paul Tierney put his whistle to his lips as if considering awarding one. Television replays, though, showed he was right not to.
The Clarets’ best opening fell to Chris Wood, who was left to rue a poor first touch that denied him his big moment.
Played through by Jeff Hendrick, the New Zealand forward allowed the ball to squirt away, and Ederson was bravely out at his feet to smother.
At times, City’s frustration threatened to boil over.
In the closing moments of the first half, Aguero over-hit a pass down the left for Leroy Sane, resulting in the ball rolling out of play, and the German responded by turning to his teammate and flinging his arms out in despair.
Eventually, though, City’s patience was rewarded. Bernardo Silva’s low ball into the middle found Aguero, who, with his back to goal and minimal space to work with, managed to fashion a shot that beat Heaton.
Lowton, on the line, looked to have blocked the shot with his chest, but the ball looped up and just crossed the line before he could recover to clear it.
If City were hoping that goal would provide the platform for a comfortable final half-hour, though, they were to be disappointed as Burnley continued to give everything.
Few players were more committed than Burnley’s Ben Mee, the boyhood City fan who used to captain their youth team.
He produced an extraordinary goal-line clearance to deny the visitors a second goal, stretching to hook the ball clear after substitute Gabriel Jesus collected Kyle Walker’s crossfield pass, and had gone round Heaton to shoot towards what he thought was an empty net.
After that, City were content to run down the clock as they kept their cool to leave their northwest rivals with all three points.
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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