Manchester City beat West Ham United in snowfall

 

Snow may have slowed down proceedings at the Etihad on Sunday but it didn’t stop Manchester City from securing a 2-1 win over fellow top-four contenders West Ham United.

Unlike Tottenham Hotspur vs. Burnley which was postponed earlier in the day, the match in Manchester went ahead but it was difficult at times to see the pitch through the flurries of snow. The start of the second half was delayed by five minutes as groundstaff sought to clear the pitch.

“[Iam] surprised with the amount of chances we created against them. We created a few. The first half was almost impossible to play,” City manager Pep Guardiola said after the game.

“We have incredible groundskeepers. Thanks to them we could play.”

Ilkay Gundogan broke the deadlock on 33 minutes when Joao Cancelo struck a ball down the right to Riyad Mahrez. The Algeria international then set Gundogan up for a simple tap into the net.

Fernandinho added a second on 90 minutes with one of his first touches of the match after replacing Raheem Sterling on 87 minutes.

City took a short corner which West Ham defended but only momentarily, allowing Fernandinho to get a low shot off on goal.

West Ham did have a few promising attacks with one of the most frustrating chances coming in the second half seeing Vladimir Coufal and Michail Antonio both going for the same ball allowing City the chance to clear and avert danger.

They finally scored deep into added time when Manuel Lanzini dispossessed Fernandinho and volleyed the ball off the post and into the net.

The win sees City overtake Liverpool into second place in the Premier League table while West Ham lose further ground on the top three, now five points off the Merseyside club.

Jorginho helps Chelsea draw

A second-half penalty saved Chelsea’s blushes and they drew 1-1 with Manchester United on Sunday in what could be Michael Carrick’s final game in charge before Ralf Rangnick takes over.

Jorginho made up for an earlier howler which allowed Jadon Sancho to score for United by slotting home a penalty 20 minutes from the end of the match.

“On the pitch, in the goal, I was feeling danger for nearly the whole game. We defended well, they missed big chances and the one they give us a chance we score. It is not enough to draw but at the moment it is a big point,” United goalkeeper David de Gea said after the match.

“The last games before we were conceding three or four goals. We are improving. This is just two games. At least now we are defending well. We are fighting for every ball. We are a team.”

Sancho was able to give United the lead on 50 minutes when a Reece James free-kick was half-cleared. Jorginho miscontrolled the ball which allowed Sancho, with Marcus Rashford alongside him, to run at the goal and slot the ball home.

The mistake was less costly than it could have been, however, when Aaron Wan-Bissaka brought Thiago Silva down in the box. Jorginho stepped up and scored the penalty, sending De Gea the wrong way.

The result lessens Chelsea’s lead at the top of the table to one point while United climb to eighth.

“We cannot be surprised [that the title race is so close,” Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said after the game.

“Things like this happen. We played such good games against Burnley and Manchester United and feel disappointed as we think by far we did enough. Over a long season, you drop points and you dig in and try to steal them back if someone steals them from you.”

“We are in the middle of the race and this is where we want to be.”

adsense

Courtesy: ESPN

Facebook Comments

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR