Manchester City jumps back atop Premier League table and heaps pressure on Liverpool

Image result for manchester cityManchester City’s victory Wednesday wasn’t vintage. It wasn’t the rampageous record-setting of last campaign. It was simply the type of result Premier League champions need to earn.

Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus scored in stoppage time of each half and Man City ground out a 2-0 win at Everton to leap Liverpool atop the league table on goal differential.Image result for liverpool

It’s the first time since Dec. 7 that the Reds haven’t sat in first place, and part of that is due to their inability to get results like City just did. They’ve won just twice in their last five league matches, and had a chance to go seven points clear of City as recently as a week ago.

That day, Liverpool drew Leicester City 1-1 at home, and then managed just a draw at West Ham on Monday. In the meantime, City has put together convincing, if not dominant, performances in wins over Arsenal Sunday and at Goodison Park on Wednesday.


Liverpool does have a game in hand, as City’s fixture vs. Everton had to be moved up due to its participation in the League Cup final on Feb. 24, but that home date against Bournemouth on Saturday suddenly isn’t the sure thing it would have seemed earlier in the season.

City had the better of play in the first half and Ilkay Gundogan hitting the crossbar with a shot in the 19th minute represented the best chance before Laporte’s header in the second minute of stoppage time. The French fullback placed a perfect header off a set piece cross by David Silva.

In the second half, City’s backline of Laporte, Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones and Kyle Walker were up to the task in the defensive third, winning ball after ball and being sure with every clearance. Fernandinho had a slobberknocker of a match in the middle of the park, too — so much so that Everton fans cheered sarcastically when he was awarded a yellow card in the 73rd minute for his physical play.

Gabriel Jesus came on late in the second half and sealed the three points with a high header in the seventh minute of stoppage time:

Image result for everton

Everton represents the kind of team that could ultimately swing the league title race. The top six are rich and successful and therefore tough to beat on any given day, while the bottom few are fighting to survive the relegation battle every week. But the mid-table sides like Everton, currently ninth with neither the drop zone nor a Europa League spot in its future, can catch contenders off guard if they’re not careful.

Liverpool needs to beat those teams. City already is, stumbles around Christmas aside, and now represents the betting favorite to win the league.

Your move, Reds. The title race is heating up.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *