Man City into FA Cup semifinals, keeps quadruple dream alive
Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan, right, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English FA Cup sixth round soccer match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, Saturday, March 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Jon Super, Pool)With an unprecedented quadruple still a possibility for Manchester City, the pressure on Pep Guardiola is intensifying heading into the final two months of the season. I will not watch games.”Few would begrudge him the break, with an intense 34-match, four-month stretch -- featuring games every three or four days -- concluding with a 2-0 win over Everton in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Saturday. AdIndeed, Guardiola’s players are sweeping all before them this season, having also reached the final of the English League Cup, the quarterfinals of the Champions League and forged a 14-point lead in the Premier League. "I’m looking forward to everyone coming back safe.”Southampton is the other team through to the FA Cup semifinals after beating second-tier Bournemouth 3-0 earlier Saturday.
Son's 100th goal in Spurs victory; Arsenal wins 3rd straight
Alexandre Lacazette scored twice in a 4-0 rout of West Bromwich Albion that took Arsenal up to 11th place. Tottenham is six points better off in third place after Son scored and got an assist in a 3-0 victory over Leeds. SON-KANE COMBOSon and Harry Kane equaled the Premier League record for most goal combinations in a season, leveling Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton’s tally of 13 from 1994-95. With all stadiums denied fans due to pandemic restrictions, the South Korean could only celebrate his 100th goal with teammates. “We could have scored more goals," Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said.
'Big Sam' pulls off another stunner at Anfield in EPL
West Bromwich Albion's manager Sam Allardyce shouts during an English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday Dec. 27, 2020. (Clive Brunskill/Pool via AP)A trip to Anfield has become the most daunting match in English soccer. Unless, that is, you are Sam Allardyce. Go back to April 2017 and it was Allardyce who led Crystal Palace to a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield. Indeed, Allardyce is unbeaten in each of his last four league games at Anfield.
Man City slips further behind leader Everton with Leeds draw
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left, talks with Leeds United's head coach Marcelo Bielsa at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Leeds United and Manchester City at Elland Road in Leeds, England, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. What to make of seeing his Manchester City side held 1-1 by Bielsa's Leeds on Saturday? While Leeds had seven shots on target, Raheem Sterling's 16th-minute strike low shot inside the far post was one of only two for City. We must do more and better.”Especially with City already eight points behind Everton, which is the early leader after beating Brighton 4-2 to make it four wins out of four. Fifth-place Leeds, which like Everton has played a game more than City, is still three points ahead of Guardiola's side.
Son nets 4 as Spurs triumph; Mane double in Liverpool win
Heung-min Son was rampant, scoring four in a league game for a first time — all assisted by Harry Kane, who got Tottenham's fifth. Sadio Mane took advantage, grabbing two goals in five minutes to give Liverpool a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge. Two minutes into the second half, Kane played in Son again as Tottenham went in front. The South Korean secured his first Premier League hat trick in the 64th minute after being set up by Kane’s lofted pass. Kane became the first player to set up a Premier League teammate for four goals, crossing for Son to chip goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
Another loss, another injury: Arsenal struggles on PL return
Things are going from bad to worse for Arsenal in the early days of the Premier Leagues resumption. Sure enough, it was the French striker who scored the winning goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Some of their players need to learn what is humility, especially one of them, Maupay said, without mentioning Guendouzi by name. Arteta lost midfielder Granit Xhaka and defender Pablo Mari to injury against City, with Mari unlikely to return before next season. Ben Chilwell was mobbed by his Leicester teammates after smashing home a rising, angled shot off the inside of the post in the 90th minute for what looked like the winning goal.