THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͸˜ ͺ͸͚Î
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SUNDAYSPORTS Title Favourites Clash as Liverpool Host Man City
Edited by Demola Ojo Email: demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com
Demola Ojo
T
oday represents the most important day of this Premier League season so far as the competition’s best teams renew a rivalry that defined last season’s title race and may do so again providing Pep Guardiola’s injury-hit Manchester City keep up with Liverpool. Another win for Jßrgen Klopp, who has beaten a team led by Pep Guardiola more times than any other manager (eight wins out of 17 meetings), would represent a monumental step for Liverpool, although City ended their unbeaten start to last season. Liverpool, who have dropped just two points all season, host Manchester City, the side whom they are six points clear of. A win would give Liverpool a mammoth nine-point lead over their rivals and would see them be at least eight points clear of both Leicester City and Chelsea. The Reds made a huge statement last time out with their dramatic late win against Aston Villa. Despite being subpar for most of the game, Sadio Mane’s 95th-minute winner gave Klopp and his side a vital victory. If City win, then the title race is well and truly on. Their comeback win over Southampton was somewhat less impressive than Liverpool’s but the fact that they are showing similar levels of resolve will encourage Pep Guardiola. Mane will be pivotal for Liverpool. The Senegalese international has found a new level to his game. His dramatic late winner at Villa Park summed up what has been an excellent season thus far, with six goals and four assists barely scratching the surface. It won’t be a surprise if he’s a central figure at Anfield today as his goals have won Liverpool eight points already this season. He has scored 17 goals in his last 17 league appearances at Anfield. Meanwhile Man City faced another injury blow midweek when goalkeeper Ederson left the Champions League game against Atalanta midway with an injury. Claudio Bravo replaced him and was sent off with less than a half under his belt. The thought of the Chilean being in goal may excite Liverpool fans. However, the Reds should remember that it was Bravo’s man of the match display which won City the Community Shield in August. His distribution and eagerness to play out from the back suits Guardiola perfectly. This is undoubtedly the biggest game of his City career thus far. Bravo will be making his first Premier League appearance in 18 months.
Roberto Firmino is sandwiched between City players Bernado Silva and Gabriel Jesus in a previous encounter Liverpool have gone 16 top-flight games unbeaten against City at Anfield, with their solitary home defeat in the past 28 meetings coming in May 2003. City’s 16-match winless streak away to Liverpool is their longest in the Premier League against any opponent (D5, L11). However, City have only lost one of the last five Premier League meetings (W2, D2). A Liverpool win would ensure they equal the English top-flight record of 11 wins and a draw after 12 matches of a season. Five sides have achieved the feat, including Liverpool in 1990 and Manchester City twice. Jurgen Klopp’s side are unbeaten in 28 Premier League matches, winning 19 of the past 20. Their only defeat in 50 league fixtures came against Manchester City in January. The Reds have gone 45 home matches without defeat, the second longest unbeaten run in Premier League history. Liverpool have recovered an unrivalled 10 points from losing positions this season. Manchester City have won 11 of their past 12 Premier League away games, scoring 30 goals during that period. They are the division’s top scorers this season with 34 goals, and have only
Ndidi Stars As Leicester Beat Arsenal 2-0 Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi produced a fine performance as Leicester City outclassed Arsenal 2-0 in their Premier League clash at the King Power Stadium yesterday. Ndidi came close to grabbing the opening goal for Leicester in the 48th minute but his effort hit the bar. He has scored two goals in 11 league appearances for the Foxes this season. Jamie Vardy broke the deadlock in the 68th minute, finishing a slick Leicester move involving Youri
Tielemans and Harvey Barnes. James Maddison then secured Leicester’s win seven minutes later with a fine strike into the bottom corner to send the Foxes second in the table, five points behind league leaders Liverpool, who play Manchester City today. Meanwhile, the defeat increases the pressure on under-fire Arsenal head coach Unai Emery, whose position at the Emirates Stadium has come under intense pressure in recent weeks.
failed to score in one of their past 33 league fixtures. City have lost two of their opening 11 league fixtures - no team managed by Pep Guardiola has suffered three
top-flight defeats before the 15th match of a season. Sergio Aguero has made seven Premier League appearances at Anfield without scoring, his longest wait for a goal at any
stadium. He has only had two attempts on target in those seven games. However, he has nine goals from 10 shots on target in the Premier League this season.
Bayern Thrash Dortmund 4-0 Robert Lewandowski’s incredible scoring run continued as Bayern Munich thrashed Borussia Dortmund in ‘Der Klassiker’ yesterday. Lewandowski, who hit two goals, has scored in all 15 of Bayern’s European and Bundesliga games this season, with a tally of 22 across both competitions. England forward Jadon Sancho was substituted after 36 minutes for Dortmund with an injury.
Bayern move to third in the Bundesliga, with Dortmund in fifth. Bayern, who are chasing their seventh consecutive Bundesliga title, are now level on points with second-placed RB Leipzig and a point behind leaders Borussia Monchengladbach, who host Werder Bremen on today. And Lewandowski was again responsible for carrying their main threat in front of goal. The Poland forward opened the scoring against
his former employers with a brilliant diving header from Benjamin Pavard’s cross before sweeping in his second of the night from Thomas Muller’s pass. Serge Gnabry’s tap-in and a Mats Hummels own-goal, either side of Lewandowski’s contributions, rounded off the scoring for the hosts on a miserable evening for Dortmund at the Allianz Arena, with the visitors having now shipped 15 goals across their last three visits.
Obaseki, Others Tee-off Governor’s Cup Golf Tourney Adibe Emenyonu Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă˜Ă“Ă˜ ÓÞã
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured of plans by his administration to leverage on local resources to produce world-class sports talents in the state. Obaseki said this when he teed-off the Governor’s Cup Golf Tournament in Benin City, as part of activities, to mark his third-year anniversary in office. He was joined by the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu and other golfers, in Benin City. He said his administration plans to leverage on the Egbabonelimwin traditional dance, popular in Edo Central to produce world-class gymnasts, noting, “The state government will use inter-school competitions to harness talents in table tennis, lawn tennis, athletics and also develop world-class gymnasts by focusing on the traditional Egbabonelimwin
dance from Edo Central.� The governor added, “The people of Edo North are good in a long-distance race. We are sure of producing champions using the facilities at Afuze. The facilities to be used for the inter-school competitions are being built across the 18 Local Government Areas in the state. There will be competition at the local, senatorial and state levels.� Obaseki noted that sports development is part of the initiatives by his administration to sustain a healthy society, adding, “Next year will be significant for the youths in Edo State as we will be hosting the National Sports Festival (NSF). We are expecting about 15,000 athletes and sportsmen in Benin City. This will boost economic activities.� The governor said the state government will provide sporting facilities that will engage youths and keep them active to produce a
generation of sportsmen that will lead the country and continent, adding, “We are rejuvenating all our sporting facilities because these facilities will re-ignite series of sporting activities across the 18 LGAs in Edo State. We are building mini-stadia across the 18 LGAs and improving the existing ones on the ground.�
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Crystal Palace West Ham Bournemouth Everton ShefďŹ eld United Arsenal Real Valladolid Granada Real Madrid Celta Vigo Torino Verona Brighton 3pm Aston Villa 3pm Man City 5;30pm Milan 8:45pm