Manchester City’s grip on its Premier League title hasn’t been this sturdy all season.
A 1-0 win at Brentford on Wednesday, coupled with Chelsea conceding a stoppage-time aim to attract 1-1 in opposition to Brighton, left the defending champions with an eight-point lead heading into the brand new 12 months.
It has been an nearly excellent 24 hours for City, which noticed Liverpool _ one other rival for the title _ surprisingly lose 1-0 at injury-hit Leicester on Tuesday. Chelsea has moved some extent forward of third-place Liverpool earlier than their assembly at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, when no less than one of many groups will drop factors.
Liverpool has a recreation in hand, however will quickly lose star forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to the African Cup of Nations.
City wasn’t at its fluent finest in opposition to Brentford _ Pep Guardiola’s group got here into the match having scored 17 objectives in its final three matches _ however nonetheless did sufficient to earn a tenth straight win within the league.
“I am not going to believe you when you say it is already done,” Guardiola mentioned. “There are 54 points still to play for.”
Yet City is even successful when not enjoying its finest.
Phil Foden grabbed the one aim within the sixteenth minute, diverting a cross from Kevin De Bruyne into the online from shut vary. Video evaluate confirmed Foden was simply onside when he utilized the end.
It was the proper approach for Foden to mark his return to the beginning lineup, alongside Jack Grealish, after each forwards have been dropped to the bench for City’s final two video games for disciplinary causes.
“Around Christmas you have to keep your foot on the gas and keep focused,” Foden mentioned. “This team is doing that.”
City concluded a calendar 12 months when the group has set English top-flight data for essentially the most victories (36) and essentially the most away wins (19), whereas its tally of 113 objectives can also be a Premier League file.
CHELSEA DENIED
It’s three attracts in 4 league matches for Chelsea, whose sturdy early-season kind has disappeared.
Danny Welbeck earned Brighton some extent that was deserved on the premise of the guests’ second-half displaying when he headed in a cross from Marc Cucurella within the first minute of stoppage time
Romelu Lukaku scored for the second straight recreation to place Chelsea in entrance within the twenty eighth minute.
Making issues worse for Chelsea supervisor Thomas Tuchel was the sight of proper wing again Reece James hobbling off halfway by the primary half with a hamstring harm. Chelsea additionally needed to substitute one other defender, Andreas Christensen, due to a again harm at halftime.
Tuchel appeared like he has given up on successful the title, given the variety of his gamers out by harm and sickness.
“How should we be in it?” he mentioned. “We have seven COVID circumstances. We have 5 or 6 gamers out for six or extra weeks. How ought to we compete in a title race?
“Everyone else who has a full squad, everybody in training has the full power to come through this league. We would be stupid to think we can do it out of COVID and injuries and just play.”
