Saturday, 16 December 2017

Man City humiliates Tottenham for 16th straight Premier League win

MANCHESTER, England — Arms wrapped around his head, Kevin De Bruyne was writhing in agony on the turf.
A stamp by Dele Alli, the Tottenham dynamo prone to hot-headed eruptions, typified the rough treatment faced by De Bruyne’s Manchester City on Saturday.
Tottenham just couldn’t cope against the exhilarating force of a team which is steamrollering opponents and the English football records.
De Bruyne’s right ankle was fortunate to escape serious damage being inflicted by the thrust of Alli’s boot. Alli was fortunate to avoid a red card, and De Bruyne was seething.
Payback came within a couple of minutes when the ball was bulging in the Tottenham net. De Bruyne lashed a shot past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to net City’s second in a 4-1 victory over last season’s runners-up.
With a record 16th successive English top-flight win, City surged 14 points clear of both Manchester United, which travels to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, and champion Chelsea.
The Premier League chasing pack is slipping further into the distance.

Mesut Ozil needs to take more risks in front of goal - Arsene Wenger


LONDON -- Arsene Wenger has urged Mesut Ozil to take more risks in front of goal following his wonder-strike that handed Arsenal a 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday.

Ozil scored a difficult left-foot volley in the 23rd minute -- the kind of effort that usually ends up high in the stands -- which was enough to earn three points. It was only his third goal of the season but another reminder that the playmaker, who is much more known for his assists, can be a lethal finisher as well.

Wenger described the volley as "superb," adding that it's the kind of thing he wants to see more of from Ozil.

"You know he can deliver it, and it's important for him to take the risk to do what he did," Wenger told a news conference.



"Because usually he's a guy who, 99 percent of the time in these positions he controls the ball and gives it to somebody else. So I'm happy that he took the gamble to finish. And happy as well that he scored a very important goal."

Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, Alexandre Lacazette, Hector Bellerin and Alex Iwobi all missed good chances to kill off the game, which allowed the visitors to put Arsenal under pressure for the last 10 minutes, but Newcastle's finishing also let them down.

Arsenal: Cech 6 – Bellerin 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 5, Maitland-Niles 6.5 – Ozil 8, Xhaka 4, Wilshere 7 – Iwobi 5 (Welbeck 5), Lacazette 6 (Giroud 5), Sanchez 6 (Coquelin 5).

Newcastle United: Elliot 7 – Yedlin 6, Lascelles 6.5, Lejeune 5, Manquillo 5.5 – Murphy 7 (Gayle 5), Merino 6 (Diame 5), Hayden 5, Atsu 6 (Ritchie 5) – Joselu 7, Perez 6.

Man of the match: Ozil.

Referee: Stuart Attwell. 

Ozil will be a huge loss to Arsenal if he leaves. Goals like the one he scored on Saturday are the kind of moments that stave off outright rebellion. Arsenal may not have a chance of winning the league but if they can watch Ozil every week, it is a decent consolation.



Some curmudgeons (a bad-tempered or surly person) still damn Ozil because he does not throw himself into tackles but he remains a delight to watch, a feast of exquisite technique and clever vision, a player whose mind works at a faster speed than many of his rivals. And many of his teammates.

GW 18 - Crystal kembali menggegar | Leicester tumbang di stadium sendiri

Christian Benteke sinks Leicester to end Crystal Palace’s away drought

Christian Benteke heads home Crystal Palace’s first away in the Premier League since 23 April. Photograph: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC 

Christian Benteke blasted his way back into Roy Hodgson’s good books by scoring his first goal for seven months and creating another for Wilfried Zaha before Bakary Sako gave a suitably emphatic look to Crystal Palace’s first away win of the season. 

Palace had not even mustered a goal on their travels this season but they were worthy winners here, the south London side showing the zest and sharpness that was strangely absent from a Leicester team that came into the game in vibrant form.

Wilfried Ndidi being sent off following a piece of simulation in the second half seemed apt on a day when Leicester played like a poor imitation of their recent selves. 
Benteke, meanwhile, was far removed from the hapless figure who was lambasted by Palace fans and team-mates after defying orders and missing a late penalty against Bournemouth last Saturday.

Wilfried Zaha lashes home Palace’s second. Photograph: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images