List of All Articles with Tag 'so'

Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan continued his scoring streak with another two goals as Manchester City edged closer to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons following a 3-0 win over Everton. Pep Guardiola’s side now only need a maximum of six points from their final three matches to extend their stranglehold on the championship trophy after a straightforward afternoon at Goodison Park Gundogan took his tally to four in two matches with a brilliant double, one a superbly-executed over-the-shoulder volley and the other an exquisite curling free-kick up and over the wall. In between Erling Haaland scored his almost mandatory goal to make it 52 for the season, with former Everton centre-forward Dixie Dean’s record of 63 still realistically within his reach. His 36 league goals is the most in the English top flight since Southampton’s Ron Davies got 37 in 1966-67 and to further underline his quality – were that even required – in 100 league matches for former club Borussia Dortmund and City the Norway international has scored 98 times. Even a City side registering four changes – Kevin De Bruyne was one of those left out with Wednesday’s delicately-poised Champions League semi-final at home to Real Madrid in mind – was barely tested in registering an 11th successive league victory in an 21-game unbeaten run. The sight of injury-prone striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin being replaced at half-time would have been of some concern to 17th-placed Everton, who are now relying on neighbours Liverpool to do them a favour and prevent them falling into the bottom three by denying 19th-placed Leicester victory on Monday. The change could have been precautionary or even a case of damage limitation as there are vital matches coming up against Wolves before a final-day finish at home to Bournemouth. The worst-case scenario would be facing those two matches without the England international, who, despite only one goal in five games since returning from two-and-half months out with a hamstring injury, has provided a much-needed focal point. City have no such worries as this game served merely as a semi-competitive training session ahead of the visit of Real, with whom they drew 1-1 in the Bernabeu. Everton’s deep-lying 4-5-1 formation often left Calvert-Lewin a long way adrift of his midfield, but the hosts came flying out of the blocks, roared on by a Goodison crowd present more in hope than expectation. However, despite the impressive work-rate of the likes of Dwight McNeil, it was mostly all bluff and bluster as their only real opportunity came in the 34th minute when Mason Holgate blazed over a difficult chance from four yards from James Tarkowski’s knockdown. Less than three minutes later City were ahead and within seven they had doubled their advantage, with Gundogan at the heart of both goals. When Riyad Mahrez flicked over a right-wing cross the Germany international took a delicate touch on his thigh before instantly hooking a shot over his shoulder with the outside of his right foot which took marker Nathan Patterson and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford by surprise. Haaland’s goal was more rudimentary as Gundogan pounced on Patterson’s weak header to cross for the Norwegian to leap higher than makeshift left-back Holgate, in for the injured Vitalii Mykolenko, to head home. It was only his third touch of the game. Neal Maupay’s replacement of Calvert-Lewin at half-time reduced Everton’s already slim chances of staging an unlikely recovery and when Gundogan curled home a free-kick after James Garner brought down Phil Foden in the 51st minute the emphasis for the hosts turned to damage limitation. Toffees boss Sean Dyche decided discretion was the better part of valour and, to protect their slender goal difference advantage over 18th-placed Leeds, he switched to three at the back, with out-of-favour centre-back Conor Coady replacing Holgate and Amadou Onana coming on for Idrissa Gana Gueye in midfield. Everton’s only genuine goal threat came in the 66th minute when Ederson tipped over a Tarkowski header at a corner. They will have to do much better against Wolves and Bournemouth if their 69-year stay in the top flight is to be extended. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Emotional Kevin Sinfield carries Rob Burrow over finish line at Leeds Marathon Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa on target as Brentford beat makeshift West Ham Joe Root out for 10 in maiden IPL innings

A rundown of Everton's remaining Premier League fixtures compared to the final matches for Leicester, Leeds and Nottingham Forest

A look at how Manchester City's form and remaining Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League fixtures compares to Arsenal's title run-in

West Ham wasted a chance to seal their Premier League survival as goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa clinched...

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras got in Kenley Jansen's head, and it led to the Red Sox closer blowing his second straight save.Give Willson Contreras credit -- understanding the pitch clock is tough enough, using it to one's advantage in the heat of a ninth-inning comebac...

Match report & player ratings from Everton 0-3 Man City in the Premier League.

Manchester City closed in on retaining the Premier League title as Ilkay Gundogan scored twice in a 3-0 win on Sunday that kept Everton looking over...

Today's USMNT news includes rumors on Weston McKennie'sfuture, Gio Reyna was on the scoresheet for Borussia Dortmund again but Ethan Horvath suffered a defeat in the Championship playoffs.USMNT news: Weston McKennie's futureWeston McKennie was involved in a spirited Leeds United p...

Follow live coverage as Arsenal face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League today. Manchester City are reigning champions after beating Liverpool to the finish line in a neck-and-neck 2021/22 title race where a comeback win on the final day of the season against Aston Villa secured a fourth title in five years for Pep Guardiola's side. Jurgen Klopp's Reds were on course for a quadruple last season but were forced to settle for just an FA Cup and Carabao Cup win and will return trying to win the title again just as they did in 2020. It was a dramatic season for Chelsea a year ago with Roman Abramovich now replaced by Todd Boehly as owner in west London. He will want an instant return on his hefty investment at Stamford Bridge while Tottenham, back in the Champions League, will want to kick on once more too. It's not all about the action at the top though with Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest promoted to the top tier for 2021/22 and hoping to hold their own against the best English football has to offer and avoid the drop. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:

Ryan Mason refused to defend Tottenham’s wretched away record after slipping to defeat at Aston Villa. Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz scored for the home side as a 2-1 win moved them level on points with sixth-placed Spurs. Harry Kane’s last-minute penalty added a flattering look to the scoreline, with Tottenham second best. They have not won away since January or outside of London since October and are now clinging to a European spot with two games left. “Many different things contribute to that. Ultimately it is not good enough for a club this size. You cannot expect to compete where we want to compete with that sort of record,” said Mason. “It needs to improve. It needs to be a collective, it needs to be driven from all of us. It isn’t good enough. It is nowhere near the level we should be at and it needs to change. “We’ve had a disappointing season in terms of where we are in the table but many other things as well. There probably hasn’t been that consistency, that alignment and that togetherness throughout the whole club. “That is probably the most important thing going forward that we are going to change and I am absolutely confident that that will change. I believe that will happen.” Villa have guaranteed a top half finish for the first time in 12 years and remain in the hunt for Europe. “The victory is so important because the dream is alive,” Luiz told the club’s official site. “My dream, and our dream, is to play in Europe, and we continue. “We have one more game at home, we’re so strong at home, in six games we haven’t lost, and we need to continue. “The process is difficult; it’s training every day. It’s so hard, but I’m so happy to score in the game, with the free-kick.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi comfortably held off sprint winner Jorge Martin to take victory in the 1,000th MotoGP event...

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker still has confidence in reliever A.J. Minter, even though he's accounted for several losses of late.A.J. Minter's ERA is up to 8.05, as he gave up three hits and two runs to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Minter, previously one of the best relie...