FOOTBALL – Manchester City’s Phil Foden scored in the first and 91st minutes as the hosts withstood a stirring Leeds United fightback to win 3-2 and close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to four points and Sunderland also won a five-goal thriller against Bournemouth to move fourth yesterday.
Newcastle United produced arguably their best performance of the season to win 4-1 at Everton, while Igor Thiago scored two goals as Brentford beat Burnley 3-1 at home.
The momentum City were beginning to build was halted by last weekend’s league defeat at Newcastle and then a home loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, but they looked back on course as goals by Foden and Josko Gvardiol put them in charge in the opening 25 minutes at The Etihad.
Foden struck from a Matheus Nunes cross to catch Leeds cold and Gvardiol rewarded their domination when he poked home a point-blank effort from a corner.
City were unrecognisable in the second half though as Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin pulled a goal back in the 50th before Lukas Nmecha levelled from a rebound after his penalty, awarded for a foul by Gvardiol on Calvert-Lewin, was saved.
Pep Guardiola’s City side finally roused themselves and as they piled on some late pressure Foden found space in the box to fire in the winner and send the home fans into raptures.
Victory put City on 25 points from 13 games, with Arsenal on 29 before they visit third-placed Chelsea, with 23, today.
“In the end we were able to close it and get the three points and after two defeats it’s massively important for our mood,” Guardiola said. “At the end it was the quality of Phil again, a player with special talent.”
Sunderland found themselves 2-0 down after 15 minutes in the driving rain at the Stadium of Light as Amine Adli scored his first goal for Bournemouth before a stunning effort from inside the centre circle by Tyler Adams.
But the hosts, who are yet to lose at home in the Premier League this season, got a route back into the game after half an hour as Enzo Le Fee converted a penalty.
Bertrand Traore made it 2-2 immediately after halftime and Sunderland completed an exhilarating comeback win when substitute Brian Brobbey headed in Le Fee’s corner.
Marcus Tavernier struck the crossbar for Bournemouth late on before their misery was complete as Lewis Cook was shown a red card for an elbow on Noah Sadiki.
Sunderland have 22 points while Bournemouth are ninth with 19 after losing three and drawing one of their last four games.
Newcastle’s Malick Thiaw scored the fastest goal of the Premier League season after 52 seconds to set his side en route for a resounding first away league win of the season.
Lewis Miley and Nick Woltemade added two more in the first half before Thiaw bagged his second goal as the visitors took advantage of more poor defending.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored a consolation goal for Everton who dropped below Newcastle in the table.
Newcastle have 18 points in 11th place with Everton 14th, also on 18.
Brentford’s Thiago now has 11 Premier League goals this season, with only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland netting more.
The Brazilian broke the deadlock with a penalty in the 81st minute only for Zian Flemming to equalise for Burnley.
A chaotic finale to the game saw Thiago volley Brentford back in front before Dango Ouattara sealed the points.
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