Manchester City have reduced Arsenal’s lead at the top of the EPL to just three points. City beat Aston Villa 3-1 on Sunday, while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was furious after a VAR error cost them two points at home to Brentford on Saturday. To be fair, Brentford deserved at least a draw as they played really well at the Emirates, but the officials working VAR missed an offside when Ivan Toney headed in Brentford’s equalizer in the 74th minute.
Leandro Trossard, who joined the Gunners from Brighton last month, had scored his first goal for the Gunners six minutes after replacing Martinelli. Arsenal are home to Manchester City tonight and it should be an interesting clash, to say the least. City manager Pep Guardiola took off his star player Erling Haaland at half-time on Sunday. With City leading 3-0 at that stage the manger was worried about his star player picking up an injury before the trip to North London.
Aston Villa fans booed their former player Jack Grealish as he took his place in the City line-up at the Etihad on Sunday. And the Villa fans were certainly not happy just before half-time when Grealish went down very easily to win a penalty after what appeared to be minimal contact from Jacob Ramsey’s challenge.
On Sunday Howard Webb, head of the EPL Referees, contacted Arsenal and Brighton to acknowledge that ‘“significant errors” by VAR officials had robbed them of goals on a contentious weekend for Premier League officiating. He admitted that officials had failed to consider whether Christian Norgaard was offside when teeing up Ivan Toney for Brentford’s equalizer whilst Pervis Estupinan was denied a goal against Crystal Palace because offside lines were drawn from the wrong player.
Sunday’s 3-1 win over Villa was a huge relief for City manager Pep Guardiola who on Friday insisted in a press conference that City would not be found guilty of over 100 Financial Fair Play (FPP) charges they are alleged to have broken. The City manager believes other clubs have been pushing for City to be punished. City were hit with 115 charges of relating to FFP breaches dating back to 2009. Asked if he felt other clubs had been driving the matter, Guardiola said “Of course it is the Premier League. I don’t know why. You have to ask the CEOs, Daniel Levy, these kind of people.’’ City were previously found guilty of breaching UEFA’s FFP regulations and were consequently banned from European competition for two years. That ban was later overturned following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but Guardiola has not forgotten the conduct of some other clubs during that process.
Meanwhile Marcus Rashford keeps scoring and Manchester United keep winning; they are now only two points behind City in third place. On Wednesday Rashford got United’s first goal in a 2-2 draw with Leeds in a re-arranged game at Old Trafford. On Sunday Rashford opened the scoring again as United won 2-0 at Elland Road. Newcastle United drew 1-1 away to Bournemouth where Irish goalkeeper Mark Travers is being kept out of the Cherries first team by 33 year-old Brazilian goalkeeper Neto. The Geordies are now two points clear of Spurs, who were hammered 4-1 by Leicester City. Irish number One Gavin Bazunu was in goal for Southampton in manager Nathan Jones’ last game in charge, while Nathan Collins was an unused sub for visitors Wolves who won 2-1.
On Sunday morning Southampton sacked manager Nathan Jones after just 95 days in charge. The Saints lost 2-1 at home to ten-man Wolves on Saturday Jones leaves having lead 1-0 at half-time. The Welshman, who is Southampton’s shortest-serving boss in the Premier League era, lost nine of 14 matches after replacing Ralf Hasenhuttl in November, just before the break for the World. Cup. He is the eighth EPL manager to be sacked this season. First-team coaches Chris Cohen and Alan Sheehan have also left St Mary’s while lead coach Ruben Selles will take charge of the Saints for next Saturday’s game away to Chelsea. Already there is speculation that Southampton might give the job to American-born Jesse Marsch, who was sacked by Leeds last week.
On Monday, Liverpool were back to their something close to their usual selves, with a 2-0 derby win at Anfield over an Everton led by Seamus Coleman.
EPL results:
Arsenal 1, Brentford 1; Bournemouth1, Newcastle Utd 1; Crystal Palace 1, Brighton 1; Fulham 2, Notts Forest 0; Leeds Utd 0, Manchester Utd 2; Leicester 4, Tottenham 1; Liverpool 2, Everton 0; Manchester City 3, Aston Villa 1; West Ham 1, Chelsea 1.
HUGHTON GETS GHANA TOP JOB
Former Irish international Chris Hughton was confirmed as the Ghana national team manager on Sunday. The 64-year, who has managed Newcastle United, Birmingham, Norwich, Brighton and Notts Forest in England, worked with Ghana as a technical adviser at the recent World Cup finals in Qatar. Hughton, who was born in London, qualified to play for Ireland via his Limerick-born mother. His father was from Ghana. The duration of his contract has yet to be confirmed. The Ghana FA has also decided to retain assistant coaches George Boateng and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, who were also part of their technical team for the World Cup in Qatar.
BURNLEY ARE 7 POINTS CLEAR
Burnley continue to lead the way in the Championship. On Saturday the Clarets won 3-0 at home to Preston, to stay seven points clear of Sheffield United at the top of the table. Irish international Josh Cullen started and Michael Obafemi made his debut after his transfer from Swansea last month, coming on as a sub in the 71st minute. Sheffield United, who as usual were captained by John Egan, kept in touch with a 3-0 home win over Swansea.
SHELS PICK STAR’S SON
Rocco Byrne, son of Westlife star Nicky, was named in Shelbourne’s first-team in their pre-season friendly against Treaty United last week. The 15-year-old goalkeeper has spells at Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians. It’s a case of like father, like son, as Nicky was also a goalkeeper before joining Westlife. The Dubliner was part of the Leeds 1997 FA Youth Cup winning team before returning to home to sign a short deal with Shels in July 1997 A loan spell at Cobh Ramblers followed before he joined Westlife in 1998. Nicky was also capped at youth levels for Ireland.
President Michael D. Higgins presents Derry City’s Will Patching with the President’s Cup. INPHO/RYAN BYRNE
DERRY’S CUP
Derry City have won the first trophy of the new domestic season, beating Shamrock Rovers 2-0 in the President’s Cup Final at the Brandywell on Friday night. City’s scorers were Will Patching and Michael Duffy.
DEATH OF THEO DUNNE
The death occurred at the weekend of former Shelbourne player Theo Dunne. Dunne, who played for the great Shelbourne team of the early sixties, had the honor of being the only Irish player to lead a team out at the Nou Camp stadium against Barcelona in a competitive game. It happened in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in October 1963. After losing the first leg 2-0 in Dublin, Shels took the lead at the Nou Camp, but Barcelona eventually won 3-1. He also played in Europe against Belenenses and Atletico Madrid. He also played for Drogheda and Athlone Town and later managed UCD.
