LONDON, Feb 10, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Manchester City surged 12 points clear at
the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win against Brentford, while
Tottenham's top four bid suffered a blow in a dramatic 3-2 defeat against
Southampton on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola's side extended their unbeaten run in the league to 14
matches thanks to Riyad Mahrez's first half penalty and Kevin De Bruyne's
strike after the interval at the Etihad Stadium.
City were held to a 1-1 draw at Southampton in their previous league game,
but they got back on track to pile the pressure on second placed Liverpool,
who host Leicester on Thursday in one of their two games in hand on the
champions.
City made six changes to the team that beat Fulham in the FA Cup last
weekend, with Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker dropped just days after Guardiola
was forced to defend the pair for a night out in Manchester.
Footage on social media showing Grealish, Walker and Mahrez outside a venue
in Manchester.
But Guardiola did not have an issue with his players, joking that they
would be fined for failing to invite him.
City were unaffected by the fuss as they dominated from start to finish,
finally making the breakthrough after 40 minutes.
Raheem Sterling's run drew a rash sliding tackle from Mads Roerslav,
conceding a penalty that Algeria winger Mahrez converted emphatically.
City scored the killer second goal in the 69th minute when Brentford keeper
David Raya passed straight to Sterling.
Although Raya saved Sterling's shot, Kevin De Bruyne pounced on the rebound
and stroked a cool finish into the empty net.
"I'm very satisfied with the performance. It's difficult when they defend
deep with 10 players," Guardiola said.
"Liverpool have two games to play, then we see the gap. Everyone is tough
competition, but it is impressive at this stage to have 60 points. We have
done incredibly well."
At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Jan Bednarek's own goal in the 18th
minute put the hosts in front.
Southampton were level five minutes later when Armando Broja side-footed
past Hugo Lloris.
Son Heung-min struck for Tottenham in controversial fashion after 70
minutes.
Southampton felt Broja was fouled by Emerson Royal in the build-up, but
David Coote allowed play to continue and Lucas Moura picked out Son to slide
home from eight yards.
The visitors, perhaps provoked by Tottenham manager Antonio Conte's
complaints about their protests, responded impressively.
- Leeds fightback -
Mohamed Elyounoussi equalised with an 80th minute header from James Ward-
Prowse's cross, sending Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl running on the pitch to
celebrate.
Che Adams nodded home two minutes later from another pin-point Ward-Prowse
delivery.
Steven Bergwijn thought he had saved Conte from a first home league defeat
with Tottenham, but his stoppage-time effort was disallowed for offside.
"We have to be better to manage the game in different situations. We can
improve in this aspect. I knew there was a lot of the job to do," Conte said.
Tottenham remain seventh, four points adrift of fourth placed West Ham with
three games in hand.
Leeds came from 3-1 down to snatch a thrilling 3-3 draw at Aston Villa.
Daniel James fired Leeds ahead in the ninth minute, but Philippe Coutinho
equalised in the 30th minute with his second Villa goal since his January
loan move from Barcelona.
Villa were in front eight minutes later as Coutinho provided a perfectly
weighted pass for Jacob Ramsey to finish.
Ramsey lashed in his second in the 44th minute and once more Coutinho was
the catalyst.
But James reducing the deficit with a close-range header and Diego Llorente
completed Leeds' fightback after 63 minutes.
Villa's Ezri Konsa was sent off in the 87th minute for two bookings.
Wilfried Zaha went from hero to zero as the Ivory Coast forward missed a
penalty after scoring Crystal Palace's equaliser in their 1-1 draw at
Norwich.
Third bottom Norwich took the lead after just 39 seconds when Teemu Pukki's
miscued effort squirmed in for the quickest goal in the Premier League this
season.
