Manchester United complete double over City\, Chelsea thump Everton

Manchester United complete double over City, Chelsea thump Everton

Manchester United beat their rivals 2-0 and completed the league double for the first time since the 2009/10 season. On the other hand, Frank Lampard schooled his former manager Carlo Ancelotti with a 4-0 win.

By: Reuters | Updated: March 9, 2020 2:00:08 am
Manchester United’s Anthony Martial celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. (Source: Reuters)

Manchester United completed their first home and away Premier League double over Manchester City since the Alex Ferguson era with goals from Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay giving them a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.

United’s triumph over second-placed City leaves runaway leaders Liverpool, who have a 25-point advantage, even closer to the title but not even that bitter-sweet element of the win could dampen the celebrations in the Stretford End.

United may have had to defend for large parts of the second half but they were disciplined throughout and allowed City few clear chances after taking the lead in the 30th minute through Martial after a clever free-kick from Bruno Fernandes.

United’s opening goal was straight off the training ground with Fernandes surprising City’s defence with a sharply-taken chipped free-kick over the top to Martial whose volley sneaked under the arm of the diving Ederson.

City had a Sergio Aguero effort ruled out for offside after the break but with Bernardo Silva unusually ineffective, the champions lacked their trademark midfield dominance.

Raheem Sterling was unable to connect with a low ball across the face of the goal from Riyad Mahrez in one of the few clear openings City created.

At the other end, the speedy Dan James broke clear after a wonderful through ball from the outstanding Aaron Wan-Bissaka but opted to blast at Ederson when he could have squared the ball to a teammate.

But the game was to end in raucous joy for the United faithful as substitute McTominay made sure of the points by driving the ball into the unguarded net from 25 metres after a woeful throw-out from Ederson straight to the midfielder.

“That was such a sweet moment. It’s such a beautiful feeling to score like that in front of the fans. But we can’t get too carried away and need to keep pushing for the Champions League,” said the Scotland international.

“We will take confidence from that but in the coming weeks we have got to keep the run going,” he said.

CHELSEA THUMP FORMER MANAGER’S EVERTON

Olivier Giroud celebrates with Willian after scoring Chelsea’s fourth goal. (Source: AP Photo)

Two goals in each half from a rampant Chelsea earned them a 4-0 victory over Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton on Sunday, cementing their place in the Premier League’s top four.

Mason Mount scored the first in the 14th minute, bursting from midfield and playing a one-two with Pedro before controlling the ball, turning and shooting low into the corner.

Seven minutes later Spain’s Pedro, revelling in space, latched on to a fine through ball from former Everton midfielder Ross Barkley and picked his spot to the left of the advancing Jordan Pickford.

The home side doubled their lead in three second-half minutes. In the 51st the indefatigable Barkley set up Willian to shoot across goal and into the far corner from 20 metres with Pickford stranded. Then France striker Olivier Giroud poked the ball home from a Willian cross after a corner.

Everton coach Ancelotti, who spent two years at Chelsea, leading the team which included current Chelsea boss Frank Lampard to the league and FA Cup double in 2010, enjoyed a warm greeting from the Stamford Bridge crowd on Sunday.

Yet he cut a forlorn figure on the touchline, his team managing only one shot on target. They lie in 12th place in the table, 11 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.