London (AFP)
Chelsea took full advantage of Liverpool’s stumble against its guest Brighton 2-2, after it was ahead with two goals, and Manchester City’s loss at home against Crystal Palace 0-2 affected by the numerical shortage in its ranks, to move away in the lead after beating its host Newcastle 3-0 Saturday in the stage 10 of the English Football League.
At St James’ Park, Reece James imposed himself as the star of the match and confirmed the distinguished level he presents this season in the ranks of the European champions, after scoring twice, to become the best player in the Premier League, in terms of scoring and passing together with four goals and three assists.
James led the London club to its third win in a row over Newcastle and the eighth this season, compared to a draw and a defeat, raising its score to 25 points in the lead, three ahead of Liverpool and five from Manchester City.
The 21-year-old told the BBC that “the first goal was probably the best, because I scored it with my weaker (left) foot. It was a good shot.” )”.
After suffering for a long time in the first half and at the beginning of the second half to reach goalkeeper Karl Darlow, Chelsea finally managed to crack the Newcastle defense code and opened the scoring in the 65th minute through James after a cross from Callum Hudson-Odoi.
This goal was liberated by German coach Thomas Tuchel’s team, and he added the second through Reece James also in the 77th minute with a shot from inside the area, before the Italian Jorginho dealt the final blow to the owners of the land a few seconds after a penalty kick taken by German Kai Havertz from the goalkeeper.
And at the “Anfield” stadium, Liverpool thought that it had revenged its guest Brighton, who dropped the “reds” at their stadium zero-1 last season, by advancing with two goals, but the guests rose up at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second and snatched a point from the men of German coach Juergen Klopp. From a historic landslide victory over rivals Manchester United 5-0 in its stronghold.
And Liverpool, who is preparing to host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in the Champions League, beat the latter 3-2 in the previous round at home, and to face West Ham IV and Arsenal in the next two stages, early, as, after an opportunity for the guests, the Brazilian goalkeeper Alison Becker starred in stopping it, the owner of the land set off With an attack, the ball reached the brilliant Egyptian Mohamed Salah on the right side, who crossed it to reach captain Jordan Henderson, who fired a missile from the outskirts of the area into the roof of the net (4), scoring his first goal in the league this season.
And Liverpool thought that it had decided the meeting in a big way when he added the second goal in the 24th minute through Senegalese Sadio Mane, with a header after a cross from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, raising his score to six goals in the “Premier League” this season.
But Brighton refused to surrender and reduced the difference in the 41st minute with a shot from outside the area by Enoch Mwebo, who became only the second Zambian in history to score in the Premier League after Batson Dhaka, who scored two weeks ago in his team’s match against Manchester United (4-2).
At the beginning of the second half, Brighton’s return was completed by equalizing in the 65th minute with a shot from the middle of the penalty area, after a pass from former Liverpool player Adam Lallana, to raise the visitors’ score to 16 points in sixth place temporarily, awaiting what will happen to the Tottenham and Manchester United match later.
And at Al-Ittihad Stadium, City suffered a second successive disappointment within a week by receiving its second defeat of the season, after losing against Crystal Palace 0-2 in a match that Spanish coach Pep Guardiola’s team completed with ten players since the last seconds of the first half.
The defending champion entered his meeting with his London guest against the background of his exit from the round of 16 of the League Cup by losing at home to West Ham on penalties after they tied negatively, then on Saturday he suffered another disappointment that left him five points behind leaders Chelsea before facing the derby Saturday in the stronghold of his neighbor United.
City found themselves behind early in the sixth minute with a goal by Ivory Coast Wilfried Zaha after a pass from Conor Gallagher, becoming the first player in Palace history to score 50 goals in the Premier League.
Then the task of Guardiola’s team became complicated when he entered the two-half break with a reduced number, after the referee raised the red card in the face of Frenchman Aymeric Laporte because he was the last defender when he dropped Zaha and deprived him of the goal (2 + 45).
Despite his attempts, City were unable to return to the meeting, things were finally settled in favor of the guests when Gallagher turned from passer to top scorer in the 88th minute after a pass from French-Englishman Michael Ouliz.
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