Sparkling City closes in on title
March 2, 2018 | 05:41 PM
Manchester City’s midfielder David Silva (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal during their English Premier League football match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in London Thursday. — AFP
March 2, 2018 | 05:41 PM
Last Updated: March 2, 2018 | 05:42 PM
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LONDON — Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five days Thursday, beating it 3-0 on a freezing night at The Emirates to restore its 16-point lead as it closes in on the Premier League title.
Arsenal hoped for redemption after City thrashed it by the same scoreline in the League Cup final at Wembley Sunday but first-half goals by Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Leroy Sane handed the Gunners their second home league loss this season.
Arsenal’s club record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added to the home side’s woes when his penalty was saved by Ederson early in the second half after fellow new arrival Henrikh Mkhitaryan was brought down just inside the area.
The win leaves Pep Guardiola’s scintillating City side on 75 points from 28 games ahead of second-placed Manchester United and it only has to win five of its last 10 matches to be crowned champion for the third time in seven seasons.
“We are close. It’s in our hands, we can’t deny it,” Guardiola said, while stressing his team must focus on the next game at home to last season’s champions Chelsea on Sunday.
He expressed some sympathy for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has faced renewed speculation over his future at the London club as the Gunners slide out of contention for Champions League football next season for the second year in a row.
“He knows my admiration for him... I know all the managers can be in that situation. I’m sure he’s going to take the right decision for him and for the club,” Guardiola told a post-match news conference without elaborating.
The result leaves Arsenal sixth, 10 points outside the top four places that guarantee Champions League football next term.
It can still qualify for Europe’s elite club competition, but to do so it will almost certainly has to win the Europa League in which it meets AC Milan in the last 16.
“We played with low confidence, you could see that at the start of the game and we paid for it,” said Wenger.
“We needed the penalty to go in, but that was another negative. We lost to a team that is the best in the country at the moment... The difference in the league is no coincidence.”
Caen stuns Lyon to set up PSG semis
Caen upset five-time winner Lyon to book a French Cup semifinal against holder Paris Saint-Germain, as Ismael Diomande’s late header gave it a 1-0 win Thursday.
Bruno Genesio’s visitors dominated much of the play at the Stade Michel d’Ornano, but Ivorian midfielder Diomande climbed highest to flick a 77th-minute free-kick from Stef Peeters into the far corner.
It is the first time that top-flight side Caen has reached the semifinals in its 105-year history, and they’ll host PSG, which is bidding for a fourth straight Cup title, in April.
The path appears clear for runaway Ligue 1 leaders PSG to claim a record-extending 12th French Cup after their last-eight victory over Marseille Wednesday, with struggling third-tier outfits Les Herbiers and Chambly to face off in the other semifinal.
Les Herbiers, playing in only their third-ever season in the third-division Championnat National, edged out Lens on penalties Tuesday, before Chambly stunned Ligue 1 club Strasbourg 1-0. — Agencies
Arsenal hoped for redemption after City thrashed it by the same scoreline in the League Cup final at Wembley Sunday but first-half goals by Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Leroy Sane handed the Gunners their second home league loss this season.
Arsenal’s club record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added to the home side’s woes when his penalty was saved by Ederson early in the second half after fellow new arrival Henrikh Mkhitaryan was brought down just inside the area.
The win leaves Pep Guardiola’s scintillating City side on 75 points from 28 games ahead of second-placed Manchester United and it only has to win five of its last 10 matches to be crowned champion for the third time in seven seasons.
“We are close. It’s in our hands, we can’t deny it,” Guardiola said, while stressing his team must focus on the next game at home to last season’s champions Chelsea on Sunday.
He expressed some sympathy for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has faced renewed speculation over his future at the London club as the Gunners slide out of contention for Champions League football next season for the second year in a row.
“He knows my admiration for him... I know all the managers can be in that situation. I’m sure he’s going to take the right decision for him and for the club,” Guardiola told a post-match news conference without elaborating.
The result leaves Arsenal sixth, 10 points outside the top four places that guarantee Champions League football next term.
It can still qualify for Europe’s elite club competition, but to do so it will almost certainly has to win the Europa League in which it meets AC Milan in the last 16.
“We played with low confidence, you could see that at the start of the game and we paid for it,” said Wenger.
“We needed the penalty to go in, but that was another negative. We lost to a team that is the best in the country at the moment... The difference in the league is no coincidence.”
Caen stuns Lyon to set up PSG semis
Caen upset five-time winner Lyon to book a French Cup semifinal against holder Paris Saint-Germain, as Ismael Diomande’s late header gave it a 1-0 win Thursday.
Bruno Genesio’s visitors dominated much of the play at the Stade Michel d’Ornano, but Ivorian midfielder Diomande climbed highest to flick a 77th-minute free-kick from Stef Peeters into the far corner.
It is the first time that top-flight side Caen has reached the semifinals in its 105-year history, and they’ll host PSG, which is bidding for a fourth straight Cup title, in April.
The path appears clear for runaway Ligue 1 leaders PSG to claim a record-extending 12th French Cup after their last-eight victory over Marseille Wednesday, with struggling third-tier outfits Les Herbiers and Chambly to face off in the other semifinal.
Les Herbiers, playing in only their third-ever season in the third-division Championnat National, edged out Lens on penalties Tuesday, before Chambly stunned Ligue 1 club Strasbourg 1-0. — Agencies
