Sports

Haaland gets 20th goal as Man City roll over Southampton

Sports Desk, Oct 8 (EFE).- Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City cruised Saturday to a 4-0 win over Southampton, getting goals from Joao Cancelo, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and the phenomenal Erling Haaland, who boosted his season total to 20 in all competitions.

City vaulted over Arsenal into the top spot with 23 points, 2 more than the Gunners, who will host Liverpool on Sunday.

Third-place Tottenham Hotspur improved to 20 points with a 1-0 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion, who dropped to sixth, while Chelsea thumped Wolverhampton 3-0 to move up to fourth.

Cancelo set the tone for City against the Saints at the Etihad, creating a pair of chances for Mahrez before putting the hosts up 1-0 in the 20th minute.

Foden made it 2-0 in the 32nd with an assist from Kevin de Bruyne and Mahrez extended the lead four minutes into the second half.

The 4-0 came in the 65th minute courtesy of Haaland, assisted by Cancelo. The 22-year-old Norwegian leads the Premier League with 15 goals in nine matches.

Southampton are 16th with 7 points.

Former Chelsea star Diego Costa’s return to Stamford Bridge was bittersweet. Though the Blues supporters gave him a warm reception, the striker was unable to jump-start what has been a moribund Wolves attack.

Some fine stops by Wolverhampton goalkeeper Jose Sa kept the home side off the scoreboard until first-half stoppage time, when Kai Havertz headed-in a Mason Mount cross.

Christian Pulisic doubled the advantage in the 54th minute and late sub Armando Broja beat Sa from distance in the 89th.

It was Chelsea’s third victory – including a Champions League tie with AC Milan – under new coach Graham Potter, who took charge on Sept. 8 after Thomas Tuchel’s firing.

Wolves, who just dumped coach Bruno Lage, are third from the bottom.

On the South Coast, Harry Kane redirected a ball from Son Heung-min in the 22nd minute to give Spurs the 1-0 edge and the visitors held Brighton at bay to come away with all 3 points.

Newcastle United pounded Brentford 5-1 to climb to go fifth in the table, while 19th-place Leicester City blew a lead against Bournemouth to suffer their seventh defeat of the season. EFE msg/dr

Related Articles

Back to top button