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Rediff.com  » Sports » PIX: Foden double fires Man City to comeback win against Man Utd

PIX: Foden double fires Man City to comeback win against Man Utd

March 03, 2024 23:39 IST
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IMAGE: Manchester City's Phil Foden scores their second goal. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

Phil Foden kept Manchester City's Premier League title challenge on track with a superb second-half double as his side hit back to clinch a 3-1 home victory over Manchester United on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford's eighth-minute thunderbolt gave United the lead against the run of play and it looked like the visitors might put a dent in City's hopes of a fourth successive crown.

But Pep Guardiola's side remained patient, dominated possession and were eventually rewarded with Foden again proving how indispensable he is for City.

 

Foden arrowed a sublime effort into the top corner in the 56th minute and the England forward then produced a clinical finish with 10 minutes of normal time remaining.

Erling Haaland, who missed a golden first-half chance, secured the points with a late strike.

Reigning champions City, whose unbeaten run in all competitions now stands at 19, moved to 62 points, one behind leaders Liverpool who they visit next weekend. United remain in sixth place with 44 points.

IMAGE: Manchester City's Erling Braut Haaland shoots at goal. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters

Rashford's bolt from the blue might have floored lesser sides but Erik Ten Hag's United could have few complaints at the way City turned things around.

City had 74% possession and 27 efforts on goal compared to United's three but it was Foden who found the key to the lock.

He was given a standing ovation as he walked off after taking a knock in stoppage time -- City's fans in buoyant mood at keeping the pressure right on Liverpool and Arsenal.

City camped in United's half in the opening minutes but were stunned when from United's first foray forward Bruno Fernandes rolled a pass towards Rashford who launched a 25-metre effort that crashed off the underside of the bar and into the net.

Rashford had other chances too, mis-controlling after being sent clear and later failing to connect with a volley.

IMAGE: Manchester United's Marcus Rashford in action with Manchester City's Kyle Walker. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

City probed United's defence continually and eventually opened it up only for Haaland to somehow sidefoot over from Foden's headed cross with halftime approaching.

There was no sense of panic though and the pattern continued after the break. There was nothing United keeper Andre Onana could do about Foden's equaliser.

Cutting in from the right he struck a fierce left-foot shot that was equally as spectacular as Rashford's effort.

City kept pressing and Foden put them ahead in the 80th minute with a low left-foot shot across Onana after being played in by Julian Alvarez.

Haaland got in on the act in stoppage time with a trademark left-foot finish after being played in by Rodri.

IMAGE: Burnley's Vitinho heads at goal. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Bournemouth heap more misery on Burnley 

Bournemouth extended relegation-battling Burnley's Premier League winless run to nine matches with a 2-0 victory at Turf Moor on Sunday after goals from Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo gave Andoni Iraola's side their first win in 2024.

Bournemouth had not won a game since Boxing Day and the victory moved them up to 31 points to sit 13th, 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

Burnley remain second-bottom after a fourth straight loss, 11 points from the safety zone with 11 games left. The defeat also marked the first time they had lost 11 league matches at home in a season.

"It is always nice to win. I think we have played much better games without getting the win but today we really needed it," Bournemouth's Iraola said.

"We've been playing well lately but not getting the wins. Maybe we needed a game like this where we were not playing well but got the win."

IMAGE: Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo scores their second goal. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Bournemouth took the lead after 13 minutes through Kluivert who latched onto a long ball over the top and outsmarted Dara O'Shea with a quick turn before firing past James Trafford.

Burnley dominated possession, with 80% of the ball at one stage, but lacked accuracy with the final pass into the box while a couple of efforts went over the bar.

Bournemouth keeper Neto was also forced to make a fine save from Jacob Bruun Larsen's free-kick on the stroke of halftime when he clawed it out of the air, with the ball nearly going over the line according to the Goal Decision System.

After the restart, Bournemouth nearly made it 2-0 when Kluivert was released down the left and found Dominic Solanke open on the opposite flank but he shot straight at the keeper from a tight angle.

However, they continued to attack and Semenyo sealed the points late on after a solo run when the Ghanaian cut in from the left and saw his shot deflected into the net, triggering a mass exodus as disappointed Burnley fans headed for the exits.

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Source: REUTERS
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