Sports

Jonathan Cook’s World Game Wrap-Up

Posted on | Posted by Jonathan Cook

Chelsea struggling under Potter

Not for the first time since he swapped Brighton for Chelsea, Graham Potter was left scratching his head as Nottingham Forest snatched a point at the City Ground.

The Blues have struggled since the appointment of Potter, who has seen his side win just one of their past seven matches.

Chelsea took the lead through Raheem Sterling before former Spurs defender Serge Aurier earned Forest a point.

Confidence isn’t exactly overflowing at Stamford Bridge ahead of Manchester City’s visit on Friday morning (Perth time).

Villa too good for Spurs

Aston Villa continued their transformation under new manager Unai Emery with a third win in four Premier League games with the Spaniard.

Tottenham Hotspur became their latest victim on New Year’s Day after Emery also oversaw victories against Manchester United and Brighton.

Second-half goals from Emiliano Buendia and Douglas Luiz inflicted a fourth defeat in seven games on Spurs.

Tottenham, who are fifth, have made a habit of going behind this season but their powers of recovery appear to be waning. Villa are up to 12th.

Arsenal extend lead over City

Arsenal are looking more like Premier League champions-elect after they hit four against Brighton to make the most of Manchester City’s stumble against Everton.

A stunning Demarai Gray goal cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener for City as Everton earned an important point in their battle to keep their distance from the relegation zone.

City’s dropped points gave Arsenal added incentive in a later kick-off, and they took just 70 seconds to score their first goal – converted by Bukayo Saka – in a 4-2 win over Brighton.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are now seven points clear of second-placed City with Newcastle, who were held 0-0 by Leeds, a further two points back in third.

Snoozing Rashford finds winner

Marcus Rashford paid the price for a lazy morning then gave Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag a reminder of his value to the team – not that he really needed it.

Ten Hag had left Rashford on the bench for the clash with Wolves after the England striker slept in and was late for a team meeting.

The punishment lasted until half-time when Rashford came on with the desired effect, scoring the winner in the 76th minute.

Rashford’s sixth goal of the season lifted United to fourth on the Premier League table ahead of their game against Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Wednesday morning (WA time).

Wolves take on rivals Aston Villa in a Midlands derby at Villa Park on Thursday.

Two own goals gift for Reds

Leicester City defender Wout Faes did what Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez couldn’t do for Liverpool – and the Belgian did it twice.

While Salah and Nunez were unable to find a way past Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward, Faes did so on two occasions in a bizarre seven-minute spell that gifted Liverpool a 2-1 win.

Leicester had taken an early lead through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall before the visitors unravelled. First Faes sliced a harmless looking ball over Ward, before his attempts to clear a Nunez shot that had struck a post ended up in his own net.

Faes and Leicester will be hoping for better luck at home to Fulham on Wednesday morning, while Liverpool will look for improvement against Brentford on Tuesday.

Toney troubles to worry Frank

Brentford boss Thomas Frank is hoping that an injury to Ivan Toney is not as serious as was first feared.

Toney scored his 12th goal of the season in Brentford’s 2-0 win over West Ham United before being taken off on a stretcher with a knee problem.

Brentford are 10th in the Premier League largely thanks to Toney’s goals. Frank is likely to need an alternative path to goal when Brentford take on Liverpool early tomorrow – and will have his fingers crossed Toney will be back soon.

Defeat for the Hammers left them fourth bottom and manager David Moyes in desperate need of a win against Leeds at Elland Road on Thursday morning.

Wanderers smash Macarthur

Oliver Bozanic scored a goal from the top drawer as Western Sydney Wanderers beat Macarthur 4-0 and moved to second on the A-League table.

The former Socceroos midfielder went for finesse rather than power to guide a shot beyond Filip Kurto and double the Wanderers advantage against fourth-placed Macarthur.

Sydney FC moved to fifth courtesy of two goals in three minutes from Adam Le Fondre and Robert Mak in a 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets.

Big game for Glory

Perth Glory could turn their A-League season on its head with a victory against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium today.

Bottom of the league and with just seven points from eight games, Glory have improved since returning to action following the World Cup break, picking up four points from three games.

Victory over Adelaide, who are in sixth place and five points better off than Glory, would reignite the WA side’s slim finals hopes.

Pain in Spain for Barca

Barcelona blew a chance to pull clear of Real Madrid at the top of Spain’s La Liga after a fiery derby draw against Espanyol.

Madrid had drawn level with Barca on points courtesy of two late goals from Karim Benzema in a 2-0 win over Valladolid last week.

But despite Marcos Alonso scoring for Barcelona after just seven minutes on New Year’s Eve, they were unable to finish the job as Mato Joselu scored a second-half penalty in the 1-1 draw.

Barca had Jordi Alba sent off after his angry complaints to the referee before Espanyol’s Vinicius Souza also saw red for a second bookable offence two minutes later.

Excitement in France as PSG lose

Paris Saint-Germain’s first league defeat of the season has created some excitement in France’s Ligue 1.

Second placed Lens produced a stunning 3-1 win over PSG, who were without the suspended Neymar and absent Lionel Messi, to cut the French champions’ lead to just four points.

Given that PSG rarely lose league games, Lens still have a mountain to climb if they are to claim a first title since 1998.

Beale looking for home improvement

New manager Michael Beale will be hoping for a vast Rangers improvement as they host Celtic in the second Old Firm clash of the Scottish Premier League season at Ibrox tonight.

Ange Postecoglou’s side scored a 4-0 win at Celtic Park in September and have now lost just one of their 19 games – an unexpected defeat to St Mirren.

Second-placed Rangers are nine points adrift of leaders Celtic, although Beale has overseen four successive wins since taking the reins in December following Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s exit.




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