London, United Kingdom | AFP | Manchester City secured its lead in the Premier League with a new win, this time by 4 to 0 in Newcastle, this Sunday on the 18th matchday, in which Chelsea (3rd) fell a little further by chaining another draw, this once 0-0 at Wolverhampton.
The ‘Citizens’ add 44 points, now six more than Chelsea. Liverpool, now second 4 points behind the leader, play in the last turn on Sunday at Tottenham (7th).
The week has been spectacular for City, who beat Leeds United 7-0 on Tuesday. He has eight consecutive wins in the championship and that allows him to take the reins of the classification.
The mission was therefore very difficult for a Newcastle that is only 19th.
The ‘Magracas’ made it even easier for the leader by offering them the first goal on a silver platter after just five minutes, after a lack of understanding between their goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and his defender Ciaran Clarke, which allowed the Portuguese Ruben Dias to put the first on the scoreboard.
Newcastle was a mere spectator when Joao Cancelo also from Portugal signed the second in the 27th, with an accurate shot.
The Brazilian Gabriel Jesús (52) and Raheem Sterling (57) could have sentenced the return from the locker room, but it was finally the Algerian Riyad Mahrez who got the third, with a volley in the middle of the race (minute 63), before Sterling put the fourth and final in 86.
A victory in a game without great history for the men of Josep Guardiola, who could be on the bench after a scare on Friday due to an inconclusive test, before confirming that he was negative for covid-19.
– Chelsea accuses casualties –
Chelsea, who had already drawn 1-1 with Everton on Thursday, drew this time without goals (0-0) at Wolverhampton (8th), in a match that was played after a postponement request rejected by the Premier League.
Already deprived of Romelu Lukaku, Callum hudson-Odoi and Timo Werner in the duel against Everton, the ‘Blues’ traveled to Wolverhampton without Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kai Havertz and Jorginho. On the match sheet, the Londoners had just six substitutes instead of seven and two of them were goalkeepers.
“You can’t at all” understand the decisions of the Premier League, coach Thomas Tuchel complained before the clash. Ten games of the championship did previously obtain the green light to postponement for health reasons.
“We are disappointed, a little angry, but that will not make us less competitive,” he promised, before admitting that having to start N’Golo Kanté, freshly recovered from injury, was “a great risk”.
The game proved him right and it was difficult for Chelsea to create danger, despite dominating possession of the ball.
After the game, Tuchel insisted on his opinion.
“It is not a safe thing. We talk about protecting the players and having a safe environment, but it is not. I would not be surprised if they appear more positive in the next test,” he told the BBC.
