FOOTBALL: Roundup of Mid-week European matches
Emmanuel Alfred
The midweek saw us witness beautiful and unexpected results in the Premier League, La Liga and the Coppa Italia.
Liverpool 4-0 Manchester United
It didn’t take up to 5 minutes for Liverpool to assert themselves on the game with a goal from Luis Diaz after a well laid pass from Mohammed Salah. Speaking of a well laid pass, you could hold a breath for the pass from Sadio Mane to make Salah score.
Liverpool absolutely dominated the game from start to finish especially with Thiago Alcantara orchestrating the play. The reds went top on Tuesday night because of the win as Salah got a brace with Mane completing the rout.
Highlight of the match was on the 7th minute when Liverpool fans chanted ‘you will never walk alone’ in support of Cristiano Ronaldo who lost his son.
Manchester City 3-0 Brighton
We were expecting a reaction from City after Liverpool had topped the league and the Cityzens gave the perfect response with a 3-0 thrashing of the seagulls courtesy of goals from three left footers; Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva. That win was Pep Guadiola’s 250th in the Premier League.
Chelsea 2-4 Arsenal
This fixture happens to be one of the most unpredictable as form often counts for nothing whenever it comes up.
Arsenal are gunning for Champions League football next season and Eddie Nketiah got a brace in his first start in 17 months with Emile Smith- Rowe and Bukayo Saka completing a convincing win for the Gunners while Timo Werner and Cesar Azpilicueta got the goals for the Blues.
In the relegation battle, Everton played out a one all draw with Leicester City and Burnley who are without a manager have picked up 4 points out a possible 6 after beating Southampton 2-0.
In the race for Champions League, Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium and Manchester entertain Watford. Norwich will hope to fight for survival when already saved Newcastle visit Carrow Road; Brentford will entertain Tottenham, Burnley will face Wolves.
Chelsea will take on West Ham in the London derby while Liverpool will be up against Everton in a game that has bearings both at the top and at the bottom of the League.
Below is how some of the teams stand in the Premier League table:
1. Manchester City – 77
2. Liverpool – 76
3. Chelsea – 62
4. Tottenham Hotspur – 57
5. Arsenal – 57
6. Manchester United – 54
7. West Ham – 52
17. Everton – 29
18. Burnley – 28
19. Watford – 22
20. Norwich – 21
La Liga: Madrid close in on title
David Alaba, Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez all scored to give Real Madrid a 3-1 win at Pamplona against Osasuna.
With Atletico Madrid playing a stalemate earlier against Granada, Real Madrid need four points to secure their 35th title.
Sevilla edged Levante in a five – goal thriller while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal in the match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona.
Coppa Italia: Inter set up final with Juve
Lautaro Martinez got a brace as inter thrashed AC Milan in the Milan derby as R. Gosens scored the icing on the cake. Inter won 3-0 to take the aggregate to 3-0 over two legs.
Juventus completed a 3-0 aggregate win over Fiorentina on Wednesday. The first leg ended 2-0 in favour of the Old Ladies as they set up a tantalizing final on the 11th of May.
