Sports
Wobbling Man United shocks Mancity 2-1
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Manchester United scored twice in the final three minutes to deepen Premier League champions Manchester City’s crisis with a 2-1 win at the Etihad on Sunday.
City have now won just once in their last 11 games, a run that includes eight defeats.
Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header had put Pep Guardiola’s men in front.
But United hit back for just Ruben Amorim’s second win in five league matches since taking charge last month.
Bruno Fernandes’ penalty levelled before Amad Diallo squeezed home the winner from a narrow angle in the last minute of regular time.
Defeat leaves City still in fifth, nine point off leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
United climb to 12th and within five points of their city rivals.
The Red Devils will be hoping a dramatic victory can also be the starting point for Amorim to turn around the momentum of a rivalry that City have dominated over the past decade.
Amorim made a bold call before kick-off as both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were left out of the United squad with the Portuguese saying he “pays attention to everything”.
The United boss may have regretted that call as early as the 12th minute when Mason Mount limped off to continue his injury-ravaged spell since joining from Chelsea 18 months ago.
A shortage of confidence in both sides was clear to see in a cagey start.
It took 20 minutes for Phil Foden to have the first attempt on goal with a volley that flew just wide of Andre Onana’s goal.
But United’s set-piece defending has been at the root of their poor start to life under new management.
For the third consecutive Premier League game they conceded from a corner as Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected cross looped perfectly into the path of Gvardiol to head in on 36 minutes.
A slow burn of a derby finally came to life seconds later when Kyle Walker and Rasmus Hojlund went head-to-head with both ending up getting booked.
Foden’s double win this fixture for City last season on their way to an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title.
The England international’s lack of form and fitness has been one of the causes of City’s struggles this season.
However, Foden looked more like his old self as a jinking run and shot that deflected just wide came close to doubling City’s lead before half-time.
United did not manage a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes and Amorim was growing visibly frustrated at his side’s poor play on the ball as the second period started in a similar manner.
A vintage City side under Guardiola would have put their neighbours to the sword, but English champions created nothing of note in the second period.
Diallo finally forced Ederson into action with a header that the Brazilian clawed around the post on the hour mark.
Fernandes then missed a glorious chance to equalise 15 minutes from time when his dink over Ederson drifted wide with just the Brazilian to beat.
However, City were to be the architects of their own downfall.
Matheus Nunes’ short backpass played in Diallo, who was then chopped down by the Portuguese midfielder in his desperation to atone for the original error.
Fernandes this time coolly sent Ederson the wrong way to level.
City’s defence was then undone by one simple long ball over the top by Lisandro Martinez that Diallo raced onto, rounded Ederson and kept his composure to find the net.
AFP
Spain’s World Cup-winning stars, Fabián Ruiz and Gavi, have been honoured with their combined weight in tomatoes by their hometown after helping the country lift the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The two players, who are from Los Palacios y Villafranca, a town south of Seville with a population of fewer than 40,000, returned home on Wednesday for an official civic reception at the town hall.
As part of the celebration, Ruiz and Gavi stepped onto weighing scales to determine the quantity of tomatoes they would receive in recognition of their achievement.
Ruiz received 85 kilograms of tomatoes, while Gavi was presented with 68.5 kilograms, bringing the total gift to more than 150 kilograms.
Local authorities described the presentation as a longstanding tradition that has become a symbol of the municipality’s recognition of its outstanding athletes.
Former Spain winger Jesús Navas, who became the first footballer from Los Palacios y Villafranca to win the FIFA World Cup in 2010, also attended the ceremony.
Navas and Ruiz had previously received the same honour after Spain won the UEFA Euro 2024 championship.
The town already has a sports pavilion named after Navas and Ruiz, while football pitches in the municipality will now be renamed in honour of Gavi to celebrate his achievements.
The town council also announced plans to construct a monument dedicated to Navas, Ruiz and Gavi in recognition of their contributions to Spanish football.
According to the council, the monument is intended to serve as a lasting tribute to the three champions, whom it described as the pride of the community and role models for younger generations through their sporting achievements and personal conduct.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, is keen on signing John Stones or Ezri Konsa, following news that William Saliba will be out for an extended period.
Saliba has opted not to have surgery after injuring his back while playing for France at the 2026 World Cup.
But the 25-year-old defender is facing a lengthy period of rehabilitation.
Stones is available as a free agent, after he left Manchester City at the end of his contract.
The 32-year-old worked with Arteta during his time as assistant to Pep Guardiola at City.
Konsa, who represented England alongside Stones at the World Cup, has two years left on his contract at Aston Villa.
Both players can also operate at right-back.
British-Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua has begun preparing for a fight with Tyson Fury by training with a specially made heavy bag replica of the Gypsy King, ahead of both men’s tune-up bouts this weekend.
Joshua and Fury have signed contracts to finally settle a decade’s worth of debate over a domestic showdown, but must first come through separate warm-up assignments, with Joshua facing Kristian Prenga on Saturday in Jeddah and Fury taking on 46-year-old veteran Mariusz Wach in Thailand.
Joshua’s first-ever boxing coach, Sean Murphy, unveiled the bespoke bag and told DAZN it had been designed specifically to resemble Fury, describing it as reproducing the Gypsy King’s chin for practice purposes.
Murphy said Joshua had provided all the bags currently hanging in the gym and had personally funded other refurbishments at the facility, including new ring covers and an overhaul of the female changing room.
Joshua, aged 36, has vowed never to overlook an opponent again after being stunned by Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 while he had one eye on a prospective fight with Deontay Wilder, though with his Fury deal now signed, he is being careful not to look past Prenga.
The Saturday bout will be Joshua’s first contest since a car accident claimed the lives of two of his close friends, and comes ten days after he stopped Jake Paul in a heavily anticipated crossover fight.
Joshua is expected to dedicate victory over Prenga to his late friends as he continues plotting a route towards the long-awaited Battle of Britain with Fury, aged 37.
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