Sports
EPL: Semenyo sinks Leeds as Man City close gap on Arsenal
Antoine Semenyo fired Manchester City to a gritty 1-0 win over Leeds on Saturday as the Premier League title chasers closed the gap on leaders Arsenal without Erling Haaland.
Semenyo netted late in the first half at Elland Road with his sixth goal since signing from Bournemouth in January.
The Ghana forward’s strike lifted second-placed City to within two points of Arsenal, who host London rivals Chelsea on Sunday.
City’s fourth successive league win was achieved in the absence of Haaland after the prolific striker was ruled out with an injury suffered in training on Thursday.
“A little injury. It’s not a big issue but not ready for today,” City boss Pep Guardiola said just before kick-off.
City hope Haaland will recover in time for Wednesday’s clash with Nottingham Forest.
Remarkably, City have a better win ratio in the top-flight without the Norway star than when he plays.
Although they were not at their best, City’s hard-fought success in a hostile environment kept the destiny of the title in their own hands.
Chasing the seventh title of Guardiola’s reign, City will be guaranteed the crown if they win their last 10 games regardless of Arsenal’s results across the same number of matches.
City will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and host the Gunners in April.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin wasted a golden opportunity to put Leeds ahead in the opening moments when he scuffed Brenden Aaronson’s cross wide with just Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat.
The game was briefly paused to allow the Muslim players on both teams, including City’s Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri, to break their Ramadan fast at dusk.
Despite a message on the big screen revealing what the break was for, fans jeered when the players came to the side of the pitch.
– City survive –
Calvert-Lewin went close again after the resumption, turning City defender Marc Guehi before shooting narrowly wide of the far post.
Shaken by Leeds’ relentless pressing, City struggled to find any rhythm in the first half.
James Justin’s blast forced a good save from Donnarumma, while Aaronson poked just wide from Jayden Bogle’s cross.
Guardiola grew increasingly frustrated on the touchline as City failed to manage a single shot on target in the first 39 minutes.
Donnarumma came to City’s rescue again, smothering Aaronson’s effort after the Leeds midfielder scampered clear.
City finally showed signs of life when Marmoush’s low drive was held by Karl Darlow, who parried away Nico O’Reilly’s close-range header moments later.
It was a warning Leeds failed to heed as City snatched the lead with an intricately crafted goal in first half stoppage-time.
Cherki’s pin-point pass picked out Ait-Nouri’s run into the Leeds area and the defender’s low cross was perfectly placed for Semenyo to slide in with a close-range finish.
City looked more confident after Semenyo’s opener and should have gone further ahead after the interval.
Marmoush was just five yards out when he stretched in a failed attempt to convert Ruben Dias’ miscued shot.
Guehi’s header from Cherki’s corner was clawed away by Darlow.
City had to survive a tense finale, with Jaka Bijol heading a corner inches wide, before they could finally celebrate.
Sports
“Any attempt to lose to Arsenal, ends Mancity’s dream of title race”-Guardiola
Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has claimed that the Premier League title race will be over if they lose to Arsenal this weekend.
City welcome the Gunners in a top-of-the-table clash on Sunday.
The league leaders are six points ahead of Guardiola’s men, although City have a game in hand.
A win for Arsenal will extend the gap, while the former champions have the chance to go within three points.
“If we lose, it’s over. But with the other two results, and knowing that Arsenal didn’t win against Bournemouth, we still have games to play,” Guardiola said.
City were held to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture at the Emirates.
But they beat Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final last month, as they began to build momentum ahead of the run-in.
Sports
Bernardo Silva To Leave Man City At End Of Season
Bernardo Silva is set to leave Man City at the end of the season.
The Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The Portugal midfielder, 31, has scored 76 goals and made 77 assists in 451 appearances for City since joining from Monaco in 2017.
Last month’s Carabao Cup victory was his 15th major honour with City, including the Treble in 2022-23.
Silva also helped City win the Premier League title with 100 points in 2017-18, all four domestic trophies in 2018-19, and four consecutive league titles between 2021 and 2024.
“What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart,” he said on Instagram., external
“The Centurions, the domestic quadruple, the Treble, the four in a row, and much more. It wasn’t that bad.”
Silva is the only player from City’s modern era in the top 10 of the club’s all-time appearances list and is currently joint-eighth with Mike Summerbee.
He was named club captain following the departure of Kevin de Bruyne at the end of last season and has won six Premier League titles in his first eight seasons with City.
The Blues are currently second in the league and play Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals on 25 April.
“My main goal as a player was to always play with passion so you guys (the fans) could feel proud and well represented on the pitch,” Silva added. “I hope you felt that every single game.
“I arrived as a Man City player, I leave as one more of you, a Man City supporter for life. Keep supporting this young team, and I’m pretty sure they will bring you a lot of new, fantastic memories in the future. Let’s enjoy together these last weeks and fight for what this season still brings us.”
Another long-time City servant is set to depart the Etihad.
Since joining City, Silva has been alongside Pep Guardiola every step of the way and has become the manager’s most trusted lieutenant and his voice on the field.
Once an attacking midfielder, the Portuguese has dropped deeper into a more defensive role, and his high work rate was on show during Sunday’s statement win at Chelsea.
Silva may not have the number of goals and assists Kevin de Bruyne supplied for City, but he was handed the captain’s armband in the summer for “always being there” last season, when they failed to win a major trophy.
And Silva led the side to March’s Carabao Cup triumph over Arsenal to end that barren run, climbing the steps at Wembley to lift a remarkable 19th piece of silverware at the club.
When sitting in for Guardiola following the FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool earlier this month, his assistant Pep Lijnders said “every story comes to an end”.
Guardiola subsequently said Silva had not yet told him what decision he had made on his future, but his departure has now been confirmed, and he will spend the final few weeks of the season trying to win a domestic treble and further cement his status as an undoubted City great.
Sports
Former Arsenal, Liverpool Legend Dies In Train Crash
A former Arsenal and Liverpool legend is dead after a train crash.
The former Arsenal and Liverpool goalkeeper passed away on Thursday after his car was struck by a train in Salzburg.
Local reports say that Manninger was driving at a level crossing in Pabing, near Nussdorf am Haunsberg, at 8:20 am before his vehicle was dragged several metres by the train.
Believed to be driving alone, Manninger was pulled from the wreckage but sadly died at the scene.
Austrian outlet Salzburg ORF added that the 25 passengers who were on board the train are thought to be unharmed.
The Austrian FA (OFB) confirmed his death by posting on social media: “The news of Alex Manninger’s death is deeply shocking. With him, football loses a special person.
“In this difficult time, our sincere condolences go to his family, his friends, and all those who were close to him. Much strength for the time ahead.”
Manninger played 39 times for Arsenal between 1997 and 2002, the final year of which he became third choice and was loaned to Fiorentina in Italy.
Predominately backup to David Seaman, Manninger helped the Gunners win both the Premier League title and FA Cup during his time in North London.
Arsenal said in a tribute: “Everyone at Arsenal is shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic passing of former goalkeeper, Alex Manninger.
All our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time. Rest in peace, Alex.”
In a career that spanned 22 years and 15 different clubs, Liverpool was his final destination. He was signed by Jurgen Klopp ahead of the 2016-17 season, although he didn’t make an appearance for Liverpool’s first team.
The club offered their condolences by saying: “Liverpool FC is deeply saddened by the passing of former goalkeeper Alex Manninger at the age of 48. The thoughts of everyone at LFC are with Alex’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
Manninger also played for Juventus and earned 33 caps for his country. Tributes are also flooding in from across Europe.
Red Bull Salzburg, for whom Manninger enjoyed two spells playing, posted: “We mourn our former goalkeeper Alexander Manninger, who tragically lost his life in a traffic accident. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in peace, Alexander.”
Juventus said, “Today is a terribly sad day. He has left us not only as a great athlete, but as a man of rare values: humility, dedication, and an extraordinary professional seriousness. Juventus expresses its condolences for the passing of Alex Manninger and stands with the family in this moment of grief.”
Another tribute reads: “Fiorentina mourns the sudden passing of Alex Manninger, the Viola goalkeeper in the 2001-2002 season, who had a long career in Italy and as the Austrian national team’s goalkeeper. The entire club joins his family in this moment of profound grief.”
Italian giants Napoli added: “President Aurelio De Laurentiis and all of SSC Napoli join in the mourning for the passing of Alexander Manninger, the goalkeeper who starred in a prestigious career in Italian and European football.”
Just this month, Manninger revealed that he regretted leaving Arsenal ‘too soon’, having been desperate to play more regular football. He told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport: “It makes me emotional just thinking about it.
“I was 20, a kid. [Arsene] Wenger wanted to bring an international dimension to the club and focus on young players.
I was one of them. Arsene even introduced a training camp, which was unusual for the Premier League at the time.
“I have to say that, despite my age, I felt comfortable with the goal. Up front, I had a giant like Tony Adams. He taught me so much. I only have one regret: leaving too soon. But you know, I wanted to play.”
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