Compiled by Ranjika Perera
Chelsea and Liverpool have slipped further off the pace in the Premier League title race following a frantic 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday (2).
Sadio Mane capitalised on a miscued defensive header from Trevoh Chalobah to put the visitors ahead early on. With 26 minutes on the clock, Mohamed Salah latched onto a through-ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold, went round Marcos Alonso, and slipped a shot past Edouard Mendy at the near post.
Chelsea hit back just before half-time, however, as Mateo Kovacic curling one in off the inside of the post from distance after Caoimhin Kelleher, Liverpool’s stand-in goalkeeper, had punched clear a free kick. They equalised a little over three minutes later, as Antonio Rudiger flicking the ball to N’Golo Kante. Kante moves it on to Christian Pulisic and Pulisic bursting into the box before smashing a shot into the far corner.
Benitez under more pressure
Everton boss Rafael Benitez has found himself under yet more pressure after his side lost 3-2 at home to Brighton at Goodison Park, also on Sunday.
Brighton moved up to eighth in the English Premier League (EPL) table with the dramatic victory as Alexis Mac Allister netted a brace and Dan Burn headed in for the visitors.
As for Brentford, they enjoyed a memorable afternoon as Mads Roerslev scored a late winner after Yoane Wissa equalised to level up from Danny Ings’s opener for Aston Villa. Brentford now leapfrog Steven Gerrard’s side in the EPL table as a result of the home victory.
LaLiga: Barca move to fifth, Real drop points
A much-changed Barcelona side moved up to fifth in La Liga as they secured a routine 1-0 victory over RCD Mallorca at Visit Mallorca Estadi yesterday (3).
Xavi could only name three first-team players on his bench for Barcelona, as a number of important regulars were missing through Covid-19 as well as injury.
Midway through the first-half, the Blaugrana were a whisker away from taking the lead twice in as many minutes, as Luuk de Jong’s low effort hit the bottom of the post with 28 minutes on the clock.
De Jong eventually got the winning goal for Barcelona at the end of the first half, as Oscar Mingueza’s whipped-delivery towards the far post was headed in by the Dutchman from six-yards out.
Real lost against Getafe
Real Madrid’s 11-game unbeaten run in La Liga came to an abrupt end at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez as Enes Unal’s first-half strike sealed a crucial victory for Getafe in their fight against relegation.
Los Azulones punished a poor defensive mistake from Eder Militao to score the only goal of the game in the ninth minute, with Unal pouncing on the ball before finishing well past Thibaut Courtois to score his sixth goal in nine games.