United win Manchester derby, Chelsea close gap with Liverpool, Spurs smash five | Football News – Times of India

Manchester United clinched a dramatic victory on Sunday with two goals in the closing minutes, intensifying the pressure on Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, whilst Chelsea narrowed their gap to just two points behind Premier League table-toppers Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur delivered a commanding 5-0 victory against bottom-placed Southampton.
The day was marked by significant managerial changes in the Premier League, with both Wolves and Southampton dismissing their respective managers, Gary O’Neil and Russell Martin, following their teams’ poor performances.
At the Etihad Stadium, City took the lead through defender Josko Gvardiol, but United staged a remarkable comeback with Bruno Fernandes converting from the spot in the 88th minute, followed by Amad Diallo’s winner two minutes later, securing a 2-1 triumph.

The reigning champions City, who have been a dominant force in English football for the past ten years, are experiencing a significant downturn, managing only one victory in their previous eleven matches across all competitions, leaving Guardiola seeking solutions.
The situation sees Guardiola’s side now positioned fifth in the table, outside the Champions League qualification spots, trailing nine points behind Liverpool, who hold a match in hand.
Injury-ravaged City were far from their best at the Etihad but appeared to be on course for a vital win as the clock ticked down against their neighbours before they self-imploded.
Diallo intercepted a careless back pass from Matheus Nunes, leading to the Portuguese midfielder fouling the United winger in an attempt to recover possession.

Fernandes stepped up and calmly dispatched the penalty to level the score.
A straightforward long ball then caught City’s defence off guard, allowing Diallo to sprint through and finish expertly, completing an unexpected comeback.
The victory provides significant relief for recently appointed United manager Ruben Amorim, who had secured only one win in his initial four Premier League fixtures.
United remained in 13th position in the Premier League standings
Chelsea, under Enzo Maresca, secured a crucial 2-1 victory against Brentford at Stamford Bridge, narrowing the gap to just two points behind table-toppers Liverpool, who currently hold 36 points.

The first half saw Chelsea’s commanding performance rewarded just before half-time when Marc Cucurella converted Noni Madueke’s cross with a well-placed header.
Nicolas Jackson extended Chelsea’s advantage in the 80th minute, though Bryan Mbeumo’s late goal for Brentford created some tension in the closing moments.
Chelsea’s impressive run of five consecutive victories positions them as Liverpool’s primary title contenders this season, particularly as Arsenal and City struggle to maintain consistency.
In another match, Tottenham’s emphatic victory on the south coast exemplifies their inconsistent season under Ange Postecoglou, with their record now standing at seven wins and seven losses from 16 Premier League fixtures.

The match saw James Maddison score within 36 seconds, followed by an extraordinary 25-minute period featuring goals from Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Sarr.
Maddison, the England midfielder, netted a second goal during first-half injury time, extending the lead to 5-0, with no further scoring in the latter half.
Southampton released an official statement following the match, announcing their decision to terminate Martin’s contract as the club remained anchored at the bottom of the Premier League table, with a nine-point gap to safety.
Wolves, also battling relegation, dismissed O’Neil after suffering their fourth consecutive loss.
In the day’s opening fixture, Ismaila Sarr found the net twice as Crystal Palace secured a 3-1 win at Brighton, lifting themselves four points above the relegation zone.