Goals from Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo powered Manchester City to a much‑needed 2‑0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday, lifting Pep Guardiola’s men provisionally to within four points of leaders Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
In last night’s late match Liverpool fought back from 0-2 down only to suffer a 2-3 stoppage-time defeat at Bournemouth.
City’s first league win in nearly a month has them with 46 points after 23 games, while the misery continued for Wolves, who are last in the table on eight points, 14 from safety.
Arsenal can restore their seven-point cushion with a win over Manchester United today. United are looking for a second big win in as many weekends after defeating City 2-0.
Starting ahead of Erling Haaland in his first league action since playing for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Marmoush put City on the scoresheet in the sixth minute with his first league goal of the season.
Matheus Nunes, the target of boos from the travelling fans of his former team, swung in a cross from the right that Marmoush fired home. “We fought until the end [and] showed a very good mentality from the beginning. [Guardiola] wanted us to put our hearts out there and fight for every ball,” Marmoush said.
Semenyo, signed two weeks ago from Bournemouth, doubled City’s lead in first-half injury time with his first league goal for the club when Bernardo Silva found him on his right. Semenyo needed only a touch to set himself before unleashing a blistering low shot past Jose Sa.
The victory was City’s first in the league since a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest on December 27.
West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen wrote himself into the club’s history books while inspiring a rampant first-half display as they secured a vital 3-1 home victory over Sunderland to inch closer to the Premier League safety zone.
The hosts took the lead at London Stadium in the 14th minute when Bowen’s lofted cross into Sunderland’s penalty area was headed home by Crysencio Summerville.
Bowen doubled West Ham’s advantage after converting a spot kick following Trai Hume’s foul on Ollie Scarles, with Mateus Fernandes adding a third just before halftime with a brilliant strike from long range.
His assist for the opener allowed Bowen to overtake Michail Antonio for most goal involvements (103) for West Ham in the Premier League, with the England international having recorded 63 goals and 40 assists for the East London club.
“For me, the most important thing is the team, and helping get out of the situation that we’re in,” Bowen added.
Reuters
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