Sports
Premier League: Everton see off Chelsea for third win in a row
LIVERPOOL — Everton secured a third consecutive league victory as second-half goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure and a first in the Premier League for Lewis Dobbin earned a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Goodison Park.
Saturday’s win was second home victory for Everton in just four days, marking a third consecutive clean sheet and propelling them four points ahead of the relegation zone.
Both sides enjoyed chances in the opening 45 minutes, with Jordan Pickford making a flying save to keep out a swerving 25-yard effort from Cole Palmer. At the other end, Jack Harrison flashed a brilliant volley on the turn just wide of a post.
Chelsea suffered a setback around the 30-minute mark as captain Reece James had to leave the field due to what seemed to be a recurrence of the hamstring injury that sidelined him for two months earlier this season.
Everton then lost a defender of their own through injury, with Ashley Young being replaced by Nathan Patterson.
The hosts took the lead on 54 minutes from a fine counter-attack. After Armando Broja lost possession, Dwight McNeil surged forward and played in Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but after his shot was kept out by Robert Sanchez, Doucoure reacted quickest to strike into the corner of the net.
The hosts took the lead on 54 minutes from a fine counter-attack. After Armando Broja lost possession, Dwight McNeil surged forward and played in Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but after his shot was kept out by Robert Sanchez, Doucoure reacted quickest to strike into the corner of the net.
Chelsea pressed for an equaliser, but were unable to convert their possession into goals, with the Everton defence, and Vitalii Mykolenko in particular, standing firm to several attacks from the visitors.
Mauricio Pochettino was forced into another change late on as goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic came on to make his Chelsea debut, with Sanchez no longer able to continue after injuring his knee.
Substitute Dobbin sealed the win two minutes into second-half stoppage time with a shot that went beneath Petrovic from the edge of the area.
A fifth home win in six matches against Chelsea moves 17th-placed Everton on to 13 points.
Premier League: Man City back to winning ways after hard-fought win over Luton
LUTON — Manchester City recovered from a goal down as two quickfire second-half goals from Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish earned Manchester City a hard-fought 2-1 win over Luton Town to end their four-match winless run.
Pep Guardiola made four changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Aston Villa in midweek, with Haaland missing his first Premier League match of the season due to a foot injury.
The reigning champions fell behind to Elijah Adebayo’s header, but two goals in four minutes keep City in fourth, four points behind leaders Liverpool.
City started brightly, with Phil Foden forcing a save from Thomas Kaminski before Silva blasted the rebound wide. The visitors continued to probe for the opening goal, with Rodri’s shot from distance stinging the palms of Kaminski before Foden forced another save from the Luton ‘keeper.
But it was Luton who took a surprise lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time through Adebayo.
Guardiola’s side began the second half on the front foot, and went agonisingly close to equalising when Ruben Dias’ shot was tipped on to the crossbar by Kaminski.
But City did level on 62 minutes, Rodri driving into the penalty area before the ball fell to Silva, who whipped a terrific strike into the bottom-left corner.
And City went in front three minutes later through Grealish. After regaining possession in the final third, Alvarez got in down the right, and with Teden Mengi unable to intercept the Argentinian’s cross, Grealish slotted low past Kaminski from a tight angle.
The impressive Barkley fired a shot wide as Luton looked to respond, while Alvarez’s swerving effort from distance went narrowly over.
Luton built some late pressure through a series of corners, but City held firm to return to winning ways, moving on to 33 points.