Premier League: Manchester sides reign surpreme as City end slide and United win again
Manchester United’s resurgence under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continued unabated while Manchester City bounced back to winning form as the EPL top guns flexed their muscles.
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Manchester teams had a great round as City got back on track and United continued their revival in the Premier League.
Two goals in three minutes late in the first half helped City end a rare two-match losing run with a 3-1 win at Southampton.
It lifted the Premier League champions into second place above Tottenham Hotspur, but seven points behind leaders Liverpool ahead of their top-of-the- table showdown later this week.
“We shouldn’t focus too much on points at the moment, we know if we can play to our potential we are a good team,” City captain Vincent Kompany said.
“Our pride has been hurt over the last few weeks but we have everything to play for and it depends on us.”
At Old Trafford, Paul Pogba scored twice as United beat Bournemouth 4-1 for their third straight win under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“We needed the win and we had a great performance as well,” Pogba, who was denied a hat-trick by the post, said.
“We are coming back, and there is still a long way to go, but to finish the year like that is beautiful.”
City started fast at Saint Mary’s Stadium through David Silva early goal, only for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to equalize in the 37th minute.
After surviving a Southampton penalty appeal, the visitors regained control with James Ward-Prowse’s own goal in the 45th minute and Sergio Aguero’s stoppage-time header.
Aguero hit the crossbar in the second half, and Hojbjerg was then shown a red card for his lunging tackle on Fernandinho with five minutes left.
Southampton remain just above the relegation places on goal difference over Burnley, who beat West Ham 2-0.
Manchester United’s upturn continued with a third fluid performance for Solskjaer.
Pogba and Marcus Rashford put the hosts 3-0 up before Nathan Ake pulled one back in first-half stoppage time.
Romelu Lukaku came off the bench to add the fourth goal and despite Eric Bailly later being sent off, United saw the game out to move within three points of fifth-placed Arsenal.
Chelsea kept pressure on City and Tottenham with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.
N’Golo Kante made the difference at Selhurst Park by chesting down David Luiz’s ball into the area and firing past Vicente Guiata in the 51st minute.
“It is a move I have tried in training,” Kante said.
“It doesn’t work many times but David gave me a good ball.
“It was all about the pass.” Chelsea have 43 points, two points back of Tottenham and four behind Man City, while Palace remain 14th.
Burnley picked up three valuable points at the other end of the table with their win over West Ham.
Chris Wood and Dwight McNeil were on target as the Clarets won for just the second time in 13 league games.
It wasn’t enough to lift them out of the relegation zone, but it did pull them level with Southampton on 15 points.
Originally published as Premier League: Manchester sides reign surpreme as City end slide and United win again
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