Premier League top three sign wins. Manchester City keep its distance with rivals.
Following their first defeat in the Premier League to Liverpool [4-3 last weekend], Manchester City took the best of Newcastle United and keep a comfortable cushion on top of the table. Aguero scored a hat-trick to lift up his club pass Newcastle.
Manchester United and Martial came out as winners in Burnley [1-0] and sit at the second place whereas Chelsea won it easy at Brigthon [4-0].
Coaches form the top three club in top flight share views on their respective game:
We hear from the Blues’ manager – Antonio Conte:
“A good game and a good result for us. In the last period we didn’t score a lot, and instead today we scored four goals and created other chances to improve the final result. We kept another clean sheet which is very important for us, despite Brighton creating chances to score.
Before the game, a lot of people had a lot of worry about our suspensions and injuries. Instead during the game, we showed great personality to be a team. We started the game very well, we scored twice quickly with good combinations between our strikers. We must be happy for this.
At the same time, from tomorrow, every single player who scored today has to forget about that, and try to score again against Arsenal. This is the most important thing: to be happy for today’s performance, but from tomorrow to start to think about another important game.
We are unbeaten in 12 games. A lot of the time the press tries to see the negative aspect, and not the positive aspect. This team, with many problems, are unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions. This means we are doing important work.
‘To win in this way, despite not having five important players, means every player deserves to have a chance and every player has to fight to play.”
Jose Mourinho – Manchester United’s manager:
“It’s never easy. It’s always difficult here. If we score a second goal then you are in control but when they are alive, they are alive and they go until the end. They are a brave, physical team with a direct approach and pressing a lot around the box is really difficult to play against.
Season after season, they are doing what they are doing. If you don’t score you are in trouble, they go direct, they are consistent in their approach it is really difficult. We defended very well, and it is fair to say Mike Dean and his team were very good. There was a lot of first ball, second ball and the physicality.
“We look at the team and we can say [Chris] Smalling and [Phil] Jones were giants – yes, they were – but the team was very good.
I think [Marouane] Fellaini was fundamental in the final 20 minutes for us so I thank him for that. Sometimes players on the bench can get frustrated and when they come on, it doesn’t bring the best out of them but it doesn’t happen in my team – the players who come off the bench come to help.”
Pep Guardiola – Manchester City’s manager:
“We avoided two bad results in a row. We dropped two points against Palace and got it back against Watford. When you lose against Liverpool, you can shake hands with Jurgen Klopp and move on.
The way we fought and the way we tried to play when they defended with many players in the box, that’s why it is so good. We were able to make a good combination in attack. I’m so satisfied. You always have doubts after the Liverpool loss as to how we react.”
