Manchester Football

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Nemanja Matic rocket wins it for Manchester United at Crystal Palace

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CRYSTAL PALACE 2, MANCHESTER UNITED 3

Nemanja Matic’s injury time rocket sealed a brilliant comeback for Manchester United who overturned a 2-0 deficit to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and retake second place in the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho’s touchline slip late in a remarkable game at Selhurst Park seemed to sum up Manchester United’s dreadful day in South London but the United boss was soon smiling after Matic chose the perfect time to open his account for the Reds.

Goals by Andros Townsend and Patrick Van Aanholt early in both halves put the Reds on the back foot and despite Chris Smalling’s header halving the deficit before Romelu Lukaku levelled matters and Nemanja Matic’s injury time winner deflated the home side after United finally seemed to show some of that old United spirit in the last quarter of the game as the shackles came off.

Manchester City make record number of passes in win against Chelsea to go 18 points clear at top of table

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MAN CITY 1, CHELSEA 0

Another match, another record for all-conquering Manchester City whose victory at home to Chelsea extended their Premier League title procession to an amazing 18 points clear of Liverpool and 19 ahead of Manchester United.

This time it was the highest number of passes since Opta began collating statistics in 2003/04 as they totalled an amazing 902.

City beat unambitious Chelsea, who parked the bus at the Etihad, thanks to a goal from Bernardo Silva 32 seconds into the second half.

Northern beasts Manchester City blow Arsenal aside for the second time in four days

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ARSENAL 0, MANCHESTER CITY 3

A first half blizzard of goals by Bernardo Silva, David Silva, and Leroy Sane crushed Arsenal’s attempt to go toe to toe with Manchester City following their Carabao Cup heartbreak with three goals in 18 first half minutes of an entirely one sided match in which the Gunners couldn’t even score from the penalty spot in the second half after City took their foot off the gas.

By the 33rd minute of this contest clinical City had scored with each of their last six shots on target against Arsenal – three in the Carabao Cup final and another treble here as the Gunners conceded three goals in the first half of a Premier League game for the first time and wasted a succession of chances to score against their visitors.

How different it might have been if Arsene Wenger’s high risk strategy – to match City man for man and attack them – had not spectacularly backfired at a freezing underpopulated Emirates Stadium as City extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to 16 points.