Manchester City moved ten points clear of Chelsea after a dramatic win against Arsenal. Meanwhile, in Spain, Real Madrid succumbed to their first defeat in 16 matches. Real's fellow title challengers FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid began the new year with three points.
We recap key results from matches played in the weekend in the English Premier League and Spanish La Liga.
A thrilling 2-2 draw
Chelsea and Liverpool had to settle for a point in a pulsating clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. All four goals came in the opening 45 minutes itself. Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool a two-goal cushion within the opening half-hour of the match. However, Chelsea showcased their attacking prowess and produced a spirited comeback. Mateo Kovacic scored a stunning left-footer from outside the box, and Christian Pulisic made it 2-2 in the added time. The two sides went in search of a third in the second half. Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and his opposite number Caoimhin Kelleher made some fine saves. The match ended 2-2 at the final whistle.
Rodri the hero
Rodri scored an injury-time goal to help Manchester City pip Arsenal 2-1 in London. A fine finish by Bukayo Saka saw Arsenal go into half-time with the lead. But, in the early minutes of the second half, City won a penalty after Granit Xhaka fouled Bernardo Silva inside the Arsenal box. Riyad Mahrez made no mistake from 12 yards. Two minutes later, the referee gave marching orders to Arsenal defender Gabriel. The Gunners became the first club to receive 100 red cards in the English Premier League. City snatched the winner in the third minute of injury time through Rodri, who slotted the ball home from close range.
League leaders suffer defeat
Real Madrid saw their 15-game unbeaten run coming to an end after suffering a solitary goal defeat at the hands of Getafe CF on Sunday. Getafe went ahead early in the match as Turkish striker Enes Unal pounced on an Eder Militao error in the ninth minute. In the first half, the Getafe goalkeeper and the woodwork denied Luka Modric. Karim Benzema and Casemiro, too, came close to scoring the opener. Real dictated terms in the second half but couldn't find the equalizer and fell to their second league defeat this season.
Barca climb to fifth
FC Barcelona, who were missing as many as 14 players due to injuries, covid-19, and suspensions, picked up three points against RCD Mallorca and lifted themselves to fifth in the Spanish La Liga points table. The all-important goal came courtesy of a first-half header from Luuk de Jong. However, it was goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s heroics that helped Barcelona hold on to their narrow lead. The German international made a point-blank save to deny Mallorca left-back Jaume Costa in the second-half stoppage time.
Atletico return to winning ways
In a massive relief for Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid ended a four-match Spanish La Liga losing streak with a 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano. Angel Correa scored both the goals for the reigning league winners. The Argentine drilled the ball into the net from close range to give Atletico the lead in the 28th minute. He tapped home from Renan Lodi's cross early in the second half to secure all three points for Atletico.
Parameswaran Sankaranarayanan
Parameswaran Sankaranarayan is a sports enthusiast who has worked in print, website, and other digital platforms. He was part of the editorial team of first-ever Indian football-based website - IndianFootball.com (now defunct) - and passionately follows the latest happenings in world football. During his time as a journalist, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the iconic personalities in Indian sports and witness some memorable moments in Indian football.
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