Manchester
United fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at promoted Huddersfield Town
yesterday as Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring Manchester City moved five
points clear at the Premier League summit.
Aaron Mooy and Laurent
Depoitre scored at the John Smith’s Stadium to give Huddersfield a first
win over United since 1952 and condemn Jose Mourinho’s side to their
first loss of the campaign.
“They have done it because of the attitude we have shown, the fighting spirit,” said Huddersfield’s German manager David Wagner.
“It’s a big, big day for everyone in Huddersfield.”
City
took full advantage of United’s slip by beating Burnley 3-0, with
Sergio Aguero equalling Eric Brook’s all-time club scoring record of 177
goals.
Defending champions Chelsea closed to within four points of
second-place United by beating Watford 4-2, while Tottenham Hotspur can
draw level with Mourinho’s men if they beat Liverpool on Sunday.
United’s
defeat in rain-lashed Huddersfield followed their 0-0 draw at Liverpool
last weekend and a laboured 1-0 victory away to Benfica in the
Champions League in mid-week.
“The team that wanted it more won,” Mourinho said.
“I
was surprised by our performance. I was not expecting that. The team
that played the game of their lives was the team that won.”
Things
started to go wrong for United in the 23rd minute when Phil Jones was
forced off by an apparent hip injury, with Victor Lindelof taking his
place.
Huddersfield went ahead five minutes later when Australian
Mooy, a former City player, robbed Juan Mata and followed in to score
after David de Gea had saved from Tom Ince.
Lindelof was at fault as
Depoitre scored in the 33rd minute, failing to cut out goalkeeper Jonas
Lossl’s kick, which allowed Depoitre to round De Gea and score.
United
substitute Marcus Rashford headed in Romelu Lukaku’s cross with 12
minutes remaining, but Huddersfield held firm for a famous win.
City
have won their last 11 games in all competitions, equalling the club
record, and have scored 20 goals in their last four home games.
Argentina
striker Aguero netted from the spot on the half hour after Burnley
goalkeeper Nick Pope was contentiously adjudged to have fouled Bernardo
Silva.
Batshuayi lifts Chelsea
Second-half goals from Nicolas Otamendi and Leroy Sane completed victory.
“I’m so happy to continue our winning mentality,” said Guardiola.
“Of course it is not easy to win 11 in a row, so it’s good.”
Michy
Batshuayi came off the bench to inspire Chelsea to a 4-2 home win over
Watford that lifted some of the pressure on manager Antonio Conte.
Beaten
in their two previous league games, Chelsea took an 12th-minute lead
when Pedro curled a magnificent effort into the top-left corner.
Goals either side of the interval from Abdoulaye Doucoure and Roberto Pereyra put Marco Silva’s hard-working visitors in front.
But
Batshuayi headed in a 71st-minute equaliser from Pedro’s cross and
after Cesar Azpilicueta put Chelsea in front late on, Batshuayi
completed victory in stoppage time.
“The performance was a good
performance because to concede the equaliser at the end of the first and
then go down in the first part of the second half, our confidence in
that moment was low,” said Conte.
“But my players showed me that we
have the attitude to fight and change the situation and get a different
result. It was very important.”
Leicester City began life after Craig Shakespeare with a 2-1 win at Swansea City.
Caretaker
manager Michael Appleton saw Leicester go 2-0 up through a Federico
Fernandez own goal and a Shinji Okazaki effort before Alfie Mawson
replied for Swansea.
Junior Stanislas teed up Andrew Surman and
scored a penalty to give Bournemouth a 2-1 victory at Stoke City, who
reduced the deficit through Mame Biram Diouf.
Mikel Merino’s late
header earned Newcastle United a 1-0 home win over bottom club Crystal
Palace, who stunned Chelsea 2-1 last weekend.
RESULTS
* Chelsea 4 (Pedro 12, Batshuayi 71, 90+5, Azpilicueta 87) Watford 2 (Doucoure 45+2, Pereyra 49)
* Huddersfield 2 (Mooy 28, Depoitre 33) Manchester United 1 (Rashford 78)
* Manchester City 3 (Aguero 30-pen, Otamendi 73, Sane 75) Burnley 0
* Newcastle 1 (Merino 86) Crystal Palace 0
* Stoke 1 (Diouf 63) Bournemouth 2 (Surman 16, Stanislas 18-pen)
* Swansea 1 (Mawson 56) Leicester 2 (Fernandez 25-og, Okazaki 49)
* Southampton 1 (Boufal 85) West Brom 0
Huddersfield Town’s Laurent Depoitre celebrates scoring a goal as a dejected Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea walks by during their English Premier League match in Huddersfield, England, yesterday. (Reuters)