Jürgen Klopp is suspended from Liverpool FC, but his team celebrates a victory even without the coach who has been sidelined – with an emotional high point. Manchester City wins ten home games in a row in the Premier League, now the run ends surprisingly – and very bitterly.
The English football champions Manchester City have suffered a surprising defeat in the Premier League after three wins in a row. The team around former Dortmund star striker Erling Haaland lost 2-1 (1-1) in their own stadium against the strong FC Brentford from London thanks to two goals from Ivan Toney. In the last game before the World Cup break, Liverpool FC beat Southampton FC 3-1 (3-1), who parted ways with coach Ralph Hasenhüttl at the beginning of the week. Toney scored the winning goal for Brentford with German pro Vitaly Janelt in the starting XI in the eighth minute of added time, after first putting the visitors ahead in the 16th minute.
England professional Phil Foden (45.1), who was called up to the World Cup squad by national coach Gareth Southgate on Friday, scored the equalizer for the Cityzens of star coach Pep Guardiola. The game at the Etihad Stadium was interrupted for a long time after City defender Aymeric Laporte suffered a severe bleeding laceration to his head in a second-half clash. The Spaniard was able to continue playing with an association. Ten minutes were replayed. Erling Haaland, who had previously scored 18 goals in 12 league games, was without a goal of his own for only the third time this season.
Man City, opponents of RB Leipzig in the round of 16 of the Champions League, remained in second place in the Premier League table after the home defeat. Leaders Arsenal have an opportunity to extend their lead to five points with a win in Wolverhampton on Saturday night.
Liverpool moved up to sixth place in the table after the convincing home win. Former Hoffenheimer Roberto Firmino (6th) headed from a free kick and Darwin Núñez (21st/42nd) scored twice for the superior Reds. Che Adams (9th) scored the temporary equalizer for the Saints, who were threatened with relegation and where new coach Nathan Jones was on the sidelines. Adams’s header from a free-kick was like a copy of Firmino’s goal three minutes earlier.
Coach Jürgen Klopp had to watch the game from the stands after his red card, which he received in a duel against Man City a few weeks ago – because the English Football Association objected to the fine of 30,000 pounds, which he considered too mild was successful. In the 86th minute of the game on October 16th, when Liverpool were already leading 1-0 against the champions, Klopp was very upset that the referee didn’t whistle. The German subsequently admitted that his behavior towards the referee was “inappropriate”, the FA said.
An emotional highlight of a different kind was the substitution of James Milner: the Reds captain was only the fourth professional to celebrate his 600th appearance in the Premier League after Gareth Barry, Ryan Giggs and Frank Lampard. Milner joined Liverpool from Manchester City in 2015, at the same time as his coach Jürgen Klopp. He made his debut in the Premier League almost exactly 20 years ago: on 10 November 2002 he won 4-3 at West Ham United with Leeds United. On 26 December 2002, then 16 years and 356 days old, Milner became the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer in Leeds United’s 2-1 draw at Sunderland AFC. (He lost the title three years later to James Vaughan, who had disappeared into obscurity.)
Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United delivered a spectacular goal festival – with the better ending for Tottenham. The Spurs fell behind three times at 4: 3 (1: 2) in front of their home crowd. Harry Kane (25′) and Ben Davies (51′) equalized twice before Rodrigo Bentancur (81’/83′) turned the game around in London. Crysencio Summerville (10′) and Rodrigo twice (43’/76′) scored for Leeds. The team of the former RB Leipzig coach Jesse Marsch had to play the final minutes after a yellow-red card for Tyler Adams (87th) outnumbered.
