Manchester City yesterday thrashed Stoke City 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium to leapfrog Arsenal into third place in the English Premier League.
City’s 19-year-old Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice, in the 64th and 74th minutes, and was brought down for a penalty in the 43rd minute from which Sergio Aguero scored his 16th goal in as many games this year.
Fernando headed City’s opener from Jesus Navas’s 35th-minute corner. Stoke have now conceded four goals in each of their last three games.
Photo: Reuters
Stoke City midfielder Ibrahim Afellay missed out on the match and could be sidelined for up to eight months after suffering a serious knee injury in a training session on Friday.
The 30-year-old was a key member of Mark Hughes’ side and his absence for the rest of this season and the start of next term is a significant blow.
Speaking ahead of yesterday’s match, Hughes said: “It’s unfortunate for Ibrahim. He twisted his knee in training. He’ll come back stronger with our support.”
Photo: AP
Hughes has had to deal with a growing list of injury problems, with goalkeeper Jack Butland out for the rest of the season with a broken ankle and Xherdan Shaqiri sidelined by a hamstring problem.
SAKHO SIDELINED
In other Premier League news, Liverpool yesterday sidelined France international defender Mamadou Sakho pending the result of a doping investigation that could rule him out of the European Championship in June.
France’s RMC radio reported that Sakho had failed a dope test following the use of a fat-burning drug as an aid to weight loss.
Liverpool, who were set to play relegation-threatened Newcastle United in the Premier League at Anfield later yesterday, did not provide details of the substance, but said they had received a formal communication from UEFA on Friday.
A club statement said that UEFA was “investigating a possible anti-doping rule violation by Mamadou Sakho” and the player would respond to European soccer’s governing body.
“The player is currently not subject to any playing suspension,” Liverpool said. “However, the club, in consultation with the player, has decided that while this process is followed the player will not be available for selection for matches.”
Liverpool are seventh in the Premier League, with four games remaining, but could qualify for the lucrative Champions League next season if they win the Europa League.
The former European champions have reached the semi-finals of that second tier European competition after beating Borussia Dortmund 5-4 on aggregate in a stirring quarter-finals fightback last week.
They are due to play Villarreal of Spain in the semi-final first leg on Thursday with the return at Anfield on May 5.
Sakho grabbed the equalizer at 3-3 against Dortmund in the quarter-final second leg, which Liverpool won 4-3 in stoppage time, and scored against Everton in a 4-0 rout in the league on Wednesday last week.
The Liverpool Echo reported that Sakho, 26, had tested positive after the Europa League round of 16 game against Manchester United on March 17.
Sakho’s Liverpool teammate Kolo Toure was banned for six months in 2011 while at Manchester City for a similar failed drugs test.
A similar ban for Sakho would rule him out the European championship being held in France.
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