Manchester United on Saturday fought back for a dramatic 2-1 win against Manchester City that left their archrivals fuming over a controversial video assistant referee (VAR) decision to allow Bruno Fernandes’ equalizer, while troubled Liverpool crashed to a shock 3-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion.
On a dramatic day of Premier League action, Everton boss Frank Lampard was pushed closer to the sack as his struggling side were beaten 2-1 by relegation rivals Southampton.
With just 12 minutes left at Old Trafford, United were trailing to Jack Grealish’s 60th-minute header in the season’s second Manchester derby.
Photo: EPA-EFE
However, City’s title defense suffered a damaging blow as Portugal midfielder Fernandes equalized in hugely debatable fashion before Marcus Rashford bagged United’s 82nd minute winner.
Fernandes’ goal was the turning point and City boss Pep Guardiola and his players were seething after the flag went up for offside when Rashford ran on to Casemiro’s pass.
Rashford did not touch the ball and was deemed by VAR not to have interfered with play, but City were adamant the England forward clearly distracted the defenders and goalkeeper Ederson.
“The first goal is a joke that it can be allowed,” City defender Manuel Akanji told BBC Sport. “He runs for 30m, he’s chasing the ball. In the situation, I played him [Rashford] offside. I understand he doesn’t touch the ball, but for me it is clearly offside.”
Third placed United are now just one point behind second placed City, who are in danger of losing substantial ground in the title race this week.
While City splutter, United are in fine form following their ninth successive victory in all competitions.
Liverpool’s hopes of salvaging a top four finish from a difficult campaign suffered a major hit as Brighton swept to victory over Liverpool.
Liverpool are languishing in ninth place, seven points adrift of the top four, and look a shadow of the team that nearly won the quadruple last term.
“Bad. Really bad. I can’t remember a worse game. It was a very organized team against a not very organized team,” Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp said.
Liverpool’s Merseyside rivals Everton are in even more dire straits after Southampton’s 2-1 win at Goodison Park.
Everton’s board of directors did not attend the game because of a “real and credible threat to their safety.”
Everton have won only one of their last 13 matches in all competitions and banners calling for owner Farhad Moshiri to sell up were unfurled before kickoff.
Southampton remain bottom of the table, but they are now behind second bottom Everton only on goal difference.
“It’s clear in football that sometimes if you aren’t winning games it can become contagious in terms of confidence and we know we are in that spot,” Lampard said.
West Ham United fill the final place in the bottom three after a 1-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers that saw the hosts move above the hapless Hammers.
Nottingham Forest beat Leicester City 2-0, while Brentford defeated fourth bottom AFC Bournemouth 2-0.
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