Zabaleta ensures City win as Monaco, Paris cruise through
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
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Pablo Zabaleta got his first goal in two years to inspire Manchester City to victory – in contrast to Leicester and Arsenal's Tuesday fortunes – while Monaco, Paris and Benfica made cup progress.
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WEDNESDAY
Manchester City 2-0 Watford (Zabaleta 33, Silva 86)
City are up to fourth in the English Premier League and still within seven points of leaders Chelsea after ending their three-game competitive winless run. Pablo Zabaleta turned in a Kevin De Bruyne cross for his first goal in more than two years and Silva got the second on his 200th Premier League appearance. However, midfielder İlkay Gündoğan suffered suspected knee ligament damage which could rule him out for "a long time" according to City manager Pep Guardiola.
Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Lille (Lucas Moura 43p 57, Jesé 69; Basa 89)
Paris remain on course for a fourth straight French League Cup after winning through to the quarter-finals on 10/11 January, when they will host Metz. The holders were always on top and had the game won long before the late Lille consolation.
Monaco 7-0 Rennes (Mbappé 11 21 62, Boschilia 35 78, Jean 83, Cavare 85og)
Monaco will line up alongside Paris in the League Cup last eight after France's 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship-winner Kylian Mbappé scored his first senior hat-trick six days before his 18th birthday. Corentin Jean came off the bench to get his first Monaco goal since his summer move from Troyes. Monaco will visit Ligue 2 Sochaux in the quarter-finals.
Real SC 0-3 Benfica(Mitroglou 47 80p, Raúl Jiménez 85)
Two late goals ensured Benfica saw off the third-tier leaders, who had not lost since August, and moved into the Portuguese Cup quarter-finals. The draw is on Tuesday with the tie in mid-January.
TUESDAY
Everton 2-1 Arsenal (Coleman 44, Williams 86; Sánchez 20)
Arsenal, who took the lead when Alexis Sánchez's free-kick was deflected in by Ashley Williams, were handed their first Premier League defeat since the opening weekend of the season. Williams atoned by heading in the winner from a corner. The Gunners could have gone top with a victory but after Wednesday's games are third, six points behind Chelsea.
Bournemouth 1-0 Leicester City (Pugh 34)
Leicester, so impressive in their 4-2 success against Manchester City on Saturday, lost for the fourth time in six top-flight games. Claudio Ranieri's men have picked up just one point from eight away league fixtures this term.
Al-Ahli Saudi 3-5 Barcelona (Abdulrahman 51, Asiri 60 65; Suárez 8, Messi 10, Neymar 17, Alcácer 55, Rafinha 58)
Rafinha scored the pick of the goals – combining with Paco Alcácer outside the penalty area before holding off a couple of challenges and rounding the keeper – as Barcelona triumphed in a Doha friendly against Christian Gross's Saudi Arabian champions.