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PHOTOS: Manchester City rally to beat Arsenal

December 19, 2016 10:18 IST

IMAGE: Manchester City's players celebrate winning their match against Arsenal. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

Second-half goals from Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling stunned Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday as Manchester City came from behind to win 2-1 and move seven points behind leaders Chelsea.

The result capped a miserable week for Arsenal who lost the lead -- and all three points -- for the second time in five days, having also gone down at Everton on Tuesday.

Coming away with nothing again had seemed inconceivable after an opening 45 minutes which Arsenal dominated, taking the lead on five minutes when Theo Walcott seized on Alexis Sanchez's weighted pass to round off a thrilling three-man move.

City almost equalised immediately when Sterling headed just wide but they looked strangely hesitant going forward and could have fallen further behind as Arsenal played with confidence and menace.

IMAGE: Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech fails to stop the shot from Raheem Sterling for Manchester City's first goal. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

City came out for the second half completely transformed, hitting back almost immediately as David Silva found Sane with a precision pass that allowed the German to score his first goal since his 46-million-pound ($57.49-million) move from Schalke.

Arsenal wilted alarmingly and frequently came off second best in the physical contest. It was no real surprise when City went further ahead after Kevin de Bruyne supplied Sterling with a raking crossfield pass on 71 minutes.

Sterling cut inside on his left foot and beat Petr Cech at his near post with a low shot. It was the first time since 2012 that City had won at the Etihad after trailing at the interval.

"It was good to get on the scoresheet," said Sterling. "We stayed in the game and got the winner."

The result dropped Arsenal to fourth place.

Spurs come from behind to beat Burnley

IMAGE: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring his side's first goal. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to beat Burnley 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday, with Danny Rose scoring the winner with just under 20 minutes left.

Ashley Barnes put the visitors ahead in the 21st minute but the lead lasted only six minutes, Dele Alli equalising from a cross by Kyle Walker.

Another England international, full back Rose, hit a fierce winning goal from a pass by Moussa Sissoko, who could have been sent off earlier for a challenge on Stephen Ward.

Tottenham stay fifth, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea, while Burnley remain three points above the relegation places.

Southampton reassert superiority

IMAGE: Jay Rodriguez, centre, scores the second goal for Southampton. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images

The fixture known to locals as 'El Classicoast' may never have been the most passionate local derby in English football, but that did not lessen the disappointment of Bournemouth fans at Sunday's 3-1 Premier League home defeat by Southampton.

For the visitors, however, it was merely the restoration of a traditional superiority that has been almost unbroken since the two clubs, barely 50 km apart on the south coast, joined the Football League in the 1920s.

Southampton, who have always regarded Portsmouth, currently in the fourth tier, as their real rivals, did not drop into the same division as the Cherries until 1953 and from 1960 the pair spent another 50 years apart.

Last season was only the ninth in which the two clubs have played at the same level, which made Bournemouth's joy at winning their top-flight meeting in March all the greater.

A repeat seemed possible once they took the lead early in Sunday's game but Nathan Ake's sixth-minute goal turned out to be one of the few chances they created.

Having quickly equalised, the visitors took a grip that was never loosened and could have won by one of the biggest margins in the sides' 24 league and cup meetings.

Victory pushed Southampton up to seventh, three points above the Cherries, suggesting they can continue to improve on a poor scoring record this season and match their top-eight finishes of the past three campaigns.

Bournemouth, whose current 10th place is their highest ever, next face a difficult game at league leaders Chelsea on December 26.

Source: REUTERS
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