The Times - UK (2022-01-03)

CLEAR AT THE TOP

No team in the Premier League era has

had a lead as large as City’s after the

first round of games of the new year

and not gone on to win the title

Team Year Points

Clear

Final

Positions

Man City 2018 15 1

Chelsea 2006 13 1

Liverpool 2020 13 1

Man Utd 1994 12 1

Man Utd 2001 11 1

Man City 2022 10 TBC

Newcastle 1996 7 2

Man Utd 2013 7 1

Man Utd 2007 6 1

Man Utd 1998 5 2

Arsenal 2003 5 2

Chelsea 2005 5 1

the times | Monday January 3 2022 1GG 3

thegame

Thomas Tuchel has criticised

Anthony Taylor, the referee, for

failing to send off Liverpool’s Sadio

Mané in the first minute of Chelsea’s

2-2 draw at home to Liverpool.

The Liverpool forward struck César

Azpilicueta in the face with an elbow

in an aerial challenge by the touchline

just a few seconds into the game.

Taylor showed a yellow rather than

a red card to the Senegal

international, who opened the scoring

seven minutes later.

Tuchel, the Chelsea head coach,

referenced the 1-1 draw between the

two sides at Anfield in August in

which Taylor sent off Chelsea’s

Reece James after the video assistant

referee (VAR) had advised him to

check his monitor and award a

penalty for handball.

With the Mané incident there was

no VAR intervention — although the

remote officials did check on a

possible red card for Chelsea’s Mason

Mount for a stamp on Kostas

Tsimikas and whether the home side’s

first goal, scored by Mateo Kovacic,

was offside.

“If you remember the first game

with the same referee and how quick

he was to give a red card to us,”

Tuchel said. “I hate to say it because I

love Mané and he is a nice guy and

top player, but it is a red card. The

elbow is in the face — it doesn’t

matter if you do this after 20 seconds

or 20 minutes. We come from a game

JON WEST

‘Even if it’s five seconds

in, Mané foul was a red’

against Brighton where we miss VAR

calls in the box and suddenly VAR is

checking a goal against Kovacic.”

Azpilicueta, the Chelsea captain,

was adamant it was violent conduct.

“I don’t mind if it is five seconds into

the game, it is a red,” he said. “It can

change the way of the game. I

watched the replay but I didn’t need

this because live I knew it was a red.”

Mohamed Salah put Liverpool 2-0

up but Chelsea were level before half-

time when Christian Pulisic added to

Kovacic’s fine volley. Mount almost

put Chelsea ahead before the break.

“The team did not give in and

Kovacic’s goal brought the belief back

into the stadium,” Tuchel added.

Liverpool were without manager

Jürgen Klopp because of Covid, which

also laid low goalkeeper Alisson,

centre back Joel Matip and forward

Roberto Firmino. Stand-in goalkeeper

Caoimhin Kelleher made a number of

key saves and can expect to keep his

place away to Arsenal on Thursday

for the first leg of the Carabao Cup

semi-final. Klopp, however, will not

be travelling to London.

The draw was good news for

Premier League leaders Manchester

City as they now boast a ten-point

lead over second-place Chelsea.

Liverpool are a point further behind

but have a game in hand over both.

“It is a big gap, they have the title

maybe to lose at the moment but

anything can happen still,” Virgil van

Dijk, the Liverpool defender, said.

“We have been there and gave it

away, so anything is possible.”

PETER

WA LTO N

The expert view

Former Premier

League referee

Sadio Mané’s challenge on César

Azpilicueta inside 15 seconds was

reckless, but not worthy of a red card.

Jumping with a leading arm is

always dangerous and can be violent

conduct. The saving grace for Mané

was that he led with his forearm, not

his elbow.

He made no secondary movement

and his arm was used only to propel

him upwards. The challenge looks

nasty as Azpilicueta never gets off the

ground, but this was a clear booking

and no more.

That the incident occurred in the

opening seconds would not have

affected the referee, Anthony Taylor.

Although tempo and context

influence decisions, officials are

switched on from the first whistle

and are ready to make a crucial call

whenever the incident comes in the

game. He would have sent Mané off

if he had thought it was a red card.

Tuchel’s side were rattled. A
mistake by Kai Havertz gifted
Liverpool the ball for their second
after 26 minutes, and they recycled it
so quickly. Jordan Henderson worked
it right to Alexander-Arnold, then on
to Salah, then back to Henderson and
Alexander-Arnold. So quick. Salah
was far too swift for Marcos Alonso.
Salah drew Mendy and elegantly
placed the ball past him. Again
Lijnders celebrated wildly.
Liverpool seemed in control.
Tuchel’s front three were misfiring.
Havertz looked lightweight, Pulisic
hesitant and Mount was moved into
the central attacking role to bring
some focus. Yet with three minutes of
the half remaining, Havertz awoke,
driving down the inside-right channel,
riding James Milner’s first foul, then
brought down by his second. Alonso
curled the free kick in and Kelleher
punched out. Kovacic had remained
just outside the area, looking for any
clearance. He was unmarked and
Liverpool were too slow to react.

Watching the incoming ball all the

way, Kovacic connected with a

magnificent right-foot volley that flew

past Kelleher.

Now it was Chelsea’s bench

celebrating, some edging towards the

away technical area. Lijnders turned

away. Kovacic was not hanging

around to milk the moment; he

immediately ran back to his own half,

pausing only to blow a couple of

kisses to the West Stand. VAR

checked for an offside on Antonio

Rüdiger, who was running away from

goal as Kovacic’s strike raced in. The

VAR decided there was no offside, to

the relief of Chelsea fans and

anybody who wants technology used

judiciously.

Rüdiger played a hugely significant

role in Chelsea’s equaliser just before

the break. He was getting tighter and

tighter to Salah. When Alexander-

Arnold launched a long pass upfield,

Rüdiger was too strong for Salah,

knocking the ball forward. N’Golo

Kanté lifted it on for Pulisic to chase.

The American chested the ball down

and then drove it with his left foot

past Kelleher. Pulisic can struggle to

impose his talent on frenetic games

but when he does, he’s exceptional.

This was one of the games of the

season. Chelsea’s old Caesar, Ken

Bates, was here to admire the football.

Chelsea were now more confident

and Kovacic and Kanté wrested

control of midfield. Chances came

and went for both sides in the second

half. Salah, spotting Mendy slightly

advanced, shot from 25 yards but

Mendy reacted superbly, pushing the

ball away. Mendy excelled again to

deny Mané. Back came Chelsea, and

Kelleher saved from Pulisic’s half-

volley. But the final whistle soon

came, leaving a point apiece. The

Premier League has always been a big

draw. But this one helped City most.

is no help to either side