Man City, Arsenal ease Euro wounds
LONDON - Agence France-Presse
Argentinian ace Carlos Tevez (C) scored the winning goal as Manchester United beat Swansea in the Premier League, three days after its defeat to Ajax. REUTERS photo
Manchester City and Arsenal bounced back from damaging Champions League defeats to return to winning ways in the Premier League on Oct. 27, although both sides were made to toil.City put its 3-1 loss at Ajax behind them with a 1-0 success at home to Swansea City in the Premier League’s longest-ever game, while Arsenal celebrated Jack Wilshere’s return from a 17-month lay-off by edging bottom club Queens Park Rangers by the same scoreline.
Titleholder City moved up to second place and closed to within a point of leader Chelsea, while Arsenal climbed to fourth.
“It was important to get three points today after defeat in mid-week. We did not play well in the first half because we were so tired and we were better in the second half,” said City coach Roberto Mancini.
Important result
“In the end, the only important thing is the result. If you win, you are the best manager; if you lose, you are the worst.”
Gael Clichy found Carlos Tevez, and the Argentine sent a shot dipping into the bottom-left corner to end a personal run of eight games without a goal.
The stoppages meant that over 12 minutes of injury time were played, breaking the Premier League record, but City managed to keep its slender lead intact.
At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal were made to wait until the 84th minute before Mikel Arteta’s goal took the team past QPR and enabled the Gunners to snap a two-game losing streak.
“We played quite well but lacked a little bit of the confidence you miss when you have lost two games,” said Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, whose side had lost to Norwich and Schalke in its previous two outings. “A draw would have been a big disappointment, but if we had lost today it would have been a crisis.”
Wilshere made his first appearance since missing the whole of last season through injury.
TXIKI BEGIRISTAIN GIVEN KEY JOB IN MANCHESTER
MANCHESTER - Reuters
Manchester City has named former Barcelona technical director Txiki Begiristain as director of football in a restructuring aimed at making the Premier League champions world leaders in recruiting and developing players.
The former Spain international, who held a similar position at Barca for seven years until 2010 having also played for the team, will support City manager Roberto Mancini in first team recruitment and operations, the club said yesterday.
City also announced on its website (www.mcfc.co.uk) that football administrator Brian Marwood, previously responsible for signing players, will become managing director of the City Football Academy when it is ready for the 2013/14 season.
Former Arsenal and England midfielder Marwood will be responsible for the recruitment, development, training and management of up to 400 players in Manchester and at other global training centres, City said in a statement.
“I am very pleased indeed to have been offered such an exciting opportunity,” Begiristain, 48, told City’s website.
“The progress and on field achievements at Manchester City are plain for all to see and I am honoured to have been asked to contribute to its future success.
“I am very much looking forward to working with Brian Marwood, Roberto Mancini and (chief executive) Ferran Soriano in continuing to build a football team and philosophy which will serve Manchester City well in the near and long term future.”