LONDON, (Reuters) – Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was sacked yesterday despite preserving his unbeaten record in seven Merseyside derbies against Everton with a 1-1 away draw in the Premier League.
Within a couple of hours of the Northern Irishman claiming after the stalemate at Goodison Park that, “I hope to be here for a bit longer yet”, the club announced his dismissal.
More presciently, he told Sky Sports, “When the time comes for me not to be here, I’ll accept that and move on because it’s an incredible club and a wonderful club to work for.”
“It is a very good point,” Rodgers said after the draw. “It is a difficult place to come. We looked like we were getting better in our attack and defensively we were more cohesive.”
Manchester United lost 3-0 at Arsenal, blitzed by three goals in the first 20 minutes that gave them no way back into a match in which the hosts played sublime football.
Alexis Sanchez netted twice to give the Chilean six in the last three games and Arsenal’s Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil scored the other to leave the visitors trailing by three goals at the break in a league game for the first time in 10 years.
United, who had been top before the weekend, dropped to third place, two points behind neighbouts Manchester City.
HONOURS EVEN
After being held at home by Liverpool, Everton manager Roberto Martinez believed his team, unbeaten in seven league and cup games, deserved to win a typically tense derby.
“Every time we had the ball in their half, we looked like creating something,” he said. “(Liverpool goalkeeper Simon) Mignolet made two outstanding saves. We are disappointed with the goal we conceded.”
That goal was headed in by an unmarked Danny Ings in the 42nd minute but there was still time for Everton’s Romelu Lukaku to equalise before halftime.
Martinez felt Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva should have been sent off for a trip when he had already collected one of the game’s six yellow cards.
The result left Everton one point ahead of their neighbours, who are 10th, six points behind leaders Manchester City.
City stayed top after thrashing Newcastle United 6-1 on Saturday because of the heavy defeat suffered by local rivals United at effervescent Arsenal.
UNITED BLITZED
The London side moved above United into second place on goal difference with a performance that vindicated manager Arsene Wengers’ faith in his team after fierce criticism followed a midweek home Champions League defeat by Olympiakos Piraeous.
“That was all for the manager,” Arsenal’s Theo Walcott told Sky Sports. “That first 25 minutes no-one could have dealt with us. It was some of the best football I’ve ever been involved with.”
Wenger was keen to stress that, despite the disappointment of two Champions League losses, Arsenal are very much in contention for a first domestic league title since 2004.
“We are on a good run in the Premier League, two points off the leaders,” he said. “We missed our (normal) game in midweek but we responded to that. We decided to start strong and press high and did that well.
“After that we were disciplined and focused. You always need to win the big games.”
The result left United mananger Louis van Gaal stunned.
“I didn’t expect that,” the Dutchman told MUTV. “No performing our game-plan, no will to win. When you give a team like Arsenal so much space to play football, you know you shall lose. It was amazing for me and very disappointing.”
In Sunday’s other match, Tottenham Hotspur’s Christian Eriksen scored with two stunning free-kicks to earn his side a 2-2 draw at Swansea City.
Andre Ayew headed the Welsh side in front before Denmark playmaker Eriksen’s first equaliser. His second followed an unfortunate own goal by Spurs striker Harry Kane.
Tottenham stayed eighth, level on 13 points with Everton and still three ahead of Swansea, who have not beaten them in the league since 1981.