While You Were Asleep: Haaland wins it for Man City, Mbappe-Messi rescue PSG, Napoli transfer 18 factors clear atop Serie A

Erling Haaland transformed a 78th minute penalty to safe Manchester City a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace and stored up the strain on Arsenal.

Haaland spurned an incredible likelihood within the first half however calmly transformed from the spot within the 78th minute after Michael Olise clumsily clattered into Ilkay Gundogan within the space.

Haaland’s twenty eighth aim in 27 league video games got here after a cleverly taken nook by City. With Palace gamers switching off, City performed a brief nook to Gundogan, who was large open inside the realm. Olise rushed in to problem the midfielder, solely to kick his leg as he tried to get to the ball.

Palace once more regarded toothless in assault and completed with out a single shot on track for the third league recreation in a row.

The win introduced City inside two factors of chief Arsenal forward of the Gunners’ go to to Fulham on Sunday. Palace was nonetheless on the lookout for a primary victory of 2023.

PSG beat Brest 2-1

Kylian Mbappe beat the offside entice to gather a throughball from Lionel Messi within the ninetieth minute and rounded goalkeeper Marco Bizot to fit into an empty internet. The aim gave PSG a 2-1 win over Brest.

PSG was knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich on Wednesday and is left with profitable Ligue 1. PSG leads second-placed Marseille by 11 factors.

Brest goalkeeper Bizot pissed off PSG within the second half, palming away Messi’s effort from the sting of the field within the sixty fifth and saving a close-range try from Nuno Mendes within the seventieth.

Brest had little or no possession however managed to show the fragility of the PSG protection. The host capitalized on a counterattack to stage within the forty fourth. Franck Honorat made a run in behind Sergio Ramos to chase a protracted ball from Romain Del Castillo and held off Timothee Pembele to shoot excessive previous goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

PSG has stored simply two clear sheets within the league for the reason that World Cup.

No stopping Napoli

The comparisons with Diego Maradona hold coming for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. And, similar to the Argentina nice, Kvaratskhelia seems to be main Napoli to the Serie A title.

There had been, certainly, echoes of Maradona in Kvaratskhelia’s opening aim in a 2-0 win over Atalanta which despatched Napoli 18 factors clear on the high of Serie A.

Kvaratskhelia lived as much as his “Kvaradona” nickname when he bedazzled the Atalanta protection on the hour mark. He collected the ball from Victor Osimhen, weaved his means into the realm, twisting and turning between defenders, and blasted into the roof of the online.

“Kvara displayed the fabulous quality he has. He scored a goal worthy of Maradona today,” Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti stated. “He’s simply phenomenal one on one.

“The way he sways past opponents it’s impossible to tell which way he’ll go, then he shoots with precision and power. This time you can bring up the best ever player.”

Maradona led Napoli to its solely two Italian league titles in 1987 and 1990.