Chelsea paid a heavy price for a 3-2 defeat at West Ham United as first Liverpool, then Manchester City, leapfrogged them in the Premier League title race on Saturday, with City ending the day on top for the first time this season.
Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea began the day with a narrow lead and twice went in front at the London Stadium, only to be stunned by a late goal from substitute defender Arthur Masuaku.
It looked as though Liverpool had let Chelsea off the hook as their later clash at Wolverhampton Wanderers went into stoppage time still goalless.
But Divock Origi, making his 100th appearance as a Liverpool substitute, latched on to a Mohamed Salah pass to smash a winner past Wolves keeper Jose Sa in the 94th minute.
In the day’s late kickoff, Manchester City outclassed Watford in a 3-1 victory at Vicarage Road with Raheem Sterling paving the way before Bernardo Silva struck twice.
Chelsea had seemed to be in control of their game after 28 minutes when Thiago Silva scored with a header from a Mason Mount corner but the European champions gifted the hosts a penalty in the 40th minute when Jorginho put his goalkeeper Edouard Mendy under pressure with a poor back pass.
Mendy brought down Jarrod Bowen for a penalty that was converted by Manuel Lanzini.
Mount restored Chelsea’s lead with a superb volley four minutes later only for West Ham to draw level early in the second half when Bowen fired in hard and low.
Masuaku clinched it for the fourth-placed hosts in the 87th minute with a cross that flew into the goal.
It meant Chelsea slipped to third spot with 33 points from 15 games, one point behind Liverpool and two behind Manchester City. West Ham have 27 points.
“We are not good enough in the details at the moment,” Tuchel told reporters. “We do too many big mistakes.”
Wolves had defended resolutely against a Liverpool side who have been in unstoppable goalscoring form.
But all their hard work came to nothing as Origi showed what a great impact substitute he can be, with his winner sparking wild celebrations on the Liverpool bench.
“It was clear: when you don’t score you just have to keep going and that’s what we did,” manager Juergen Klopp said.
“And then Divock Origi, the legend, came and finished it off for us. I love it.”
There was no such drama for City who racked up a fifth successive league win and a 31st in the calendar year, surpassing their previous club record.
“There are always things we have to improve but right now, the guys are playing at a really good level,” manager Pep Guardiola said. “We scored three beautiful goals and we could have scored more.”
Newcastle United’s wait for a first league victory of the season is over after Callum Wilson’s goal earned them a 1-0 victory against fellow relegation battlers Burnley.
The win lifted Newcastle off the bottom on goal difference, above Norwich City who play at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Brighton & Hove Albion drew for the eighth time this season as Neal Maupay rescued a point in a 1-1 draw at Southampton. Maupay struck in the eighth minute of stoppage time to deny Saints their fourth league win of the season after Armando Broja had given them a first-half lead.
The post Manchester City go top as Chelsea suffer defeat at West Ham appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..
President Cyril Ramaphosa has kicked off a two-day working visit to Ghana on Saturday. The visit is part of four West African countries, including Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Senegal to strengthen bilateral and economic ties.
Ramaphosa will also inaugurate a Bi-National Commission between Ghana and South Africa, which is expected to boost trade relations and investment between the two countries. Bilateral agreements will be signed by both Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo and President Ramaphosa.
Update on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state visit to Ghana with Nabil Ahmed Rufai:
His Excellency President @CyrilRamaphosa delivers his remarks to the inaugural Bi-National Commission between South Africa and Ghana. The convening of the inaugural session is a milestone achievement and a historic moment for the two countries. #SAinGhana #BetterAfricaBetterWorld pic.twitter.com/5sTXRilUQO
— Presidency | South Africa
(@PresidencyZA) December 4, 2021
President Ramaphosa is expected to discuss economic recovery efforts in Africa post-COVID-19 as well as issues around trade relations.
South Africa is one of the largest investors and trade relations to Ghana, and also one of Africa’s largest economy. So they would want to know the role that the country could play to boost inter-Africa trade.
President Ramaphosa to discuss trade relations in Ghana: Prof Dirk Kotze
The post President Ramaphosa begins a two-day working visit to Ghana appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..
The only independent ward councillor in the Collins Chabane Municipality in Malamulele, Limpopo, has promised to be accountable to the villagers.
Phillip Munyai was elected during the recent municipal elections. He contested the 2016 municipal elections under the banner of the governing party, African National Congress (ANC). But, he went independent after he was allegedly removed from the councillor candidate list.
Residents at Mulenzhe have held a celebratory rally for his victory of Ward 19. The Collins Chabane Local Municipality is under the control of the ANC except Ward 19. The municipality has 36 wards.
Munyai says he will continue to be humble and serve communities in the best possible way. After the 2016 municipal elections, Munyai served the communities under the banner of the ANC. He says that the experience gained in his first term will help him to serve the people.
“I don’t have a secret, so far it’s people who said I must represent again because the job of a ward councillor is to be a mediator, it’s being loyal to all community members, all the structures without hiding anything. I am very accessible when there is a funeral, I am the one who goes and takes a grader to serve the community and the bereaved family. Up so far, I have three different projects.”
A resident and South African Communist Party (SACP) supporter, Joseph Rambau, says Munyai has proven to be a good councillor.
“I am a Deputy Chairperson of the SACP as we know that the SACP was supposed to be supporting or to be assisting the ANC during the campaigns, but because the community has said we want Nkanukeni to be there we were forced. As SACP we decided that we are going to do what the community tasked us to do. So that is why maybe it was easy to support him. So we can see that if he is given a chance if you give him this in five years’ time, he will provide more for the community no doubt about it.”
Residents of Mulenzhe and surrounding villages have described Munyai as a good leader.
“He has got energy, he works day and night when we call him he comes to you and assists you. He is a very energetic man every time when we need him, he is able to be found.”
The celebratory rally was attended by people from various political backgrounds.
The post Former ANC councillor turned independent celebrates winning a ward in Malamulele appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..