Manchester City 2-1 Swansea: Gabriel Jesus saves hosts

'Now I look at my calendar for March... it's totally blank!': Rosberg opens up on his fierce rivalry with Hamilton, finally winning a world title and the 'hamster wheel' of F1 after walking off into the sunset
13 FOOTBALLERS FAIL DRUG TESTS: FA hide identities to help with their rehab after Berahino and Baxter revelations
'I see him every day... he loves this club': Conte confident Costa will remain at Chelsea beyond this summer as he admits China's spending is a threat
Liverpool target Leicester winger Gray and Bayer Leverkusen's Brandt as Klopp prepares for summer overhaul
Van Dijk may not play for Southampton again as Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona target injured defender
MARTIN SAMUEL: Forget morals... this FA drugs cover-up is just business
It's time for revenge! Jones wants the pain of record Cardiff loss to spur on England against Wales
Root, Broad and Stokes all interviewed for England Test captaincy following departure of Cook
Drug chiefs in late-night visit to Team Sky HQ as crisis deepens
Chelsea skipper Terry wows pal Luiz with silky skills... using a piece of chewing gum!
SECRET SCOUT: Southampton may have found a new defensive mainstay in youngster Jones
Premier League fail to acknowledge departing Liverpool chief Ayre
JEFF POWELL: Relegation for Leicester would take the gloss off historic Premier League title... but it wouldn't ruin it
Spurs boss Pochettino praises Alli and his team of leaders ahead of Liverpool
'My sister is BETTER than me!': Leeds star Wood is Europe's top hotshot in 2017... but he's still no match for his talented sibling
Headline-maker Pogba catches up on the news ahead of game with Watford
FA warned about playing 'Russian roulette' with public money after vote of no confidence from MPs
Manchester United will not 'churn' players any more, vows Woodward (but where does that leave Griezmann?)
Ex-Everton defender Heitinga moans that he struggles to afford private jets and stylists since retiring
Klopp puts his underperforming Liverpool players through their paces as they bid to kick-start season at home to Tottenham
Chelsea legend Drogba parties with West Indies cricketer Gayle in Dubai as he looks for a new club after leaving MLS side Montreal Impact
Carroll would improve any team... even Germany and Spain, claims Bilic
'This is a desperate attempt to get more money... even if he tries 10 more times, it won't work': Bayern's extraordinary reply to Costa's bid to land new deal
Coventry interested free agent Cole as League One strugglers search for goals

Gabriel Jesus volleyed Manchester City into an 11th minute lead after excellent wing play from David Silva
City's Raheem Sterling was harshly booked after going down in the box under Lukasz Fabianski's challenge
Willy Caballero made a clever second-half save to prevent Gylfi Sigurdsson's free-kick from flying in
Swansea grabbed an equaliser when Sigurdsson received the ball on the edge of the box before firing home
But Jesus proved to be the saviour for City by following up on his initial effort to score a stoppage-time winner

Published: 10:25 EST, 5 February 2017 | Updated: 14:09 EST, 5 February 2017

e-mail

417

View
comments

The second of four added minutes had almost elapsed when Gabriel Jesus rose to meet David Silva’s cross in front of goal. Some Manchester City fans had already given up hope of victory and left the Etihad. Even Pep Guardiola’s faith must have been wavering.

The man with Jesus written on his back had a chance to be City’s saviour. A headline writer’s dream.

The Brazilian’s first attempt was not the best. His header was too close to Lukasz Fabianski who kept it out but fumbled the ball. The new £27million signing pounced to break Swansea’s hearts and breathe new life into City’s title bid.

Manchester City new boy Gabriel Jesus reacts to his initial effort being saved by tapping home a late winner against Swansea

Lukasz Fabianski did brilliantly to save from the Brazilian but he is on hand to score his second goal of the game on Sunday

Teenager Jesus is closely followed by second-half substitute Pablo Zabaleta as he celebrates his dramatic last-gasp goal

Fabianski, the former Arsenal goalkeeper, cuts a frustrated figure after conceding a heartbreaking goal at the Etihad

Gylfi Sigurdsson picks the ball up on the edge of Manchester City's box before firing home an equaliser for Swansea City

The former Tottenham man is given too much time on the ball and he is able to pick his spot to score in the 81st minute

The Iceland international is congratulated by Swansea team-mates after scoring what he thought would earn his side a point

Jesus is quickest to react to the loose ball to volley Manchester City into an 11th minute lead against Swansea City

Jesus, who retained his first-team place after scoring in midweek against West Ham, opens the scoring with this volley

The Brazilian teenager wheels away in celebration after scoring his second Premier League goal for his new side City

Up to that point, it looked as though this would be a hugely frustrating day for his team.

City utterly dominated the first half and led deservedly through Gabriel Jesus’ 11th minute opener.

But Swansea clawed their way back into the game and there was a sense of inevitability when the equaliser arrived nine minutes from time scored by Gylfi Sigurdsson, the closest thing the Welsh club have to a saviour in their battle against relegation.

That made the late winner all the more sickening for manager Paul Clement who complained that the freekick leading to it, for Luciano Narsingh’s collision with Aleksandar Kolarov, should not have been awarded by referee Mike Dean.

MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS, MATCH ZONE AND PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE FROM THE ETIHAD STADIUM

Premier League
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Scottish Premiership
Scottish Div 1
Scottish Div 2
Scottish Div 3
Ligue 1
Serie A
La Liga
Bundesliga

Gabriel Jesus volleyed Manchester City into an 11th minute lead. CLICK HERE to see more of our brilliant Match Zone service.

Jesus proved to be the hero by following up on his initial effort to score a winner

MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-4-1): Caballero 5.5; Fernandinho 6, Stones 5.5, Kolarov 6.5, Clichy 6; Toure 6; Sterling 7 (Aguero 83), De Bruyne 6 (Zabaleta 78, 6.5), Silva 7 (Fernando 90+5), Sane 7; Gabriel Jesus 8

Subs not used: Bravo, Kompany, Navas, Delph

Goals: Jesus 11, 90+2

Booked: De Bruyne, Sterling

SWANSEA CITY (4-1-4-1): Fabianski 6; Naughton 6, Mawson 7, Fernandez 5.5, Olsson 6; Cork 7; Routledge 5.5 (Narsingh 65, 6.5), Fer 6, Carroll 6 (Dyer 75, 6), Sigurdsson 7; Llorente 6 (Baston 83)

Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Amat, Britton, Kingsley

Goal: Sigurdsson 81

Booked: Llorente, Cork

Referee: Mike Dean 5.5

Star man: Gabriel Jesus

Clement was also upset about how it was taken, allowing Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta to transfer the ball to Silva on the right.

‘It’s the restart I’m disappointed about,’ said Clement. ‘It’s a rolling ball taken 10 metres deeper than when it should have been and in a more central position.

‘In the time that freekick gets to be taken in the correct position, I’m confident my team is in a more organised state.’

City also had cause to be upset with Dean in the first half as he rejected two penalty appeals.

The first incident occurred in the sixth minute when Alfie Mawson tangled with Gabriel Jesus.

Sergio Aguero, who once again had to settle for a place on the substitutes bench, makes his way to the dugout for the game

Swansea's Argentina international Federico Fernandez times his challenge to tackle City's Spanish midfielder David Silva

German attacker Leroy Sane, who arrived at the Etihad last summer, battles for the ball with Swansea man Kyle Naughton

Jesus rewards Pep Guardiola's faith in handing him another start by volleying in the Premier League side's opener on Sunday

Raheem Sterling and midfielder Fernandinho congratulate the goalscorer after Jesus breaks the deadlock at the Etihad

Fernandinho is delighted to see his fellow Brazilian score as the two players celebrate Man City's opening goal against Swans

City keeper Willy Caballero, who continued his run in the first-team, clenches his fist in celebration after seeing Jesus score

Had the Brazilian gone to ground when Mawson held him back with both hands, Dean might have pointed to the spot. But he waited too long to throw himself to the floor and the opportunity had gone.

City’s second appeal in the 44th minute was even more controversial, not least because Sterling was booked for his part in it.

The England winger raced onto Kolarov’s raking 50-yard pass and got there just in time to knock the ball inside Fabianski before going down under the keeper’s challenge. Was there contact between the two players? It was very hard to tell, even on slow-motion replays, but a booking seemed harsh in the circumstances.

It seemed to matter little at that stage, such was City’s dominance in the first half following Gabriel Jesus’ opening goal.

Swansea players, who are fighting to avoid relegation from the top-flight this season, cut dejected figures after conceding

Swansea's Holland international Leroy Fer appeals for a free-kick during the opening period of this Premier League fixture

Guardiola, who is enduring an underwhelming start to his reign as City's manager, cuts a frustrated figure on touchline

England international John Stones puts pressure on Swansea midfielder Tom Carroll as City look to win in front of home fans

Jesus, playing through the middle of a three-man attack for City, was thoroughly impressive once again on Sunday

England winger Sterling thought he won City a first-half penalty when he appeared to be caught by Fabianski

Premier League official Mike Dean rejected Sterling's protests but went back to book him when the ball went out of play

Silva was again the architect, collecting a throw-in on the left and managing to wriggle his way past Federico Fernandez far too easily.

The Spaniard played the ball low into Sterling whose effort was blocked by Martin Olsson, but the ball reared up invitingly for Gabriel Jesus to apply an elegant finish past Fabianski from the edge of the six-yard box.

Fabianski produced an outstanding one-handed save to prevent Toure’s freekick from flying into the top corner, and the impressive Leroy Sane almost caught the Swansea keeper out with a cross-shot against his near post.

But City had allowed their opponents to maintain a foothold in the game and Swansea posed an increasing threat.

The former Liverpool star remonstrates with the assistant referee at half-time after harshly being booked by Dean

Chile international Claudio Bravo was named among the City substitutes bench after struggling to adjust to life in top-flight

City's Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne (right) catches Swansea left back Martin Olsson with a late challenge

Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Guardiola kicks the ball back on to the pitch during the top-flight fixture

Swansea City's Sigurdsson attempts to score with a second-half free-kick as Jesus and Sterling jump in the City wall

The ball was well hit but Caballero is on hand to make this clever save to prevent Sigurdsson from equalising for Swansea

Fernando Llorente, the Spanish Swansea City striker, fouls Aleksander Kolorov of Manchester City

Guardiola shouts instructions to his City players as he looks to encourage them on to victory over the struggling Swans

Sigurdsson sends the ball into the box, no-one picks up Alfie Mawson's run and the Swansea man flicks a header just wide

Swansea's Polish goalkeeper Fabianski catches the ball under pressure from Manchester City's Brazilian striker Jesus

Stones and Zabaleta afford Sigurdsson too much space and the playmaker fires in Swansea's first goal at the Etihad

The jubilant Swansea players celebrate in front of the away supporters after scoring a late goal against Manchester City

City captain Silva cuts a frustrated figure as the hosts concede an 81st minute goal against relegation-threatened Swansea

Jesus rises high to meet Silva's floated delivery in stoppage time but sees his effort saved by Poland goalkeeper Fabianski

City's woes didn't last for long as Jesus proved to be the hero for the hosts by popping up with his third goal for the club

England centre back Stones jumps on Serbian defender Kolarov as Caballero begins to join them following Jesus' late goal

Willy Caballero kept out Sigurdsson’s freekick and Mawson glanced a header wide from the Icelander’s corner before Swansea equalised in the 81st minute.

Substitute Luciano Narsingh shrugged off a weak challenge from Gael Clichy and played the ball to Sigurdsson 20 yards from goal.

He took aim as John Stones failed to get tight on his man, drilling the ball through the legs of the England defender and under the body of Caballero for his ninth goal of the season.

The scene was set for Gabriel Jesus to enhance his reputation as City’s new hero, and the teenager did not disappoint to send Guardiola’s side third in the table with his third goal in two games.

‘Everybody is a bit surprised by his level,’ admitted the City boss. ‘He is 19-years-old and we are delighted about what he has done.’