LONDON: Manchester City’s defence of the English Premier League title is already in trouble.

Hapless defensive errors helped newly-promoted Norwich City beat Pep Guardiola’s side 3-2 in Saturday’s late match and leave the defending champion five points behind perfect Liverpool after just five games.

City hadn’t lost a league game since January and drawn only once in that time but conceded two goals to Norwich inside the opening half-hour. A team which soared last season was brought to earth.

“The people cannot expect we win every time or make 100 points [every season],” Guardiola said. “Even with the [score at] 3-2 we had chances to make another one. The team never gave up.”

First, Kenny McLean evaded City’s marking to head in a corner from Emi Buendia, then City were caught unawares by a Norwich counterattack. Teemu Pukki and Todd Cantwell broke together, Pukki drawing the defenders before delivering the ball to give Cantwell an easy finish.

Sergio Aguero revived City with a goal just before halftime he’s scored in all of City’s first five games but sloppy defending just after the break undid his work.

Nicolas Otamendi failed to notice Buendia running in behind him and was robbed of the ball on the edge of the penalty area before Buendia passed for Pukki to score his sixth goal.

Rodrigo’s low, hard shot for an 88th-minute goal gave City hope, but Norwich’s defence and goalkeeper Tim Krul weathered the storm for an unlikely win.

Indeed, Norwich had to deal with more than just the Premier League champions. A wave of injuries left the underdogs with a squad so depleted that it couldn’t find six outfield players as substitutes, instead picking two goalkeepers on the seven-man bench.

“Of course it is special day for us and for the club,” said Norwich boss Daniel Farke. “We had to be special in our plan for City because they are the best team in the world and we had setbacks too with our injuries, but we deserved the win today. We were exceptional.”

WATFORD BATTLE BACK

On Sunday, Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead as Watford hit back to draw 2-2 in new manager Quique Sanchez Flores’ first game of his second stint in charge at Vicarage Road.

Flores’ return following the dismissal of Javi Gracia after four games of the Premier League season seemed to be going flat as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice in the first half.

But Tom Cleverley halved the deficit in the 53rd minute after some dreadful Arsenal carelessness and Watford were rewarded for a much-improved display when substitute Roberto Pereyra converted an 81st-minute penalty awarded after he was brought down by David Luiz.

Watford came agonisingly close to winning it with Gerard Deulofeu curling just wide and then Abdoulaye Doucoure having stoppage-time shot saved by Bernd Leno after a counter-attack.

Victory would have put Arsenal into third place but they ended the day seventh in a cluster of clubs on eight points, seven points behind Liverpool.

Watford are still seeking a first win of the season and remain bottom but they doubled their points tally to two.

In Sunday’s other match, Callum Wilson scored twice as Bournemouth curbed early season optimism over Everton’s prospects with a 3-1 win.

The England international took advantage of some sloppy defending from the visitors to head home the opener from close range, but Everton levelled before half-time through Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The Toffees have spent big again this summer in a bid to challenge the established ‘top six’ for a European place, but will need to improve on the road to do so.

Ryan Fraser’s driven free-kick restored Bournemouth’s lead 23 minutes from time via a deflection off Fabian Delph before Wilson’s cool finish to lob international teammate Jordan Pickford made the game safe.

Victory takes Bournemouth above their opponents on goal difference with both sides on seven points from their opening five games.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2019