Menzi Magubane
I-Manchester United ihlezi esicongweni se-English Premier League (i-EPL) ngemuva kokubamba i-Liverpool ngeqanda eqandeni e-Anfield ngeSonto ebusuku.
Ama-Red Devils asesele ngamaphuzu amathathu kuma-Reds.
Ukudlala ngokulingana akuyenzelanga lutho i-Liverpool. Manje basendaweni yesithathu ne-Leicester City ethathe indawo yesibili ngemuva kokuphumelela emdlalweni wayo ngoMgqibelo.
Ukunqoba kushiye i-Leicester ngamaphuzu amabili ngemuva kwabaholi i-United nelilodwa ngaphambi kwe-Liverpool.
Ngaphandle kokuwina kokuthathu, lokhu kuwukudlala okubi kakhulu kwe-Liverpool kule sizini.
Ukudlala ngokulingana kwe-United kube ngumdlalo wayo wesine kulandelana ngaphandle kokunqoba. Igcine ukunqoba umdlalo emuva mhla ziyi-19 kuZibandlela ngesikhathi ithela ngehlazo i-Crystal Palace ngamagoli ayisikhombisa eqandeni ekuhambeni.
Ukungaguquguquki kwayo kuyibone inikela ngendawo yayo ephezulu ku-United phakathi nesonto ngokuthi yehle ukuyothatha indawo yesibili. Izinto ziqale ukuba zimbi njengoba nayo bekufanele yidedele indawo yayo yesibili ngeSonto futhi kusengaba nzima kakhulu kuyona.
NgoMsombuluko ingazithola seyiphansi kakhulu endaweni yesine uma i-Manchester City inganqoba umdlalo wayo. Ukuqhathwa kompetha be-EPL ngesizini edlule kusize i-United ukuqinisa indawo yayo ephezulu.
Umqeqeshi we-United u-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, nokho, ukholwa wukuthi iqembu lakhe bekufanele lenze kangcono uma libhekene ne-Liverpool. Ngemuva komdlalo utshele i-Sky Sports ukuthi iphuzu lingcono kunokungatholi lutho.
“Sifuna ukunqoba yonke imidlalo ukuze ungeke ume lapha ulokhu umamatheka kakhulu. Ukukhuluma iqiniso ngicabanga ukuthi bekufanele ngabe senze kangcono. Kodwa sizothatha iphuzu, okuyinto enhle ngathi ukuthi sihambe nephuzu elilodwa sibhekene nompetha,” kusho uSolskjaer.
Njengoba imidlalo iza ngamandla futhi esheshayo i-United izobabaza amathuba ayo ibhekene neqembu lesithathu uma usuka ezansi i-Fulham emdlalweni wayo waphakathi nesonto. Ama-Red Devils azobe engekho ekhaya ngoLwesithathu ebusuku azobe ese-Craven Cottage lapho ezobe efuna ukwengeza isibalo samaphoyinti awo.
I-Liverpool nayo iyadlala ngoLwesine kanti izobe isekhaya ibhekene ne-Burnley e-Anfield.
Eminye imiphumela ye-EPL:
I-Sheffield United ihlulwe ngamagoli amathathu kwelilodwa idlala ne-Tottenham Hotspur, i-Fulham ihlulwe ngegoli elilodwa eqandeni idlala ne-Chelsea, i-Leicester City inqobe ngamagoli amabili eqandeni idlala ne-Southampton, i-Leeds ihlulwe ngegoli elilodwa eqandeni idlala ne-Brighton, i-West Ham United inqobe ngegoli elilodwa eqandeni idlala ne-Burnley, ama-Wolves ahlulwe ngamagoli amathathu kwamabili idlala ne-West Brom