Silva, Grealish Score as Man City Fights Back to Beat Luton 2-1 in Premier League

Jack Grealish of Manchester City celebrates the win during the English Premier League match between Luton Town and Manchester City in Luton, Britain, 10 December 2023. (EPA)
Jack Grealish of Manchester City celebrates the win during the English Premier League match between Luton Town and Manchester City in Luton, Britain, 10 December 2023. (EPA)
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Silva, Grealish Score as Man City Fights Back to Beat Luton 2-1 in Premier League

Jack Grealish of Manchester City celebrates the win during the English Premier League match between Luton Town and Manchester City in Luton, Britain, 10 December 2023. (EPA)
Jack Grealish of Manchester City celebrates the win during the English Premier League match between Luton Town and Manchester City in Luton, Britain, 10 December 2023. (EPA)

Manchester City ended its four-match winless run in the Premier League by coming from behind to beat Luton 2-1 thanks to two goals in a three-minute span by Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish on Sunday.

Elijah Adebayo headed in Andros Townsend’s cross at the back post in the second minute of first-half stoppage time to give Luton the lead against the run of play at Kenilworth Road.

Luton led Arsenal at home after an hour on Tuesday only to lose and the same thing happened against City, which equalized when Silva pounced on the loose ball following a tackle on Rodri and curled a finish into the bottom corner in the 62nd.

Grealish then converted a cross to the far post by Julian Alvarez in the 65th to earn City a win after three straight draws — to Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham — followed by a loss at Aston Villa on Wednesday.

City was without Erling Haaland because he was sidelined with a foot injury but the return from suspension of Rodri and Grealish proved vital as the defending champions moved four points behind first-place Liverpool. City remained in fourth place, however, also behind Arsenal and Villa after 16 games.

Without the comeback, City manager Pep Guardiola would have stumbled into his worst streak of results in his coaching career, having never gone five matches without a win.



Former Argentina Coach Sampaoli Takes Over at French Club Rennes

FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
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Former Argentina Coach Sampaoli Takes Over at French Club Rennes

FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )

Former Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli is taking over at French league side Rennes.
The 64-year-old is returning to French soccer following a previous stint with Marseille.
Rennes said late Monday that Sampaoli signed a 1 1/2-year contract, The Associated Press reported.
Sampaoli, who was in charge of Argentina at the 2018 World Cup, replaces Julien Stephan, who was dismissed last week.
Rennes is looking for a jolt after a mediocre spell that saw the team slump to 13th place in the standings, 18 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain after 11 matches.
“He is a coach who is recognized internationally for his professionalism and humanism,” said Arnaud Pouille, the executive chairman and managing director at Rennes. “He has a strong attachment to his players and staff, and is a loyal and committed man. We need his energy to get the club moving again and to face the competition with determination.”
The much-traveled Sampaoli has also coached clubs in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Spain and Brazil.
Sampaoli abruptly left Marseille in July 2022 after leading the team back to the Champions League, over a disagreement related to the club's transfers of players.