Sports: UK football [USA soccer]: Manchester City and Arsenal lose to 2nd tier Championship League, then return to top Premier League wins

The ups and downs of UK football teams were severe in recent days, but re-instatement in their own good graces had Man City and Arsenal zinging when back in stride in the Premiere League. — Sportikos, refWrite Backpage sports newspotter, analyst, and columnist

Hurriet Daily News, Istanbul, Turkey (Oct30,2k12)

Manchester City, Arsenal 

ease Euro wounds

LONDON - Agence France-Presse

Argentinian ace Carlos Tevez (C) scored the winning goal as Manchester United beat Swansea in the Premier League, three days after its defeat to Ajax. REUTERS photo

Manchester City and Arsenal bounced back from damaging Champions League defeats to return to winning ways in the Premier League on Oct. 27, although both sides were made to toil.

City put its 3-1 loss at Ajax behind them with a 1-0 success at home to Swansea City in the Premier League’s longest-ever game, while Arsenal celebrated Jack Wilshere’s return from a 17-month lay-off by edging bottom club Queens Park Rangers by the same scoreline.

Titleholder City moved up to second place and closed to within a point of leader Chelsea, while Arsenal climbed to fourth.

“It was important to get three points today after defeat in mid-week. We did not play well in the first half because we were so tired and we were better in the second half,” said City coach Roberto Mancini. 

Important result 

“In the end, the only important thing is the result. If you win, you are the best manager; if you lose, you are the worst.” 

Gael Clichy found Carlos Tevez, and the Argentine sent a shot dipping into the bottom-left corner to end a personal run of eight games without a goal.

The stoppages meant that over 12 minutes of injury time were played, breaking the Premier League record, but City managed to keep its slender lead intact.

At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal were made to wait until the 84th minute before Mikel Arteta’s goal took the team past QPR and enabled the Gunners to snap a two-game losing streak.

“We played quite well but lacked a little bit of the confidence you miss when you have lost two games,” said Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, whose side had lost to Norwich and Schalke in its previous two outings. “A draw would have been a big disappointment, but if we had lost today it would have been a crisis.” 

Wilshere made his first appearance since missing the whole of last season through injury.