KSC defeat Salmiya 4-wicket Ashwin Club in Kuwait Tennis helps India Federation16 Cup clinch17 T20 series MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016

LaVine wins All-Star Slam Dunk contest Page 18

LONDON: Arsenal’s English midfielder (R) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the English football match between Arsenal and Leicester at the in London yesterday. — AFP Welbeck late show breaks Leicester hearts

The England striker’s goal lifted Arsenal to While Arsenal must now prepare for contests then raced out boldly to prevent Aaron But after Ramsey had drilled wide and Giroud within two points of Leicester and also gave with Hull City and Barcelona, Claudio Ranieri’s Ramsey reaching Ozil’s pass and within sec- had headed another chance over, their luck Arsenal 2 hope to Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester have two weeks to regain their onds Vardy had forced Petr Cech to save with changed when Simpson was shown a second City, five and six points off the pace respec- strength before resuming their improbable a downward header at the other end. yellow card for tugging Giroud back, five min- tively, ahead of their meeting at the Etihad title bid at home to Norwich City. “I think the It proved the pattern of the first half. utes after his first for tripping Sanchez.The Stadium later in the day. referee was too severe to us for the sending- Arsenal attacked-Wes Morgan blocking from two managers rearranged their teams for the Leicester 1 “It was a pivotal moment today because off. 11 v 11, I’m sure we win the match,” Ranieri and Sanchez, Giroud twice final half hour, Ranieri sending on Marcin the mathematics meant it could be eight said. “But we are still top of the table. We must heading off-target at corners-and Leicester Wasilewski and Demarai Gray in place of Riyad points or it could be two points. That is a great carry on and smile.” Manchester City never countered, Kante obliging Cech to claw the Mahrez and Shinji Okazaki, Wenger throwing change,” said Arsenal manager Arsene recovered from falling behind to Leicester in ball away from his top-left corner with a curl- on Walcott for Francis Coquelin. It was the LONDON: Substitute Danny Welbeck scored Wenger. their 3-1 defeat last weekend and Arsenal ing shot. As half-time drew near Leicester Arsenal change that was to prove telling, a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Arsenal “Everyone is extremely happy for him seemed determined to avoid the same fate on went ahead, Vardy luring Nacho Monreal into Walcott equalising in the 70th minute by side- resurrected their Premier League title chal- (Welbeck) because he’s been out for 10 a chilly north London afternoon, quickly push- a challenge and then tumbling to the ground footing home after Giroud masterfully nod- lenge with a heart-stopping 2-1 Valentine’s months. That’s an eternity for a player.” ing the visitors back. before picking himself up and drilling his 19th ded Hector Bellerin’s cross into his path. Day victory over leaders Leicester City yesyer- Welbeck told Sky Sports: “It has been a goal of the campaign past Cech. Per Mertesacker glanced a header just day. Down to 10 men following Danny rollercoaster for me, a difficult moment, and VARDY STRIKES The Leicester end erupted. Arsenal’s fans, wide and Schmeichel pulled off a pair of Simpson’s 54th-minute dismissal, Leicester my family and friends know what I have been With less than two minutes gone, Alexis convinced that referee Martin Atkinson had brilliant one-handed saves to thwart were clinging on at a tension-bound Emirates through.” Welbeck’s goal, after fellow substi- Sanchez threw himself at Alex Oxlade- been hoodwinked by Vardy, booed the offi- Giroud and Sanchez. But with full-time Stadium when Welbeck headed in a 95th- tute Theo Walcott had cancelled out Jamie Chamberlain’s corner and headed wide, with cials off at the interval. There was a further beckoning, Welbeck rushed in to meet minute winner from Mesut Ozil’s free-kick on Vardy’s first-half penalty, saw Wenger’s men N’Golo Kante surviving a penalty-box hand- blow for the hosts at half-time as Laurent Ozil’s free-kick with an unerring downward his return after 10 months out with a serious complete a league double over Leicester fol- ball appeal shortly after. Koscielny was forced off with a dead leg, header, eclipsing Leicester’s fairytale with knee injury. lowing their 5-2 away win in September. Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel which brought Calum Chambers into the fray. one of his own. — AFP Eriksen ignites Liverpool thrash Spurs’ title bid last-place Villa 6-0

these sides to reinforce their title Villa had enjoyed the better of the credentials. But it also meant a opening exchanges, passing the ball neat- Man City 1 share of the points would not be Villa 0 ly and crisply. But they failed to create a disaster and the result was a even a half-chance to test cagey opening in which neither in the Liverpool goal and paid the price side was prepared to gamble too when Sturridge opened the scoring. The Tottenham 2 soon. Tottenham’s record at the Liverpool 6 forward ghosted between Villa defenders Etihad Stadium, where they had and Aly Cissokho, who lost on their previous five visits, failed to track his run. may also have made them wary That left him with the simple task of MANCHESTER: Christian Eriksen of over-committing, although BIRMINGHAM: Liverpool ran riot in a 6-0 heading home Philippe Coutinho’s deli- marked his 24th birthday with a there was no shortage of confi- hammering of Aston Villa at yes- cious cross from around six yards out. late goal as Tottenham Hotspur dence in the way in which terday as the Premier League’s bottom Villa’s approach play remained encour- won 2-1 at Manchester City yes- Mauricio Pochettino’s side looked club went into meltdown. aging, but Mignolet made a simple catch terday to climb to within two to keep possession. made a dream return from a Jores Okore header before Ashley points of the Premier League Tottenham have the best to the visitors’ starting line-up after injury Westwood tried his luck from distance summit. defensive record in the league with a 16th-minute opener that set with a shot that flew well wide. put Spurs ahead and were rarely troubled at the Liverpool on course for a crushing victory. Liverpool, however, continued to pose with a controversial penalty early back in the first half, with City’s And Villa then wilted as they slumped the greater threat in possession and a set- in the second half, the England best moments coming either MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Kelechi Ihenacho, center, scores to their heaviest home defeat of the post- piece brought the second goal on 25 min- international claiming his 15th from counter-attacks or when his side’s first goal past Tottenham’s goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, right, 1992 Premier League era to slide closer to utes. Okore was guilty of conceding a goal in his last 17 league games. the visitors over-played. The during the English Premier League soccer match between relegation, ending the day eight points needless free-kick on the Villa right and City, yet to beat a top-six side this combination of David Silva and Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur’s at the Etihad Stadium in adrift of the safety line. Milner’s delivery evaded everyone, includ- season, equalised through looked City’s Manchester, England, yesterday. — AP Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool produced a ing goalkeeper Mark Bunn, and nestled teenage substitute Kelechi best bet to open up Tottenham’s slick display to claim a first win in six inside the far post. Iheanacho. the lead eight minutes into the They were unable to build on back line, with Sergio Aguero, games in all competitions. It owed much to fortune, but from that But City were consigned to second half. that and frustration was begin- scorer of 10 goals in eight There were six different goalscorers as moment Villa caved in. The Merseysiders consecutive home defeats for the City had just missed the best ning to show on the pitch and Premier League appearances , Emre Can, Divock Origi, ought to have added to their lead on the first time since December 2008 chance of the game, Aguero slic- amongst the home supporters against Tottenham, also con- Nathaniel Clyne and Kolo Toure added to half-hour when Villa’s shell-shocked when Eriksen beat in the ing an effort wide from the cor- when Iheanacho struck to make stantly looking to exploit any Sturridge’s effort. However, the home side defenders gifted them another chance. 83rd minute to celebrate his ner of the six-yard box after a it 1-1 with 16 minutes left. The gap. helped with a feeble display that saw Milner was given time and space for a milestone with his sixth goal of deflected Yaya Toure cross had 19-year-old had only been on the But City’s only two real sights thousands of fans head for the exits with cushioned header from a cross by Roberto the season. looped into his path, when the pitch for eight minutes when he of goal before the break came via less than an hour played as four goals in Firmino, but saw his City, beaten for the first time visitors were awarded a penalty met a low cross from Gael Clichy set-pieces, with Aguero volleying 14 second-half minutes set Liverpool on low drive deflected wide off Okore. in the league this season with fit- after Rose’s cross hit the jumping with a thumping left-foot finish over and Sterling seeing a shot course for a huge win. Those that Liverpool began to take control with again captain Vincent Kompany Sterling. from 10 yards out to claim his blocked by Danny Rose. remained turned on owner Randy Lerner Bunn saving a shot by Firmino and then, a in the side, are now six points It was a big call from referee ninth goal of a breakthrough sea- Left-back Rose was heavily with chants against the American, while minute before half-time, diving to his right behind league leaders Leicester Mark Clattenburg, as replays sug- son. City pressed for the winner, involved in a lot of Spurs’ best Liverpool’s comprehensive win took them to pull off a better save from a curling City, while Tottenham’s fifth suc- gested the ball had struck but instead it was Tottenham moments, but for all the eighth in the table, just three points effort by Sturridge. cessive league win has raised Sterling’s side, but Kane kept his who gained a potentially crucial Londoners’ composure they man- behind Manchester United in the Europa Early in the second half Leandro Bacuna their hopes of a first league title composure to score from the victory. Substitute Erik Lamela aged only one shot on target in League place. For Sturridge, who played cut in from the flank for Villa, but his tame since 1961. spot and claim his 19th goal of released Eriksen to slide the ball the first 45 minutes, a swerving for Villa as a schoolboy, it was the perfect shot was held at the second attempt by Arsenal’s last-gasp 2-1 win the season. City’s response was past Hart with seven minutes to strike from Eriksen that Hart beat way to mark his first league start since Mignolet. Villa imploded again in the 58th over Leicester earlier in the day instant as Toure curled a free-kick go and edge his side closer to an away. And it was Rose who was October following a series of injury set- minute when Can started and finished the had opened the way for both of against the crossbar from 25 increasingly feasible title tri- instrumental in Tottenham taking yards out. umph. — AFP backs. move for Liverpool’s third goal. — AFP