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SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018

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MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero (C) has a shot blocked during the English FA Cup third round football match between Manchester City and Burnley at Etihad Stadium in Manchester. — AFP Aguero fires City’s FA Cup bid

Hughes under pressure as Stoke crash

LONDON: Sergio Aguero fired Manchester City to a 4-1 reported this week that the club’s hierarchy had consid- his way through Stoke’s defence and side-footed past Jack page-time. Newcastle had been tipped as potential upset win over Burnley in the FA Cup third round, while Stoke ered dismissing Hughes and whether he can survive any Butland in the 67th minute. At Dean Court, Bournemouth victims, but they swept away fourth tier leaders Luton with boss Mark Hughes is fighting to save his job after the longer must now be in doubt. Coventry have fallen on hard manager Eddie Howe made eight changes as he prioritised a 3-1 win at St James’ Park. Rafael Benitez’s side ran riot in strugglers suffered an embarrassing 2-1 times since winning the FA Cup in a classic 1987 final Premier League survival and it needed a second half the first half as Ayoze Perez netted in the 30th and 36th defeat at minnows Coventry yesterday. against Tottenham and revival from his under- minutes before Jonjo Shelvey struck after 39 minutes. West City boss Pep Guardiola named a strong team including now reside in League studies to rescue a 2-2 Bromwich Albion won for the first time in 21 games in all Aguero, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling at Eastlands, but Two-their first time at that draw against Wigan. competitions, a 2-0 win at fourth tier Exeter giving boss the runaway Premier League leaders fell behind in the 25th level since the 1950s-after Northern Ireland for- Alan Pardew his first victory since replacing the sacked minute. Ashley Barnes blasted into the top corner after a spell having to play their ward Will Grigg gave Tony Pulis. Salomon Rondon’s long-range drive put Albion City defender John Stones sliced his attempted clearance. home matches in Grigg gave Wigan a fourth minute ahead in the second minute and Jay Rodriguez added the However, Burnley hadn’t won at City since 1973 and Northampton due to a lead from close-range and second goal in the 25th minute. Watford avoided more cup Argentina striker Aguero ensured that run continued. City, stadium row. Jordan Willis Wigan a fourth there was worse to come misery against giant-killers Bristol City with a 3-0 win at who last tasted defeat in domestic competition in their FA put the underdogs ahead for Howe in the 29th Vicarage Road. Cup semi-final against Arsenal in April, were level in the in the 24th minute with his minute lead minute when Emerson Second tier Bristol face Manchester City in the League 56th minute when Aguero fired home from Ilkay first goal in a year. Hyndman’s own goal dou- Cup semi-finals next week after stunning Manchester Gundogan’s pass. Aguero then finished off a superb back- bled the visitors’ lead. Yet United in the last eight. City had also won at Vicarage heeled pass from Gundogan in the 58th minute. Sane BOURNEMOUTH Lys Mousset reduced the Road in the League Cup this season, but Watford avoided prodded home to put the result beyond doubt in the 71st ESCAPE deficit for Bournemouth in another embarrassing loss thanks to goals from Andre minute and Bernardo Silva made it four in the 82nd minute. Willis conceded a 52nd the 55th minute and Carrillo, Troy Deeney and Etienne Capoue. Southampton At the , Hughes could face the sack after minute penalty with a foul League One leaders won 1-0 at Fulham, Huddersfield beat Bolton 2-1, Swansea fourth tier Coventry rolled back the years with a memo- on Ramadan Sobhi and Charlie Adam stepped up to Wigan, who won the FA Cup in 2013, were denied a sur- drew 0-0 at Wolves and Leicester were held to a 0-0 rable cup result. With Stoke in the relegation zone, it was equalise. But Coventry right-back Jack Grimmer weaved prise win by Steve Cook’s goal two minutes into stop- draw at third tier Fleetwood. — AFP

seven minutes earlier, referee Jose Luis Munuera the area that whistled over the bar. Costa sent off Montero had no choice but to send him off. Atletico had failed to score in their last league out- Atletico are second in the standings on 39 points, six ing at Espanyol where they lost 1-0 but Costa brought behind leaders Barcelona who host Levante today. extra aggression to their front line yesterday, even after scoring Costa, who returned to Atletico from Chelsea for 57 though it was his strike partner Antoine Griezmann who million pounds ($77.34 million) in September but could played in Correa for the opener. Atletico winner not play until January due to a ban on the club register- Costa was involved in an altercation with visiting ing new players, will be suspended for Atletico’s next defender Juan Cala at halftime in response to Getafe Liga game at Eibar on Jan. 13. landing some meaty challenges on their opponents, set- MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa scored on his The 29-year-old had scored his first goal in his sec- ting the tone for a tension-filled second period which home debut in a 2-0 win over Getafe and was immedi- ond spell at Atletico in a 4-0 win at Lleida Esportiu in eventually saw the striker dismissed. ately sent off for an over-zealous celebration as the for- the King’s Cup on Wednesday less than six minutes Atletico coach Diego Simeone said he had no com- mer Chelsea striker marked a typically eventful return after coming on. plaints about Costa’s sending off but also praised the to La Liga yesterday. striker for the galvanising impact he had on his side. “I’d The Spain striker hit the second goal in the 67th HEROIC FIGURE like to focus on all the good things Costa did, his pres- minute, after Angel Correa put Atletico ahead in the Costa was a heroic figure at Atletico’s old home the ence made us more direct, he strikes fear into oppo- 18th, and rushed to the home fans behind the goal at Vicente Calderon for firing them to their first league nents, everyone can see that and that makes us all so the Wanda Metropolitano, creating a mini-surge as title in 18 years in 2014, although their new 68,000- happy,” Simeone told reporters. MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s Spanish forward supporters ran down to embrace their returning hero capacity stadium was far from full for his homecoming. “The referee is here to follow the rules and not make Diego Costa receives a red card after celebrating who also played for the club from 2010-2014. The early kick off on epiphany, one of the most emotional decisions.” Third-placed Valencia host a goal with supporters during the Spanish Leaving the pitch to celebrate with the fans auto- important days of the Christmas period in Spain, and Girona later before Sevilla play Real Betis in a local league football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs matically incurs a booking and, as Costa had already persistent rain could explain the low turnout, though derby, while champions Real Madrid visit Celta Vigo Getafe CF at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium been shown a yellow card for elbowing Djene Dakonam Costa lifted the mood with an early shot from outside today. —Reuters in Madrid. —AFP