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SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2014

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LONDON: Manchester United’s English striker Wayne Rooney (second right) heads the ball past West Bromwich Albion’s English goalkeeper Ben Foster (right) during their English Premier League football match. — AFP United demolish woeful West Brom

before substitute Welbeck added gloss with a the crossbar after the right-back met Januzaj’s versy before the half-time whistle. Mata’s prob- comfortably saved by David de Gea. clinical late strike. cross at the back post. By the 34th minute ing long ball prompted Foster to dart to the Van Persie’s let-off arrived moments later, West Brom 0 United striker Robin van Persie was fortu- United were ahead, though, as a Van Persie edge of the area as Van Persie closed in, but the when what appeared a bookable offence-a late nate to avoid a second yellow card after a reck- free-kick was headed home emphatically by goalkeeper swung and missed with his lunge on Steven Reid that sent the right-back less challenge in the second half, but overall it Jones after a Chris Brunt foul on Rafael on the attempted clearance and the ball struck him on tumbling-went unpunished by Moss. was a rare satisfying afternoon for Moyes, right-hand edge of the area. the arm. The Dutchman was replaced soon after and Man United 3 whose side climbed to sixth place in the But United’s defensive frailties were appar- United vehemently protested for Foster to cut a disconsolate figure as he trudged off, Premier League table. ent again seven minutes before the interval be penalised, but referee Jonathan Moss elect- reacting to a pat on the back from Moyes with a Pepe Mel’s West Brom, meanwhile, remain when Claudio Yacob headed Jonas Olsson’s ed to wave play on in what appeared a lucky rueful shake of his head. perilously placed above the bottom three, and flick-on inches over the United crossbar. escape for the England international. The hosts were forced into another change WEST BROMWICH: Goals from Phil Jones, with just one win in their last 18 matches, look Yacob was forced off three minutes later Van Persie was cautioned five minutes after when Brunt had to go off, but the Baggies’ Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck eased the increasingly in grave danger. after a Fellaini challenge left him with a nasty the restart for an ugly tackle from behind on delay in getting Saido Berahino on the field was pressure on manager David Moyes as Moyes made five changes to the side beaten gash on his thigh, with James Morrison intro- Morgan Amalfitano that left the Frenchman in a punished in the 65th minute when a pinpoint Manchester United won 3-0 at West Bromwich by Olympiakos 11 days previously, with Juan duced in his place. heap. Rafael delivery was headed home by the Albion yesterday. Mata, Marouane Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj The Scotland international almost made an The Baggies always looked capable of a goal unmarked Rooney at the back post. In what was United’s first game since their 2- among the players recalled at The Hawthorns. immediate impact when he found Anichebe, and they threatened two minutes later when a Rooney turned provider with eight minutes 0 defeat by Olympiakos in the Champions West Brom were indebted to goalkeeper who spun sharply, only to drill his low shot neat one-two between Zoltan Gera and left when he threaded a pass through to League, Moyes saw headers in each half from Ben Foster in the 29th minute when he reacted inches past the post. Anichebe sent the former Fulham player Welbeck, who coolly dispatched a shot beyond Jones and Rooney put the visitors in control superbly to tip Rafael da Silva’s header against There was still time for a moment of contro- through, but with the angle tight, his effort was the advancing Foster. — AFP Chelsea rout Spurs Palace in top four. deep trouble While Mourinho has been reluctant to Chelsea 4 declare his side to be title contenders, he may find it harder to keep Chelsea from dreaming of another English league crown after winning this game. C Palace 0 Tottenham 0 Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood knew his side could not afford to lose if they were to retain ambitions of breaking into the top four. Southampton 1 LONDON: Samuel Eto’o set Chelsea on their And he responded by springing a major way to a ruthless 4-0 victory over 10-man surprise when the starting line-ups were Tottenham that moved Jose Mourinho’s side announced. Sherwood opted for four seven points clear at the top of the Premier changes to the line-up that started in last LONDON: Crystal Palace remained mired in the relegation League yesterday. week’s victory over Cardiff and shifted a battle after Southampton beat them 1-0 at Selhurst Park Eto’o, who had been drafted into the number of key personnel into unfamiliar yesterday. starting line-up at the last minute after roles. Jay Rodriguez’ first-half goal was enough to give Fernando Torres was injured in the warm-up, Aaron Lennon was moved in from the Southampton only their fifth win in their last 18 Premier capitalised on Jan Vertonghen’s poor back right flank to operate in a central role behind League matches and extended their unbeaten record with pass to break the deadlock in the second half lone striker Emmanuel Adebayor while regu- Palace in Premier League meetings to 10. The result also before drawing a foul from Younes Kaboul lar right-back Kyle Walker was pushed for- left the Eagles just two points above the relegation places that allowed Eden Hazard to score from the ward into midfield. following a run of one point from the last nine on offer. penalty spot and earned the Spurs defender Initially though, the changes seemed only Crystal Palace tried to stifle Southampton’s more cre- a red card. to unsettle Tottenham with the visitors’ back- ative play from the outset, although Rodriguez had an ear- It was a sweet moment for the line appearing vulnerable to Chelsea’s direct ly effort which flashed over the bar. Cameroon star, who celebrated his goal by attacking moves. The visitors suffered a blow midway through the first- putting his left hand on his back and stoop- And Sherwood’s side would have found half when Jack Cork had to go off having fallen badly on ing to mimmick old age before holding the themselves behind after just four minutes his ankle and was replaced by Kenyan international Victor corner flag like a walking stick in a mocking had Hazard not been uncharacteristically Wanyama. reference to Mourinho’s recent claim that wasteful after being sent beyond Younes However, they put the adjustment in their line-up Eto’o may actually be older than 32. Kaboul by Eto’o’s pass. behind them quickly and Rodriguez was on hand to open Demba Ba then wrapped up the victory The Belgium winger rounded keeper the scoring. He beat Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni in a with two goals in the final two minutes of STAMFORD BRIDGE: Chelsea’s Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard (left) vies for the ball Hugo Lloris but shot into the side netting race to the ball and poked it home from 30 metres out, the normal time, capitalising on two more with Tottenham Hotspurís French defender Younes Kaboul during the English after being pushed wide by the recovering Argentinian goalkeeper having come outside his area defensive errors at Stamford Bridge. Premier League football match. — AFP Kaboul. lamely tried to tackle him, after former Saints midfielder With none of their top four rivals involved Nabil Bentaleb was guilty of failing to Jason Puncheon had put the home defence in trouble with in league action this weekend, Chelsea took break, with Oscar appearing in place of Frank Vertonghen slipped and sent a back-pass make the most of a good opportunity fol- Lampard. into the forward’s path, which the former an understrength header. advantage to consolidate their position. lowing Adebayor’s flick on-the Algeria inter- They now sit seven points clear of Seven days previously at Craven Cottage, Barcelona forward finished well. Southampton should have been 2-0 up by the break as national shot wide instead of squaring to Andre Schurrle had turned things around Three minutes later Kaboul pushed Eto’o Adam Lallana teed up Rickie Lambert but the England Liverpool and Arsenal, who have one game waiting team-mates-while Chelsea keeper in hand on the leaders, and nine points with a second half hat-trick. The Germany and Hazard converted from the spot after striker, with the goal begging, nonchalantly fired his shot Petr Cech reacted well to save from Sandro. international once again had the chance to the defender had been sent off. Then Ba against the post. ahead of Manchester City, who have played Just as they had against Fulham last three games less than Chelsea. For turn the game in his side’s direction shortly stepped off the bench to score twice after The hosts worked hard in the second-half to push for the week, Chelsea appeared stuttering and dis- after the restart but he scuffed a clear shot first Zeki Fryers and then Walker made slop- equaliser and also pin back Southampton’s marauding Tottenham, this defeat came as a harsh blow jointed during the first half and it was no sur- to their chances of closing the gap on the wide. py mistakes to give the forward a pair of rou- attack, succeeding more with the latter than creating any- prise when Mourinho made a change at the Eto’o finally got his chance when tine finishes. — AFP thing of note to trouble Artur Boruc in the Saints goal. —AFP