SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2014 SPORTS Moyes set for tricky Everton

LONDON: Manchester United manager will be under the spotlight when he returns to Everton today for the first time since he left the club for at the end of last season. Moyes was in charge at Goodison Park for 11 years before leaving when his contract expired to replace Alex Ferguson, British football’s most successful manager, at United following his fel- low Scot’s retirement. While Moyes’s successor, Roberto Martinez, has guided the Everton to a challenge for a Champions League place, some- thing Moyes achieved in 2005, United have slipped into mid-table after winning the by 11 points last season. In the first meeting between the two teams this term, Bryan Oviedo scored the only goal late on to secure a 1-0 win for Everton at Old Trafford. The Toffees are currently nine points ahead of United but Moyes, who has said the match should not be about him in the build-up, maintains that catching his old club and gaining a Champions League spot is still possible. “We’ve said we’ll never give in (in terms of finishing in the top four) and we won’t until we Brendan Rodgers can’t do that. Obviously it’s nearly mathemati- cally impossible but we’re still trying to make it happen if we can,” Moyes said. “It’s a tough Rodgers only has game going to Goodison for any team at any time, as I should know, but we go there with a David Moyes good away record and will try to make that line-up after coming off the bench in the shock quality of the players,” the Spaniard added. eyes for work again. 3-2 defeat by Crystal Palace after a muscular “But the three points in this period for us as a “We’ll be tested against a team in good form injury. Everton’s Champions League chances fell football club are more important than any LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan in his last four appearances against this year and we will have to play very well.” out of their own hands with their loss to Palace aspect you can highlight in the fixture-and I Rodgers remains confident he will be able Norwich, including four in this season’s United striker Wayne Rooney is fit to face his for- in midweek and Martinez feels that the visit of think that speaks volumes of what an impres- to keep his players focused against reverse fixture at Anfield. mer club after recovering from a toe injury, United, with the emotion supplied by Moyes’s sive season it’s been so far. “I think the biggest Norwich City as they attempt to take “Luis is remarkable in his performance while Juan Mata is available again after being return and the importance of the three points, compliment we can pay to ourselves is that the another step towards the Premier League level,” Rodgers said. “I saw the three goals cup-tied for the 3-1 Champions League defeat makes today’s match his team’s most significant three points at this moment are more important title. that he scored at Carrow Road before I at Bayern Munich. of the campaign. than all the aspects that you can mention. The Reds are currently top of the table came in and he’s hit three and four in single Midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who followed “This game is probably our biggest of the “There are lots of interesting angles in this and know that if they win their remaining matches during my time here against Moyes from Everton in August, should be fit to season. We know how vital the three points are game but we’re going to concentrate on the four games they will be crowned English Norwich. face his old team but there are doubts over and that is our only concern,” said Martinez. fact that the only important thing today is champions for the first time since 1990. “But I take more solace in what we do as defenders Rafael and Jonny Evans. “Obviously, it’s glamorous to see the champi- how well we can perform over 90 minutes and With Manchester City drawing 2-2 a team. Luis has scored a large part of his For Everton, Republic of Ireland midfielder ons at Goodison and it’s great to welcome the how successful we can be at the end of the against Sunderland on Wednesday, the goals up there on his own. He enjoys that James McCarthy is likely to return to the starting figures that we’re going to welcome and the game.”—AFP sense of anticipation at Anfield has role and the freedom and the space that it increased even further, but Rodgers insists offers him. “Thankfully, we’ve got other his players are simply focused on Sunday’s players in the team who can score goals. match against strugglers Norwich at He’s been fantastic and he will continue to Carrow Road. be.” Ranieri and Monaco “We never look too far ahead-that’s key Meanwhile Norwich manager Neil in order to manage that expectancy,” said Adams believes his side, now just two Rodgers. “It doesn’t matter about Chelsea, points above the relegation zone, can pick Crystal Palace or Newcastle now-we have up points against all the odds. seek derby redemption to do the job against Norwich. “We focus The Canaries face a nightmare run-in on our performance level and that takes with their final four matches against our mind off a lot of the other external fac- Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and PARIS: Monaco host Nice in a Cote d’Azur derby “The criticism is to be expected. Everyone Monaco. tors and background noise that may come Arsenal. today looking to get back to winning ways in said we were the team that had to fight with The game is also important for Marseille, who across your way.” But Adams, whose first match in charge Ligue 1 after the blow of losing in the French Paris Saint-Germain. But you (the media) know are sixth but can move level on points with Lyon The Northern Irishman added: “Norwich since replacing the sacked Chris Hughton Cup semi-finals. very well if the criticism is fair or not. And I get as they try to snatch European qualification have changed the shape of the team. They was a 1-0 defeat by relegation rivals The principality club were stunned by strug- on with my job. themselves. played a diamond last weekend and they Fulham last week, said: “We have four mas- gling Guingamp on Wednesday, losing 3-1 after “That’s football. It’s not a problem. The prob- “We don’t want to talk about Europe. We have created some chances. “It’s been difficult sive games against top class opposition extra time to end their hopes of winning major lem is the next match and concentrating on it.” just taken six points from a possible six and we for them this season, but we don’t underes- and we know 32 points (Norwich’s current silverware for the first time in more than a Monaco are second in Ligue 1, 10 points want to continue. Lille are a difficult team to timate them. We’ll respect them and know tally) won’t be enough. I am pretty sure of decade. behind leaders PSG, who play Lyon in the play, very strong defensively and tactically that they are a threat.” that. It was a defeat that did coach Claudio Ranieri League Cup final late yesterday. A defeat for strong,” said OM’s interim coach Jose Anigo. Liverpool will be without Jordan “These last four are going to be very few favors at a time when his future at the Stade Monaco against their local rivals would leave the At the bottom of the table, Ajaccio cross Henderson, who will serve the first game of tough and people may feel we have the Louis II is the subject of much speculation, espe- way clear Corsica for the derby against Bastia knowing a three-match ban against the Canaries most difficult run-in of the lot but we are cially with sports daily L’Equipe reporting that for the capital club to secure the title with a they have to win to stand any chance of further after he was sent off against Manchester confident with the same effort and the Italian changed his team selection three win against Evian next Wednesday, and it would postponing their inevitable relegation. City, with Joe Allen likely to deputise in approach we showed (at Fulham) we will times in the corridors of Guingamp’s Stade du also leave third-placed Lille in with a chance of Even if they do claim all three points at the midfield. The Reds will give a fitness test to pick up points. “It is a huge advantage to be Roudourou before the match. However, the beating them to second place. Stade Armand-Cesari, their return to Ligue 2 striker Daniel Sturridge after he suffered a out of the bottom three. Italian, who became known as the ‘Tinkerman’ Only the top two sides in Ligue 1 qualify after three seasons in the top tier will be con- hamstring injury against City which may There is pressure on Fulham to get out during his time in charge of Chelsea a decade automatically for the Champions League group firmed if Guingamp take anything from their trip force Rodgers into a change of formation. of it, but we know how perilously close we ago, deserves some credit for taking Monaco stage, with the third-placed team having to go to Bordeaux. Valenciennes are six points from Rodgers also expects Norwich to target are. We cannot hide away from that fact,” he into second place in the table with only five through two qualifying rounds first. safety and so desperately need a win against striker Luis Suarez who boasts a remarkable added. “We have to get ourselves up and games left and he remained bullish as to his The game will be a special one for Nice coach Nantes, while Sochaux know they must improve goalscoring record against the Canaries. away from it and we need a bigger gap on future when he faced the press on Friday. Claude Puel, who spent nearly two decades with their away record if they are to stand a chance of The Uruguay striker has scored 11 goals the three (teams) below us.” —AFP “If one defeat makes your position fragile, Monaco as a player and later won the title with pulling off a great escape. They are five points then it must be ‘au revoir’. It’s not possible that them as coach in 2000. from safety as they prepare to travel to Reims. one defeat can change things like that. And my Lille travel to Marseille today evening looking Herve Renard’s side have won five and drawn president is very intelligent,” said Ranieri, who to extend a 10-game unbeaten run as they try to one of their last six home games, but they have Celtic held by has a year to go on his contract. secure a podium finish and keep the pressure on not won on the road all season.—AFP late Sutton goal Wenger defiant ahead of : John Sutton grabbed a to equalise when they were awarded a stoppage time equaliser as Motherwell 22nd minute penalty after Iain Vigurs held Celtic to a dramatic 3-3 draw in a stuck out a leg to trip Stokes, who was Hull Cup final ‘warm-up’ thriller at . The home side had heading away from goal. raced into an early lead when Efe Commons had scored his previous Ambrose misjudged the flight of a lofted nine penalties but he was denied a tenth LONDON: Arsene Wenger insists his Arsenal side Stadium will open the door for Everton to regain in the FA Cup final, we went out only against pass to let in Sutton to fire home a fifth as Nielsen made a superb one-handed have made progress this season despite once the initiative. Bayern Munich in the Champions League with again facing a battle to hold on to a top four Having dropped out of contention for the 10 men and we had come out of a very difficult minute opener. save. spot. title after leading the table for long periods, Champions League group,” added the 64-year- Kris Commons saw his 22nd minute Motherwell got a second in the 44th Wenger’s side travel to Hull today in the Wenger’s side has again been accused of failing old Frenchman, who joined north London side penalty saved by Gunnar Nielsen before minute as Celtic were caught out by a fourth and final Champions League place, a to make progress, although back-to-back victo- Arsenal in 1996. Zane Francis-Angol made it 2-0 when he long ball from Stevie Hammell. Henri point clear of Everton who handed the Gunners ries against Wigan in last weekend’s FA Cup “I believe that we have shown some real poked past Fraser Forster in the 44th Anier unsettled Virgil van Dijk and the an advantage by unexpectedly losing at home semi-final and in midweek against West Ham in potential and promise for the future. “What you minute. ball broke off Emilio Izaguirre to Francis- to Crystal Palace in midweek. With four Premier the league have silenced some of the criticism. want from your team is to feel that the team has Anthony Stokes pulled one back for Angol who poked through the legs of League games remaining, Arsenal-who last sea- “I think we have moved forward a lot, consid- given as much as they could. After that, you Celtic in first-half stoppage time with an Forster. son secured fourth spot on the final day of the ering what happened to us with a number of leave the judgement to other people. audacious finish before Georgios Stokes produced a magnificent campaign-are narrow favourites to fend off the injuries we had in a crucial period of the season,” “We want to come out of the season and Samaras prodded home an equaliser in response to reduce the deficit in first-half challenge of Roberto Martinez’s side. said Wenger, now the Premier League’s longest- think we have given absolutely everything, and I the 56th minute. stoppage time. The Irish striker dragged But anything less than victory in a dress serving manager. “We were 17 or 18 times top of must say this team has been absolutely focused Both sides had chances before Leigh the ball away from a couple of defenders rehearsal of next month’s FA Cup final at the KC the league, that did not happen last year, we are since the start of the season. “We had our Griffiths came off the bench to fire Celtic and then from a tight angle he produced downs, and big downs for some periods, but the in front in the 86th minute. It looked as if an audacious curling effort that evaded behavior was always focused.” Motherwell were heading for defeat after Nielsen and snuck in at the far post. Meanwhile Hull manager Steve Bruce taking a two goal lead for the second Motherwell came close to extending believes Arsenal are primed to compete with the successive week before Sutton slid home their lead in the 54th minute when big spenders of English football again. to seal a point for the home side that Beram Kayal stooped to nod Sutton’s The Gunners have gone nine years without a keeps them three points behind header from a corner off the line. trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 2005, having Aberdeen in the race for second place. The home side were left to rue that adopted a relatively conservative approach in the transfer market in recent seasons. “Our first half performance was poor missed opportunity when Samaras Bruce though believes the addition of club- and we gifted Motherwell two goals. It equalised two minutes later. A long record signing Mesut Ozil in September sig- looked as if some of the players were on throw-in into the box was headed out to nalled Arsenal’s willingness to compete on the holiday already so obviously I had a few Stokes whose scuffed shot landed at the spending the front, along with the likes of words at half-time,” Celtic manager Neil feet of Samaras, who held off McManus Manchester City and Chelsea. Lennon explained. to prod past Nielsen. “It was great to see them signing someone “Our second half performance was Griffiths, in trouble with the Scottish like Ozil,” said Bruce. “Looking from afar, it seems excellent and we should have won the Football Association for his behaviour off they spent eight or nine years funding the game.” Motherwell manager Stuart the pitch in recent weeks, replaced Kayal Emirates Stadium and were not able to compete McCall was proud of his players’ perform- and looked to have made the headlines at the top level in the transfer market. ance. “It was a deserved point and a fan- for the right reasons when he reacted “But paying all that money for Ozil (£42.4 mil- tastic match,” McCall said. “When you are quickest to prod past the keeper. lion, $66 million, 50 million euros) was a state- 2-0 up and lose a goal right on half-time However, Sutton had the last word ment that they are now ready to challenge the and they score so early in the second half when he slid in to connect with Lionel biggest clubs in Europe for any outstanding tal- you think it is just a matter of time. “They Ainsworth’s pass at the back post. ent that becomes available. “It sends out a real get it with three minutes to go but what Relegated Hearts, who finished with ten message, because he is a terrific player, a real character from the lads to bounce back.” men, secured a 2-0 win over Ross County, danger to any team he comes up against,” the Motherwell grabbed the opener after Partick Thistle won 2-1 away to former Manchester United captain added. just four minutes. Ambrose allowed Kilmarnock and St Mirren moved up to “Arsene hasn’t spent on anything like the Stephen McManus’s long ball out of eighth with a 2-0 win over Hibernian. same scale as some of the big clubs, yet Arsenal are always competing in semi-finals and even defence to sail over his head which let in Stevie May scored his 26th of the sea- finals in the Champions League, as well as for Sutton to drill a low angled shot under son as St Johnstone defeated Dundee honours on the domestic front. “How people can the arms of Forster and into the net. United 2-0 in a dress rehearsal of next question him, when you look at his record, baf- Celtic were presented with a chance month’s final.—AFP Arsene Wenger fles me.”—AFP