SPORTS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2014 Sanchez gives Arsenal killer instinct LONDON: Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says Alexis Sanchez’s fierce competitive streak has transformed the mentality of the Arsenal squad. Arsene Wenger’s side travel to face Stoke on Saturday seeking a fourth successive win after Sanchez continued his superb form with the late strike that secured a 1-0 victory over Southampton in midweek. The Chile international’s goal was his eighth in his last eight appearances and ensured the north London club did not lose any more ground on leaders Chelsea, who they trail by 13 points. Sanchez has wasted little time making his mark following his £30 million ($47 million) arrival from Barcelona during the last transfer window and Oxlade- Chamberlain claims his tenacity and will to win has been felt throughout the squad. “There is no rest for him. On recovery days he wants to be playing and he is not happy if he is not allowed to play the game at the end of training,” Oxlade-Chamberlain said. “He has brought that winning mentality to the side and it definitely rubs off on a lot of players. “It has been an eye- opener for me. To make it to the top and to be able perform like he does week in, week out, you have got to be an absolute winner and you never want to lose at all. “He is not happy when he does not score. If I had scored as many goals as he has at this stage, I would be over the moon. “He has been brilliant for us and a breath of fresh air, so hope- fully he can stay in the form that he is in and we can help him out to keep producing goals like he has been.” The gap between sixth-placed Arsenal and the top of the table means the Gunners hopes of being crowned champions for the first time in 11 years are extremely slim. And England international Oxlade-Chamberlain admits the target now is to build on the progress of the last two weeks before turning their sights on the leaders. LONDON: Chelsea’s Loic Remy (centre) celebrates after scoring in this file photo. —AP “I am not concentrating too much on Chelsea. You never know, they might drop off,” Oxlade-Chamberlain. “If they do, we need to make sure we are back in, following them closely with getting results and trying to climb up the table.” Squad depth gives Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and right-back Mathieu Debuchy could be back in contention after injury lay- offs, but Theo Walcott is unlikely to return to the squad, while Jack Wilshere and Mesut Ozil are long-term absentees. Chelsea the edge Meanwhile, Stoke captain has warned Arsenal to expect their usual hostile reception from City fans. There has been an edge to matches between the pair ever since the controversial challenge by Shawcross which left Arsenal NEWCASTLE: Chelsea striker Loic Remy believes his side’s play-that is why I work hard during training sessions. midfielder Aaron Ramsey with a broken leg in 2010. —AFP convincing midweek victory over Tottenham Hotspur illus- “We have good strikers and the others are very profes- trated why the Stamford Bridge club are already clear sional. But every time the manager wants to use me, I try to favourites to land the Premier League title. Jose Mourinho’s do my best.” side travel to face Newcastle United on Saturday having Chelsea return to the north-east seven days after drop- Reds ready consolidated their six-point lead at the head of the table ping two points in a scoreless stalemate with Newcastle’s with a 3-0 win over Spurs on Wednesday. near neighbours Sunderland. Remy, who made a goal-scoring appearance as a substi- Manchester City’s win at Southampton 24 hours later for revival tute against Mauricio Pochettino’s side, feels Chelsea are allowed the champions to move to within six points of the dominating the title race because of the squad’s strength in leaders and Manuel Pellegrini’s side will draw hope from the LIVERPOOL: Brendan Rodgers admits Liverpool hit rock depth. fact Mourinho has never won at St James’ Park. bottom last month but the Reds manager is confident sur- The win against Spurs was achieved without leading However, despite Sunderland’s dogged performance viving such a tumultuous period will be the making of his scorer , who was forced to sit out the game against Chelsea, Newcastle captain Steven Taylor says that players. while he served a one-game suspension. Alan Pardew’s side will not adopt the same stifling tactics. Rodgers’ side lost three successive Premier League With the Spain international sidelined, Didier Drogba “I watched the game between Sunderland and Chelsea, matches for the first time in his two-and-a-half-year reign stepped in to lead the attack and found the target before but this is going to be a totally different match,” said the for- as a nightmare run threatened to ruin Liverpool’s season. making way for Remy in the second half. mer England Under-21 defender, whose side have lost only The former Swansea boss found himself under pressure And with Kurt Zouma deputising impressively for Gary once in nine matches. as a result, with questions from fans and media over Cahill after the England centre-back was forced off through “We’re at home, and we’ll be going out to play our own whether he was the right man to lead Liverpool out of the injury, Remy believes the game highlighted the quality of game. We’re not really set up to be defensive and to put a lot crisis. Mourinho’s fringe players. of players behind the ball, and I’m not sure we’d want to do But the Reds responded positively to end November “We know the quality of Diego-he can score and is a real- that anyway. “We’ll be playing our natural game and looking with a battling 2-2 Champions League draw against ly good striker. We like the way he’s playing. But this was a to be positive, because that’s the way we play.” Having Bulgarian side Ludogorets and then a 1-0 league win over real opportunity for Didier and for me, to show we can win impressed as a second-half substitute in the 1-1 midweek Stoke last weekend. without Diego,” said the Frenchman. “We need everybody. draw at Burnley on his return from a three-week injury lay- Liverpool followed that with a more convincing 3-1 vic- The squad is really strong and that makes the difference off, Taylor could partner Fabricio Coloccini at centre-back. tory at Leicester in midweek and Rodgers says morale at between us and the other teams. Winger Sammy Ameobi is struggling with a thigh prob- Anfield has improved significantly ahead of Saturday’s “We will keep going to try and keep the distance from lem, and Rolando Aarons is another week away from making home clash with Sunderland. our closest opponent. It’s six points and that’s really good. his comeback following hamstring trouble. “We were at a low as everyone saw,” Rodgers said. “We We try to continue in this way.”Costa is expected to return But manager Pardew will be boosted by the availability had set such high standards here over the past couple of against Newcastle, but Remy says he will be ready if of influential midfield duo and Jack Colback years and we had fallen way below that. “I felt the per- Mourinho opts to field the international against his after suspension. formance levels weren’t quite right. But I felt the change former club. “We’ve got one or two players coming back and it gives after that. I felt that could be the making of us. —AFP “For me it’s important I took my chance,” he said. us further options,” said Pardew, whose side have prevailed “Mourinho can count on me any time he wants. I want to in their last two home games against Chelsea. —AFP