SPORTS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2013

Palace face tough fight to beat drop, says Pulis

LONDON: Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis yesterday Selhurst Park with Palace second bottom of the table Palace’s dire circumstances those qualities and Pulis’s not achieved; get in the Premiership and stay there and conceded his new team face a tough battle to avoid after nine defeats from their 12 matches and he admit- experience could be key factors. And, asked if he had take the club forward.” Pulis was also keen to dismiss relegation from the . Pulis has been ted it will take a significant effort to stay up. considered turning down Palace’s approach because of suggestions that he is becoming the equivalent of a pitched into a daunting fight to beat the drop after “I’m still very ambitious, I like climbing hills,” he said. the club’s status as top-flight minnows, Pulis struck an firefighter sent in to rescue teams in trouble. “What agreeing a two-and-a-half-year contract to replace Ian “This is going to be a tough job, but one I will relish. “I upbeat note. “It’s a club in the Premiership, a smashing people don’t talk about is I’ve been promoted out of Holloway, who resigned a month ago. told the players we will be underdogs. People expect club with great history. It’s going to be a tough job and every division and been to the final of an FA Cup,” he The former Stoke boss was in the stands at Hull on us to be relegated.” Pulis won promotion with Stoke I have not come in with any illusions,” he said. said.“People talk about me being a firefighter, but I Saturday as the Eagles responded to the presence of and kept them in the top-flight for four seasons before “This club has had a remarkable few years and the have also been very successful. It annoys me that in this their new boss with a crucial 1-0 win, and he will take leaving his post in May.He has a reputation for produc- board of directors and chairman have to be applauded country you get pigeon-holed for certain things. charge for the first time against Norwich on Saturday. ing aggressive and direct sides, who rely on their for looking after the club and pushing it on. “This is an “Everyone talks about not being relegated, but as a But, despite that welcome gift, Pulis arrives at strength and organisation to over-power opponents. In opportunity to try and achieve something Palace have manager I have got a few promotions.” — AFP Chelsea ready to clinch last 16 spot

PARIS: Chelsea travel to Switzerland to face FC Basel in the Champions League today knowing that a point will be enough to seal their place in the last 16. Last year, as reigning European champi- ons, the Blues were eliminated in the group stage, but while they have not always con- vinced since the return to the dugout of Jose Mourinho, they have seized control of Group E since a shock home defeat to Basel in September. That 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge has been followed by comprehensive victories away to Steaua Bucharest and twice against Schalke, Mourinho’s men rattling in 10 goals and conceding none in those AMSTERDAM: Ajax Amsterdam player Bogdan Krkic (C) takes part in a training session yesterday in games to sit three points clear of the Amsterdam, on the eve of the Champions League football match Ajax Amsterdam vs FC Barcelona Germans at the top of the section. today. — AFP As they return to the St Jakob-Park, scene of a 2-1 win in the first leg of last sea- son’s Europa League semi-final in April, Top spot Barca’s Chelsea will be looking to extend a run of just one defeat in 13 matches in all compe- COBHAM: Chelsea’s, from left, Eden Hazard, John Obi Mikel, Cesar Azpilicueta, Branislav titions. Ivanovic, Samuel Eto’o and Oscar in action, during a training session at Cobham training They were convincing 3-0 winners away ground in Cobham, England, yesterday. Chelsea will play Basel in the Champions League aim in Amsterdam to West Ham United on Saturday, a result group E soccer match at St Jakob-Park stadium today. — AP MADRID: Injury-struck Barcelona can ensure they debut after being included in Martino’s 19-man that left them in third place in the Premier finish top of Champions League Group H with just squad for the trip to Amsterdam. League and eased concerns about their a point when they travel to face Ajax today. Despite his side’s injury problems, Martino has away form, which had previously been Pellegrini puzzled by Gerardo Martino’s men have already qualified still selected a strong squad and the likes of patchy. for the last-16 and shrugged off the absence of Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Alexis Sanchez and Veteran midfielder Frank Lampard Lionel Messi and Victor Valdes among others to Neymar are all expected to start. scored twice against his former club at the hit-and-miss Man City maintain their place atop La Liga with a compre- Ajax, meanwhile, still have aspirations of joining weekend and now he is looking forward to hensive 4-0 win over Granada on Saturday. Barca in the last-16 as they lie third in the group, gaining revenge on Basel following that MANCHESTER: Manchester City manag- noon at the Etihad Stadium would take Cesc Fabregas was on target once more at the but just a point behind AC Milan with the Dutch September shocker. er Manuel Pellegrini admitted he cannot some time to digest. weekend and he has echoed his coach’s calls for champions still to travel to Milan on matchday six. “The great thing about that game is it’s explain the disparity between his side’s “To lose 6-0 is extremely embarrass- there to be no excuses despite the absence of a However, Frank de Boer’s men could be without a bit of a distant memory now, because of home and away form after their 6-0 dem- ing,” said the Portuguese coach. “We have number of key players. “We want to be prepared two of their more influential attacking players as results since then,” Lampard told Chelsea olition of Premier League rivals high expectations for the season and los- for everything that is coming,” he said. Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Siem de Jong are doubt- TV. Tottenham Hotspur. ing to a rival by that scoreline is always “There is total unity in the group and under- ful after picking up injuries on international duty “It wasn’t easy to go and win three on City have won all six of their home difficult. A defeat like this tends to stick standing with the coach. “We need to try so that last week. Both men missed Saturday’s comfortable the bounce and we still have a bit more to games this season-the only team in the more to your career than the good the other players aren’t missed and we managed 3-0 home win over Heracles which kept Ajax just do. We can put the record straight today. English Football League to have done so- things you achieve. that against Granada, but we are talking about two points behind Vitesse Arnhem atop the “We lost at home (to Basel), but we won very important players.” The Catalans will be boost- . and have plundered a Premier League “Our game plan, our confidence and ed by the return of Xavi Hernandez after he sat out Danny Hoesen and Davy Klaasen made their there last year in the Europa League. Let’s record 26 goals. motivation was affected after we suf- the Granada match with a hamstring problem. claim to be included as both scored in De Jong and try to get that win. Then you can relax in Their victories at the Etihad Stadium fered a goal in 13 seconds (sic). It is a bad However, Adriano has joined Jordi Alba and Sigthorsson’s absence. However, De Boer knows that last game a little bit. We need to go also include a 4-1 thrashing of defending moment. We have to be ashamed of the Adriano on the sidelines, leaving Martin Montoya that much more will be required if they are to take and do the job.” champions Manchester United and a 7-0 result.” City’s attack shredded a defence as the only senior full-back available to Martino. something from Barcelona today. Against West Ham, Chelsea were with- evisceration of Norwich City, but their that had previously conceded just six Their absence could see Carles Puyol make a return “It’s good for their confidence that they scored. out left-back Ashley Cole, who has not away form is a different matter entirely. goals in the league, while the Spurs to right-back, where he began his career, or 20- They did their best, but I know they can both still started any of the team’s last three games, City have won just once on the road, attack has registered only nine goals year-old Barca B prospect Patric may be handed his do much better,” he told the club’s website. — AFP with Cesar Azpilicueta again deputising on at West Ham United, and it is due to despite several big-money signings dur- the left of the defence. Fernando Torres has defeats at Cardiff City, Aston Villa, ing the close season. also been on the sidelines due to an Chelsea and bottom club Sunderland However, Villas-Boas cited the incon- adductor injury, although Mourinho has that they find themselves six points sistency of his team’s rivals as a reason to indicated that he is “almost ready” to behind leaders Arsenal. remain optimistic over the campaign’s return. “This team at home score more than winter months. “The only thing that is The margins are fine for Chelsea, as a four goals a game. The problem is away,” astonishing in this league is that surpris- defeat in Switzerland would leave them Pellegrini said. “I don’t think we play so ing results can happen,” said the former just a point clear of Basel while also giving differently away from home. We normally Chelsea manager, whose side trail sec- Schalke the chance to move level on points have more chances than the home team. ond-place Liverpool by only four points. at the top if they can win away in They don’t have a lot of possession of the “City are on four defeats. We are on four Bucharest. ball. defeats, at such an early stage in the sea- Basel are fresh from celebrating their “But for different reasons we have not son. 120th birthday with a 4-1 win against Thun had the results we wanted. I am “The December and January results at the weekend which kept them clear at absolutely sure if we continue to play like will be vital in how the league will finish. the top of their domestic Super League this we will get results away from home.” At the moment you can be third or ninth. and have been beaten just once in 19 out- Jesus Navas opened the scoring after That is the reality.” City will now turn their ings since early August. only 14 seconds of Sunday’s game and attentions to tomorrow’s Champions However, they have taken just one point completed the scoring in injury time, League game at home to Czech champi- from two home outings so far in this sea- with a Sandro own goal, a brace from ons Viktoria Pilsen, having already son’s group stage and a defeat here, cou- Sergio Aguero and a superb Alvaro secured a place in the last 16. LONDON: The Arsenal squad take part in a training session at the club’s training ground in north pled with a win for Schalke, will end their Negredo strike swelling City’s lead in Pellegrini revealed that goalkeeper London, yesterday, ahead of their UEFA Champions League group football match against Marseille in prospects of reaching the last 16. between. Joe Hart would start the game, after he London today. — AFP Coach Murat Yakin will look for his side Tottenham trail City by only two was left on the bench in favour of to flourish in the role of underdog again, points, but their title aspirations have Romanian understudy Costel Pantilimon but must do without midfielder Marcelo been exposed by a run of three games for the fifth game in succession against Wenger, Cazorla wary Diaz after he suffered a broken rib while on without victory that includes a 1-0 loss at Spurs. international duty with Chile. — AFP home to Newcastle United in their previ- “Joe Hart will play tomorrow,” said the ous outing. Chilean. Pellegrini also disclosed that of renegade Marseille Spurs had not lost by six goals in the captain Vincent Kompany is due to league since a 7-1 thrashing by return to training later this week after LONDON: Manager Arsene Wenger has warned things very complicated for us to go to Napoli and win Newcastle in 1996 and manager Andre spending close to two months on the Arsenal not to underestimate Marseille as the Premier there.” Arsenal’s 1-0 win at in their Villas-Boas conceded that their after- sidelines with a thigh injury. — AFP League leaders look to close on a place in the last European outing means that they will qualify for Matches on TV Champions League last 16 today. Marseille can no the last 16 if they beat Marseille and the German side (Local Timings) longer qualify for the next phase, while Arsenal will go draw their home game with Napoli. into the match at the Emirates Stadium level on points Wenger saw his team return to winning ways in the with Napoli at the top of Group F and with a place in Premier League on Saturday with a 2-0 victory at home UEFA Champions League the knockout rounds in sight. to Southampton, following a 1-0 loss at Manchester Marseille have lost all four of their European games United in their last game before the international break. Zenit v Atletico 20:00 to date and recently went seven games without a win in Olivier Giroud scored twice, capitalising on a blun- Aljazeera Sport 2 HD all competitions, but Wenger, whose side won 2-1 in der by Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc and then September’s reverse fixture, says they deserve respect. netting a late penalty, as Arsenal stretched their lead at Steaua v Schalke 22:45 “They started in a difficult position because they lost the top of the table to four points. Aljazeera Sport +4 their first game at home (against Arsenal),” said the Wenger may rotate his starting XI against Marseille, Frenchman. “Also they went through a bad patch in the with England winger Theo Walcott in contention to Basel v Chelsea 22:45 French championship, which for me had a consequence start after making his return from an abdominal prob- Aljazeera Sport 3 HD on their Champions League form. “They are a good side lem as a second-half substitute against Southampton. who went through a difficult period and that difficult Marseille secured a first away win since September Borussia v SSC Napoli 22:45 period which they had certainly had an impact. on Friday when they won 3-1 at Ajaccio in Ligue 1. Aljazeera Sport 1 HD “Now, they have played a very good game in Naples Victory came at a cost, however, with former Lille (losing 3-2) and were unlucky to lose. I am sure that forward Dimitri Payet sustaining a swollen knee that Arsenal v Marseille 22:45 they will be difficult to beat tonight.” Spanish midfielder has ruled him out of the trip to north London. Mathieu Aljazeera Sport +2 Santi Cazorla echoed his manager’s words of warning, Valbuena and goal-scorer Andre-Pierre Gignac picked telling the club website: “There is nothing at stake for up knocks in the game as well, while manager Elie Baup FC Porto v Austria Wien 22:45 Marseille because they have zero points, but they are also has doubts over Rod Fanni, Nicolas N’Koulou and Aljazeera Sport 5 HD going to make things difficult for us. Saber Khelifa. “It may be tough and if we’re not careful we might Gignac had to go off against Ajaccio after hurting Ajax v Barcelona 22:45 slip, and then we might not be able to get through to one of his ribs, having scored Marseille’s second goal in Aljazeera Sport 2 HD the next round. “We need to understand that it’s a vital the 39th minute with a stunning 20-yard volley. It was KUALA LUMPUR: Nominee for the Asia Football Confederation (AFC) men’s “Player of match. If we get the right result, we can automatically the France international’s first league start since a 1-0 Sceltic v AC Milan 22:45 the Year” award, Iran’s Esteghlal football player Javad Nekonam, speaks during a go to the next round. loss at Nice on October 18 and Baup said he was Aljazeera Sport 2 HD press conference at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The awards gala will take “If we obtained a bad result, then it would make encouraged by the 27-year-old’s performance.—AFP place in the Malaysian capital today. — AFP