SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2016 SPORTS Debutant Austin punishes desperate Man United dence. Looking to score for the fifth suc- cessive game for the first time since United 0 2010, Wayne Rooney tried his luck with a couple of efforts, but they never looked likely to bring him a goal. Wideman Jesse Lingard, whose focus was more on Southampton 1 defending than supporting United’s attacks, saw a tame shot go wide from a rare foray forward. MANCHESTER: Debutant Charlie Januzaj return Austin’s late goal earned Southampton a Indeed, it was Southampton who had 1-0 victory at Manchester United yester- the best chance to take the lead in the day that put the pressure back on beaten first half. Nine minutes before half-time manager Louis van Gaal. Austin joined Dusan Tadic released Sadio Mane with a Southampton for £4 million ($5.7 million, perfect pass that the forward failed to 5.2 million euros) from Queens Park turn into a serious effort on goal with Rangers last week and made a spectacu- just David de Gea to beat. The introduc- lar debut as a substitute at Old Trafford. tion of Juan Mata at half-time in place of The striker, a prolific scorer for QPR, Marouane Fellaini lifted the crowd and Burnley and Swindon Town, had been on United’s tempo as they finally started to the pitch for only seven minutes when stretch the Southampton defense. Mata he powered home a header from James and Rooney combined to almost find a Ward-Prowse’s 87th-minute free-kick. His way through, but the Saints remained goal handed United a fifth defeat in 10 dangerous on the break and it took a games, leaving them five points off the brave defensive header from Matteo top four, and despite a five-match Darmian to prevent Shane Long from unbeaten run before this, Van Gaal’s side reaching Mane’s cross. Darmian was have won just three of their last 13 games. injured in the incident and went off, to That record, and the bland style of be replaced by Paddy McNair. It was a football that has contributed to it, is further source of concern for Van Gaal, doing nothing for Van Gaal’s job security who has already indicated his desire to and while the Dutchman has been try and sign another full-back after losing unhappy with speculation about his Ashley Young, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw position, it will only intensify after this and Antonio Valencia to injury. latest dismal defeat. United have failed to McNair replaced Darmian in what was score at home in seven matches this sea- virtually a five-man United defense, and son and their chances of finishing in the which was almost undone from succes- top four to secure Champions League sive corners as Long and Victor Wanyama both headed wide. United did not heed SUNDERLAND: Sunderland’s Fabio Borini (right) vies for the ball with Bournemouth’s Adam Smith during the English Premier League soccer football next season are diminishing fast. match between Sunderland and Bournemouth yesterday. —AP Having gone 17 years without an away that warning, though, as they continued win over United, Southampton won at to look vulnerable from set-pieces and Old Trafford for the second season in a three minutes from the end of normal row. United’s first-half showing was as time they were sunk. Austin is a penalty- A goal not enough for bad as anything they have served up in a area predator and the 26-year-old clever- dreary campaign, with the home sup- ly found space to beat De Gea with a per- porters showing their displeasure before fectly directed header from eight yards the break. out. De Gea prevented a second goal as struggling Sunderland It took just 35 minutes for the first he saved from Oriol Romeu, but United boos and chants of ‘Attack!’ to be heard could not make the most of that after another aimless ball from the back reprieve. Adnan Januzaj, back as a substi- Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester O’Shea and a deflected Fabio Borini shot, they United to follow, it was a missed opportunity for equalized in first-half stoppage time. Borini, dropped harmlessly into the arms of tute following his unhappy loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, shot just wide in Sunderland 1 Sam Allardyce’s side. returning to the side in place of Danny Graham, Fraser Forster. The Southampton goal- Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth, beaten only picked out Van Aanholt’s run from left-back with keeper had been a virtual spectator as stoppage time, but there was to be no late equaliser to keep the heat off Van once in six league games on the road, remain a pass between centre-back and full-back and United’s promising start faded away, 15th, four points clear of third-bottom the Dutchman rifled home his second goal in along with their seemingly fragile confi- Gaal.— AFP Bournemouth 1 Newcastle United. Jordan Pickford, 21, had kept two games. goal for Sunderland in their two previous games, It was a goal that will have completely but Mannone returned to the starting XI against changed the tenor of the half-time team-talks Bournemouth and was at fault for the first goal. and Sunderland were a different team after the SUNDERLAND: Second-bottom Sunderland Afobe met Junior Stanislas’s bouncing cross from interval. Former Bournemouth striker Jermain squandered a chance to close in on Premier the right with a diving header and although he Defoe almost caught Boruc out with a dipping League safety as Patrick van Aanholt’s strike made decent contact, Mannone got a strong shot that sailed inches wide, while Billy Jones earned them a 1-1 draw at home to hand to the ball and should have kept it out. headed straight at Boruc from Adam Johnson’s Bournemouth yesterday. The Dutch left-back Bournemouth looked to build on their early right-wing cross. Yann M’Vila also tested Boruc, struck in first-half injury time after January sign- momentum, with Stanislas unable to turn the but the game’s momentum tilted again in the ing Benik Afobe had put Bournemouth ahead ball in after Mannone missed a cross from Marc latter stages. Matt Ritchie saw a deflected shot with a 13th-minute header that embarrassed Pugh, Andrew Surman shooting just wide and trickle narrowly wide and then created a glori- recalled Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone. Mannone parrying from Stanislas and Afobe. But ous chance for substitute Lewis Grabban, who Van Aanholt’s goal inched Sunderland to within Sunderland belatedly gained a foothold and somehow contrived to shoot wide from five three points of safety, but with games against after Artur Boruc had saved a header from John yards.— AFP Basement club Aston Villa Matches on TV battle for Baggies’ point (Local Timings) ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Baggies failed to register an attempt on tar- get. Not even forward Saido Berahino, the Everton v Swansea City 16:30 West Brom 0 match-winner in the reverse fixture, could beIN SPORTS MANCHESTER: Southampton’s English striker Charlie Austin (2nd left) heads the ball rouse the Baggies in what may prove to be Arsenal v Chelsea 19:00 his final league game for the club if he to score the opening goal during the English Premier League football match beIN SPORTS between Manchester United and Southampton yesterday. —AFP makes a January transfer window move. Aston Villa 0 Goalkeeper Ben Foster made his first Premier League start since March following SPANISH LEAGUE a knee injury and he made an important Athletic de Bilbao v Eibar 14:00 first-half save to deny Ayew. Later, Ayew Spurs shatter Palace WEST BROMWICH: Aston Villa’s modest was somewhat less than convinced he beIN SPORTS recovery continued with a goalless draw deserved a penalty, despite Olsson’s poor Atletico v Sevilla 18:00 some costly recent errors, but his confi- away to Midlands rivals West Bromwich challenge. With the match heading towards beIN SPORTS dence seemed unshaken when he reacted Albion yesterday. The point extended Villa’s a stalemate, both managers made changes, Palace 1 sharply to tip over Kieran Trippier’s miscued unbeaten run to five matches across all with Baggies boss Tony Pulis calling Deportivo v Valencia 20 :15 cross. The Eagles, without a goal in their competitions, but they remained bottom of Berahino off the bench and Villa’s Remi beIN SPORTS previous five matches, gratefully accepted the Premier League, six points adrift of sec- Garde bringing on Rudy Gestede with 26 Real Betis v Real Madrid 22:30 a gift from Tottenham in the 30th minute. ond-bottom Sunderland. Villa were unhap- minutes left. Gestede’s afternoon lasted beIN SPORTS Tottenham 3 py at being denied a first-half penalty when just 17 minutes because of a hamstring Thunderous Jordan Ayew was brought down by Jonas strain as Garde’s wait for a first away win in Palace winger Wilfried Zaha found space Olsson. For the fourth time this season the English football continued.—AFP ITALIAN LEAGUE from a cross and when Vertonghen tried to Fiorentina v Torino 14:30 LONDON: Dele Alli produced a contender clear, the Belgium defender only managed for goal of the season as Tottenham to poke the ball into his own net at the Ighalo lifts Watford beIN SPORTS cemented their position in the Premier near post. Stung by allowing Palace’s first Lazio v Chievo Verona 17:00 League’s top four with a 3-1 win against league goal for 482 minutes, Tottenham beIN SPORTS almost bagged an immediate equalizer to 2-1 Newcastle win Crystal Palace yesterday.