Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2016 47

Zabaleta, Silva get City back on track MANCHESTER: Pablo Zabaleta’s first goal in two years helped earn Manchester City an important but nervous 2- 0 win over Watford on Wednesday as ’s team returned to winning ways. Victory marked City’s first success on their own turf since beating Bournemouth on September 17, but was only assured in the 86th minute when claimed a second goal. After Yaya Toure dispossessed Sebastian Prodl, Silva and Raheem Sterling broke upfield, exchanged passes, and the Spaniard convincingly killed off the game from 15 yards. Argentine full-back Zabaleta, widely expected to leave when his contract expires at the season’s end, scored the opening goal just as a hint of anxiety was beginning to creep into the Etihad Stadium. For the opening 33 minutes, City had dominated pos- session without forcing visiting goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes into meaningful action as Watford showed disci- pline and concentration at the back. But a Nolito pass found the dangerous De Bruyne in space on the right and, with Adlene Guedioura failing to track Zabaleta, the City defender met his team-mate’s cross with a superb half- volley. Guardiola had sprung a surprise before kick-off by relegating the £50 million ($62.8 million, 59.6 million euros) England defender John Stones to the bench follow- ing some recent morale-draining mistakes. That, and a return to a four-man defense following the use of a back three in the recent losses to Chelsea and Leicester City, gave City a more solid look and Watford rarely, if ever, threatened. Not that City were wholly convincing at the other end. De Bruyne’s early, probing run ending with a danger- LONDON: Manchester United’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2L) celebrates scoring their second goal with ous cross that Jose Holebas cleared well before Sterling’s Manchester United’s English Michael Carrick (L) and Manchester United’s English midfielder Jesse Lingard (R) accurate cross found De Bruyne, whose curling shot was during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United at Selhurst Park .—AFP well saved. Aleksandar Kolarov created a chance for Nolito, chipping over from the left wing for the Spaniard to stretch and head over. Watford weathered that early pressure, although Prodl earned a yellow card for a hack at Silva. When De Bruyne Ibrahimovic late managed to pick a hole in the defense with a threaded 22nd-minute pass that the speedy Nolito raced after, Gomes was equal to the task, turning his near-post shot behind. —AFP show lifts United

Eriksen double puts LONDON: Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s late ever as they set about the task of build- anxious to make an impression against strike gave Manchester United a 2-1 ing on the weekend home win against United after spending an unsuccessful Hull to the sword win at Crystal Palace after Jose Tottenham. two-season spell at Old Trafford, Mourinho’s side once again appeared And the visitors suffered another offered a hint of Palace’s threat, draw- in danger of squandering three points unwanted scare just five minutes into ing a crude challenge from Marcos LONDON: Christian Eriksen scored two and made one as on Wednesday. Mourinho had been the game when Eric Bailly went down Rojo that could have seen the United Tottenham got back on track with a 3-0 Premier League victo- left frustrated by United’s recent run holding his left knee on his first defender sent off. Bobby Charlton was ry over struggling Hull on Wednesday. Eriksen netted from that had brought three draws in their Premier League start since damaging looking on from the stands to see if close range either side of half-time before Victor Wanyama converted after the Danish midfielder’s free kick had come previous four league games. ligaments in his right knee. The Ivorian Rooney could score the goal that back off the bar. That made it four straight wins at home for And when referee Craig Pawson was initially fit enough to continue and would equal Charlton’s United record Mauricio Pochettino’s fifth placed side as they made light of turned down a strong United claim for United’s early dominance of the game of 249 goals. some bumpy periods to remain firmly in the hunt for a top a penalty and then ruled out a Juan allowed the defender, operating at The United skipper came close in the four finish. Mata effort for offside after Crystal right-back on this occasion, to ease his 37th minute when he got in behind the Pochettino had sprang a surprise by playing Eric Dier as Palace’s James McArthur had cancelled way back into the game before his Palace defense to collect Pogba’s chip, part of a 3-3-3-1 formation and Tottenham threatened early out Paul Pogba’s opening goal, departure early in the second half but saw his shot on the turn saved by on when Dele Alli saw an effort blocked, while Moussa Mourinho appeared set for more disap- added to Mourinho’s concerns. The Wayne Hennessey. Pogba’s controver- Sissoko, in for the injured Mousa Dembele, missed the target pointment. United manager had omitted Antony sial effort came immediately before with another shot. Hull had struggled to get going early on But Pogba and Ibrahimovic com- Martial from the matchday squad, half-time when Ibrahimovic appeared with the hosts eventually capitalizing with a 30-pass move bined for the decisive goal four min- while Henrikh Mkhitaryan is out until to use his arm to direct the ball into his leading to Eriksen powering home into the roof of the net fol- utes from time when the France mid- the turn of the year with an ankle liga- team-mate’s path allowing the France lowing a fine run by Danny Rose down the left. fielder set up his team-mate, who pro- ment injury, prompting questions midfielder to score. Within moments Alli went close to a second as his power- duced an excellent finish from a tight about whether United would have Then after appearing to have taken ful shot from 20 yards was well saved by David Marshall, while angle to silence Selhurst Park. That enough pace in the side to unsettle control of the game, United were Eriksen then powered over after his initial free kick had hit the ensured United remain sixth, six points Palace. undone by a fine Palace move in the wall. Hull went close with a rare attack by Jake Livermore off the top four, and turned the focus 66th minute that began with Joel Ward before Alli could not reach a Harry Kane cross for Spurs. on Pawson’s decision to ignore a possi- Guile playing the ball towards Damien Eventually though, the Tigers found a way into the match ble handball by Ibrahimovic when he A front three of Mata, Wayne Delaney whose neat backheel sent as Hugo Lloris did well to push away a Andrew Robertson set up Pogba’s goal immediately Rooney and Ibrahimovic was always McArthur clear inside the box to level. cross. Tottenham had appeals for a penalty waved away before half-time. going to have to rely more on guile United battled to fight back and despite claims Curtis Davies had handled in the area from For the third time in less than a year, than speed, but the early signs were were convinced they should have had Eriksen’s shot but moments later Marshall saved well to foil United fell foul of the London traffic, promising, with Rooney and Mata in a penalty when Ledley handled from Alli. Jan Vertonghen then came close to a stunning goal but arriving at Selhurst less than an hour particular combining well to set up a Rojo’s header before disputing the off- after beating several players the centre back lost his footing in before kick-off. Unlike on their recent headed chance for the England captain. side call that meant Mata’s close range the area. But the hosts’ lack of composure was threatening to visits to Tottenham and West Ham, the That effort flew wide, and despite dom- effort was ruled out. But Ibrahimovic’s hand Hull a way back in as Kane could not convert an Alli team’s late arrival did not result in a inating possession, Mourinho’s side late strike ensured it was Palace man- cross, before Wanyama’s poor shot from the edge of the area delayed kick-off. It was hardly the ideal struggled to build on that opportunity. ager Alan Pardew who was left feeling was straight at Marshall.—AFP preparation for Mourinho’s team, how- A strong run from Wilfried Zaha, most aggrieved. —AFP