Joshua retains Costa gem sends IBF title, sets up Chelsea back to bout with15 Klitschko the top19 of EPL MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2016

Pacioretty has four goals as Canadiens crush Avalanche Page 17

MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic vies with Tottenham Hotspur’s Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen (right) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford yesterday. — AFP Mkhitaryan tames Spurs to stop rot

weeks.” Mourinho’s team remain 13 points below lead- tive game and we need to take positive things from into action again shortly after, dropping to his right and ers Chelsea, but closed to within three points of fifth- that,” Pochettino said. saving from Ibrahimovic. Man United 1 place Spurs and six of Manchester City, who occupy the At the other end, Son Heung-Min cut in from the fourth and final Champions League berth. United once Pogba smacks bar right and let fly with a left-foot effort that de Gea had to again failed to convert their dominance into goals, but Tottenham centre-back Toby Alderweireld made his tip over, but the spring was in United’s step as the unlike in their recent 1-1 draws against Arsenal, West Tottenham 0 first start in eight weeks after a knee injury and he and teams went off at half-time. Their failure to take their Ham United and Everton, they were not made to pay. his defensive colleagues quickly found themselves chances left them vulnerable to the threat of a counter- “After so many matches playing well but not winning, under examination. It took United less than two min- punch, however, and there were nervous moments ear- MANCHESTER: Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored his first we needed more the points than the performance,” utes to carve Spurs open, Zlatan Ibrahimovic teeing up ly in the second half as Tottenham went on the attack. Premier League goal for Manchester United and was lat- Mourinho said. “But I knew against Tottenham it’s diffi- Paul Pogba for a left-foot shot that was parried by his De Gea boxed away a shot from Eriksen before Victor er stretchered off as Jose Mourinho’s side claimed a cult to get a result without playing well. But we played France team-mate Hugo Lloris. Mkhitaryan saw an effort Wanyama gave the hosts a big let-off, completely mis- timely 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur yesterday. very well.” Initially kept on the sidelines by Mourinho fol- blocked by Jan Vertonghen, Herrera gave Lloris some cuing his header after Eriksen’s free-kick found him Mkhitaryan converted Ander Herrera’s through ball just lowing his arrival from Borussia Dortmund, Mkhitaryan catching practice with a dipping volley and Michael unmarked six yards from goal. before the half hour to end a frustrating run of four suc- has become something of a lucky charm for the Carrick whistled a shot over from range. Seeking to soothe the home fans’ frayed nerves, cessive home draws and give United just a second win in Portuguese, who will be relieved the injury is not grave. United goalkeeper David de Gea had to deal with a Pogba took it upon himself to try to extend United’s nine league matches. It was the Armenian playmaker’s Defeat curbed Spurs’ recent revival, which had seen zippy free-kick from Christian Eriksen, but the hosts lead. The France midfielder left the Spurs crossbar shud- second goal in two games, after he opened his account them beat Swansea City 5-0 and secure a Europa looked the more likely scorers and duly went ahead in dering with an arcing 25-yard free-kick and then stung for the club against Zorya Luhansk on Thursday. League place with a 3-1 win over CSKA Moscow. the 29th minute. Harry Kane played the ball straight to Lloris’s palms with a crisp shot following a one-two with He exited on a stretcher after turning his ankle in a Mauricio Pochettino’s side remain without an away Herrera, whose inviting pass between the Spurs centre- Herrera. De Gea had to claw away another Eriksen free- late challenge by Danny Rose, but Mourinho said: “We league win since Sept 24. “It was a disappointing result, backs freed Mkhitaryan to run through and smash a ris- kick, but despite Mkhitaryan’s premature 84th-minute don’t think it’s a serious injury. Maximum a couple of but if we analyse the game I think it was a very competi- ing shot past Lloris. The Spurs goalkeeper was called exit, United saw the game out. — AFP West Ham goalkeeper Boufal brings relief to Saints both of whom are injured. Jordan Rhodes almost made light of their absence imme- gifts Liverpool point Southampton 1 diately ghosting in with not a Saints defender in sight and firing a shot on target Bournemouth were apparent once again. only for Fraser Forster to save. The hosts Antonio found space too easily as he sprinted worked their way into the game after early Middlesbrough 0 Liverpool 2 between center-backs Dejan Lovren and Joel Boro dominance and Jay Rodriguez forced Matip to collect Winston Reid’s long ball over the Victor Valdes into a smart save just after the top, but Karius turned aside the shot at his near SOUTHAMPTON: A superb goal by record quarter of an hour mark. post. Karius was then caught out as West Ham signing Sofiane Boufal secured Middlesbrough were denied by some West Ham 2 drew level in the 27th minute, getting a hand to Southampton a much-needed 1-0 win over stoical Southampton defending 10 minutes Payet’s free-kick as it was floated over the wall, Middlesbrough in their Premier League before the break as Viktor Fischer rounded but failing to stop it. That equalizer affected match yesterday. Moroccan international Forster but his shot was blocked on the line LIVERPOOL: Divock Origi scored for the fourth Liverpool’s rhythm, despite half-chances for Boufal - bought from French Ligue 1 side and the follow up by Uruguayan Christhian consecutive match to save a point for frail Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino soon Lille in August for a reported £16 million Stuani was also stopped on the goal-line. Liverpool as they were frustrated in their afterwards, and they went behind six minutes ($20 million) - struck early in the second- Saints took advantage by taking the lead attempts to stay in touch with Premier League before half time to another soft goal. half to give Saints just their second win in early in the second-half. Boufal, who was an leaders Chelsea yesterday. Jurgen Klopp’s side This time Havard Nordtveit’s long diagonal seven matches and provide some succor injury doubt prior to the game, scoring took an early lead through Adam Lallana’s stylish pass out of defense flicked off Henderson to for exiting the Europa League last Thursday. LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and with a superb left-footed effort from the finish, but weaknesses at the back allowed wrong-foot Matip, who was caught on his heels They move on to 20 points, eight clear of edge of the area rounding off a move Dimitri Payet’s free-kick and a neat finish by as Antonio ran into the space behind him to flick West Ham United’s Angelo Ogbonna (back) the relegation zone whilst Middlesbrough involving five players. Michail Antonio to give West Ham a surprise the ball beyond Karius - who was caught in no- jump for a high ball during their English remain very much mired in a battle for sur- Middlesbrough were lacking in inven- half-time lead at Anfield. Loris Karius, the man’s land - and in. Liverpool could have been Premier League football match at Anfield vival as they are just three points clear of tion and ideas and it was the hosts who Liverpool goalkeeper, was arguably at fault for level by the interval but Firmino glanced wide yesterday. — AP the bottom three. Boufal’s goal made up for came closest to scoring again, veteran Payet’s goal, but then saw Hammers counterpart from Georginio Wijnaldum’s cross and then penalty area. the absence of Charlie Austin, who has Darren Randolph make a mistake for Origi’s Lallana had a penalty appeal rejected after tum- Northern Ireland midfielder Steven Davis Wijnaldum had another good chance just accounted for nearly half their goals this equalizer by failing to hold Sadio Mane’s cross. bling with Payet’s arm across his chest. being picked out by Cuco Martina, but his after the hour mark after being played into space season but was ruled out with a shoulder The 2-2 draw did at least lift West Ham out of Referee Mark Clattenburg gave only a corner header went over the bar. Rodriguez went down the left, but placed his effort beyond the injury. Certainly spectators would not have the relegation zone, although it extended their and from it Matip nodded Henderson’s delivery even closer with another header but Adam far post. Henderson then bent a fine 25-yard shot been expecting a goal feast in the two sides’ run without a Premier League victory to six on to the face of the crossbar. Klopp’s team were towards the top corner midway through the sec- Clayton reacted brilliantly to clear it off the first Premier League meeting since 2005 as matches. It looked like being a gloomy day for though level within three minutes of the restart. ond half, only for Randolph to deny him with line. Rodriguez may have been unlucky they had each found the net only 13 times Slaven Bilic’s side when they conceded a well- Mane spun to cross from the left, Randolph lost magnificent flying save. Bilic brought on former there but he was guilty of a complete apiece before Sunday’s match. worked goal in the first five minutes, as Mane his balance and the ball as he stretched to try to Liverpool striker Andy Carroll with just under howler in time added on as Nathan crossed from the left and Lallana took a touch to gather, and Origi turned it in via the post. Spirits half-an-hour to play. The home side finished the Boro were also missing two of their Redmond did brilliantly to square the ball control before steering a shot past Randolph. Yet restored, Liverpool almost regained the lead stronger, though, with full-back Nathaniel Clyne most impressive performers from last across the goal line but Rodriguez man- even in the early stages Liverpool’s defensive within moments, as Wijnaldum steered a shot blazing over after Lallana’s clever back-heeled Monday’s 1-0 win over fellow strugglers aged to somehow spoon it over from a frailties that marked last weekend’s 4-3 defeat at just wide on the turn from the edge of the flick from Mane’s low cross. — AFP Hull, Gaston Ramirez and Alvaro Negredo, yard out. — AFP