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BIRMINGHAM: Leicester City's Argentinian striker Leonardo Ulloa (R) vies with Aston Villa's English defender Joleon Lescott during the English football match between Aston Villa and Leicester City at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England yesterday. — AFP Leicester go top despite missed Mahrez penalty

lead wasn’t more significant after Gestede’s table, with a nine-point gap to make up if goalkeeper’s attempt to keep it out, with in the second half before Leicester midfielder first goal since September cancelled out a they are avoid dropping into the second tier goalline technology confirming the ball had Danny Drinkwater’s dipping long-range effort Aston Villa 1 first half opener from Japan striker Shinji for the first time since 1988. Robert Huth had crossed for his fourth league goal of the sea- drew a fine tip over from Bunn. Villa appealed Okazaki. been Leicester’s match-winner at Tottenham son. in vain for a penalty when Huth swung an The Foxes should have been out of sight in midweek, but the German defender almost arm into Kozak’s face, while Drinkwater by the time Gestede equalised and they paid gifted Villa the opening goal when his mis- FORTUITOUS threatened again when he flicked wide from Leicester 1 the price for a series of misses, with Riyad cued clearance allowed Libor Kozak to surge Ranieri’s side had a golden opportunity to Vardy’s cross. There was more menace about Mahrez especially culpable after his first half clear for a low shot that Kasper Schmeichel double their lead four minutes later when a Villa’s attacks now and Garde sent on Gestede penalty was saved by Mark Bunn. Third saved at his near post. flowing move cut through the Villa defence in the 67th minute to add further thrust to placed Arsenal can regain pole position if That was far from Schmeichel’s only signifi- and ended with a penalty after Mahrez’s shot the forward line. The switch paid rich divi- BIRMINGHAM: Aston Villa striker Rudy they draw or win at Stoke today. This was cant contribution as his booming kick down- was blocked by the sliding Aly Cissokho’s dends eight minutes later when Gestede Gestede came off the bench to dent another encouraging performance for Villa field helped the visitors take the lead in the raised arm. equalised in fortuitous circumstances. Leicester’s Premier League title challenge as after a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace in midweek 28th minute. Jamie Vardy alertly peeled away Despite missing from the spot earlier this First he got away with the ball bouncing his second half equaliser rescued a 1-1 draw gave Remi Garde his first three points as Villa from Villa’s dozing defence to meet the long month Mahrez took the penalty himself, but off his arm and then benefitted from a Huth for the bottom club yesterday. boss and secured their first league victory ball with a superb lob that caught Bunn off the Algeria winger’s slightly too casual strike clearance that hit him in the groin. Those two Although Leicester moved one point clear since the opening day of the season. But his line. Bunn managed to make an acrobatic down the middle was close to Bunn and the lucky breaks presented the Benin striker with of second placed Manchester City, Claudio Garde’s team need points rather than plaudits back pedalling save, but Okazaki followed up Villa goalkeeper made the save. Cissokho the opportunity for a shot that deflected off Ranieri’s side left Villa Park frustrated their and they remain rooted to the bottom of the to slot home from close-range despite the tested Schmeichel with a stinging shot early West Morgan and past Schmeichel. — AFP Aguero double fires Cherries on top Man City to easy win looked to make amends for a 5-1 against Norwich drubbing at the Etihad in the League Cup in October. appeals for a penalty rejected when Man City 4 Defender Damien Delaney Daniels went down inside the area. stayed up in attack following a cor- Bournemouth 3 Referee Bobby Madley angered the ner but, from ’s home support again with another con- excellent cross, the Palace captain tentious decision. Afobe, chasing a Crystal Palace 0 failed to beat Joe Hart with a head- through ball, was brought down on the er no more than eight yards out. Norwich City 0 edge of the area by Norwich goalkeeper That miss proved costly as City Declan Rudd. MANCHESTER: Sergio Aguero went in front 20 minutes later But with two Canaries defenders in scored twice as Manchester City through the unlikely figure of MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Ivorian midfielder and captain close attendance, Madley showed Rudd BOURNEMOUTH: Bournemouth returned got their Premier League title chal- Delph. The England international, Yaya Toure (2R) vies with Crystal Palace’s English defender Joel a yellow rather than a red card. Early in to winning ways as a 3-0 victory at home lenge back on course with an given just his third league start of Ward (R) and Crystal Palace’s English defender Scott Dann (2L) dur- the second half, Pugh demonstrated to fellow strugglers Norwich City yester- emphatic 4-0 win over Crystal the season with Fernandinho still ing the English Premier League football match yesterday. — AFP day saw them move five points clear of the good skill to weave his way through a Palace at a snowy Etihad Stadium injured and Yaya Toure rested on retreating defence only to shoot straight yesterday. Hart did better when turning a City still weren’t entirely com- Premier League relegation zone. the bench, and justified his inclu- at Rudd. Aguero’s goals, which took his Yohan Cabaye free-kick round the fortable as Palace kept forcing Dan Gosling’s first-half header and a sion with only the 11th league Pugh then played a key role as total for the season to 13, came in post as Palace continued to push Charlie Daniels penalty after half time goal of his career. them back but Toure quickly Bournemouth doubled their lead when, each half as City made up for their City’s frustration at failing to for an equaliser but four minutes put the Cherries, who lost 3-1 at home to made his mark as the hosts put after he was pulled back inside the box. midweek blank against Everton find a way through a well-drilled before half-time City went 2-0 up. West Ham in midweek, 2-0 up before the result beyond doubt. Madley awarded the Cherries a 54th- when they failed to score in a Palace defence was just starting to Aguero, who had not scored at recent signing Benik Afobe sealed victory From City’s best move of the minute penalty. Daniels’s spot-kick then home Premier League match for show when Delph cut in and fired the Etihad since November, saw his match, Silva, Aguero and Toure all 15 minutes from time with his first top- flight goal. beat Rudd with the aid of a deflection off the first time in 12 months. a low, long-range shot into the 25-yard shot deflected in via the combined before Kevin De What was just Bournemouth’s sixth the right post to make it 2-0. Fabian Delph and David Silva bottom corner from almost 35 head of Palace’s Scott Dann, the Bruyne pulled the ball back for win in 22 league matches so far this sea- Afobe, 22, who joined Bournemouth scored either side of Aguero’s dou- yards, which goalkeeper Wayne defender’s attempted clearance Aguero to tap in and make it 3-0. ble as Manuel Pellegrini’s side wrong-footing Hennessey. City son saw Eddie Howe’s side move above last week for a reported club record fee Hennessey allowed to skid under Palace replied with a long- recorded a seventh successive were forced into a change seven Norwich and into 15th place in the table. of £10 million ($14.5 million, 13.3 million his dive. range effort from Yohan Cabaye home win against the Londoners That should have given City a minutes into the second half when Meanwhile the Canaries’ seventh euros) from second-tier Wolves having which flew just wide but they to go to the top of the table before measure of control but just two Aleksandar Kolarov went off with a defeat in eight away league matches left proved himself a prolific scorer in lower knew they were a beaten side. Leicester’s late kick-off at Aston minutes later Hart almost let that leg injury, Gael Clichy replacing them four points above the bottom league English football, put the result Villa on Saturday and Arsenal’s slip when his careless clearance him at left-back. And they conceded a fourth goal three. Bournemouth were rewarded for beyond doubt in the 75th minute. match at today. went straight into the back of Pellegrini didn’t wait much with six minutes left as City fin- their early dominance when Gosling Daniels’s precise cross arrived at the Palace had failed to score in James McArthur longer to make a tactical switch as ished in style. Aguero was again gave the south coast club a 10th-minute feet of the striker and Afobe, a former their previous four league games- The ball dropped for Delaney Kelechi Iheanacho, who had scored involved as he led a break-away lead in front of their own fans at Dean Arsenal youngster, powered in a shot their leanest run in the Premier but at full stretch the centre-back, in both of City’s previous wins over before calmly squaring the ball Court. Marc Pugh, in for the injured Matt from close range in what was just his sec- League since 1998 — but should a constant threat from set-pieces, Palace this season, was replaced by for Silva, who scored his first Ritchie, swung in a cross and Gosling ond Premier League appearance after he have ended their drought inside hooked his effort just wide from Toure following a frustrating after- league goal since the opening headed into the bottom corner from made his Bournemouth debut against the first two minutes as they the edge of the penalty area. noon for the young forward. day of the season. — AFP close range. Bournemouth then had West Ham. — AFP