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Chameera’s blitz Trailblazer Hill puts Sri Lankans dies aged 87 on top SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 201517 18 Penalty king Mahrez keeps Leicester top Page 19 LONDON: Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic, left, scores his side’s first goal during the English Premier League soccer match betweenChelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, yesterday. — AP Fans jeer as Chelsea earn post-Mourinho win Hiddink returns to Chelsea as manager the sacking of Mourinho, the struggling gling the Spain pair out as bearing responsi- cross, and Pedro capitalised to beat Costel had failed to gather Younes Kaboul’s header Premier League champions announced. The bility for Mourinho’s demise. Pantilimon for his first goal since September. from Patrick van Aanholt’s free-kick. experienced Dutch coach, 69, returns to a One banner read “You let Jose down, you Chelsea continued to attack, with Willian For the first time in the game, Sunderland Chelsea 3 role he previously performed in 2009, when let us down,” and after Branislav Ivanovic and seeing an effort deflected wide, and after had some momentum and Jermain Defoe he led Chelsea to glory in the FA Cup. “I am Pedro Rodriguez had put Chelsea 2-0 up Sunderland’s Sebastian Coates had gone off and Borini both missed the target, producing excited to return to Stamford Bridge,” inside 13 minutes, there was a deafening to be replaced by Adam Johnson, Oscar was mumblings of discontent from the Stamford Hiddink said in a statement on the Chelsea chant of: “Where were you when we were s...?” denied a third by a fine Pantilimon save. Bridge faithful. Sunderland 1 website. “Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs Nevertheless, Chelsea produced arguably Sam Allardyce’s side were not helping The visitors were much improved, with in the world, but is not where it should be at their best performance of the season against a themselves, another defensive mistake from Defoe driving wide again after Duncan the moment. However, I am sure we can all Sunderland side struggling in the bottom captain John O’Shea letting in Costa, who shot Watmore had headed down Pantilimon’s long turn this season around. three. The hosts added a third goal in the sec- wide. The Spanish forward then headed off- ball. But Chelsea continued to attack as well, LONDON: Chelsea’s fans turned on their own “I am looking forward to working with the ond half through Oscar’s penalty before Fabio target from Oscar’s cross. Oscar finding the side-netting from Willian’s players and chanted support for ex-manager players and staff at this great club and espe- Borini pulled one back. Chelsea’s confidence was slowly returning pass and Pedro miskicking from Ivanovic’s Jose Mourinho as his successor Guus Hiddink cially renewing my wonderful relationship With caretaker Steve Holland taking charge and Pedro saw a shot deflected into the arms cross. Despite the result, Fabregas was booed watched them ease to a 3-1 win over with the Chelsea fans.” of the team while Hiddink watched from the of Pantilimon just before the break. by a section of fans as John Mikel Obi came on Sunderland. But Chelsea’s fans were far from happy, reg- stands along with former Chelsea favourite Borini was sent on for Ola Toivonen for the in his place and Costa also met with a few Mourinho was sacked on Thursday and ularly chanting in support of the Portuguese, Didier Drogba, the home side needed only visitors at the break, but the game was up in jeers when he gave way for Loic Remy. Dutchman Hiddink re-appointed to reprise his and not a single seated supporter could be five minutes to take the lead. the 50th minute when Pantilimon brought The impressive Willian was denied again role as interim manager a couple of hours spotted when they sang “Stand up for the Ivanovic’s header from Willian’s corner gave Willian down in the area. Oscar coolly slotted by Pantilimon and Pedro missed a glorious before yesterday’s Premier League match Special One!” him his first goal of the campaign and just home the spot-kick. chance after being freed by Willian, while kicked off. They had booed the names of Cesc eight minutes later, Chelsea scored their sec- The chants for Mourinho continued, but Thibaut Courtois thwarted Defoe at the oth- Hiddink has returned to Chelsea as man- Fabregas and Diego Costa when they were ond. They were helped by a defensive error Sunderland pulled one back two minutes later er end after Nemanja Matic had given the ager “until the end of the season” following read out on the tannoy prior to the game, sin- from Yann M’Vila, who failed to clear Ivanovic’s as Borini tucked home after Thibault Courtois ball away. — AFP Van Gaal booed again, Newcastle and Aston Villa share the spoils Norwich stun United both sides struggled to establish any momen- tum in a first half riddled with misplaced pass- falling behind, they failed to create enough pres- Newcastle 1 es.Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse should have sure to merit victory. Norwich defended doggedly done better than head straight at Villa keeper Man Utd 1 in the face of early United pressure and ensured Brad Guzan from Daryl Janmaat’s cross and that goalkeeper Declan Rudd was well protected. that was the Senegal international’s last contri- Wayne Rooney, making his 500th United appear- bution as he limped off with a hamstring ance, did have the ball in the net in the 10th A Villa 1 injury. His replacement Aleksandar Mitrovic minute, but both he and Marouane Fellaini were saw a header tipped over by Guzan in the 38th Norwich 2 rightly ruled offside in the build-up. minute and from the resulting corner, Memphis Depay looped an effort over the bar NEWCASTLE: Ghana forward Jordan Ayew res- Newcastle took the lead. Jack Colback’s deliv- from 20 yards, before Rooney rolled a shot wide cued Aston Villa with a stunning equaliser in ery reached the unmarked Coloccini at the far after Juan Mata had brushed aside Gary O’Neil. his side’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle yesterday, but post and, with Villa making little effort to clear, MANCHESTER: Louis van Gaal’s position as Norwich did fire a warning when midfielder Tettey the Premier League strugglers remain deep in the Argentina defender’s scuffed shot beat Manchester United manager will come under easily sidestepped a Chris Smalling challenge trouble. Ayew’s second half curler cancelled Guzan for his first goal at St James’ Park since increased scrutiny after relegation-threatened before rolling a tame shot wide. But more home out Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini’s first January 2011. Villa could hardly have been Norwich secured a shock 2-1 win at Old Trafford pressure followed, with Rooney’s outswinging half opener at St James’ Park to give Villa only worse in the first half but they emerged after yesterday. cross from the right aimed at Depay eight yards their third point in six matches since Remi the break with a more dynamic look and Goals from Cameron Jerome and Alex Tettey out, and it needed a well-timed Russell Martin Garde replaced the sacked Tim Sherwood. Yet Jordan Veretout’s low strike from the edge of either side of half-time gave Alex Neil’s team a 2-0 challenge to deny the Netherlands international. Ayew’s fourth Villa goal since his £8 million the area was parried away by Rob Elliot. lead and Anthony Martial’s reply for United could- move from French club Lorient in July hardly With players slipping and sliding on the n’t stop Norwich climbing out of the relegation CONFIDENCE left his team singing in the Tyneside rain. slick surface, it was no surprise Ayew fired zone thanks to their first victory at United since Norwich, having survived the opening 30 min- Villa’s players will sit down for their Christmas wildly over the bar when he attempted an 1989. utes without conceding, began to pose more of a MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s dinner next week with the team bottom of the ambitious volley. But that turned out to be United were booed off at full-time by their dis- threat as they grew in confidence. And they took Anthony Martial, left, fights for the ball table and 10 points from safety. just a sighter for Ayew, who scored Villa’s gruntled supporters and a run of six matches with- the lead seven minutes before half-time, as against Martin Olsson of Norwich City dur- They are on a woeful 16-game winless run equaliser in the 61st minute with a superb out a win in all competitions, a sequence that Nathan Redmond burst forward and played in ing the match. - AP in the league, the longest streak without a vic- strike after Siem de Jong had somehow head- includes elimination from the Champions League Jerome, who broke the challenge of Ashley Young bar, while the home fans demanded the introduc- tory in Villa’s history. The only consolation for ed wide from close-range seconds and falling out of the Premier League’s top four, before beating David De Gea, who could have tion of Ander Herrera - who was brought on with Villa is the teams that were bottom of the earlier.Cutting in from the left side of the will lead to fresh questions about Van Gaal’s suit- done better with a shot that was well within his 30 minutes to go. The home side pulled one back Premier Newcastle area, Ayew took advantage of ability for the job.