SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017 SPORTS Sunderland crush Palace to boost survival hopes opened the scoring in the ninth minute through defender Lamine Kone before Crystal Palace 0 Didier Ndong added the first of three goals in five frantic minutes. Jermain Defoe ended the contest before the break with a smart quickfire Sunderland 4 double - his 13th and 14th league goals of the season - as Sunderland ran riot against a team managed by their former boss Sam SELHURST PARK: Sunderland produced a Allardyce. remarkable display to crush fellow Premier Sunderland remained bottom of the League strugglers Crystal Palace 4-0 at table but climbed level on points with Selhurst Park yesterday. Sunderland, with 19th-placed Palace who have won just just once away league win all season, once in 10 league games. —Reuters Niang sees Watford home against 10-man Burnley six minutes and falling behind soon after when Troy Deeney headed home Niang’s Watford 2 cross. The Frenchman turned scorer on the strike of halftime, heading in from Holebas as Watford took control although they had to negotiate a nervous last 10 minutes after Burnley 1 Sebastian Prodl handled on the line to give Burnley a penalty, which Ashley Barnes converted. WATFORD: Watford’s new loan signing The win, on the back of last week’s 2-1 BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Brazilian midfielder Rafinha (R) vies with Athletic Bilbao’s defender Yeray Alvarez during the Spanish league football M’Baye Niang scored his first goal for the success at Arsenal, was the first time Watford match FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club Bilbao at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona yesterday. — AFP club in their 2-1 Premier League win over have posted two successive victories since 10-man Burnley at Vicarage Road yesterday. September. For Burnley, record signing The visitors put in a battling performance Robbie Brady made his debut as a second- despite having Jeff Hendrick sent off for a half substitute, along with another January Barca close in as confusion two-footed challenge on Jose Holebas after arrival, Ashley Westwood. — Reuters Liverpool freefall continues reigns over Real fixture with shock 2-0 defeat at Hull MADRID: Lionel Messi struck another trademark Enrique. “We were able to give a rest to some more at fault than brilliance from the Argentine free-kick as Barcelona moved to within a one because, without that, it is impossible to com- as Messi registered his 31st goal in 30 games this point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid with a 3-0 pete at 100 percent with all the games we have season. Only injuries to Pique and Rafinha and allowed the Senegal international to win over Athletic Bilbao yesterday. Madrid have coming up. “Thirdly, we’ve won three marvel- blighted Barca’s day. Pique limped off at half- tap in. Liverpool began to completely dom- two games in hand, the first of which was sup- lous points.” time as a precautionary measure with a groin Hull City 2 inate after the break but Philippe Coutinho posed to take place today at Celta Vigo. Athletic should have been in front before strain, whilst the Brazilian suffered a knock in was among those guilty of a shocking miss However, wind damage to Celta’s Balaidos Alcacer’s 18th-minute opener as Raul Garcia’s clashing with Ter Stegen. Messi took a rare break from close range as a clearly frustrated stadium has left the ground unsafe to hold the low effort was turned onto the post by Marc- as he was replaced by Sergi Roberto. Yet, even Juergen Klopp pondered a dismal run that game, according to the mayor of Vigo. Neither Andre ter Stegen before Inaki Williams headed that change worked in Barca’s favour as Aleix Liverpool 0 has seen the Reds win just once in 10 the club nor La Liga would say whether the wide when unmarked from 12 yards out. Vidal was pushed into a more advanced role matches, and even then only against lowly match will go ahead. Alcacer has endured a torrid time since joining from right-back and rounded off the win by fir- Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup. Barca took their chance to apply pressure at Barca but settled the hosts when he turned ing into the far corner 23 minutes from time for HULL CITY: Liverpool’s calamitous freefall For Hull, looking rejuvenated and well the Camp Nou, but needed some wasteful fin- home Neymar’s cut-back inside Gorka Iraizoz’s the Catalans’ 100th goal in all competitions this in 2017 continued with a shocking 2-0 organised under new manager Marco Silva, ishing by Athletic in a much tighter game than near post. However, Barca got another break season. defeat at Hull City which may have put a the win was sealed by a breakaway goal from the scoreline suggests. moments later when Gerard Pique was lucky to In Vigo confusion reigned as to whether fatal dent in their Premier League title another Senegalese forward, Everton loanee Luis Enrique again made a raft of changes only see a yellow card for hauling down Garcia Balaidos will be safe enough to host the hopes yesterday. Oumar Niasse-a victory that drags them with the second leg of Barca’s Copa del Rey on the edge of the box. European champions today. “Firemen, the town Alfred N’Diaye, Hull’s new loan signing from penultimate spot into 18th place. It semi-final against Atletico Madrid looming hall and Celta’s security staff looked at the condi- from Villarreal, proved Hull’s hero, scoring meant Liverpool remained winless in their Tuesday. Luis Suarez was left on the bench to PIQUE INJURED tions and (the game) can’t go ahead,” mayor just before halftime thanks to another opening five top-flight matches of a calendar allow Paco Alcacer a rare start and he netted his Athletic’s day was summed up with Barca’s Abel Caballero told La SER radio. “The game will questionable piece of goalkeeping from year for the first time since 1954, when they first La Liga goal since joining from Valencia for second, five minutes before half-time. After scor- be played at another time, in better conditions, Simon Mignolet, who flapped at a cross did not win any of their first 10. — Reuters 30 million euros ($32 million) in August, whilst ing in both legs of the Copa del Rey last 16 clash because we can’t guarantee the safety of the Messi came off 25 minutes from time. “Today a between the sides from free-kicks last month, people that go there.” However, Celta said they lot of players who haven’t had a lot of minutes Messi again outdid Iraizoz from the narrowest of were still waiting for confirmation that the game took part and showed what they can do,” said angles. This time, though, the goalkeeper was was postponed. —AFP Aubameyang strike helps Bayern extend lead BERLIN: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted his to his superb first-half winner.The Gabon striker field and defence were too far apart from one 17th Bundesliga goal of the season yesterday as headed home after teenage French winger another. “We could only increase the pressure Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 win over flu-hit RB Ousmane Dembele ghosted past two RB slightly at the end, but it was not enough.” Leipzig left Bayern Munich four points clear at defenders down the right wing and crossed for Bayern made a bright start by taking the lead the top. Aubameyang remains two goals ahead Aubameyang to head home unmarked on 35 after nine minutes. Arturo Vidal threaded a pass of Bayern hot-shot Robert Lewandowski in the minutes. to Lewandowski and the Poland striker lifted his race to be the German league’s top scorer thanks Leipzig made Dortmund work for the win as shot over Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann. Germany winger Marco Reus squandered two of Dortmund’s four clear second-half chances. “We BAYERN LABOUR won the game, that’s what counts,” a relieved But Schalke kept their composure and Matches on TV Reus told Sky. equalised four minutes later when Naldo ham- KINGSTON: Hull City’s Polish midfielder Kamil Grosicki (L) vies with Liverpool’s “We put up a good fight, it was a very aggres- mered a free-kick past Bayern goalkeeper English midfielder Adam Lallana during the English Premier League football match (Local Timings) sive game and the win is okay.” There was drama Manuel Neuer. It completed the scoring, but between Hull City and Liverpool at the KCOM Stadium in Kingston upon Hull, north in added time as Leipzig sub Federico Palacios both sides squandered clear first-half chances as east England yesterday. — AP ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Martinez, making his Bundesliga debut, put the Schalke striker Guido Burgstaller hit the crossbar, Man City v Swansea City 16:30 ball in Dortmund’s net, but was flagged for a just like Lewandowski did at the other end. beIN SPORTS 2 HD marginal offside. This was a tight, bruising encounter as Leicester City v Man United 19:00 Leipzig struggled without top-scorer Timo Schalke fought hard for the point which left Morrison’s strike beIN SPORTS 2 HD Werner, midfielder Diego Demme and striker them 11th. SPANISH LEAGUE Marcel Sabitzer, who all have flu, while playmak- “Our plan would have worked out 100 per- Sevilla v Villarreal 14:00 er Emil Forsberg was suspended. cent if we’d won, but we can be very happy and lifts West Brom beIN SPORTS 3 HD The result lifted Dortmund from seventh to can live with the point,” said a delighted Schalke Sporting Gijon v Deportivo 18:15 third, eight points behind Leipzig, who are four coach, Markus Weinzierl.