SPORTS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2013 EPL Preview Crunch time for City as Mertesacker tells Arsenal visit Eastlands Arsenal to prove MANCHESTER: Pablo Zabaleta admits Manchester City’s showdown their chances of winning the title again. with Premier League leaders Arsenal today is crucial as they bid to cut “With the gap they have at the top, if they win or we win, the title credentials the Gunners’ advantage at the top of the table. Manuel Pellegrini’s league will look very different at the weekend, so it’s important that side sit fourth, six points behind Arsenal, but they have a golden we win,” Milner said. “There are so many games going into December, opportunity to reduce the gap with a victory at Eastlands, where they and when you look at the league table going into the month, it LONDON: Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has challenged have a 100 per cent record so far in the league this season. It is a huge always looks completely different by January. So it’s important that it his team to use today’s crunch clash at Manchester City to test of City’s ability to regain the title they won in 2012 and Argentine looks a lot better than it does now for us.” City defender Micah prove they can cope with the pressure of the Premier defender Zabaleta believes their 3-2 win over European champions Richards is set to miss the clash after suffering a hamstring injury League title race. Arsene Wenger’s side head to Eastlands Bayern Munich on Tuesday will give them the belief to shoot down against Bayern, while Matija Nastasic is also unlikely to feature as he still reeling from a 2-0 defeat against Napoli on Wednesday the Gunners. continues to recover from a calf problem. which could prove a fatal blow to their hopes of winning the “Beating Bayern was such a huge confidence boost,” he said. “We But former Arsenal defender Gael Clichy could return to faces his Champions League. know Arsenal are six points on top of the moment. “They have been old side. City’s display in Munich attracted widespread plaudits, even The Gunners needed just a point to finish top of their the most consistent side so far this season and that is why they lead, if Pellegrini and his backroom staff were criticized for apparently fail- group and secure an easier draw in the last 16, but instead but we play at home where we are very good and we know we have a ing to realize that they needed just one more goal to secure top place they slumped to second place and will now face either team to beat them. We need to get three points to close the gap. in the qualifying group. By contrast, Arsenal’s defeat at Napoli mid- Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint Germain “There is still a long way to go in the Premier League. We want to win week was much less well received, with the Gunners enduring a nerv- or Atletico Madrid. It was a major setback just days after a it back again and today is a crucial game for us.” Meanwhile, City mid- ous end to the game before losing 2-0 and narrowly avoiding elimina- frustrating 1-1 draw against Everton stopped Arsenal open- fielder James Milner believes December will be a crucial month for tion from the competition on goal difference.—AFP ing up a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League. In the circumstances, another defeat against City, who have won all seven of their home league matches and scored 29 goals in the process, would be a disaster heading Matches on TV Mourinho looks to pep into the busy Christmas program. And Germany centre-back (Local Timings) Mertesacker knows the critics are once again starting to up misfiring Chelsea question whether Arsenal have the mental strength to over- ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE come the psychological scars of the club’s eight-year trophy LONDON: Jose Mourinho is desperate to fire up his shot-shy Manchester City v Arsenal 15:45 strikers when Chelsea return to Premier League action against drought. “Now everybody is questioning our group and ask- Aljazeera Sport HD 1 ing if we can maintain that level, so we have to stay together Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge today. The club’s three main Chelsea FC v Crystal Palace 18:00 forwards, Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba, have and think that ‘yes, we are strong enough’,” Mertesacker Aljazeera Sport HD 1 said. “It is always difficult, especially after 15 games in the managed just four league goals between them this season. Hull City v Stoke City 20:30 And Blues boss Mourinho has already expressed his frustra- league and with the Christmas period coming. Aljazeera Sport HD 1 “You think you have a good chance to achieve some- tion at his side’s lack of cutting edge in front of goal, which thing this season, but you have to keep your momentum FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP was again apparent in last weekend’s 3-2 defeat at Stoke. and that is really important.” While Arsenal hope to cement That result that meant Mourinho’s side slipped to third Guangzhou Evergrande v Al Ahly 19:00 place in the Premier League table, five points behind leaders their position at the top, fourth-placed City can’t afford to Aljazeera Sport +5 lose their 100 percent home record if they want to stay in Arsenal. The 1-0 midweek victory over Steaua Bucharest in the Aljazeera Sport HD 4 Champions League meant Chelsea quickly returned to win- touch with the leaders. Manuel Pellegrini’s team are already Raja Club Athletic v Monterrey 22:30 six points behind Arsenal thanks to some disappointing ning ways and ensured they advanced to the knockout stage Aljazeera Sport +5 of the competition as group winners. results on their travels and England midfielder James Milner Aljazeera Sport HD 4 concedes this weekend’s match will have a major influence But while Ba’s strike was enough to see off Steaua, it was another underwhelming display in front of goal from the on City’s hopes of regaining the title they won in 2012. “With ITALIAN LEAGUE the gap Arsenal have at the top, if they win or we win, things Blues and brought a reminder from Mourinho that the Calcio Catania v Hellas Verona 22:45 Senegal striker must improve his overall return-a message are going to look very different, so it is important we get the Aljazeera Sport HD 3 victory,” Milner said. that could also be directed at Torres and Eto’o. “He could do better,” Mourinho said when asked about Ba. “He got his goal, “There are so many games in December, and if you look SPANISH LEAGUE at the league table going into that month, it always looks it’s a good feeling for him. He never played in the Champions Osasuna v Real Madrid 18:00 League before; this is the first season he has played. completely different when you come out of it into January. Aljazeera Sport HD 2 “It is important that it looks a lot better than it does now for “And he has two goals in the Champions League, which is Rayo Vallecano v Granada 20:00 nice for him. More goals in the Champions League than in the us.” Elsewhere, second-placed Liverpool, five points behind Aljazeera Sport HD 4 Premier League.” Having criticised his team’s defending Arsenal, travel to Tottenham with goalkeeper Simon FC Barcelona v Villarreal 22:00 recently, Mourinho must decide whether to change his back- Mignolet demanding his team-mates step up in the absence Aljazeera Sport HD 2 four despite the clean sheet against Steaua after Ashley Cole of inspirational captain Steven Gerrard. England midfielder Malaga CF v Getafe 0:00 and David Luiz both made their return after lengthy absences. Gerrard will be missing with a hamstring injury and Mignolet Aljazeera Sport HD 4 One change Mourinho will definitely make will be to recall said: “We have other leaders in the team as well. “We have a Petr Cech in goal in place of Mark Schwarzer who at the age of decent enough squad to deal with injuries, to cope with GERMAN LEAGUE 41 became the oldest player ever to make a Champions those kind of things. FSV Mainz 05 v Borussia M’gladbach 17:30 League debut this week. The Australia international said: “It “Every game we go into hopeful of getting three points. Dubai Sports was a great opportunity for me and one that I didn’t think We will go to Tottenham and be positive.” Jose Mourinho FC Augsburg v E Braunschweig 17:30 would ever happen to me in my career. repeated his call for more goals from his strikers ahead of Dubai Sports “But once I signed for Chelsea there was always a lingering third-placed Chelsea’s meeting with Crystal Palace. Bayern Munich v Hamburger SV 17:30 hope in the back of my mind it would happen and I’m very Mourinho’s side are five points adrift of the Gunners follow- Dubai Sports grateful to the manager for giving me the opportunity to ing last weekend’s surprise loss at Stoke and they were less Hannover 96 v FC Nuremberg 17:30 play.” Arsenal’s visit to Manchester City today means Chelsea than impressive again in a midweek win over Steaua Dubai Sports could have an opportunity to steal a march on one or both of Bucharest.