| SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2016 | THE STRAITS TIMES | SPORT C15 EPL title Match points: Leicester City v Swansea City chasers Key battles dominate

Leonardo Ulloa v Ashley Williams PFA team Ulloa has not started a league game since Jan 2 but as a regular substitute has still made crucial contributions, particularly a winner against Norwich and an equaliser against West Ham. Now he should start against Wales captain Williams who, besides being a fine defender, also LONDON • Players from title-chasers Leicester scored Swansea’s decider at the Emirates Stadium. City and Tottenham Hotspur dominated the Professional Football Association’s (PFA) team of the year announced on Thursday. Four players from each club were voted in, with Arsenal, Manchester United and West Ham United the only other clubs represented in the XI. N’Golo Kante v Gylfi Sigurdsson Tottenham striker Harry The destroyer against the creator. Defensive Kante is one of Kane, who leads the scoring the players of the season and attacking midfielder Sigurdsson one of the charts with 24 goals, was joined best in 2016, when he has fired Swansea to safety. Francesco Guidolin by Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, has compared Sigurdsson to Alexis Sanchez and his 4-2-3-1 formation whose 22 goals have fuelled lead- ers Leicester’s title quest. gives them a spare man in midfield, testing Kante’s energy. Leicester N’Golo Kante, who made more tackles (149) than any other player in the league this season; Riyad Mahrez, involved in 27 goals this term; and defender Wes Morgan were also included. Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose, part of Tottenham’s de- fence which has conceded a Danny Simpson v Jefferson Montero league-low 25 goals in 34 match- Montero is a mercurial performer but a brilliant one at his best. The es, made the list, as did electric Ecuadorian winger has already tormented Chelsea twice this 20-year-old midfielder Dele Alli. season. Simpson’s task in stopping him is rendered tougher because Manchester United goalkeep- Mahrez does not shield his full-back as well as the diligent Marc er David de Gea got the nod after keeping 14 clean sheets. Albrighton does on the other flank. He may be left on his own. Arsenal full-back Hector Bel- lerin and West Ham’s French playmaker Dimitri Payet make up the team. The PFA will announce the Player of the Year tomorrow, with Vardy, Kane, Mahrez, Kane, Mesut Oezil and Payet on the shortlist. Key statistics Arsenal playmaker Oezil was Missing the goal machine Penalty kings Hot Icelander Dying Swans? Familiar Foxes the only PFA Player of the Year nominee not to make it into the side. The German has 18 assists and remains on course to break Thi- erry Henry’s single-season 22 6 25 record (20). 9 “It’s a surprise to me,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said of Goals + Assists 11 Changes Oezil’s snub. “It’s the players Penalities Goals 1950 who vote. I don’t know why they The suspended Jamie Vardy, who didn’t pick him.” has started Leicester’s last 44 Leicester have been awarded 11 The last time Swansea won in Ranieri has made only 25 changes Manchester City striker Sergio league games, has been involved penalties this season – the most Swansea playmaker Gyl Leicester - a year before Claudio to his Leicester starting XI this Aguero was another major absen- in 47 per cent of Leicester’s 59 in the league. They have had only Sigurdsson has scored nine Ranieri was born. They have not season – the fewest in the tee, marking the fifth season in a goals (22 goals and six assists). three given against them. league goals in 2016. avoided defeat there since 1980. division. row that the Argentina interna- tional has been omitted from the TEXT: RICHARD JOLLY PHOTOS: REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ACTION IMAGES PFA team of the year. REUTERS

TheBigMatch So is Swansea’s head coach. Franc- esco Guidolin has said he wants to stay on but with American investors 2016 PFA TEAM OF THE on the verge of a £100 million (S$194 YEAR million) takeover and the spectre of growing larger, he David de Gea LIKELY LATE TWIST IF may be facing an uphill battle unless (Manchester United) he can spring a surprise. Hector Bellerin (Arsenal) Swansea are capable of that. They have already altered the title race by Wes Morgan (Leicester) winning at Arsenal early last month, and if they may have little to play for, Toby Alderweireld LEICESTER SLIP AGAIN their manager does not. (Tottenham) So does . These two veterans have coached 19 Ital- Danny Rose (Tottenham) ian clubs between them. Neither has Riyad Mahrez (Leicester) ever won a league title. days, they begin a league game Vardy’s speed could have been cru- Now one Italian may influence if Dele Alli (Tottenham) Some room for error, but they must beat without Jamie Vardy tomorrow. cial. Instead, the Welsh side can af- the other’s team are remembered as A deserved dismissal for diving ford to push up and Leicester have champions or chokers. N’Golo Kante (Leicester) Swans without Vardy, or Spurs can close in probably did not figure among the to find another way to win. Dimitri Payet (West Ham) plot lines the Hollywood scriptwrit- The obvious alternative main [email protected] Richard Jolly per, a home match against Swansea er who plans to tell Vardy’s story man is Riyad Mahrez, whose Jamie Vardy (Leicester) is their easiest remaining fixture. wanted. Nor did Leicester, de- hat-trick secured a 3-0 win over LEICESTER V SWANSEA Win it and, temporarily anyway, prived of the putative Player of the Swansea in December but whose Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, Harry Kane (Tottenham) It seemed a stroll. Now it transpires they have an eight-point advantage Year. last three games have produced nei- tomorrow, 11.15pm there is a title race after all. again. Don’t, and they will feel Leonardo Ulloa, who converted ther a goal nor an assist. Twin days of drama on Sunday Tottenham’s breath on their necks. the 95th-minute penalty to rescue That has been camouflaged by a and Monday showed Tottenham’s They have coped with pressure a point against West Ham, is his re- defence with five clean sheets in pursuit of Leicester is intensifying. before. Monday marks the first an- placement. The Argentinian has il- six. But, after referee Jonathan It also raised questions if the previ- niversary of the day they moved lustrated his character. What he Moss controversially awarded ously-unyielding league leaders out of the relegation zone last sea- lacks is Vardy’s pace, which makes West Ham a penalty when Wes could fall away in the final four son. Much has changed since then Leicester such a menace on the Morgan tugged Winston Reid, he games. as Leicester have gone further and counter-attack. and his sidekick Robert Huth may They have margin for error and further into uncharted territory. As they often play with a minori- have to stop grappling opponents only require eight points but a Now they face another unusual ty of possession and Swansea pre- at set pieces. Leicester’s methods slip-up now may be telling: On pa- experience: for the first time in 418 fer to dominate the ball in midfield, are under the microscope now. At last, Ranieri says Foxes can win it

LONDON • With just four matches “We are in the Champions believe. Always I believe. I am a pos- or two. The striker has accepted a remaining, Leicester City manager League, dilly ding, dilly dong. It’s itive man. Football Association improper con- Claudio Ranieri finally acknow- fantastic, terrific,” exclaimed the “If Tottenham go over (ahead of) duct charge following his red card ledged yesterday that his unsung Italian. “Well done to everybody, us, congratulations. But I prefer to in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with West side were fighting for the Premier the owners, the fans, the players, stay five points (ahead).” Ham United and could receive a fur- League title and could win it. the staff, everybody involved in it. Tottenham striker Harry Kane is ther one-match suspension that Ever since the season started, he It’s a great achievement. the league’s top scorer and his side would also rule him out of the away has played it straight – talking of “And now we go straight away to thrashed Stoke City 4-0 on Monday trip to Manchester United. avoiding relegation, then achieving try to win the title,” he exclaimed to cut the gap at the top from eight “I don’t want to put my energy in- points targets and seeing where it as reporters cheered the points. Ranieri said he had not to this case,” said Ranieri. “My fo- might lead – while steering clear of long-awaited recognition. “Only watched that game, because he cus is only on Swansea. Swansea is any title talk. this remains.” knew Tottenham would triumph a difficult match.” Despite having 22-goal scorer Leicester are five points clear of and expected his rivals to win all Tottenham manager Mauricio Po- Jamie Vardy suspended for Tottenham Hotspur, whose recent their remaining games as well. chettino believes Vardy’s suspen- tomorrow’s home game against form has been highly impressive. “I think they win. But also we sion could have an effect on the ti- Swansea City, Ranieri took the op- But Ranieri said he had told his play- win. And then ... if we win the title, tle race: “I think it is a big impact portunity to remind reporters of ers that they had it in their hands. unbelievable.” for Leicester because Vardy is one what his underdogs had already “I talk to my players. Now is the Leicester will have to win with- of the best players in the Premier achieved. right moment to push,” he said. “I out ever-present Vardy for a game League.” REUTERS