Djokovic the Neymar hits master as double as Murray wilts Barca sink in Paris17 Villarreal19 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015 Shooters Attapon, Jonghyun qualify for Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics Page 17 BIRMINGHAM: Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling, left, is tackled by Aston Villa’s Ciaran Clark during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City at the Villa Park, yesterday. — AP City held as Villa start Garde era with draw a match where Villa ended a dismal run of Richards was one of six changes made by Kolarov saw his low shot pushed onto the side, they were able to scramble the ball seven successive defeats. Garde to Villa’s starting side from the team post by Brad Guzan before Fernando lashed away before Sterling could capitalise on it. Aston Villa 0 City had to operate without a recognised beaten at Tottenham Hotspur six days earlier. a close range effort over the bar from the Guzan then pulled off an astonishing frontman for more than an hour, although As expected from a team under new resulting corner. point-blank save to prevent what seemed Raheem Sterling, Kevin de Bruyne and management, Villa began the contest with But just as Pellegrini’s side seemed to be an inevitable City opener when Sterling Fernando all wasted gilt-edged chances to great vigour and purpose, but the first real building up a head of steam, they suffered rose to meet Jesus Navas’s cross with a firm Man City 0 wrap up all three points in the closing threat came when City’s Aleksandar Kolarov the setback of losing Bony to injury as he header, though the United States interna- stages. was released by Sterling on the overlap and pulled up clutching his hamstring. tional didn’t know much about his block. It meant that Frenchman Remi Garde his cross flashed across the face of goal. Following their reshuffle, City had a chance City were guilty of squandering another claimed a valuable point in his first game as Nevertheless, there was encouragement to catch Villa on the break, but although golden opportunity when de Bruyne was BIRMINGHAM: Manchester City’s shortage Villa manager to stop the rot which led to for the home fans at Villa Park in the way Yaya Toure’s instinctive pass sent Sterling picked out by Navas’s low ball to edge of of recognised strikers was glaringly exposed his appointment as the successor to Tim their side started the game with Jordan bursting through the middle, the England the six yard box, but with the goal gaping in in a goalless draw away to bottom club Sherwood, although a draw still left the Amavi getting forward at every opportunity, winger stumbled inside the box at the cru- front he somehow managed to miscue his Aston Villa yesterday that saw them squan- Birmingham club at the foot of the table. but Idrissa Gueye failed to trouble Joe Hart cial moment and subsequent protests he effort wide of the target. der the chance to consolidate their position City were left ruing the missed chances, with a long-range shot after a burst from had been fouled by the backtracking Ciaran The Premier League leaders were left at the top of the Premier League. and the continued absence of Sergio the centre of midfield. Clark were ignored by the referee. cursing missed chances again in injury time Manuel Pellegrini lost the services of Aguero, as they had to settle for a share of There was a let-off for Villa early in the when Fernando’s close range header rattled Wilfried Bony to a hamstring injury and the spoils in a game they were expected to Guzan saves second half when Guzan fumbled the the bar and former Villa midfielder Fabien then watched in frustration as City failed to win comfortably. City went close to breaking the deadlock greasy ball when Kolarov tried his luck from Delph rolled his shot agonisingly wide of make their second-half domination count in The return of former City defender Micah on two occasions in quick succession as a free kick, but fortunately for the home Guzan’s left-hand post.— AFP Gibbs thwarts Spurs in north London derby Petr Cech had prevented the visitors from swelling centre-back in the only change to the Arsenal their lead, Mesut Ozil teed up Gibbs for a 77th- team torn apart by Bayern as Wenger’s side went Arsenal 1 minute equaliser. in search of a sixth successive league win. Arsenal Victory would have sent Arsenal to the top of had bounced back from their previous Champions the Premier League table, following Manchester League defeat, at home to Olympiakos, by putting City’s earlier goalless draw at Aston Villa, but hav- Manchester United to the sword and they looked ing seen his team humiliated 5-1 by Bayern to make a similarly quick start here. Tottenham 1 Munich on Wednesday, manager Arsene Wenger Alexis Sanchez picked out Joel Campbell, who will have been hugely relieved by Gibbs’s strike. kept his place in the absence of Theo Walcott and The left-back’s goal, his first in over a year, left Aaron Ramsey, with an early pass across the box, Spurs three points off the Champions League but the Costa Rican erred in using his left foot to LONDON: Arsenal substitute Kieran Gibbs scored places and five points below second-place receive the ball and the chance fled. three minutes after coming on to earn his side a 1- Arsenal. But while visiting manager Mauricio Arsenal looked to hit quick passes behind the 1 draw in yesterday’s north London derby and Pochettino could count himself unfortunate not to Spurs defence, but with Olivier Giroud leading the deny Tottenham Hotspur a famous victory. Harry have emerged victorious, his side have now gone line, rather than the rapid Walcott, it was a tactic Kane’s 32nd-minute goal, his sixth in four games, 11 league games unbeaten and look strong con- that failed to work. Having felt their way into the put Spurs on course for a first win at the Emirates tenders for a top-four berth. Fit again after a hip contest, Spurs began to punch holes in the hosts’ LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino (C) has a shot on goal Stadium in five years, but after Arsenal goalkeeper complaint, Laurent Koscielny replaced Gabriel at defence. during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north-west England yesterday. — AFP Giroud profligate Mousa Dembele saw a shot blocked and new Palace inflict first defeat England call-up Eric Dier headed fractionally wide from Christian Eriksen’s in-swinging free-kick before Kane marked his first appearance at the on Liverpool boss Klopp Emirates with the opening goal. Danny Rose bent 20 minutes when Yannick Bolasie fired a glorious pass in behind the Arsenal defence powerfully home after some poor from inside his own half and with Koscielny mist- Liverpool 1 defending by the hosts. iming his attempt to step up and play offside, Klopp’s side struck back three min- Kane had the freedom of north London to canter utes before halftime through Philippe down the inside-left channel and place a shot Coutinho, who added to his two goals beyond Cech. against Chelsea last weekend, when he Sanchez squandered Arsenal’s best chance to Crystal Palace 2 arrived at the far post to finish a sweep- equalise before half-time when he failed to make telling contact with Campbell’s low cross from the ing Liverpool move with a side-foot fin- right, presenting Hugo Lloris with an easy save. ish. Dann, however, grabbed all three Arsenal made a change at half-time that saw LONDON: Juergen Klopp tasted defeat points for the visitors when he headed a Mathieu Flamini, whose brace sank Spurs in the for the first time as Liverpool manager corner at Liverpool keeper Simon League Cup last month, replace Santi Cazorla. after Crystal Palace’s Scott Dann scored Mignolet but reacted quickly to follow- Campbell immediately illustrated Arsenal’s with eight minutes remaining to grab a up and finish. Liverpool, who had won determination to show a greater cutting edge by 2-1 win at Anfield yesterday. three and drawn three in Klopp’s first six LONDON: Arsenal’s French defender Mathieu Debuchy (R) tackles Tottenham Hotspur’s English darting in from the right flank and forcing Lloris Liverpool, who made a draining games in charge, are 10th in the table midfielder Dele Alli during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and into a one-handed save with a low, left-foot Europa League trip to play Rubin Kazan on 17 points, two behind Palace in Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London yesterday. — AFP curler. — AFP in Russia on Thursday, fell behind after eighth. — Reuters.