Spurs pound Johnson lifts Kings Liverpool gloom SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 201417 19 India Test postponed as Australia reels from Hughes death Page 16 LONDON: Sunderland’s Lee Cattermole (left) vies for the ball with Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas (right) during their English Premier League soccer match at the Stadium of Light. — AP Chelsea kept in check by gritty Sunderland torial advantage against the hardworking side, who hit the bar just before the break as protests as the Black Cats were denied three under pressure from O’Shea and Wes Brown. hosts, who drew for the eighth time this Santiago Vergini latched onto Lee free-kicks in quick succession. Willian was then inches away from grab- Sunderland 0 campaign. Cattermole’s pass to send a first-time effort Despite chasing shadows for much of the bing a spectacular opener when the Brazilian Gus Poyet’s side remain the last team to against the woodwork from close range. first-half, Sunderland stuck to their task. jinked his way past Anthony Reveillere to fire beat Chelsea in the Premier League, a 2-1 vic- That came after the frame of the goal had Strikers Steven Fletcher and Connor just wide from 20 yards with Pantilimon tory at Stamford Bridge more than seven also denied Chelsea, as Willian broke through Wickham both went close with half-chances, beaten. Chelsea 0 months ago. to see his low skidding effort hit the foot of before recalled midfielder Jack Rodwell, Costa finally made his way into Friend’s It proved an eventful evening for Diego the post from 20 yards. Sunderland’s only change, tried his luck from book, when his trailing arm accidentally Costa, the Blues’ star striker, who was lucky Willian was at the heart of most of his distance. Thibaut Courtois, the Chelsea goal- caught Brown in the face to earn a fifth cau- not to be sent off as the Spaniard earned a side’s good work, and it was his ball that put keeper, was easily up to the task. tion of the season, his last notable contribu- LONDON: English Premier League leaders second-half caution after being fortunate to in Branislav Ivanovic from a narrow angle As half-time approached, Costa inexplica- tion before being withdrawn. Pantilimon Chelsea had to be content with a point yes- escape a yellow card at the end of the first- early on. bly escaped censure, when the striker kicked held a Nemanja Matic long-range effort at terday as they were held to a 0-0 draw at bat- half. The fast-raiding full-back’s low shot was out at John O’Shea after going to ground in a the second attempt in a scare for tling Sunderland. Mourinho wisely substituted his 12-goal destined for the bottom corner of the goal tussle with the Sunderland skipper, the Sunderland. However, the hosts remained a Jose Mourinho’s side increased their top scorer, who will be suspended for until Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon Spaniard grateful for Friend’s leniency after threat on the counter-attack, and Courtois advantage at the top of the table to seven Wednesday’s Premier League visit by stuck out a leg to divert the ball wide. an ugly studs-up lunge at the Irishman. had to be alert to hold onto a snap-shot from points thanks to a 13th league game without Tottenham after his fifth booking of the cam- An at-times tetchy contest all got too The interval failed to halt Chelsea’s Wickham as the forward tried his luck form defeat, stretching their unbeaten start to the paign. much for Mauricio Taricco and as half-time momentum, and Gary Cahill should have put the edge of the area. Substitute Jozy Altidore season to 20 games in the process. Despite enjoying the lion’s share of the approached, the Sunderland coach was ban- them ahead straight after the restart, but the and Adam Johnson, twice, both wasted late But they left the Stadium of Light frustrat- ball for the entire contest, the unchanged ished from the dugout to the stands by refer- England defender headed Willian’s pinpoint half-chances for the hosts, who finished the ed at being unable to press home their terri- visitors were made to work hard by Poyet’s ee Kevin Friend for his overly-robust sideline corner straight at Pantilimon from six yards stronger. — AFP United breeze past Hull Welbeck sinks Albion down the table at an alarming rate. with Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez and the fit- After 15 minutes, Rooney’s corner again Olivier Giroud for the first time, Man United 3 was headed back across goal by two West Brom 0 however it was Santi Cazorla who starred defenders, forcing goalkeeper Allan for his team with an assist from the McGregor into an unconvincing Spaniard capping an excellent display. attempt to clear the ball which served While Wenger began the day as the only to push it out to Smalling. Hull 0 Arsenal 1 manager under the spotlight, it was his The defender’s shot was struck well opposite number Alan Irvine who ended enough and although it appeared that the day feeling some pressure after sup- McGregor might have kept it out, porters reacted with frustration to his rather than help if over the line, referee MANCHESTER: Robin van Persie got WEST BROMWICH: Danny Welbeck’s tactics and substitutions. back on the scoresheet after a disap- Anthony Taylor used goalline technol- header eased the pressure on Arsene ogy to confirm the goal. The second England manager Roy Hodgson, in pointing run as Manchester United Wenger as Arsenal made it two victories attendance at his former club, saw two of strolled to a 3-0 victory over Hull at Old goal followed a half of complete in a week with a 1-0 success at West United domination, coming four min- OLD TRAFFORD: Hull’s Mohamed Diame (centre) keeps the ball his players go head-to-head early on as Trafford yesterday. Bromwich Albion yesterday. Aaron Ramsey slid Welbeck in, only for Louis van Gaal’s side retained their utes before the interval as captain from Manchester United’s Michael Carrick during the English England striker Welbeck struck on the England international Ben Foster to dart place in the Premier League’s top four Curtis Davis blundered in failing to Premier League soccer match. — AP hour mark at the Hawthorns to boost the from his line and save smartly. thanks to a third successive win clear Ander Herrera’s header, tapping mer favourite Steve Bruce, who has There was also a towering set-piece the ball directly to van Persie. Gunners’ top-four aspirations following The West Brom goalkeeper had a for- secured by Chris Smalling’s opener, a yet to beat his old club in 21 tries as header from Nikica Jelavic which successive defeats in their last two Wayne Rooney strike and Dutch for- The Dutchman laid the ball back to tunate escape in the 28th minute, how- manager. cleared de Gea’s crossbar by some Premier League matches. ward van Persie’s first goal in his last Rooney and he produced a superbly- ever, when outside of his area close to Herrera might have scored after 24 margin, but they barely registered as That had left Wenger’s position under four club matches. placed finish from just outside the minutes but Davies charged his shot concerns for the home side. the left corner flag, he gifted possession scrutiny, yet the picture now looks more And with one defeat in eight area, his eighth goal in his last nine down and into the side netting and a Van Persie, scorer of just three goals to Giroud, yet the angle proved too acute games, plus upcoming fixtures against games for club and country. free-flowing move ended with Herrera this season for United, was clearly positive for the Arsenal manager and his for the France international. Stoke and Southampton in the next Herrera was on the pitch as a 14th slipping the ball through for van Persie intent on improving that tally and a team following this win and a midweek As half-time approached, it was the nine days, there is a growing belief at minute sub after a worrying early who was put off slightly by James superb header, from a long Michael success over Borussia Dortmund which visitors who were very much in the Old Trafford that United can secure a injury to Angel di Maria who limped Chester and could only shoot straight Carrick pass, came close after 57 min- secured their place in the last 16 of the ascendancy and, once again, the Baggies place in next season’s Champions off the field clutching his hamstring, a at McGregor. utes only for the Dutchman to be ruled Champions League. could count themselves lucky to avoid League. blow to United given his strong start Hull improved marginally after the offside in any case. He did not have Arsenal had to dig deep against a conceding following an individual error. The hosts had the contest com- to the game and the recent injury list interval, and David de Gea was actually long to wait, however, and after 66 Baggies side set up to frustrate and hit Youssouf Mulumbu gifted possession pletely under control by the interval that has plagued their season. required to make his first meaningful minutes, van Persie added a third for them on the counter-attack, yet the cheaply on the edge of the home side’s But that was just about the only against a Hull side who have won just save of the match, after 53 minutes, United after more poor defensive play home side’s resistance was eventually area to Cazorla, who fed the advancing once in the league since the opening concern for United as they dominat- when he comfortably gathered a shot by Hull and a wayward pass intercept- broken by Welbeck’s first club goal in ed opponents managed by their for- Ramsey only for the Welshman to shoot day of the season and are plummeting from left-back Andrew Robertson.