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SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2015 SPORTS

EPL results/standings Southampton 0 Everton 3 (Lukaku 22, 45, Barkley 84); Sunderland 1 (Watmore 88) Norwich 3 (Martin 26, Whittaker 37, Redmond 57); Swansea 2 (Gomis 9, Ayew 52) Newcastle 0; Tottenham 2 (Dier 19, Chadli 45+2) Stoke 2 (Arnautovic 78-pen, Diouf 83); Watford 0 West Brom 0; West Ham 1 (Payet 55) Leicester 2 (Okazaki 27, Mahrez 38).

Playing today Crystal Palace v Arsenal, Manchester City v Chelsea

Playing tomorrow Liverpool v Bournemouth

English table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Leicester 2200636 Watford 2020222 Man Utd 2200206 Chelsea 1010221 Everton 2110524 Stoke 2011231 Swansea 2110424 Tottenham 2011231 Man City 1100303 Newcastle 2011241 Crystal Palace 1100313 Southampton 2011251 West Ham 2101323 West Brom 2011031 Liverpool 1100103 Bournemouth 1001010 Norwich 2101443 Arsenal 1001020 Aston Villa 2101113 Sunderland 2002370 Leicester down Hammers

er Reece Oxford. Oxford came close to opening the scoring when he met a Payet Leicester2 free-kick with a header that deflected over, but he looked more like a boy amongst men on this occasion and was eventually taken off at half-time. : Southampton’s Victor Wanyama (right) and Everton’s John Stones battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match. —AP West Ham By that point, Ranieri’s team had firmly taken control. In midweek, Leicester striker had been given a substantial fine after a British newspaper published a Lukaku brace leaves LONDON: Leicester climbed to the top of video allegedly showing the England inter- the Premier League as Japan striker Shinji national abusing a Japanese man at a casi- Okazaki’s first goal for his new club inspired no. a 2-1 win at West Ham yesterday. The situation could have caused prob- Saints awaiting take-off Okazaki, a £7 million ($10 million) pre- lems for Ranieri given that Vardy’s strike season signing from German club Mainz, partner is Okazaki, but the Japan star had opened the scoring at Upton Park and “taken no offence” about his team-mate’s after 2-2 draws on the opening day-Everton’s at pass was parried by Maarten Stekelenburg. added Leicester’s second behaviour, according to Ranieri, and the home to Watford, Southampton’s at Newcastle Southampton pressed for an equaliser, with goal before half-time. pair backed up their manager’s faith by Southampton 0 United. Graziano Pelle attempting to flick home Dusan Dimitri Payet reduced the deficit after combining for Leicester’s 26th minute Everton brought in Kone for Kevin Mirallas Tadic’s cross, but Howard was able to gather the break, but ’s side held opener. and Southampton replaced Jay Rodriguez with comfortably. on for a victory that took them above Vardy clipped a fine pass to Okazaki and . Southampton manager Ronald Lukaku, though, was proving to be a real Manchester United on goal difference after although his initial volley was well saved by Everton 3 Koeman was able to take his place on the bench handful for the Saints defenders and he all but West Ham goalkeeper Adrian was sent off Adrian he kept his composure to steer in again following an Achilles operation, although finished the game before the half-time whistle. in stoppage-time. the rebound with his head. he spent the 90 minutes in his seat. The 22-year-old won the ball off Maya Leicester had started the season with an Dominating possession, Leicester swept The home players had worn ‘Thank you Yoshida and played Barkley in before receiving impressive thrashing of Sunderland last forward to double their lead in the 38th SOUTHAMPTON: Romelu Lukaku scored his first Markus’ T-shirts during the warm-up in tribute to the ball back. Lukaku’s cool, low finish, following weekend continuing the momentum of minute and again Okazaki played a key Premier League brace since November 2013 and their former owner Markus Liebherr, who passed a powerful, driving run, gave Stekelenburg little their escape from relegation under previ- role. Ross Barkley added a late third as Everton away five years ago. chance. ous boss last season. Okazaki’s pass picked out Marc recorded a fine 3-0 win at Southampton yester- Everton started the game on the front foot Former Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu came They had failed to win any of their last Albrighton in a dangerous position on the day. and Lukaku, a £28 million ($43.8 million, 39.4 on at the break for his Southampton debut in 20 Premier League matches in London and left wing and he sent the ball into Mahrez’s Belgium striker Lukaku only managed 10 million euros) signing from Chelsea last year, was place of Tadic but he was unable to change the lost on all six of their visits to the English path for the Algerian midfielder to sweep league goals last season, but he is up and run- brought down right on the edge of the area by outcome of the match as Everton happily pro- capital last season. home a powerful first-time finish for his ning after two moments of class and an all- . Barkley’s free-kick deflected wide tected their lead in the second half. But that dismal record was put to bed in third goal of the season. round display of brilliance won this match for off the wall and moments later Kone saw a shot Martinez’s men played the counter-attacking emphatic fashion in the East End. West Payet gave West Ham a lifeline when the the visitors before the break. For his first goal, diverted wide. game effectively, although Pelle did go close Ham enjoyed a fine 2-0 win at Arsenal on former Marseille playmaker struck in the Lukaku headed in off the bar on 22 minutes The Merseysiders’ start was a sign of things to from a corner. Rodriguez replaced a opening day and one of the stand-outs in 55th minute, taking Cheikhou Kouyate’s even though the ball was slightly behind him come, but it was Southampton who probably quiet Long and immediately put himself about that shock result was 16-year-old midfield- pass and firing into the top corner. from Arouna Kone’s cross. should have opened the scoring. Saido Mane ran up front, while a 30-yard strike from Mane was Then, seconds before the break, he started through on goal but his shot was saved by Tim pushed away by Howard. and finished a move, scoring with a left-foot fin- Howard. Within seconds, Everton had gone Victor Wanyama also struck over from dis- ish from the edge of the area. He departed to a down to the other end of the pitch to score, tance but Southampton never put the Everton standing ovation from the away fans, having with Lukaku converting Kone’s right-wing cross defence under any sustained pressure. It was left been applauded by the home fans prior to kick- for his first goal of the season. to England midfielder Barkley to complete the off when he went into the stand to apologise for Roberto Martinez’s side should have had a scoring. He added a third six minutes from time hitting a Southampton supporter with the ball second shortly afterwards, with new signing with a composed finish after Lukaku’s strength during the warm-up. Tom Cleverley completely missing the target on and Seamus Coleman’s pass had set up the Both sides made one change to their teams the rebound after Barkley’s shot from Lukaku’s chance.—AFP West Brom in drab stalemate

And the visitors nearly claimed the three midfielder Jurado missed a chance to put the points at Vicarage Road but for Burundi striker hosts ahead as Allan Nyom, Watford’s new to send the ball wide with ten Cameroon right-back, also looked dangerous. Watford 0 minutes to go. Nyom, who arrived from Udinese, broke away The draw leaves Watford searching for their and ran the length of the field before firing a first win in eight home games against West ferocious drive at Myhill from the edge of the Brom with Saturday’s clash their first top flight area. West Brom 0 meeting in nearly 20 years. Deeney had another chance moments later Watford had made an encouraging start to when he met Ikechi Anya’s cross at the far post, LONDON: Leicester City’s Shinji Okazaki (right) scores his side’s first goal of the game life in the Premier League last weekend with a but Myhill was able to block the header and during their English Premier League soccer match against West Ham at Upton Park. 2-2 draw away to Everton. And Quique Sanchez Jonas Olsson cleared. —AP WATFORD: West Brom’s new club-record sign- Flores’s side got off to the brighter start with Pulis brought on Rondon with half an hour ing Salomon Rondon made his debut as his two chances in the first five minutes. West Brom to go and the Venezuelan’s introduction briefly side secured their first point of the season in a goalkeeper Boaz Myhill was kept busy with a sparked West Brom into life. Rondon’s first goalless draw at promoted Watford yesterday. Troy Deeney header followed by an attempt action was a powerful run into the Watford box, Man City eye chance to Venezuela international Rondon, a £12 mil- from Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo. but poor finishing saw it come to nothing. lion ($19 million) signing from Zenit St Berahino headed too high for West Brom And Berahino could have won it with 10 add to Chelsea’s woes Petersburg, came off the bench as ’ after 28 minutes from a corner. minutes left when Gareth McAuley headed side looked to bounce back from their 3-0 And in the last action of the first half Ighalo ’s cross back across goal, but the LONDON: Manchester City will attempt to resents an opportunity to disrupt the stride of opening defeat by Manchester City. fired just over.Back after the break, Spanish Tottenham target headed wide. —AFP exploit the internal turmoil at Chelsea and a title rival. land an early blow in this season’s Premier “We are not thinking about the title in the League title race when the sides face off second game, but we are thinking about try- today. ing to win our points at home, especially as Chelsea’s week has been dominated by we are playing against the champions and the fall-out from manager Jose Mourinho’s one of the teams that has a lot of chances to criticism of first-team doctor Eva Carneiro and win the title,” he said. “It is the same as physiotherapist Jon Fearn for running onto Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, the pitch to treat Eden Hazard when the team Tottenham-all the big teams.” were down to 10 men in last weekend’s 2-2 Aguero came off the bench against West draw with Swansea City. Brom, but it may be too soon for last season’s Widely criticised over the incident, top scorer to start, which would mean Mourinho confirmed on Friday that the pair Wilfried Bony continuing to lead the line. have been demoted-temporarily, according For Chelsea, Asmir Begovic will make his to him-and will not be on the bench at the competitive full debut, having come on Etihad Stadium. against Swansea following Courtois’s second- The Swansea game already represented half dismissal for felling Bafetimbi Gomis. an underwhelming start to Chelsea’s title Oscar is a doubt with a knock sustained in defence after five games without victory in training, but Diego Costa is in line to play, pre-season, with goalkeeper Thibaut having allayed fears about the condition of Courtois’s dismissal ruling him out of today’s his hamstrings by completing 90 minutes contest. City, in contrast, opened with an against Swansea. impressive 3-0 win at West Bromwich Albion Even by Mourinho’s stormy standards, it that sent Manuel Pellegrini’s side to the top of has been a challenging week, as medical pro- the standings after the first round of fixtures. fessionals from within the game have queued Raheem Sterling is settling in after his £49 up to criticise him over his perplexing treat- million ($76.7 million, 68.9 million euros) ment of Carneiro and Fearn.—AFP switch from Liverpool, Sergio Aguero is near- ing full fitness following his post-Copa America break and Yaya Toure suggested he was ready to put last season’s troubles behind Matches on TV him with a goal and an assist at The (Local Timings) Hawthorns. Today’s game, meanwhile, will be the first at the Etihad since the opening of a English Premier League new 6,000-seat tier on the South Stand and Crystal Palace v Arsenal 15:30 the addition of 1,500 extra pitch-side seats, beIN SPORTS 1 HD taking the capacity to 55,097 — another sign beIN SPORTS 11 HD of the club’s growing ambition. Man City v Chelsea 18:00 Victory would put City five points above beIN SPORTS 1 HD Chelsea and although it is early days, beIN SPORTS 11 HD LONDON: Watford’s Miguel Layun (left) and West Bromwich Albion’s James Morrison battle for the ball during their English Premier League soc- Pellegrini knows that Sunday’s encounter rep- cer match. —AP