Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2013

MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Ivorian Yaya Toure shoots towards goal during the English football match between Manchester City and Liverpool yester- day. — AFP Man City dethrone Liverpool

Arsenal, after rallying from a goal down thanks to a header from Man City 2 Vincent Kompany and a first-half stoppage-time strike from Super-sub Gayle strikes Negredo. Liverpool keeper Simon late to lift Crystal Palace Liverpool 1 Mignolet was at fault for Negredo’s goal as he palmed his 18-metre effort up and into his own net. It was the ninth consec- English Premier League table utive home game in all competi- Villa 0 LONDON: Alvaro Negredo kept LONDON: English Premier League table after yesterdayís up his sparkling home scoring tions in which the Spaniard has matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, record, grabbing the winner as scored. Third-placed Liverpool, points): Manchester City came from who gave as good as they got in a Arsenal 18 12 3 3 36 18 39 behind to beat title rivals pulsating game, went ahead after Palace 1 Man City 18 12 2 4 53 21 38 Liverpool 2-1 in a rip-roaring 24 minutes when Raheem Sterling Chelsea 18 11 4 3 33 18 37 Premier League showdown yes- rounded keeper Joe Hart and Liverpool 18 11 3 4 43 21 36 terday. City moved up to second Philippe Coutinho slotted the ball Everton 18 9 7 2 29 17 34 in the table, one point behind into an empty net. — Reuters Newcastle 18 10 3 5 29 23 33 BIRMINGHAM: Crystal Palace striker came Man Utd 18 9 4 5 31 22 31 off the bench to clinch a dramatic 1-0 win over Aston Villa Tottenham 18 9 4 5 19 24 31 that lifted his side out of the relegation zone yesterday. Southampton 18 7 6 5 25 18 27 Gayle produced a superb individual effort two minutes Stoke 18 5 6 7 18 26 21 into stoppage-time at Villa Park and in the process gave a Swansea 18 5 5 8 23 24 20 massive boost to Palace’s bid to avoid relegation from the Hull 18 5 5 8 16 23 20 Premier League. ’s team climbed to 17th place, Aston Villa 18 5 4 9 17 24 19 above the bottom three on goal difference, while Villa Norwich 18 5 4 9 16 31 19 were booed off by their fans after a fourth successive West Brom 18 3 8 7 19 24 17 defeat. Palace were without suspended top scorer Cardiff 18 4 5 9 13 28 17 Marouane Chamakh so Yannick Bolasie came into the Crystal Palace 18 5 1 12 12 27 16 starting line-up. Fulham 18 5 1 12 19 35 16 A dismal first half saw both teams struggle to find any West Ham 18 3 5 10 15 25 14 attacking momentum. The only real chance saw Libor Sunderland 18 3 4 11 13 30 13 Kozak’s header destined for the top corner until Palace defender Adrian Mariappa got his head in the way. The tempo increased at the start of the second half and it was struck a shot towards the bottom corner that was Palace who should have taken the lead in the 48th superbly pushed onto a post by Guzan. minute. Bolasie raced down the right wing and pulled the Bolasie was a real dangerman for Palace and in the ball back for Jason Puncheon, who was in space on the 64th minute he got to the byline before pulling the ball edge of the box, but the forward got the ball stuck under back across the box for Puncheon, who was again denied his feet and could only poke a shot that was beaten away by Guzan. That was the forward’s last action as he was by Brad Guzan. replaced by Jonathan Williams, with Pulis also sending Villa responded and in the 54th minute a spell of pres- on record signing Gayle for Cameron Jerome. Villa substi- sure ended with Fabian Delph picking out Andreas tute Jordan Bowery had an 89th-minute header tipped Weimann with an excellent ball, but the Austrian chose to over by Speroni and Palace took advantage of that escape in stoppage-time. Gayle picked up the ball wide BIMINGHAM: Aston Villa’s Antonio Luna (bottom) tackles Crystal shoot first time and it was straight at Speroni. Palace on the left, dribbled past Delph and curled a shot into Palace’s Yannick Bolasie during their English Premier League soc- broke straight down the other end and Puncheon picked the top corner.— AFP cer match yesterday. — AP out Barry Bannan just inside the box. The Scot turned and