Costa Downs Norwich to Ease Chelsea Crisis
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2015 SPORTS Costa downs Norwich to ease Chelsea crisis Chelsea 1 Norwich 0 LONDON: Diego Costa’s second half strike brought relief to Stamford Bridge as Chelsea halted a run of three straight Premier League defeats with a 1-0 victory over Norwich yester- day. It will take more to turn the reigning cham- pions’ season around, but this win at least stopped the rot and eased the pressure on man- ager Jose Mourinho. There were certainly posi- NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United’s Dutch midfielder Vurnon Anita (left) vies with tives for Mourinho, who this week received the Leicester City’s English striker Jamie Vardy during the English Premier League football public backing of the club’s hierarchy for the match between Newcastle United and Leicester City at St James’ Park yesterday. — AFP second time this season, with Costa rescuing an indifferent display with his first goal in seven games and Eden Hazard again showing signs of Record-equaling Vardy a return to form. But it is clear Chelsea, who moved above Norwich into 15th position, remain a shadow of keeps Leicester flying high the side that dominated the title race last sea- son as they struggled to overcome the lowly forward Shinji Okazaki came off the bench Canaries. Mourinho maintains Chelsea’s per- to wrap up the points. formances have been deserving of greater Newcastle 0 Vardy’s remarkable rise from playing reward in recent weeks, particularly in the non-league football just a few years ago defeat at Stoke City last time out. That has has run hand in hand with Leicester’s strengthened the manager’s belief his side are ascent and their dominant display at St on the verge of drawing a line under their disas- Leicester 3 James’ Park left them top of the Premier trous start. But with the gap to the top four League, although Manchester City could growing ever wider, Mourinho knew his side regain first place. Vardy threatened for the must quickly resolve the problems at both ends first time when Riyad Mahrez skipped of the pitch that have contributed to their NEWCASTLE: Jamie Vardy scored for the beyond Vurnon Anita and found his team- demise this season. 10th successive game to equal Ruud van mate six yards out. Goalkeeper Rob Elliot’s And in the first half, the signs were the Blues Nistelrooy’s Premier League record and left foot denied Vardy on that occasion, but are still some way short of finding the answers. keep Leicester flying high in the English top the moment everyone was waiting for soon Mourinho could have no complaints with the tier with a 3-0 win at Newcastle yesterday. arrived. France international Moussa way his side approached the game, with Cesc Vardy struck in first-half stoppage time to Sissoko lost the ball inside Leicester’s half Fabregas and Nemanja Matic providing the move level with former Manchester United and it found its way to Vardy. He rolled a midfield platform that allowed the home side to striker Van Nistelrooy’s streak of scoring in pass into Ulloa and drifted off the flank as push Norwich backwards. Less satisfactory was consecutive fixtures. Fittingly, the Leicester he stayed onside and collected the return Chelsea’s efforts inside the visitors’ penalty area, forward could eclipse Van Nistelrooy’s ball, knocked it past Sissoko and rifled with Costa in particular guilty of spurning a suc- LONDON: Chelsea’s Brazilian striker Kenedy (left) challenges Norwich City’s English defender record against the Dutchman’s old club inside Elliot’s near post for an historic goal. cession of good chances that confirmed the Andre Wisdom during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and when United visit the King Power Stadium It was his 13th of the campaign and a strike Spain striker is still operating way below the Norwich City at Stamford Bridge yesterday. — AFP next weekend. which earned him a warm round of standards he set last season. If he manages that, Vardy can set his applause from even Newcastle’s fans as he Costa in time and space on the right hand side the break and Norwich cracked when they lost sights on the all-time English top-flight walked off at the break. Leicester’s second Dismal run of the Norwich box, only for the forward to concentration as Fabregas took a quick free- record for goals in an unbroken run of 12 goal came in the 62nd minute when Coming into this game, the Brazil-born for- shoot too close to keeper John Ruddy. kick on the halfway line. The midfielder’s chip club matches set by Jimmy Dunne of Mahrez was given time to cross to the far ward had scored just twice in 10 Premier League And prior to that, Costa failed to read allowed Costa to break free behind the back- Sheffield United in the old First Division post, where an unmarked Ulloa headed starts. And while he had the opportunity to add Hazard’s intentions when the midfielder sent a tracking defenders and this time the striker during the 1931/32 season. While Vardy home. Vardy came off with 13 minutes to to that tally before the break, his finishing lacked low ball across the face of goal, waiting instead showed great composure to curl the ball stole the headlines, the England interna- go, but there was still time for Leicester to conviction, suggesting his confidence has been for a pull-back on the edge of the box. beyond Ruddy and inside the near post. tional wasn’t Leicester’s only hero in their score once more. Danny Simpson’s effort affected by Chelsea’s dismal run. Costa wasn’t Mourinho’s reaction on the touchline spoke vol- Mourinho’s side may have deserved their lead eighth win in 13 league matches. Leonardo from Marc Albrighton’s pass was saved by the only culprit in the first half with Fabregas umes and the manager again remonstrated on the balance of play but Norwich could easi- Ulloa laid on Vardy’s record-equaling effort Rob Elliot and Okazaki slammed home and Willian also failing to make the most of good with Costa following a carbon-copy move early ly have found themselves ahead in the first before heading home himself and Japan from close-range.—AFP chances. But more is expected from Costa and in the second half. Costa produced the ideal half. Willian was fortunate referee Craig the way he shot high over the bar after being response, however, in the 64th minute when he Pawson allowed the Brazilian’s clumsy chal- picked out by Pedro’s cut-back was a sign of offered a glimpse of his undoubted quality and lenge on Robbie Brady to go unpunished things to come. A more glaring miss came in the conjured the goal Mourinho will hope triggers a inside the area and it took an excellent block final moments of the first half when Chelsea resurgence in his form. by John Terry to deny Sebastien Bassong’s broke quickly with Kenedy eventually finding Chelsea’s pressure had been building after close-range shot.— AFP Rampant Everton rout Aston Villa to Lukaku, and the ball then moved slickly on to all competitions and saw him become only the James McCarthy and out to Gerard Deulofeu. He fifth player to reach 50 Premier League goals Everton 4 sent it goalwards and Villa goalkeeper Brad before turning 23. Martinez’s side struck again Guzan was only able to parry it into the path of when Guzan saved at Arouna Kone’s feet, but he Barkley, who converted with ease. couldn’t hold on to the ball and despite the pres- Guzan was beaten again as Deulofeu tried to ence of several Villa defenders, Barkley was able Villa 0 play Lukaku in, Micah Richards’ block saw the to fire into the net. Garde’s misery was complete ball break wide to Seamus Coleman and his in the 59th minute when Deulofeu fed Barkley chipped cross was headed in by the Belgium and his tee-up found Lukaku, who lifted the ball striker. It was Lukaku’s 10th goal of the season in past Guzan.— AFP LIVERPOOL: Remi Garde suffered his first defeat as Aston Villa manager as Everton ran riot in a 4- 0 victory at Goodison Park yesterday. After an encouraging goalless draw against high-flying Manchester City in his opening game before the international break, this was a chastening reality check for Garde as doubles from Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku left Villa rooted to the bot- tom of the Premier League. England midfielder Barkley opened the floodgates when he put the WEST BROMWICH: West Brom’s Solomon Rondon (right) battles with Arsenal’s Toffees ahead in the 17th minute. Mathieu Flamini (front left) and Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker during the English Belgian striker Lukaku then headed home in Premier League soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at the the 28th minute before poor Villa defending Hawthorns yesterday. — AP allowed Barkley to add another three minutes before half-time. Lukaku notched his second just before the hour to complete Villa’s heaviest Arsenal lose ground defeat of a miserable season and leave them five points from safety. The extent of the challenge facing former Lyon manager Garde, who in West Brom defeat replaced the sacked Tim Sherwood, was laid bare as Villa’s winless league run in the league that Koscielny, in particular, had been deeply extended to 12 matches with a 10th defeat. affected by the attacks, which included a num- West Brom 2 In contrast, it was another encouraging after- ber of explosions outside the Stade de France, noon for Everton boss Roberto Martinez after where France were playing Germany in a friend- the 6-2 thumping of Sunderland in their previ- ly.