SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2014 SPORTS

LONDON: Chelsea’s captain John Terry (center) celebrates scoring his side’s first goal with his teammates Cesc OLD TRAFFORD: Manchester United’s Robin van Persie (centre right) celebrates with teammates after scoring Fabregas (left) and Diego Costa during the English soccer match. against Newcastle during the English Premier League soccer match. — AP photos Plotlines emerge as EPL reaches halfway

MANCHESTER: The English Premier League Third-place United is unbeaten in eight match- two games and helped Chelsea keep clean said. “In my opinion, they are the best team in get into the box from that role. season is approaching its halfway point and a es, winning seven of them, but faces a test of sheets in six of its last seven matches. Terry the Premier League until now, but we believe Comparing himself to United great Paul number of storylines are beginning to take its new-found credentials in an away match at was Chelsea’s captain during Mourinho’s first in ourselves and it will be a great game.” Scholes, Rooney added: “As Paul did many shape. Tottenham - one of a slew of teams in the spell as manager at Stamford Bridge, helping Southampton has struggled against the top times over his career, he could see the ball Chelsea and Manchester City are unstop- chasing pack in the hunt for European football the team to back-to-back Premier League teams this season, though, losing to Liverpool, when it was wide and see the space and run pable forces and will fight it out for the title. next season. titles in 2005 and ‘06. City, Arsenal and Man United. into it.” Manchester United’s resurgence, based on its Elsewhere, West Ham meets Arsenal in a Key to Chelsea’s obduracy in defense is the glut of attacking riches, is offering a tantalizing match pitting fifth vs. sixth respectively, while form of holding midfielder Nemanja Matic, ROONEY REVELLING EVERTON STRUGGLING glimpse of what to expect next season with its Liverpool hosts Swansea in another game who has been one of the star players in the Wayne Rooney has dropped back into cen- It’s been a tough season for the Merseyside defense sorted out. between two teams in the top nine and in Premier League this season and a brilliant pro- tral midfield as Man United manager Louis van clubs - but while Liverpool appears to be on And the fight for the final Champions reach of the top four. tector of the back four. “He’s been a revelation Gaal looks to find a spot for all his attacking the rise, nothing is going right for Everton. League place could involve five or six teams Here are some things to know about the for us,” Terry said. players - and the England captain is respond- The blue half of Merseyside has lost four of and be the most thrilling in years. The second 19th round of games, which marks the mid- ing with some of his best form in years. its last six Premier League games to drop to part of the festive fixture pileup takes place on point of the campaign: SOUTHAMPTON RECOVERY Rooney scored twice in Friday’s 3-1 win over 12th place in the standings. The team is 13 Sunday, when squad strength is set to come Southampton was Chelsea’s nearest chal- Newcastle to take his team-high tally to nine points behind where it was last season after 18 into play as 18 of the league’s 20 teams play VINTAGE TERRY lenger only a month ago, before a defeat to goals for the season. He has scored eight times games, with its regression perhaps due to its their second matches in the space of 48 hours. Scoring goals at one end and keeping them Man City sparked a run of four league losses in his last eight games for club and country, involvement in the Europa League. Chelsea holds a three-point lead over City out at the other, John Terry is a player reborn that burst the bubble at St. Mary’s Stadium. and is keeping up his scoring form despite Everton lost 1-0 at home to Stoke on Friday heading into a tricky-looking away match at at Chelsea. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho The south-coast side is back in form after playing in midfield for United. during which defender Phil Jagielka, American Southampton, which has recovered from a sees “my John of 2004, ‘05, ‘06” in the recent successive wins against Everton and Crystal “It’s a role that I’ve played many times and I goalkeeper Tim Howard and winger Kevin blip and is back in the top four. displays of the former England captain, who Palace, scoring three goals in both games, and know I can play,” said Rooney, who has played Mirallas were injured and are all set to miss With City on a seven-match winning streak has been a rock in the team’s superb start to could give Chelsea problems. behind Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie today’s trip to Newcastle. “It is a pivotal and at home to relegation-threatened Burnley, the season. “For everybody, Chelsea are the biggest for the last two games. “The manager has giv- moment in the season for us,” Everton manag- there is a chance of a twist in the title race. Terry has scored goals in each of his last test,” Southampton manager Ronald Koeman en me even more license to get forward and er Roberto Martinez said. — AP Hibs dent Sanchez rescues Arsenal

Rangers LONDON: Alexis Sanchez helped maintain 10-man Arsenal’s Champions League push title hopes as his man-of-the-match display con- demned Queens Park Rangers to a 2-1 Premier League defeat on Friday. : Hibernian secured their biggest victory The Chilean forward went from zero to over Rangers since 1912 as a turbulent week for the hero after squandering an early penalty Glasgow giants ended in a 4-0 thrashing yesterday. and then putting Arsenal ahead with a In a week where manager Ally McCoist was placed 37th-minute header. on gardening leave and serious concerns were raised Arsenal striker Oliver Giroud was sent off about the running of the club at a stormy AGM, it was for violent conduct before Sanchez’s mazy hoped the focus would revert back to the Ibrox club’s run carved out a second goal for Tomas challenge for the title at Easter Rosicky. Road. However, caretaker manager Kenny McDowall’s ’s late penalty had nerves reign as Rangers boss got off to a disastrous start jangling at the Emirates Stadium, but it was when David Gray fired home a superb eighth minute too little, too late for QPR, who fell to a opener followed four minutes later by a Jason record-equalling ninth straight away Cummings strike. There was to be no second half defeat. In a bid to end his side’s woes away comeback for Rangers with Scott Robertson and Liam from Loftus Road, QPR manager Harry Craig compounding their misery as Hibernian ran riot. Redknapp recalled Rio Ferdinand for the The defeat, Rangers’ fifth in just 17 matches, all but first time since October and he formed part ends their hopes of beating Hearts to the one auto- of a new three-man defensive set-up. matic promotion spot back to the Premiership, with But those carefully-laid plans should the Jambos able to open up a 15 point lead at the top have been thrown out of the window of the table if they defeat Livingston. inside the opening eight minutes. Former “I’m hugely disappointed, especially for our support Arsenal left-back Armand Traore, among who were here today. Obviously finding yourself 2-0 those called in by Redknapp, tripped the down after 12 minutes isn’t an ideal start,” a clearly all-action Sanchez for a clear penalty. despondent McDowall said. Sanchez stepped up instead of regular “I think the best team won and I don’t have any taker Santi Cazorla, but saw his tame spot- excuses at all.” Hibernian, who had a shaky start to the kick pushed out by QPR goalkeeper Rob season under new manager Alan Stubbs, have now Green, who also scrambled away the completed the double over Rangers following their 3-1 rebound. Arsenal pressed and probed for win at Ibrox in September to close to within four an opener, but a combination of last-ditch points of the Gers in second place. defending and inaccurate final balls let “From the beginning to the end, it probably doesn’t LONDON: Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker (left) competes for the ball with Queens Park Rangers Steven Caulker (center) and Jordon them down. Giroud went close from dis- Mutch during the English Premier League soccer match. — AP get much better than that. I feel the lads have just pro- tance before forcing an acrobatic save from duced a complete performance,” Hibs boss Stubbs Green with a 28th-minute free-kick. Vargas’s cross just wide before the break. past him spoke volumes. The incident Mathieu Debuchy was harshly adjudged to said. “We dominated in every area of the field and the It was one-way traffic and the pressure The visitors were given an unexpected threatened to turn the game on its head, have tripped substitute Junior Hoilett players deserve all the credit. The way we played today finally told when Sanchez made amends by helping hand when Giroud was sent off for but instead Arsenal extended their lead via inside the penalty area. was outstanding, we scored some brilliant goals.” heading Arsenal into the lead. Kieran Gibbs a moment of madness in the 53rd minute. veteran Czech midfielder Rosicky in the In-form striker Austin did the rest, slam- McDowall opted to make no changes to the drilled a cross into the box from the left The France striker took exception after 65th minute. ming the spot-kick down the centre of the Rangers side that defeated Livingston last week while and Sanchez exploited inattentive defend- Nedum Onuoha pushed him from behind Sanchez turned creator with a wonder- goal to register his 12th goal of the cam- Hibs manager Stubbs kept faith with the same players ing from Traore to head home his 15th goal as he chased a through-ball and rose from ful run and pass that culminated in a deli- paign. But besides a Vargas header that who had won their previous two matches. Any hopes of the season. the floor to headbutt the QPR defender cately-weighted pass for Rosicky, who was scrambled clear and despite a nerv- McDowall harbored of getting his Gers reign off to a It was the least the hosts deserved. QPR right in front of referee Martin Atkinson, placed a deflected shot beneath Green to ous atmosphere inside the ground, there perfect start took a dent almost immediately as his had failed to register a meaningful attempt who had no option but to send him off. end his nine-month wait for a goal. was to be no grandstand finish as side conceded two goals in four minutes. at goal, but they did sound a note of cau- The angry look on Arsenal manager The game looked up for QPR, but they Wenger’s team saw out the game with rel- The first came from Gray, who collected the ball tion as Steven Caulker headed Eduardo Arsene Wenger’s face as Giroud trudged were thrown a 79th-minute lifeline when ative ease. — AFP wide right and, as the Gers defence stood off him, he smacked a sensational 20 yard strike into the top cor- ner past the helpless Steve Simonsen. Rangers had barely regrouped when Hibs added United gathering Matches on TV another through Cummings. Keeper Simonsen was caught in no man’s land when Craig knocked Scott (Local Timings) Allan’s excellent cross-field pass back across goal and pace under Van Gaal Cummings bundled the ball home with a queue of English Premier League Hibs’ players waiting to finish. Cummings then tested Tottenham v Man United 15:00 Simonsen with a stinging shot that the keeper could LONDON: While Chelsea and Manchester club website (ManUtd.com). “We were bit- to 15 in all competitions. “We’ve built up beIN SPORTS 1 HD only palm away as Hibs bossed proceedings. City slug it out at the top of the Premier terly disappointed not to win last week (at some momentum now with some wins,” beIN SPORTS 11 HD It took Rangers until the 37th minute to have their League, Louis van Gaal’s Old Trafford revo- Aston Villa) but we beat Newcastle and he said. “United have picked up form. It’s Southampton v Chelsea 17:05 effort on goal with Lee McCulloch sending his header lution gathers ever more momentum in now have two big away games. They will going to be a tough game but we are beIN SPORTS 1 HD from a Steven Smith corner widely over the bar. the red half of Manchester. be a good test for us to see where we are confident at the minute. We’re ready for beIN SPORTS 11 HD Aston Villa v Sunderland 18:00 In a rare foray forward Lee Wallace managed to The Dutchman endured a tricky start at.” After the trip to Spurs, United-seven it.” Chelsea make the trip south to face a beIN SPORTS 2 HD swing a decent delivery from the left into the box but to his reign but seven wins in eight points behind City and 10 adrift of fourth-placed Southampton side who QPR v Crystal Palace 18:00 Miller powered a header wide under pressure. league games have put United hot on the Chelsea-are away at Stoke on New Year’s appear to have got over their blip follow- beIN SPORTS 5 HD Rangers tried to respond in the second with Liam heels of the pacesetters. Day. “We’re continuing to look up and will ing a flying start to the campaign. Man City v Burnley 18:00 Fontaine clearing a Nicky Law strike off the line but an If the current United side can emulate continue to try to catch them (City and “We have found the belief again,” said beIN SPORTS 4 HD Allan-inspired Hibs soon killed off their hopes. The the teams of Alex Ferguson who were Chelsea),” Carrick said. “We’re not satisfied Southampton manager Ronald Koeman West Ham v Arsenal 18:00 midfielder’s sublime pass slipped in Robertson who renowned for a strong second half of the with third-it’s obviously an improvement after Saints followed up a 3-0 drubbing of beIN SPORTS 7 HD curled a shot beyond Simonsen in the 63rd minute. season, Van Gaal’s men could yet have and we’re getting better, but we want to Everton with a 3-1 success at Crystal Stoke City v West Bromwich 18:00 Allan was again the architect in the 70th minute as their say in the destiny of the title. United keep looking up.” Palace on Friday. “We know Chelsea are beIN SPORTS 6 HD he burst forward down the inside right channel and visit Tottenham Hotspur in a lunchtime Seventh-placed Spurs have won three strong. It will be a challenge.” Manuel Hull City v Leicester 18:00 beIN SPORTS 9 HD kickoff today as the games continue to on the bounce with striker Harry Kane Pellegrini’s City will set a club record of 10 chipped a beautiful ball across goal for Craig who sent Newcastle v Everton 19:15 a measured volley low into the bottom right-hand cor- flow thick and fast over the festive period. emerging as one of the stars of the sea- wins in succession in all competitions if beIN SPORTS 1 HD ner of the net. — AFP “The signs have been good in recent son, his first-minute strike in the 2-1 victo- they can take three points at home to beIN SPORTS 11 HD weeks,” midfielder Michael Carrick told the ry over Leicester on Friday taking his tally Burnley. — Reuters