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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2016 SPORTS Leicester are title favourites now, says Wenger BOURNEMOUTH: Arsene Wenger admits “When you play at the top, that’s a FAVOURITES Premier League for anybody is difficult to Gosling. The Arsenal midfielder was pun- Leicester are now favourites to win the long period, confidence drops a little bit. “I agree with you that Leicester now win. We had to win. We won. ished with only a yellow card but Howe Premier League title but insists his Arsenal Leicester running away and us playing are the favourites. We have a big game at “In our last three away games, we said: “I felt it was a red card. Had a very side’s challenge is back on course. The them next week, to make the game inter- home now against them, and I believe we played Liverpool, equalised in the last good view and thought it was two footed. Gunners’ 2-0 win at Bournemouth was esting, it was very important for us to win have enough quality and nerves to deal minute, we played at Stoke, 0-0, and we That kind of tackle has been outlawed. their first in five league games and moved today. “In one week, Leicester has beaten with that.” Arsenal went into Sunday’s came here today, and won, so I believe “You can’t do it. It was a straight red, a sim- Wenger’s side up to third place, five points Liverpool and Man City. So that means game having failed to score in their last that we have shown good performances.” ple decision. I was surprised when referee adrift of Leicester before next weekend’s suddenly they become the favourite in three league outingsa but secured the Ozil again impressed, capping a fine all- only produced a yellow. meeting between the two teams. the league. That makes our game on points through first half goals from Mesut round display with a goal. “I haven’t seen a replay but it was two- The Arsenal manager believes it was Sunday a very big one.” Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. “He has become a very important play- footed and Dan could’ve been seriously crucial his side ended their dismal recent He added: “We have been in a title race Wenger believes his side’s performanc- er, I think he has added fighting attitude. It injured on another occasion. That’s why I run but is convinced they will now meet and we are still in it. We cannot control es have not been getting the rewards was a top performance again,” said thought it was a straight red. It didn’t look Claudio Ranieri’s side with renewed belief. people’s opinions. they deserve but admitted his relief at Wenger of his influential German star. like it was under control.” “Yes, of course (we needed a win), for “We can just control our performances claiming all three points. “I think we need- Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe was But Wenger took an opposite view. “I two reasons. One we haven’t won for a and to show that we believe in it, you ed to win the game. I do not want to be convinced his side’s chances were dented didn’t see it like that, honestly I felt even while, we had four games without a win,” know, and that we have the level to do it. too dramatic with making statements. A by the failure of referee Kevin Friend to at the start it was free-kick for us,” said the said Wenger. There’s still a very long way to go. football game away from home in the dismiss Mathieu Flamini for a foul on Dan Frenchman. — AFP Szczesny heroic as Roma snatch Samp win MILAN: On-loan Arsenal goalkeeper ceded five defeats and a draw in their Wojciech Szczesny produced late heroics last six outings. But Montella remained as Roma held on to snatch a 2-1 win at defiant: “We definitely played better in home to Sampdoria on Sunday and main- the second half and I think in the end we tain their bid for a place in Europe next deserved the win. season. “I’m glad to have helped the “I want to remain positive but my team, but I would have preferred to make smile is bittersweet. I’m sorry for the fans fewer saves,” the Polish ‘keeper told and the players but I think if we look at Mediaset Premium. Edin Dzeko started our last three games we can say we on the bench and Radja Nainggolan was didn’t deserve just a point. “I can see the suspended for the visit of Sampdoria, light at the end of the tunnel.” whose coach Vincenzo Montella was once Roma spurned several chances to race a hugely popular striker with the club. to a healthy first-half lead, Bosnian mid- But with Sampdoria still struggling to fielder Miralem Pjanic notably nodding kickstart their season following wide of the target despite having time Montella’s recent arrival, the hosts were on his side when Florenzi fired over an rarely troubled in a one-sided opening inviting cross early on. Stephan El period that saw Alessandro Florenzi’s Shaarawy somehow ballooned over from header break the deadlock on the stroke 12 yards on Mohamed Salah’s cut-back of half-time. but just as form dipped towards half- Diego Perotti doubled the lead with a time, Florenzi pounced to head the superb volley minutes after the restart to deflection from an El Shaarawy’s drive claim his maiden Roma goal, but when inside Viviano’s far post. Minutes after Joaquin Correa’s deflected shot trickled the restart, El Shaarawy flicked a loose past Szczesny soon after, Roma’s confi- ball up for Perotti on the edge of the area dence dropped. Sampdoria came fight- and the former Genoa midfielder ing back in a thrilling last quarter hour promptly fired a volley past Viviano and that saw Szczesny make several crucial into the bottom left-hand corner. Pjanic saves while the crossbar kept out a late then escaped down the right to skim the Mattia Cassani chance out as Roma held upright with the outside of his boot, but on to claim their third consecutive win. just as Roma looked to have gained com- Roma remain in fifth at 12 points behind mand, Correa’s shot deflected off Pjanic leaders Napoli, but after Fiorentina and to wrong-foot Szczesny at his near post. Inter Milan drew with Bologna and Dzeko replaced Maicon halfway through Verona respectively, Spalletti’s men are the second period and after losing con- one point behind Inter and two behind trol on the edge of the area turned to see Fiorentina in third. “We should have set- unmarked El Shaarawy pounce and fire tled things much earlier in the match, the loose ball just wide. but we held on for our third consecitive Veteran Antonio Cassano replaced NAPLES: Napoli’s Italian forward Manolo Gabbiadini (R) vies with Carpi’s Swiss defender Fabio Daprela (C) during the Italian Serie A football win and we’ve moved even closer to our Correa for the final 10 minutes and match SSC Napoli vs Carpi FC on Sunday at the San Paolo stadium in Naples. Napoli won the match 1-0. — AFP rival for the Champions League, so we spurned a great chance to level when have to be happy,” Spalletti told Sky Szczesny raced out to block, the Polish Sport. ‘keeper then getting low on Cassano’s Napoli and Juventus deflection from a Dodo drive. A Dodo cross FIVE DEFEATS in the dying seconds saw Cassani contort Sampdoria have now won just two of his body to fire a volley that beat Szczesny, their 12 games under Montella, and con- only to rattle the crossbar. — AFP record narrow wins MILAN: Napoli and Juventus both recorded nar- week to prepare the match against Napoli,” hauled down Koulibaly. Higuain fired confident- row victories against relegation-threatened Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “But ly into the bottom left, scoring for the sixth suc- sides to remain first and second in Serie A on then there will still be another 13 matches left, cessive round. Juventus also extended its club Sunday ahead of their showdown in Turin next the season is long. It will be a really lovely battle, record winning streak to 14 in a row. The record weekend. Second-place Juventus, which beat a direct clash, but it will not decide the title.” in Serie A is Inter’s 17-match run in 2006-07. Frosinone 2-0, appeared to be on the verge of It was surprisingly hard work for Juventus but moving level at the top when Juan Cuadrado HISTORY Frosinone’s resistance was breaking down slow- broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute with the Elsewhere, AC Milan failed to make it three in ly, with Paulo Dybala hitting the post moments score still goalless in the Napoli-Carpi match. a row as it was held 1-1 against Udinese. before the opening goal. Alex Sandro’s ball was Gonzalo Higuain then converted a penalty Sassuolo drew 2-2 against 10-man Palermo and allowed to go across the face of goal for an against 10-man Carpi moments later for his 24th Chievo Verona won 2-1 at Torino, while Atalanta unmarked Cuadrado to curl into the far side of goal in 24 league matches this season as Napoli and Empoli ended 0-0. After matching its club the net. Juve sealed the result in stoppage time went on to win 1-0.

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