SPORTS SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2016 Demolition derby can spark more Liverpool joy says Lucas LIVERPOOL: Lucas Leiva says Liverpool’s Liverpool up to seventh place in the looking to build on to aid the team’s shape, everyone is playing well and we Merseyside derby demolition of Everton table. That could be enough - depend- push for Europe. “I think it was a are getting results, so it’s all positive. will prove a huge boost as they set their ing on who wins the FA Cup - to qualify, deserved win. It’s special because it’s the “But we know football can change sights on European success. but a top-six finish will certainly do it. first derby under Jurgen,” Lucas said. very quickly so we just need to keep Jurgen Klopp’s in-form team are in Klopp’s side have a game in hand on “We are all happy and hopefully we very relaxed and focused.” the Europa League semi-finals with a both Manchester United and West Ham, can keep this good momentum going first-leg visit to Spanish side Villarreal to who are currently fifth and sixth, and are because we still have a lot to play for OPTIMISTIC come next Thursday. Victory in that two points adrift of the Hammers and this season. “We want to finish as high Klopp may rotate his side again to competition - and a first European tro- five of cup semi-finalists United. as possible in the Premier League. We keep players fresh for next week’s trip phy since 2005 - would earn them a Neither play in the league this week- know it’s important. to Spain with striker Divock Origi, who place in next season’s Champions end, giving Liverpool every incentive to “We want to play European games has scored five goals in his last five League. But should they fall short, the extend their impressive home record and if we can get a spot through the games, definitely out of the Newcastle Reds have an alternative route back into against relegation-threatened Newcastle Premier League it will be brilliant game with an ankle injury. Newcastle’s the Europa League via the Premier and former manager Rafael Benitez. because the Europa League is too open. players, who have largely kept a low League with their current form suggest- And Liverpool will go into Saturday’s We have a chance but we don’t know if profile during this troubled season, are ing they have every chance of making it. game on the back of an emphatic 4-0 we’re going to win it. “We just have to now talking a good game as they head Three successive league wins, and six thrashing of neighbours Everton, which keep going. This (the win against to Anfield and attempt to end their 22- from their last eight games, have lifted long-serving Brazilian midfielder Lucas is Everton) shows the squad is in good year jinx. — AFP Raging Vardy leaves Leicester in a bind LONDON: His exploits with Leicester with it.” Vardy’s dizzying achievements have outlaw status, the West Ham incident sug- City have alerted Hollywood scriptwrit- caught the eye of British screenwriter Adrian gested that the rough edges that once saw ers, but an on-pitch indiscretion by Butchart, who is in talks about turning the him convicted of assault during his non- Jamie Vardy has compromised his unher- 29-year-old’s rags-to-riches tale into a film. league days have not been smoothed away. alded team’s extraordinary bid for the It is a beguiling story, which has seen Premier League title. Vardy transform himself from non-league ULLOA TO DEPUTISE SAINT-DENIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s French head coach With 22 goals in the season to date, scrapper in English football’s seventh tier British newspapers this week were splat- Laurent Blanc gives a press conference at the Stade de Vardy has become the symbol of a football into England international, Player of the Year tered with pictures of Vardy pillorying Moss, France stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris yesterday, fairytale, but his dismissal during last week- nominee and potential Premier League his face screwed into a furious scowl, his on the eve of the French League Cup football match Paris end’s 2-2 draw with West Ham United leaves champion. The scrawny striker’s gritty back right index finger jabbed towards the offi- Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Lille. — AFP Leicester in the lurch. story, fiery temperament and hard-running cial’s face. The red card rules Vardy out of Sent off after being shown a second yel- playing style have turned him into some- Sunday’s home game with Swansea City low card for diving, Vardy reacted by angrily thing of an anti-hero for Leicester’s support- and his acceptance of the FA charge could PSG continue bid for berating referee Jon Moss and has accepted ers, who have never seen their club win the mean he misses next weekend’s challenging a Football Association misconduct charge title. “Jamie Vardy’s having a party, bring trip to Manchester United as well. total dominance for his outburst that could keep him on the your vodka and your charlie (cocaine)!” is a Vardy’s latest scrape has also rekindled sidelines for two matches. regular chant at Leicester’s King Power memories of the pre-season incident in PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain face an in-form Lille side in the French “Vardy has been one of the best players Stadium. Meanwhile, an enigmatically which he was caught on camera racially League Cup final at the Stade de France today, as they look to com- in the league,” said his Leicester colleague aggressive Facebook post made by Vardy in goading an Asian man in a casino, for which plete part three of a possible domestic clean sweep of titles. Danny Simpson, who did his best to put on October 2011 — “Chat shit get banged”-has he was fined by Leicester. He later apolo- Laurent Blanc’s side are on track to repeat their haul of last sea- a brave face. “Other players have scored in become the go-to put-down among British gised. Gary Lineker, Leicester’s most son when they won the French Cup and League Cup, the Ligue 1 the team and before last week Vards hadn’t youngsters on social media. famous former player, defended Vardy title, as well as the season-opening Champions Trophy.The capital scored for five or six games, so we’ll deal But while Leicester’s fans revel in Vardy’s against accusations of racism in a recent city club’s main aim this term was to conquer Europe, only to be Guardian interview, describing the incident beaten by Manchester City as they bowed out at the quarter-final as a “mistake”, but met with a backlash on stage for the fourth year in a row. social media. Both Leicester manager But after wrapping up the Ligue 1 title in record time, PSG are Claudio Ranieri and England counterpart just two wins away from successfully defending their cup trophies, Roy Hodgson have supported Vardy over after setting up a mouthwatering French Cup final against arch his West Ham dismissal, with both men rivals Marseille by beating Lorient on Tuesday. Talismanic striker adamant that he did not dive. Zlatan Ibrahimovic grabbed the winner in the 75th minute with his But it changes nothing for Leicester, who 42nd goal of a fantastic farewell season. The rest of the campaign are five points clear of second-place still appears full of possibilities for the league champions, but Blanc Tottenham Hotspur and embarking upon is under pressure to at least match the feats of 12 months ago. the biggest four-game sequence in the The French coach is still sweating on the fitness of key midfielder club’s history without their top scorer and Marco Verratti, who has been out since February 20 with a groin talisman. Leonardo Ulloa, who came on to problem, for the Lille clash, while David Luiz may miss out with an score a stoppage-time penalty against West ankle injury. Luiz’s absence would mean that Marquinhos partners Ham, is expected to step in for Vardy and captain Thiago Silva in central defence, as he did in the European left-back Christian Fuchs has backed the exit to Man City. Goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu looks set to leave the Argentine striker to prove himself a capable club at the end of the season after being replaced as number one by deputy. “It’s a new situation for us because German Kevin Trapp, but he could still make an indelible mark with Jamie hasn’t missed a game yet, but I think his last two matches likely to be the two cup finals. PSG are on we can cope,” Fuchs told the BBC. course for a third successive French League Cup and are the record “Every time Leonardo Ulloa comes off five-time winners of the competition, while Lille have never lifted the bench he has done well and he’s a big the trophy and will be playing in the final for the first time. part of the team.” Ulloa’s four goals this sea- son include a dramatic late winner against REJUVENATED LILLE Norwich City in February, while Vardy’s reg- Lille will be tough opponents on Saturday though, after a recent ular strike partner Shinji Okazaki has resurgence in form under the tutelage of new coach Frederic chipped in with six goals. Antonetti.