Qatar’s Al-Attiyah Late Congo wins second Dakar goal spoils Rally title home party SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2015 16 19 S Korea rock Aussies with shock defeat Page 19 LONDON: Queens Park Rangers’ Dutch striker Leroy Fer (5th R) jumps for the ball during the English Premier League football match between Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United at Loftus Road Stadium in London, yesterday. — AFP Fellaini, Wilson spare disjointed Man United prevailed at the expense of QPR’s under- Monaco striker to prove himself worthy of a into action again moments later when he remained a scrappy game, and QPR were pressure Harry Redknapp thanks to the long-term contract and it was the Colombia was forced to acrobatically tip another Austin seeking to live off the scraps. Leroy Fer impact of his two substitutes. The pair international who had the first chance of an shot from distance over his own crossbar. blazed over but the home side, who have QPR 0 spared the blushes of Radamel Falcao, who error-prone first half in west London. Juan As the visitors laboured in attack, United’s been formidable on their own patch this sea- returned to the starting XI but squandered Mata’s cross picked Falcao out in the 13th supporters made their displeasure felt at son, were struggling to find a way back into a two gilt-edged chances, and allowed United minute, but both of the striker’s close-range half-time by urging Van Gaal to ditch his poor game, despite the promptings of sub- to consolidate their position in the top four. efforts were met by reflex saves from goal- favoured 3-5-2 formation with a chant of: “4- stitute Adel Taarabt. The hosts were gifted a Man United 2 Redknapp had accused a Loftus Road keeper Rob Green. 4-2!” Van Gaal held his tactical course, initial- chance when Michael Carrick and Marcos insider of undermining him in the build-up QPR have been indebted to Charlie Austin ly, but made a personnel adjustment at half- Rojo were involved in a mix-up going for the to the game and his mood will not have for keeping them in touch with the teams time by sending Fellaini on for Mata. Falcao same ball, but Eduardo Vargas failed to make been improved by the sight of the firepower above the relegation zone and their top scor- remained United’s biggest threat and will the most of the opportunity presented to LONDON: Marouane Fellaini and James on the United team-sheet. er almost gave them the lead mid-way have wondered how Green managed to him. Wilson came off the substitutes’ bench to Robin van Persie was absent after injuring through the first period. push out his 56th-minute header from Angel Vargas was given further reason to rue his earn Manchester United a 2-0 victory at his ankle in United’s 1-0 loss at home to Bobby Zamora’s pass fell kindly for the for- di Maria’s cross. But Green would be beaten profligacy deep into added time when 19- struggling Queens Park Rangers in the Southampton last weekend, but the mer Burnley striker, who was watched by two minutes later, by Fellaini. Wayne Rooney year-old Wilson sealed the win with his first Premier League yesterday. Both sides’ man- Dutchman’s misfortune opened the door for England manager Roy Hodgson, but David found Antonio Valencia on the right and goal of the season, slotting home the agers went into the game under the spot- Falcao. de Gea was equal to his effort. from his cut-back, the Belgian midfielder rebound after his initial effort was saved by light, but it was United’s Louis van Gaal who Van Gaal has challenged the on-loan The United goalkeeper would be called took a touch before hammering home. It Green. — AFP Rodgers delights in Five-star Chelsea maul Liverpool turnaround Swansea to surge clear It was the sort of performance they seemed incapable of produc- Seventh-placed Liverpool’s push for a top- Aston Villa 0 ing earlier in the season-solid at four finish gathered momentum when Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert scored in a 2-0 victo- the back, sufficiently clinical in Swansea 0 ry at Aston Villa who have now gone five attack-and a pleasing turnaround league games without a goal. for Rodgers. Crystal Palace recovered from 2-0 down to Liverpool 2 “We have regained our identity snatch a vital 3-2 win at fellow strugglers Chelsea 5 in how the team has played for Burnley, their second consecutive victory since two years,” Rodgers, whose side are Alan Pardew took charge taking them up to 12th. Bottom club Leicester City’s recent burst BIRMINGHAM: It was a world seventh in the table, told reporters. of form which had earned them seven points LONDON: Chelsea ran riot at Swansea City, away from the full-throttle enter- There was a lot in the victory from three games was halted by 1-0 home loss tainment of last-season’s title over Villa that reflected the scoring four times before halftime on the way to a 5-0 win that sent Jose Mourinho’s side five to Stoke City, Spaniard Bojan Krkic scoring the charge, but Liverpool’s 2-0 victory improving mood at Anfield. There points clear in the Premier League yesterday. winner. over Aston Villa was a step towards were further strong performances Brazil midfielder Oscar and Spain striker Swansea have proved tough opponents in regaining the club’s identity, from Emre Can and Lazar Diego Costa scored two apiece inside the south Wales since joining the Premier League opening 36 minutes as Swansea were torn to in 2011 and had only suffered two home according to manager Brendan Markovic, two summer signings defeats this season, but they were no match for Rodgers. who had been written off as part BIRMINGHAM: Liverpool’s Italian striker Fabio Borini shoots to shreds. Substitute Andre Schuerrle got his name on the scoresheet late in a more even a rampant Chelsea side who oozed class. Yesterday’s solid if unspectacu- of a flawed transfer strategy. score the opening goal of the English Premier League football second half. From the moment Oscar ruthlessly pun- lar performance against the Mamadou Sakho looked more like match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa Park in ished an errant pass by Gylfi Sigurdsson in the Birmingham, central England, yesterday.— AFP “It was very good, we hit the post twice and Premier League’s bluntest strike the towering centre half he does could have got even more,” Mourinho, who will home defence to put Chelsea ahead in the first minute the writing was on the wall for the force came courtesy of a goal in for France and Lucas Leiva, whose 12 games in which he has been relative new dawn, heralding a be hoping Arsenal can take points off second- placed champions Manchester City on Sunday, hosts. A slick one-touch passing move ended each half from forwards Fabio return has coincided with absent. change in tactics and mindset that with Costa making it 2-0 after 20 minutes and Borini, recently brought in from Liverpool’s upturn in fortunes, was told Sky Sports. Manchester United climbed The win was another boon to has prompted the unbeaten run above Southampton into third spot, 12 points the Spaniard made it 3-0 following more dozy the cold, and Rickie Lambert. again an effective shield in front of Rodgers, whose job was under and pulled Rodgers back from the behind Chelsea, with second-half substitutes Swansea defending. It was a third successive away the defence. scrutiny when, at the start of brink. Marouane Fellaini and James Wilson on target Oscar’s second, a cheeky dink over busy league victory, an eighth game If Rodgers needed convincing in a 2-0 win at second-bottom Queens Park Swans keeper Lukasz Fabianski, was followed December, they exited the The 3-4-3 formation adopted to quickly by Willian striking the crossbar as unbeaten in all competitions and of the Brazilian’s abilities, then the Champions League in the group plug gaping holes in defence has Rangers. Southampton are away at Newcastle United later on Saturday. Chelsea threatened to run up a rugby score. took the Merseysiders’ points tally stats are clear cut-Liverpool have stage and lost heavily to also brought the best out of some The fizz went out of the visitors in the sec- for the last five games to an lost only two of the 20 games in Christian Eriksen struck a late winner to give Manchester United at Old Trafford. of the attacking talents who Tottenham Hotspur a seventh 2-1 league victo- ond half and they had to be content with just impressive 13, edging them closer which he has featured this season, As it turned out, that 3-0 defeat looked shorn of belief through the ry of the season, at home to Sunderland, and one more goal when Schuerrle got the final to the prized top-four. compared to eight defeats in the proved an inauspicious start to a early season. — Reuters lift them above Arsenal. touch to deny Oscar a hat-trick. — Reuters.