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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 201517 19

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MADRID: Barcelona’s Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo (left) and Barcelona’s midfielder Sergio Busquets (center) vie with Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo during the Spanish league ‘Clasico’ football match Real Madrid CF vs FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium yesterday. — AFP Barca humiliate Real in 4-0 ‘Clasico’ romp Suarez, Neymar on song as Barcelona crush arch rivals

MADRID: Barcelona dealt a stinging blow to Real president Florentino Perez to step down, was all the match in every sense,” Iniesta, who was given an ovation winning start in a 2-0 success at home to stuttering Madrid’s title hopes when Luis Suarez and Neymar con- more remarkable considering coach Luis Enrique had by the home fans when he was substituted late on, told Sevilla. Eusebio, a former Celta Vigo and Barcelona B tinued their scintillating form to fire the champions to a started with a fit-again Lionel Messi on the bench. The Spanish television. “There is a long way to go, it’s not coach, took over from David Moyes this month after the stunning 4-0 victory in the ‘Clasico’ yesterday. Argentina captain, who has been out for nearly two decisive at all but we are going away very, very satis- Scot was sacked with Sociedad hovering just above the Suarez struck twice either side of goals from Neymar months with a knee injury, came on for Ivan Rakitic just fied,” the Barca captain added. Chasing a sixth La Liga relegation places. Yesterday’s victory at the Anoeta sta- and captain Andres Iniesta as Barca humiliated their before the hour and promptly sent Suarez clear to score title in eight years, Barca have 30 points, with Real, who dium in San Sebastian thanks to Agirretxe’s goal in the arch rivals with an imperious performance at the the European champions’ fourth. An utterly dominant lost 3-2 at Sevilla in their previous outing, on 24. 73rd minute and Prieto’s effort four minutes later lifted Bernabeu to surge six points clear at the top after 12 Barca could easily have added to their tally in the clos- Atletico Madrid can climb back to within four points of the Basque club to 14th on 12 points from 12 matches. matches and ratchet up the pressure on under-fire Real ing stages and Real’s humiliation was complete when Barca and leapfrog Real into second with a win at pro- Europa League holders Sevilla, who play at Borussia coach Rafa Benitez. substitute Isco was shown a straight red card for a wild moted Real Betis today. Moenchengladbach in the Champions League on Barca’s dominance, which prompted the angry Real lunge at Neymar six minutes from time. Goals from and earlier Wednesday, are 10th on 15 points pending the rest of fans to roundly whistle their own team and chant for “We played what was quite honestly a complete yesterday gave coach Eusebio Sacristan a the weekend’s results.— Reuters Deeney’s joy turns to despair Liverpool punish sluggish City as Man United beat Watford MANCHESTER: Roberto Firmino scored his Liverpool went ahead in the seventh first Liverpool goal and made two more as minute after Coutinho dispossessed Sagna their former French forward Eric Cantona. Jurgen Klopp’s team stopped Manchester and found Firmino, whose low cross was United manager van Gaal did not include Man City 1 City recapturing the Premier League sum- inadvertently scuffed in at the near post by Watford 1 any out and out forwards in his line-up, with mit with a brilliant 4-1 away win yesterday. the back-pedalling Mangala. City manager Wayne Rooney absent through illness. That City were bidding to return to first place Manuel Pellegrini had changed both his meant Dutch winger Depay led the line, with after being usurped by Leicester City earlier centre-backs, Mangala and Martin compatriot van Gaal looking on as his side dominated the opening exchanges. The visitors Liverpool 4 in the day, but they were left in third after a Demichelis starting in place of Nicolas sloppy and unfocused display at the Etihad Otamendi and injured skipper Vincent Man Utd 2 were ahead with just 11 minutes on the clock Stadium culminated in their third defeat of Kompany, and it was from a mix-up when Depay met an exquisite Ander Herrera the campaign. between the two newcomers that Liverpool cross to volley past Heurelho Gomes for his fifth Raheem Sterling, playing against added a second goal in the 23rd minute. As WATFORD: Watford captain Troy Deeney expe- goal of the season. Watford struggled to get Liverpool for the first time since his acrimo- both players converged on a loose ball, rienced the highs and lows of football in quick out of their own half but United nearly gifted nious close-season exit, had been the focus Demichelis contrived to head it past succession after his stoppage-time own-goal them a way back in with former Vicarage Road of the pre-match build-up, but it was Mangala and Firmino squared for Coutinho gave Manchester United a 2-1 win at Vicarage favourite Ashley Young, who had been given a Firmino, a £29 million ($44.1 million, 41.4 to steer a shot between the legs of Joe Hart. Road yesterday. Deeney had powered home an good reception before kick-off, losing the ball million euros) capture from Hoffenheim, Liverpool were playing with an aggres- 87th-minute penalty after Marcos Rojo had to Etienne Capoue who in turn fed Ighalo. But who stole the headlines. The Brazil interna- sivity and purpose that has characterised brought down Odion Ighalo but was left with the Nigerian took too much time and fired tional created an own goal by Eliaquim their approach since Klopp’s arrival and they his head in his hands after deflecting Bastian wide. Mangala, teed up Philippe Coutinho and swelled their lead yet further after a sweep- Schweinsteiger’s effort into the home side’s net. Van Gaal was forced into an early change as scored himself, all inside the first 32 min- ing counter-attack. Coutinho initially saw a Victory took United to the top of the English Herrera went off with a suspected hamstring utes, and although Sergio Aguero marked shot parried by Hart, but an audacious Premier League table, although cross-town injury to be replaced by Rojo, United switching his return from a seven-game lay-off with a back-heel by Emre Can gave the Brazilian a rivals and previous leaders Manchester City to a back three in the process. The visitors con- hamstring injury by replying, Martin Skrtel second bite at the cherry and he rolled were one of several teams who had the chance tinued to create chances with Morgan slammed home Liverpool’s fourth late on. square for Firmino to tap home. to leapfrog them in matches kicking-off later y. Schneiderlin volleying over wastefully while Klopp’s side, beaten 2-1 at home by Firmino twice went close to compound- This win also meant Louis van Gaal’s side Deeney cleared on the line to keep out Crystal Palace in their previous outing, have ing City’s misery, first seeing an effort extended their unbeaten run in all competi- Schweinsteiger’s header. At the other end, now won away at Chelsea and City, blocked by Hart and then hooking inches tions to eight games. “In football you always Capoue powerfully struck over from the edge although they rose just one place in the wide from Coutinho’s flick. Each misplaced have 90-93 minutes,” Schweinsteiger told BT of the area but Depay came close to a second standings to ninth. Prior to kick-off several pass from a player in sky blue drew a flurry Sport. “You always have to believe. There was a as Gomes saved well following his surging run Tricolores were held aloft during the play- of invective from the home fans, but shortly bit of luck but we are happy to get the three and shot from 25 yards. ing of the French national anthem, in trib- before half-time Aguero gave them hope. points,” the Germany midfielder added. United United continued to attack at the start of ute to the victims of last week’s Paris The Argentine picked up the ball midway had led early through Memphis Depay before the second half with Gomes saving to foil Jesse attacks, and City’s France internationals inside the Liverpool half, resisted the atten- Deeney’s goal ended a record of 10 hours and Lingard, while Schweinsteiger headed over Bacary Sagna and Eliaquim Mangala were tions of Adam Lallana and arced a right-foot two minutes without conceding. In common from Juan Mata’s corner. David de Gea came to both shown singing along on the stadium’s shot around Simon Mignolet from 25 yards. with all Premier League matches this weekend, United’s rescue at the other end as he kept out big screens. The pair could have been for- Pellegrini took reparative action at half- the French national anthem La Marseillaise was Deeney’s piledriver from Ighalo’s header down. given for having their minds elsewhere and time, sending on Fabian Delph and played prior to the kick-off following the Paris Depay could have sealed the game for the visi- that appeared to be the case as a sequence Fernandinho for Yaya Toure and Jesus Navas terror attacks of November 13. This was well tors midway through the second half when his of glaring errors in City’s defence allowed in a bid to go toe-to-toe with Liverpool’s observed although some United supporters shot from the left went just wide after good the visitors to take control of the game. three-man midfield. — AFP sang “Ooh ah Cantona” to the tune, referencing work from Lingard and Mata. — AFP