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MANCHESTER:Man Leicester City’s Wes Morgan (centre) Utd scores his side’s first goal of the gamemake during the English matchLeicester against Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday. — AP wait

Leicester, who lost Danny Drinkwater to a late Champions League places with three games to muscled the floundering Marcos Rojo to meet It would have been a red card if Oliver had red card, will be crowned champions unless sec- play. “I think we played one of our best matches Drinkwater’s arcing free-kick with a headed 17th- called it a foul, but he saw no wrongdoing and it ond-place Tottenham Hotspur win at Chelsea of the season, but it was not enough,” said Van minute equaliser. was the same story moments later - albeit per- Man Utd 1 today, but if Spurs do prevail, Ranieri’s men will be Gaal. “When you don’t win, of course it is tougher The game was now an intense, robust haps more contentiously - when Riyad Mahrez left requiring two points from their final games, at (to finish in the top four).” Leicester have turned encounter and United midfielder Marouane crashed to the turf after being caught by Rojo home to Everton and away to Chelsea. “For us it winning with minimal possession into an art Fellaini was guilty of a wild elbow to Robert Huth’s inside the United box. The teams continued to was important to show our mentality. The begin- form this season, but United’s early dominance chin, after the German had provoked him by exchange chances in the second half, with Leicester 1 ning wasn’t good, but after that I appreciated our here was to prove the precursor to a soft opener. yanking his hair, that could earn the Belgian a ret- Martial shooting over and Lingard curling performance,” said Ranieri. “I’d like to watch the rospective ban. Asked for his reaction in a post- straight at Schmeichel for United, while MANCHESTER: Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City Tottenham match, but I’m on a flight back from Simpson Survives match television interview, Van Gaal grabbed the Leonardo Ulloa, once again deputizing for the must wait to complete their fairytale Premier Italy so I might not know the result until I land.” Antonio Valencia was allowed to cut inside reporter’s hair and said: “When you see what Huth suspended Jamie Vardy, twice threatened for the League title quest after being held to a 1-1 draw It would still take a monumental collapse for Christian Fuchs and trundle a cross to the back is doing with Fellaini, is that not a penalty?” visitors and Mahrez stung ’s palms. by Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday. Leicester not to claim the title, but their players, post, where Martial exploited Danny Simpson’s Referee Michael Oliver did not spot Fellaini’s The closing stages belonged to United, however, The Foxes needed three points to win the league staff and anxious supporters must wait a few errant positioning to slot his 15th goal of the sea- infringement and he was also involved in two inci- with Chris Smalling’s header clipping the post for the first time, but with thousands of fans back more hours, if not days, before their place in son past Kasper Schmeichel. Back at the ground dents prior to half-time that could have had major before Drinkwater, another Old Trafford old boy, in Leicester and millions of new converts around sporting history can be confirmed. While where his father, Peter, made his name, ramifications for either side. In the first, Lingard saw red after receiving a second yellow card for the world watching on television, they had to Leicester’s destiny remains in their own hands, it Schmeichel then produced a sharp one-handed intercepted a pass from Simpson, a former United hauling back substitute Memphis Depay right on make do with one after Wes Morgan cancelled was a damaging result for Louis van Gaal’s save to thwart Jesse Lingard. Shortly after player, on halfway and raced towards goal, only to the edge of the box. The home fans wanted a out Anthony Martial’s opener for United. United, who were left four points below the Schmeichel’s save, visiting captain Morgan out- go to ground as Simpson leant into him. penalty. Oliver, again, said no.— AFP Swansea safe as Mane treble ruins City’s warm-up

exposed the City backline before the home Liverpool lose side went ahead, first when he allowed Otamendi to make a covering tackle and Southampton 4 going forward, their careless distribution was then again when he fired into the side-net- causing them all sorts of issues. Swansea broke ting after getting behind Mangala. the deadlock in the 20th minute when a Swansea 3 sweeping move led to a corner on the left. Man City 2 Superb Reaction Long would not be denied a third time, Teasing however, when he got ahead of Otamendi Sigurdsson whipped in a teasing set-piece SOUTHAMPTON: Sadio Mane’s hat-trick to turn the ball home after being set up by Liverpool 1 and Ayew rose to head home for his first goal ensured Manchester City will face Real Dusan Tadic in the 25th minute. Moments since January. It could have been two, five Madrid in the second leg of the before that, Southampton keeper Fraser minutes later, had it not have been for Welsh Champions League semi-final on the back Forster had produced a superb reaction save SWANSEA: Andre Ayew’s double ensured goalkeeper Ward. Neil Taylor’s precise cross of a painful 4-2 defeat at Southampton to keep out Sterling’s close-range effort after Swansea are safe from the threat of Premier was met by Cork, who saw his goalbound yesterday. Already frustrated at being a rare moment of threat from the visitors. League relegation as Liverpool’s weakened shot kicked away by the diving Ward. A forced to play this game three days before And that scare was quickly forgotten when team crashed to a 3-1 defeat at the Liberty minute later, Jordi Amat head Sigurdsson’s the trip to the Bernabeu when his side will Mane added a second three minutes after Stadium yesterday. Ghana forward Ayew was corner over the top from four yards. There attempt to build on a scoreless first leg, Long’s opening goal. on target either side of a wonderful strike from was nothing Ward or any one of the Liverpool City manager Manuel Pellegrini’s mood City’s left was once again exposed by Jack Cork to move Swansea onto 43 points and defenders could do about Cork’s 33rd minute will have only darkened from the moment Tadic with the Serb’s clever reverse pass tak- guarantee they will be playing in the English strike from 25 yards. Shane Long put Southampton on course ing out Mangala and Kolarov and sending top-flight next season. The former Southampton midfielder curled for a resounding victory. Mane clear to fire past Hart. The margin of It was a lacklustre effort from Liverpool, who the ball beyond Ward after dispossessing The loss leaves Pellegrini’s men in fourth Southampton’s lead could have been even saw Australian defender Brad Smith sent off in Coutinho. It was Swansea who continued to place, four points ahead of Manchester greater, but City clawed their way back into the closing stages as the Reds were left to lick dominate after half-time, with Cork, Leon United who have a game in hand, and while it a minute before the break when their wounds ahead of their Europa League Britton and Sigurdsson setting the tempo. But City striker Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice, Iheanacho reacted well to head past Forster semi-final second leg against Villarreal. With Klopp had sent on Brazilian midfielder Lucas there were few positives for the visitors after Samir Nasri’s low cross was deflected Thursday’s game in mind, Liverpool boss Jurgen Leiva and Belgian striker Christian Benteke at ahead of next week’s decisive clash in into the air. Klopp made eight changes from this week’s 1-0 half-time and the substitutes helped Liverpool Madrid. Pellegrini, who had contrasted the However, there were few signs City could first leg defeat in Spain and the visitors paid the regain some momentum. Their desire and authorities’ unwillingness to move the game build on that goal after the break and price. Only Philippe Coutinho, Nathaniel Clyne ambition almost brought its reward on the forward with the approach taken in other Southampton asserted their dominance 12 and Dejan Lovren survived and Klopp’s starting hour when Nathaniel Clyne found himself countries, made eight changes to the side minutes after the restart when Mane lineup was the youngest Liverpool had ever inside the penalty area with only Lukasz that faced Real at Eastlands last Tuesday, hooked the ball home after sent out in the Premier League. Fabianski to beat. with only Joe Hart, Nicolas Otamendi and had met Steve Davis’s corner and headed Pedro Chivirella, making his Liverpool The Swansea goalkeeper was equal to the Fernandinho starting both games. against the bar. An awkward afternoon was league debut, and Kevin Stewart provided cov- threat and with the help of Taylor deflected the And the evidence of the first half sug- turning into an embarrassment for er in front of the back four where Smith was ball for a corner. Yet from the ensuing 65th cor- gested City’s thoughts were elsewhere, Pellegrini’s side, who looked incapable of employed at left back. Having been ticked off ner, Liverpool were level. Sheyi Ojo’s corner despite the need to secure their place in the staging a response. by referee Roger East for a late challenge on picked out Benteke, who dived to head past top four. Iheanacho worked hard to main- So there was little surprise when Mane Wayne Routledge, Smith played his part in cre- Fabianski from close-range. Liverpool’s joy tain a threat up front and the youngster’s completed his hat-trick in the 68th minute ating Liverpool’s first chance of the game. turned to despair two minutes later. Jefferson efforts overshadowed those of Raheem with Tadic once again the provider after Unfortunately, when Jordon Ibe picked out Montero was the catalyst with a surging run Sterling and Wilfried Bony who offered little Van Dijk had dispossessed Iheanacho, Daniel Sturridge at the near post, the striker’s before finding Ayew in the penalty area. Ayew before the break. But Pellegrini’s main con- releasing Mane to slide another right-foot- volley was off target. Swansea’s first opportuni- showed his strength to hold off Liverpool’s cerns will be the performance of his back ed finish beyond Hart. Iheanacho con- ty fell to leading scorer Gylfi Sigurdsson. defenders before finding the bottom corner four, with the central defensive pairing of firmed his status as City’s most effective However, on this occasion, the Icelandic mid- with a cool finish from 12 yards. Any hopes of a Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala struggling player when he reduced the deficit with an fielder was denied by goalkeeper Danny Ward. Liverpool fightback were shattered 14 minutes SOUTHAMPTON: Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart dives to contain Long, while left-back Aleksandar excellent curling shot from the edge of the at the feet of Southampton’s Sadio Mane (right) and Ayew was off target with a volley 90 seconds from time when Smith was sent off for a sec- Kolarov did little to suggest he should start area in the 78th minute, but it came too later, and though Liverpool posed a threat ond yellow card. — AFP Manchester City’s Nicolas Otamendi during an English in the Bernabeu. Long had already twice late to spark a fightback. — AFP Premier League match at St Marys yesterday. — AP