SPORTS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 City boss Pellegrini still eyeing EPL title MANCHESTER: Manuel Pellegrini remains confident Stadium, but club captain Vincent Kompany returned points behind City, humbled Arsenal before the inter- Manchester City can challenge for the English Premier to training this week following a calf injury. Kompany, national break. League title, despite currently trailing leaders Chelsea though, could be held back for City’s Champions Now they travel to the Etihad aiming to complete an by eight points. League clash at home to German giants Bayern Munich unlikely Manchester double in the opening three Pellegrini’s team have made a stuttering start to the on Wednesday, months of the campaign following their opening-day defence of their league crown and play host to Central defender Kompany suffered a calf strain on success at Manchester United. Swansea City on Saturday, having won only one of their international duty with Belgium, while Silva is recover- Swansea’s Welsh international left-back Neil Taylor last six matches in all competitions prior to the break ing from a knee injury sustained against Newcastle last said: “We are happy with how we are playing and we for international fixtures. month. City are set to be without Yaya Toure in January have not even reached top form yet. City’s form in the Champions League has also been and February after the midfielder helped the Ivory “We have not played the free-flowing football we poor and they are on the brink of elimination after fail- Coast qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. normally do. But we have tightened up defensively, we ing to win any of their opening four fixtures. However, That could prompt Pellegrini to renegotiate the are playing as a team, which we have not done in the Pellegrini, is still upbeat about his team’s prospects on terms of Frank Lampard’s loan deal from US ‘sister club’ past and that gets you everywhere.” both the domestic and European front. New York City FC. Former England midfielder Lampard, Taylor added: “We are buzzing. It is always impor- “Now is not the moment to analyse what has hap- 36, is due to move to the United States in January but tant to go into international breaks on a high and we pened in the season,” the City manager said Thursday. the Major League Soccer season does not start until managed to do that by beating a very good Arsenal “There are a lot of games to play in the Premier League March, giving City hope that his loan could yet be side. “We are feeling good, things are going well on all and Champions League. extended. fronts, but we know football can bite you at times and “We have 27 more games to play and there are a lot you need to keep working hard.” Swansea have also of points to be contested, so we will see at the end who SWANSEA YET TO PEAK been boosted by the news that Ivory Coast striker will be the best team this year,” the Chilean added. Meanwhile Neil Taylor is adamant high-flying Wilfried Bony has signed a new four-year deal with the Manchester City are likely to be without influential Swansea have yet to hit top gear in the league this sea- Welsh club to ward off advances from the likes of playmaker David Silva for today’s match at the Etihad son. Garry Monk’s fifth-placed men, currently just three Arsenal and Liverpool. — AFP United manager relaxed ahead of Welbeck reunion LONDON: Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has no regrets about selling Danny Welbeck to Arsenal, he said as the England striker prepares to face his former club today. Welbeck, 23, has scored 10 goals in 20 appearances for club and country since being allowed to leave Old Trafford for £16 million ($25.1 million, 20 million euros) on transfer deadline day in September. Jose Mourinho The Manchester-born forward will come up against his old team-mates for Fans to pass verdict on the first time when United visit the Emirates Stadium for the stand-out Mourinho comments Premier League clash of the weekend. Dutchman Van Gaal attributes LONDON: Jose Mourinho will discover whether his decision Welbeck’s success at Arsenal to being a to criticise the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge has had the regular in their first team, after he was desired effect when his Chelsea side face West Bromwich made to wait for opportunities during his Albion in the Premier League today. time at United. “I think that a player who is The Chelsea manager complained about the lack of vocal playing mostly fixed in the team, he devel- backing from home supporters during the recent victory over ops and always will,” Van Gaal said. “He Queens Park Rangers. takes all the benefit from playing every Reaction to the Portuguese’s initial outburst was mixed week. That was a question mark with with some supporters quick to highlight a number of factors- Manchester United. It’s good to see he’s including rising ticket prices-they believe have contributed to doing what I thought.” changing the make-up of the Stamford Bridge crowd. Van Gaal accepted that Welbeck would Since the QPR win, Mourinho’s side-unbeaten in all compe- enjoy scoring against his old club, much titions so far this season-have travelled to face Maribor and like United’s ex-Arsenal forward Robin van Liverpool and the visit of West Brom will provide the first real Persie has when he has found the net GLASGOW: England striker Danny Welbeck. —AFP test of how the manager’s comments have been received at against the team he left in 2012. Champions League group stage. Arsenal had conceded a lead, after they let Chelsea’s west London home ground. “This is the football world,” Van Gaal Van Gaal, 63, says he is aware of the a 3-0 lead slip to draw 3-3 with Anderlecht With the club sitting four points clear at the head of the said. “Van Persie has scored already three rivalry between his current club and in the Champions League, and it left them Premier League table and on the verge of qualification to the goals against Arsenal as a United player. Arsenal. “It’s the first time I’m sitting on the 12 points adrift of Chelsea in sixth place. knock-out stages of the Champions League, there is unlikely That’s life, believe me.” bench against Arsenal as United coach,” Olivier Giroud will return to the Arsenal to be much dissent. United will have goalkeeper David de Van Gaal said. “I have faced them when I squad for the first time since breaking his Indeed, Chelsea’s impressive progress even prompted Gea available at the Emirates, despite suf- was with Barcelona, then Wenger was on leg at Everton in August to provide compe- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to question whether any fering a dislocated finger while on interna- the bench. tition for Welbeck up front. side was capable of catching them in the race for the English tional duty with Spain. “The way they play for such a long time, Welbeck continued his run of scoring title with less than a third of the season gone. Angel di Maria and Michael Carrick have he has an attacking way of playing, playing form for England with two goals in last But while Mourinho and his players are expected to be also recovered from minor injuries, but left- for the fans. The rivalry is normal in sport. It Saturday’s 3-1 win against Slovenia, taking backed emphatically by home fans on Saturday, the Chelsea back Luke Shaw is a doubt after being hurt should be abnormal when it’s not like his tally to five goals in five games for his Supporters’ Trust hope his words will trigger changes at the during England’s 3-1 friendly win over that.” country. club. Trust chairman Tim Rolls said: “The recent publicity fol- Scotland. Van Gaal last faced Arsene Wenger’s players, meanwhile, will want But with Welbeck having netted only lowing the manager’s comments about the lack of atmos- Wenger’s Arsenal in 1999, when he was to show their manager that he was wrong once in his last seven club appearances, phere at Stamford Bridge led to a healthy debate about the manager of Barcelona. to write off his team’s title hopes. Arsenal Giroud’s unexpectedly early return could reasons for this. signed off for the international break by prove timely. Mikel Arteta also returns to “The need for more affordable ticketing for young support- GIROUD RETURNS losing 2-1 at Swansea City, prompting the squad after missing the trip to Swansea ers, the desire for ‘Safe Standing’ to be introduced and con- The teams drew 1-1 at Camp Nou Wenger to declare that no club currently with a hamstring problem. “Giroud and cerns about over-zealous stewarding are all highlighted as before the Catalan club won 4-2 at looks capable of overhauling leaders Arteta are both available,” said Wenger. significant member concerns in the survey results, and sup- Wembley Stadium-Arsenal’s adopted Chelsea. “It’s just a question of how ready they are. port the CST board view on these matters.” —AFP home in Europe that season-in the It was the second time in a week that But they are available.” — AFP.