SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013 SPORTS Fergie exit takes pressure off referees: Wenger LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene replied: “That is a question you should- “You know that when you go to at Old Trafford is to control the game, had him and his family in my house, Wenger says that the referee for his n’t ask me, but the referees. Sunderland the crowd plays every ball, which means take the ball, keep the but Arsenal beat me to it,” Moyes told side’s game at Manchester United will “Every year there is a company who when you go to Everton the crowd ball and have more possession than reporters ahead of the Arsenal game. feel less pressure now that Alex makes the table reasoned without the plays every ball. Then in London, the they do.” Aaron Ramsey continued his “He has played really well. He now sees Ferguson is no longer in the opposi- referees’ mistakes, so check that.” crowd is a bit more relaxed.” Arsenal go stunning form by scoring the only goal himself as one of their really important tion dug-out. Today’s Premier League Wenger added, with a smile: “I think into the game as the Premier League of Arsenal’s mid-week win away to players and has not let them down encounter at Old Trafford will mark the the referees were absolutely relaxed leaders and could move 11 points clear Dortmund in the Champions League with the goals he has scored.” first time that the two teams have met and happy to go there.” of United if they defeat the reigning and United manager David Moyes has Moyes also claimed that United with someone other than Ferguson in He went on: “I expect the referees to champions. revealed that he came close to signing turned down an opportunity to sign charge of United since August 1986, make the right decisions. I never have Back-to-back victories over the Welsh midfielder during his time at Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid during following the 71-year-old’s retirement preconceived ideas. “It is down to the Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund have Everton. the close season before the German in May. referee to make the right decisions, to strengthened the London club’s self- United and Everton both had £5 playmaker moved to Arsenal in a £42.4 Wenger endured several defeats at protect the players and to give the belief and Wenger says that his side million ($8 million, 6 million euros) million club-record deal. Ferguson’s hands and he has suggest- free-kicks you deserve. will go to Manchester intending to bids for Ramsey accepted by Cardiff “We weren’t close to buying him,” ed that the long-serving Scot’s pres- “There (at Old Trafford) pressure dominate the game. “Yes, we believe City in 2008 and Moyes believed he said Moyes. “Something was mooted ence may have put pressure on match comes as well from the crowd when we can get a result,” he said. “We go was coming to Goodison Park, only for but we had Shinji Kagawa and Wayne officials to favour United. When asked they go for every ball and put the ref- there, like we go everywhere, to con- the then 17-year-old to elect to join Rooney. It wasn’t something we how Ferguson’s absence would affect eree under pressure, and that is a bit trol the game and to win the game. Arsenal. required at that time and we were matters yesterday, the Frenchman more in the north than in the south. “We still think the best way to win “I was very close to signing Aaron. I looking at different positions.” — AFP Ronaldo fires hat-trick for five-star Madrid MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored his third hat-trick of the season and Gareth Bale provided another assist as Real Madrid continued their impressive form with a 5-1 win over Real Sociedad yesterday. Ronaldo opened the scoring from Karim Benzema’s pass on 12 minutes before returning the favour for the Frenchman to slot home six minutes later. The Portuguese added the third from the penalty spot before Bale played in Sami Khedira to make it 4-0 after MUNICH: Bayern Munich’s Spanish midfielder Javi Martinez (L) and Augsburg’s just 36 minutes. Antoine German midfielder Daniel Baier vie for the ball during German first division Griezmann restored some pride for Bundesliga football match FC Bayern Munich vs FC Augsburg in the southern the visitors with his sixth goal in his German city of Munich yesterday.— AFP last three league games after the break. But Ronaldo rounded off the Europe champs Bayern break scoring with a sensational free-kick to take his tally for the season to 24 30-year-old league record goals in just 17 games. Victory moves Real to within two points of BERLIN: European champions Bayern Munich Jupp Heynckes last season. Heynckes stood neighbours Atletico Madrid and set a new record for the longest unbeaten run down in May, with his side unbeaten in their three of leaders Barcelona with the in Bundesliga history with a 3-0 victory at previous 25 league games, after Bayern won top two both in action today. MADRID: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, right, celebrates his third goal with teammates during a Spanish home to Augsburg yesterday. the treble of European, cup and Bundesliga “We scored very quickly and so La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Bayern have now gone 37 league matches titles last season. Bayern also extended their things went very well. The truth is Spain, yesterday. —AP since their last defeat, at Bayer Leverkusen in lead at the top of the table to four points as that after going ahead 4-0, we bother me that much.” line picked out Benzema inside the With the game already won, October 2012, breaking Hamburg’s previous second-placed Borussia Dortmund went relaxed a bit and played more slow- Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema box and he stroked home his Real’s intensity dropped a little record of 36 from January, 1983. down 2-1 at VfL Wolfsburg. ly in the second-half,” Ronaldo told started together up front for the eighth goal of the season. after the interval and Griezmann “The record is unbelievable, it’s not easy to It was Dortmund’s second defeat of the Gol TV. “Overall, I am satisfied with fourth consecutive game after It was 3-0 before the half-hour thought he should have won a go 37 games without defeat. Congratulations week after losing to 1-0 at home to Arsenal in the way we played, although we combining for 12 goals and eight mark as Markel Bergara was harshly penalty on the hour mark as he to the club,” said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, the Champions League. are not yet at 100 percent, we keep assists in the previous three. And it penalised for handling Ronaldo’s looked to have been clipped as he who took charge in June. After Germany winger Marco Reus put winning.” didn’t take the hosts long to get fiercely struck effort and the former rounded Diego Lopez. Just 60 sec- “I have noticed that every game is a lesson Dortmund ahead with a thunderbolt of a free Another stunning display from into their stride as Ronaldo fired a Manchester United man stepped onds later, though, the Frenchman for me in understanding my team.” kick on the stroke of half-time, Wolves hit Ronaldo led to calls from the dipping long-range effort off the up to double his tally for the after- did notch a consolation with a love- Guardiola’s Bayern face their biggest test in a back to pick up their fourth straight victory to Bernabeu crowd for him to win the top of the crossbar after just eight noon. ly chipped finish over Lopez from fortnight when they travel to second-placed leave them fourth. Ballon d’Or, but he insists he is not minutes. Bale then passed up his first big Carlos Vela’s pass. Griezmann could Borussia Dortmund in a repeat of last season’s Swiss defender Ricardo Rodriguez concerned by whether he is The Portuguese did then open opportunity when he side-footed even have had a second moments Champions League final. smashed home a free kick before Croatia crowned the world’s best player for the scoring four minutes later wide after being played in by the later when he prodded just wide of “Dortmund will be a good, good test for striker Ivica Olic hit a great goal in off the far a second time come January. “I when he controlled Benzema’s impressive Luka Modric. However, the far post. Typically, however, us and our level,” added Guardiola. Guardiola post with 20 minutes left. don’t want to talk about the Ballon clever low cross inside the area the Welshman made amends nine Ronaldo was to have the final say also set a personal record as he celebrated his “We gave away too many free-kicks, which d’Or. I give my answers on the field. before smashing the ball past the minutes before the break when he as he rattled home a wonderful 25- 12th league match without defeat-the best allowed the opposition some practive in tak- It is something that doesn’t depend helpless Claudio Bravo. And provided his fifth assist in four yard free-kick 14 minutes from start by a new Bundesliga coach in the ing them,” lamented Dortmund coach Jurgen on me and, therefore, it doesn’t Ronaldo turned provider moments games by playing in Khedira to fire time to seal his 23rd hat-trick for league’s history with 32 points.