Ribery scores on Diego Costa return as Bayern hat-trick leaves go18 joint top 19Chelsea on top SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014 I’m getting closer to number one: Nishikori Page 15 LONDON: Arsenal’s English midfielder Jack Wilshere (2nd L) scores an equalising goal past Manchester City’s English goalkeeper oeJ Hart (R) bringing the score to 1-1 during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in London yesterday. —AFP Arsenal denied by late Demichelis header But Argentine defender Demichelis was who joined the club on loan after leaving midfield and Lampard was largely anonymous The momentum had shifted City’s way allowed a free header from an 84th minute Chelsea as a free agent, with the former before receiving the game’s first yellow card with Arsenal once again looking incapable of Arsenal 2 corner to ensure both teams go into their England midfielder replacing Yaya Toure who for a foul on Ramsey. matching their main rivals. Wenger, though, opening Champions League group games was rested following international duty with Jesus Navas’s pace down the right hand insists his side are more resilient this season next week having avoided defeat. the Ivory Coast. flank was the visitors’ most productive outlet and the way they responded after the break City finished the stronger with Samir Nasri Of the two new faces, it was Welbeck who and the winger almost drew an own-goal from supported the manager’s view. Man City 2 seeing a late effort ruled out for offside, but made the bigger impression early on with the Per Mertesacker when the Arsenal defender Wilshere sparked his side into life, winning both managers could make a case that their forward clearly brimming with confidence fol- spooned a low cross over his own cross bar. the ball in midfield before exchanging passes side was hard done by. lowing his two-goal display for England in That should have been a warning for with Ramsey, moving past Gael Clichy and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will feel his Switzerland in midweek. Arsenal but it went unheeded with left-back clipping a right foot finish over Joe Hart for side have made progress after suffering a suc- Nacho Monreal again exposed to Navas’s pace the 63rd minute leveller. LONDON: Martin Demichelis’ late header cession of painful defeats against their top Arsenal swagger in the build-up to the 28th minute opening City’s response was muted and Arsenal saved Manchester City from a second succes- four rivals last season, but the Gunners have With Arsenal starting the game on the front goal. forced themselves ahead 11 minutes later sive defeat as the Premier League champions won only one of their first four league match- foot, it looked as though Welbeck would make Navas again broke on the right from when Sanchez latched onto Wilshere’s loop- rescued a thrilling 2-2 draw against Arsenal es. the perfect start when he latched onto a loose halfway before sending a low cross towards ing header to direct a brilliant volley past yesterday. Wenger handed a debut to Danny Welbeck ball from City’s David Silva only for his chipped Aguero and, having taken advantage of Hart. City, who had lost at home to Stoke imme- whose £16 million ($26 million) transfer from finish to rebound away off the inside of the Mathieu Flamini’s lapse in concentration, the City appeared to be heading for a second diately before the international break, Manchester United had lifted the mood post with Joe Hart beaten. Argentina striker pulled into space before fin- successive defeat, but Arsenal showed they appeared set to leave the Emirates Stadium among Arsenal supporters critical of Wenger’s The effort summed up Arsenal’s swagger ishing from close range. have not shed the tendency to self-destruct empty-handed when Arsenal staged a second failure to bring in a striker during the transfer during the opening 25 minutes with Sanchez, It was a familiar story for Arsenal who had when they left Demichelis unmarked at an half comeback with two excellent goals from window. Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey combining well enjoyed the majority of possession only to be Aleksandar Kolarov corner, allowing the cen- Jack Wilshere and Alexis Sanchez overturning Manuel Pellegrini, meanwhile, handed a behind Welbeck. exposed by the opposition’s more clinical fin- tre-back to head the leveller six minutes from Sergio Aguero’s first half opener. first Manchester City start to Frank Lampard By contrast, City were getting overrun in ishing. time. — AFP Villa down Liverpool Speroni denies Burnley first win of season Philippe Coutinho expected to carry the hosts’ creative threat. LONDON: A brilliantly saved Liverpool 0 Aston Villa were without captain Ron penalty by Crystal Palace goal- Vlaar, who had failed to recover from a calf Crystal Palace 0 keeper Julian Speroni denied injury, so Nathan Baker partnered Philippe Burnley their first win in this Senderos in defence, while on-loan season’s Premier League as the Manchester United midfielder Tom two sides fought out a 0-0 draw Aston Villa 1 Cleverley made his debut. yesterday. Liverpool began purposefully and cre- Burnley 0 ated the first opening in the seventh Speroni’s save from Scott minute when Javier Manquillo crossed Arfield late in the second-half LIVERPOOL: Gabriel Agbonlahor’s early from the right flank for the unmarked may have prevented Burnley goal gave Aston Villa an unexpected 1-0 Markovic, who weakly headed wide from a from taking all three points but the consolation for the new boys victory over Liverpool in the Premier good position. was that it was their second successive scoreless draw-they drew League yesterday that continued their However, it was the visitors who took with Manchester United a fortnight ago-and they became the first recent impressive record at Anfield. the lead from an Ashley Westwood corner side to keep Palace scoreless this season. Villa have not lost at the ground since shortly afterwards as Villa punished some Palace, with Scottish midfielder James McArthur making his December 2010 and despite being sloppy Liverpool defending. LIVERPOOL: Aston Villa’s French defender Aly Cissokho (R) challenges debut after his transfer from Wigan, started brightly enough with camped in their own half for long periods, Westwood’s cross was met by the head Liverpool’s English striker Rickie Lambert during the English Premier League they were arguably deserved winners. Scott Dann heading against the bar from Fraizer Campbell’s cross. of Senderos and the ball dropped for football match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at the Anfield Stadium in Agbonlahor scrambled home the decisive Campbell repaid manager Neil Warnock’s faith in starting him as Agbonlahor, who reacted quickest to bun- Liverpool yesterday. — AFP goal in the ninth minute of the game and he was Palace’s liveliest player throughout the opening half and dle home from close range. although Liverpool dominated the remain- inside the penalty area. ster down. went close twice himself first shooting just wide and then another der of the match, they only once forced The former Southampton playmaker Despite Sterling’s extra zest and energy, effort was well held by Burnley ‘keeper Tom Heaton. Coutinho rattles woodwork Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan to make a went close again when he arrowed a long- Rodgers added further firepower with the Burnley manager Sean Dyche started with a different XI for the Midfielder Westwood posed a threat save. range effort just past the post, while introduction of Rickie Lambert and Fabio first time this season as he selected record signing George Boyd. with his delivery from set-pieces and Villa Liverpool handed a full debut to mid- Alberto Moreno was sent clear on the Borini for Balotelli and Markovic. — AFP But they had very little to offer in attack with one of their most should have added a second goal when fielder Adam Lallana, while Mario Balotelli stroke of half-time, only to see his low cross Villa were content to sit on what they had effective players from last season Danny Ings subdued, and he Senderos got on the end of his free-kick, made his first appearance at Anfield with cut out. and look to hit Liverpool on the counter- limped off just before half-time. only to head over. fellow striker Daniel Sturridge ruled out by Villa packed men behind the ball in the attack, and the hosts grew increasingly Palace pressed and pressed in the second-half but produced lit- Liverpool dominated possession in the a thigh injury. second half and Rodgers reacted with the frustrated as the clock ticked down. remainder of the first half, but despite their tle apart from two efforts by Jason Puncheon while near the death Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers introduction of Sterling for Lallana just Coutinho seized on an opening with neat passing, they struggled to penetrate a Jonathan Williams poked the ball just wide. had spoken before the match about the after the hour. eight minutes to go and saw a low drive disciplined Villa back-line. The visitors should have claimed the three points as Lukas need to “protect” Raheem Sterling from The England international was quickly bounce back off the post with Guzan beat- Lallana seized on a knockdown from Jutkewicz was brought down by Palace captain Mile Jedinak but burn out. The in-form youngster was left into the action and Villa right-back Alan en, but Villa held on to secure a win that Jordan Henderson on the half-hour mark, Speroni proved equal to the task of sparing his side a painful defeat on the bench, with Lazar Markovic and Hutton was fortunate to only escape with a sent them up to second place behind lead- but Senderos made a vital block from just yellow card when he scythed the young- ers Chelsea.