TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014 SPORTS Upbeat Man United plot City derailment MANCHESTER: Encouraged by a tentative upturn in fortunes, Manchester United will be aiming to derail Manchester City’s Premier League title surge when the sides meet at Old Trafford in today’s der- by. United gave their flatlining sea- son an injection of life by beating Olympiakos last week to reach the Champions League quarter-finals and followed up by winning 2-0 at West Ham United in the league on Saturday. Wayne Rooney scored both goals at West Ham-the first an astonishing lob from near the halfway line-and he says that the 3- 0 win over Olympiakos has helped to lift the mood around the club. “I thought we played some really good stuff, moved the ball well and counter-attacked really well, so LONDON: Arsenal’s French striker Olivier Giroud reacts during the English Premier we’re really pleased with the win,” League football match in this file photo. —AFP he said of the success at Upton Park. “The Olympiakos game gave us Wenger wants Arsenal a big lift in confidence and belief as well in ourselves. “This was a good flops to make amends result for us going into the derby, so we’re looking forward to an LONDON: Arsene Wenger has challenged the next game. “We can win the next game, exciting game and hopefully we’ll his Arsenal flops to make amends for one so that is what we have to focus on now get a good result.” of the most humiliating defeats of his and give a strong response. United are 11 points adrift of the career when they face Swansea today. “We are in a situation now where after Champions League qualifying Wenger’s side suffered an embarrassing such a disappointment that the next game places, but the consolation of a 6-0 thrashing at Chelsea on Saturday that becomes vital.” After losing 5-1 at Liverpool, Europa League berth remains well Manchester United’s English striker Wayne Rooney in action in this file photo. brutally exposed their claims to be genuine 6-3 at Manchester City and 6-0 at Chelsea within their reach. contenders for the Premier League title. this term, there is a growing belief Arsenal The prospect of a Champions in the weeks ahead. behind the London club in third one season. The Gunners boss had hoped to cele- are pretenders rather than serious con- League quarter-final against hold- “I think it is the first time we’ve place, with Liverpool two points “So we need to press on and try brate his 1,000 match in charge of Arsenal tenders for the title. ers Bayern Munich, meanwhile, has probably both played in a more above them having played two and create a bit of history.” United with a first victory over Chelsea manager Yet, despite the capitulation at the added spice to a season that had advanced role, together with him games more. hope that Rio Ferdinand will be fit Jose Mourinho in a fixture with major impli- Bridge, a victory against Garry Monk’s appeared to be drifting into obliv- up behind,” Rooney said of Mata. The League Cup winners there- to face City after a back problem cations for the title race. Swansea would close the gap to four points ion. Rooney’s form over the cam- “It worked well. Obviously Juan fore remain in control of their own forced him to miss the trip to his But instead a day that had the potential and give Wenger’s men a much-needed paign’s closing weeks will be vital, is a very talented footballer, got a destiny and goalkeeper Joe Hart former club West Ham, obliging to be one of the more memorable of morale boost as they try to convince them- with strike partner Robin van Persie good footballing brain and when says the players are not afraid to Michael Carrick to fill in as an auxil- Wenger’s illustrious career ended in a sta- selves they can overhaul Chelsea. having been ruled out for up to six he gets in positions, you know as a admit that the title is within their iary centre-back. tistical nightmare as Arsenal slumped to Arsenal are set to appeal against Gibbs’ weeks after spraining his knee forward you can make runs and he grasp. “The fans, players, and staff- City remain without leading their biggest ever defeat against Chelsea red card, with Marriner having already against Olympiakos. can see you.” everyone needs to pull each other scorer Sergio Aguero due to a ham- and one of the heaviest losses of the apologised for his mistake and it seems The England striker’s perform- through if we want to get over the string complaint, but captain Frenchman’s nearly 18-year reign in north likely Oxlade-Chamberlain will be the one ance against West Ham suggested CHELSEA IN SIGHTS line first,” he said. Vincent Kompany is back in con- London. suspended against Swansea. he is ready to step in for Van Persie Manuel Pellegrini’s City remain “I do think we have the squad to tention after missing the Fulham Chelsea demolished Arsenal’s fragile “The referee made a mistake because he at the tip of the United attack, but the side most likely to depose win the league. We can’t get too game through suspension. defence with three goals inside the first 17 missed the identity of the player, he has not he was keen to highlight the contri- Chelsea at the top of the table and wrapped up in the away games we City have won on their last two minutes, after which the visitors played seen what happened at all,” Wenger said. bution of attacking midfielder Juan the trip to Old Trafford is the first of still have to play. visits to Old Trafford and inflicted with 10 men after the dismissal of Kieran “Maybe it was a penalty, but it was not Mata. The Spaniard played along- their three games in hand on Jose “We still have the chance to do a demoralising 4-1 defeat upon Gibbs in a case of mistaken identity by ref- Gibbs.” side Shinji Kagawa in support of Mourinho’s side. something really special and do United when the teams last met eree Andre Marriner, who confused the Meanwhile, Swansea have worries near Rooney, who is hopeful that the City’s 5-0 demolition of Fulham something this club hasn’t done for at the Etihad Stadium in Arsenal left-back with Alex Oxlade- the foot of the table as they have not won configuration will bear further fruit on Saturday left them six points 44 years by winning two trophies in September. —AFP Chamberlain following the midfielder’s since Monk’s first match in interim charge handball on the goal-line. in early February after the dismissal of Arsenal are now languishing in fourth Michael Laudrup. place, seven points behind leaders Chelsea, The south Wales club have picked up Everton face testing week and with their morale at a low ebb after a just five points from six games to leave result that Wenger conceded was one of them just four points above the relegation the worst moments of his managerial zone. NEWCASTLE: Roberto Martinez insists Everton it comes and every game on its merits.” career. And defender Ben Davies accepts they are up to the challenge of a testing week that Newcastle, who were beaten 3-2 by But Wenger believes the north London have a hugely significant few days ahead could prove pivotal to their outside hopes of Martinez’s side back in September, are on team can erase the bitter taste of that loss days ahead as they face Arsenal before overhauling Arsenal for the final Champions course to comfortably achieve their aim of a Matches on TV today when they play their game in hand hosting fellow strugglers Norwich on League place in the Premier League. top half finish. (Local Timings) on Chelsea against Swansea at the Emirates Saturday. “It is a massive week for us and Victory over Swansea City saw the Goodison A late winner from Papiss Cisse against Park club close the gap to the fourth-place Crystal Palace at the weekend made it three Stadium. we definitely need something out of the English Premier League “What is important is to give a response next two games,” he said. “We cannot afford Gunners to eight points, with a game in hand. victories from their last four games as they aim Man United v Man City 22:45 on Tuesday night and that is it. I don’t to let our confidence slip and get into neg- Arsene Wenger’s team are still to visit the to end the season on a high. Newcastle man- believe it is the time to talk too much about ative ways with everyone feeling sorry for blue half of Merseyside before the end of the ager Alan Pardew, who serves the last of a beIN SPORTS 1 what went wrong,” Wenger said. themselves because then we don’t have campaign, their deficiencies laid bare in the 6- three-game stadium ban imposed for head- beIN SPORTS 1 HD “The players are deeply disappointed as any chance of winning games. “We’ve got 0 humiliation they suffered in a London derby butting Hull City’s Republic of Ireland midfield- Arsenal v Swansea 22:45 we all are, but now I think let us prepare for to take it into our own hands.” —AFP defeat at Chelsea.