SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2014 SPORTS ‘Calm’ Man City ready to seize title destiny

MANCHESTER: Manchester City that nerves will not be a problem midfielder Fernandinho has no for his side. The Chilean says that doubts his side have the compo- his team, who clocked up 100 sure to capture a second goals for the season League title in three years when against Villa, are only concerned they host West Ham United with three points and are not today. interested in simply trying to get Four straight wins, including a draw. Wednesday’s 4-0 victory over “Every team must play every Aston Villa, mean that City effec- game to win,” said the City man- tively need only a draw against ager. “It doesn’t matter in which Sam Allardyce’s team on the sea- conditions they are playing. son’s final day to secure the Every team must want to win. championship. “I think it is very important for While City are two points the manager to be calm, to try to clear of Liverpool, who host repeat what we did the whole Jose Mourinho Newcastle United, their goal dif- year. Preparing the game here is ference is superior by 13 goals. one game more. We must pre- Mourinho plans overhaul Manuel Pellegrini’s side have pare the same way.” recovered well after their title West Ham manager Sam after troublesome season hopes were hit by a 3-2 defeat at Allardyce will take charge of the Liverpool and a 2-2 draw at final game of the season against home to then-bottom club CARDIFF: Jose Mourinho’s thoughts are react and wait to see what is happening a backdrop of growing uncer- Sunderland. already turning to next season after with their own players. tainty surrounding his future. Their recent run has put them Chelsea’s interest in the Premier League “It’s very difficult to finalise deals early, The club secured in control of their own fate and their top-flight status with victo- title race was ended before their final-day especially with the World Cup. Now the Fernandinho has no worries trip to Cardiff City. players disappear and go to the World ry over Tottenham Hotspur last about the team’s attitude going weekend, but reports have since Mourinho’s team will face Ole Gunnar Cup so it’s more of a time to find a direc- into the West Ham match. Solskjaer’s relegated side at the Cardiff tion and analyse details. emerged that the club’s owners “A lot has been changing at are planning changes in City Stadium today knowing they are “To decide the project for next season, the top of the table over the last response to fan discontent about almost certain to finish the season in third the project for the transfer window and few weeks,” said the Brazil mid- the team’s playing style. position. But while qualification for the make the deals happen.” Out-of-contract fielder, who has been named in “I heard rumors,” Allardyce Champions League has been assured, pair Frank Lampard and John Terry are his country’s World Cup squad. said. “The only thing I can say is I Blues boss Mourinho is clearly frustrated unlikely to make the trip to south Wales “A lot of results have been spoke to (co-owner) David there will be no silverware at Stamford because of injury, while Samuel Eto’o is good for us, but bad for the oth- Sullivan yesterday (Thursday) Bridge this season. also a doubt. er two. This was our first chance Chelsea’s challenge has fallen short Cardiff’s fate has already been con- to go to the top of the table. The about arranging our usual end- because of their failures in front of goal, firmed and the club will drop back into whole squad is calm. Every train- of-the-season meeting to go particularly in costly defeats to the Championship after a solitary season ing session is about doing what through the pre-season and Sunderland, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. in the Premier League. we do and keeping calm. “Maybe budgets and what’s going to Mourinho’s priority is now to remedy The campaign has been marked by a there was a few nerves in the happen, and had no indication that weakness in the transfer market and number of bitter twists and turns, princi- first half against Aston Villa, but of my position being under the Portuguese coach has confirmed a pally surrounding the relationship in the second half we changed threat. “Speculation is part of the leading goalscorer is his main target. between club owner Vincent Tan and slightly the way we play, and game. Whether it becomes a Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa is Malky Mackay, the manager who guided scored four goals. reality, only time will tell.” believed to be a priority, along with Paris the club to promotion before being “That’s great for us. In the The manager intends to see Saint-Germain pair Edinson Cavani and sacked in December. next couple of days we’ll be just out the season in style and has Ezequiel Lavezzi. And Mourinho said: “A The relationship between the pair had the same: we’ll keep calm and made it clear he would like to striker is something we have been speak- grown acrimonious and Mackay was pur- hope that we play a very good spoil City’s celebrations. “At this ing about for a long time. suing legal action against Tan before game today.” A minor leg prob- moment in time, from a neutral’s “In December and January, when peo- unexpectedly dropping the action this lem has obliged Fernandinho to point of view, I think everybody ple were asking and trying to understand week and offering an unreserved apology start City’s last two matches from would like to see Liverpool win why we weren’t bringing one in, I said it’s to his former employer. the bench, but striker Sergio it,” he said. “From a personal something we were working on and In a statement Mackay said: “My thanks Aguero has recovered from a point of view, I’d like to see preparing for the long-term future, not to those at the club and the fans who groin injury that forced him to win it. It’s the last just an immediate solution to try to help have supported me during my time in miss the victory against Villa. thing he hasn’t quite achieved us for the rest of the season. Wales. “If I have caused any offence to for Liverpool and he’s a one-club “It’s normal that we are going to bring anyone during this time, especially to SPOIL CITY’S CELEBRATIONS man. But obviously they’ve let it LONDON: Manchester City’s Samir Nasri races for a ball in this file a striker, it’s normal we want to improve. Vincent Tan, then I apologise without Pellegrini is also confident slip out of their hands.”—AFP photo. —AP “We have good strikers, we have good reservation.” players and we are not in a desperate situ- Solskjaer’s priority is now to look for- ation, but every team wants the summer ward to next season and skipper Steven Decision day for Giggs window to improve. Caulker admits performances this season Matches on TV “And one area where we want to have not been good enough. “We can’t (Local Timings) SOUTHAMPTON: will take remains uncertain if he will play on or go improve, which we’ve made clear since point fingers, we’re a team in there and charge of Manchester United for the final into management elsewhere if there is no January, is the striker’s position. We have we’re all united,” he said. “We know that we time against Southampton today and is still room for him in Van Gaal’s plans at Old English Premier League have to go again against Chelsea, be strong three at the moment, normally one is undecided about whether to continue his Trafford. “I don’t know, my stance hasn’t Man City v West Ham 17:00 coming and one is leaving.” and put a performance on for the fans. “We playing career next season. Netherlands changed,” Giggs said when asked if he beIN SPORTS 9 HD Mourinho expects the World Cup to were not good enough on the pitch. We’ve coach Louis van Gaal is reportedly set to be would retire. delay Chelsea’s efforts to strengthen and got to hold our hands up and take respon- named as David Moyes’s permanent suc- “I am going to take a holiday as soon as Cardiff v Chelsea 17:00 he added: “More and more, if the window sibility for the way we’ve performed in too cessor as United manager next week fol- the season finishes and discuss with family beIN SPORTS 12 HD is open until 31 August people delay, they many games this season.”—AFP lowing Giggs’s spell in temporary charge. and friends what to do next. “My priorities Liverpool v Newcastle 17:00 During that time, United have won two are Southampton and getting ready for and lost one of their three matches under that. It is not something I am thinking too beIN SPORTS 10 HD the veteran Welsh midfielder, with victories much about. Norwich v Arsenal 17:00 against Norwich City and Hull City coming “It is a tough game and it is their last beIN SPORTS 5 either side of a home defeat to Sunderland. home game and just like we tried to do, we Rodgers: Liverpool beIN SPORTS 5 HD The trip to St Mary’s for United’s last game tried to end it on a high. It is going to be a of a traumatic campaign also marks the tough game but one I am looking forward title bid ‘not over’ final appearance of Nemanja Vidic, the club to.” Italian Calcio League captain who will join Inter Milan in the Atalanta v AC Milan 13:30 LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan season and come Sunday we will fight to close-season, while fellow veteran defend- GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE Rodgers says that his side will not give the very end. If we win the game and ers Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand are also While Giggs could be saying farewell to beIN SPORTS 3 up on the Premier League title despite end up not winning the title, to finish coming to the end of their contracts and United today, the match may also offer a beIN SPORTS 3 HD the odds being stacked against them on second to the richest team in the history Giggs may be on the way out too. glimpse into the future. Asked about Torino v Parma 16:00 The 40-year-old has only started six Southampton’s England internationals today’s final day. of sport really shows the measure and beIN SPORTS 4 Rodgers needs leaders Manchester progress we have made here. Premier League games this season and he Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw, who have City to lose at home to West Ham United “For us it’s really only the beginning. I been linked with moves to United, Giggs beIN SPORTS 4 HD and for his side to beat Newcastle United have had two years here and we have added: “They are exciting players. Livorno v Fiorentina 16:00 “Lallana has been about for a bit, been at Anfield to become the first Liverpool been progressing. This year we’ve made beIN SPORTS 1 manager to oversee a top-flight champi- a step. I see and hear that other teams at the club right through the different leagues. Luke Shaw has come to the fore beIN SPORTS 1 HD onship success since 1990. will improve, but I think we will improve this year and done really well.” Sampdoria v Napoli 16:00 Rodgers is clinging to the hope that dramatically as well next season. and Phil Jones are set to beIN SPORTS 3 West Ham-and former Liverpool striker “The young players have gone miss the match with respective groin and Andy Carroll-can pull off a dramatic through an experience that can only shoulder injuries, but Giggs maintains they beIN SPORTS 3 HD upset to bring the title to Anfield. bode well for them for the future. Players will be fit to feature in the World Cup for Roma v Juventus 21:45 “It’s certainly not over,” said Rodgers, like Steven Gerrard, 33 years of age and England. beIN SPORTS 3 who will welcome back midfielder it’s his first sample of this type of run-in, Giggs is refusing to give up on a place in beIN SPORTS 3 HD Jordan Henderson from suspension. “The and he will be better next year also.” the Europa League despite United needing expectancy is on Manchester City to win, Newcastle will be without Senegalese Tottenham Hotspur to lose at home to but it won’t be easy for them. We know striker Papiss Cisse, who is expected to Aston Villa to give them a chance of finish- Spanish League ing sixth. that’s a tough game. “West Ham have be sidelined for several months after Bilbao v Sociedad 18:00 some really talented players. If you can undergoing surgery on a fractured United trail Spurs by three points but go to Tottenham and win 3-0, you can kneecap on Thursday. their goal difference is far superior. Giggs beIN SPORTS 1 certainly go to Manchester City and win, Newcastle have not won at Anfield added: “That was the disappointing thing beIN SPORTS 1 HD especially with guys like big Andy up since 1994, but despite that record, about losing to Sunderland. Granada v Almeria 20:00 We had seen Tottenham get beat so it front and the quality he has. under-pressure manager beIN SPORTS 6 “They also have a really good defen- says that his side will not make life easy would have been in our hands. I maintain my stance, we want to be in Europe.” Like sive record, which shows they are a diffi- for Liverpool. beIN SPORTS 6 HD Lallana and Shaw, the future of Atletico v Malaga 20:00 cult team to play against.” Liverpool’s late “We have to make sure we uphold the Southampton manager Mauricio collapse to draw 3-3 with Crystal Palace integrity of the league and give them as Pochettino has been questioned with the beIN SPORTS 2 on Monday night allied to City’s mid- hard a game as we can. We desperately Argentine linked with a move to beIN SPORTS 2 HD week 4-0 win over Aston Villa has shifted want to win,” said Pardew. Tottenham. Betis v Valladolid 20:00 the balance of power even further in the “It’s going to be a great atmosphere Pochettino’s success in keeping his side beIN SPORTS 1 direction of the Etihad Stadium. But because Brendan Rodgers has done an in the top half of the table for almost all the whether results go Liverpool’s way or unbelievable job. For me, he’s got a great campaign has won admirers, but the man- beIN SPORTS 1 HD not, Rodgers believes that his team will chance to be manager of the year, and ager insists there will be no distraction Elche v Barcelona 20:00 build on their progress from seventh rightly so.” when Saints wrap up their campaign. “I beIN SPORTS 5 place last season to a guaranteed top- Pardew is not in such a healthy posi- don’t think it would be wise for us to get two finish and a place in the Champions tion, but he hopes that forthcoming talks ahead of ourselves right now,” he said. beIN SPORTS 5 HD League. “I want to congratulate my play- with club owner Mike Ashley will safe- “I think we just need to focus on the Getafe v Sevilla 20:00 ers on this season,” he said. guard his position and lead to improve- amazing season that we’ve had. “There beIN SPORTS 10 HD really is nothing to decide. I still have one “We have had a remarkable season ments next season. Espanyol v Osasuna 20:00 and the players have put Liverpool on “It’s very important to talk about the more year on my contract and I really beIN SPORTS 4 the world map again in terms of what we season. In the first half we were one of haven’t spoken about it. “I don’t really get it are looking to achieve here as a club. the best in the Premier League, there’s no because it hasn’t come from me, these beIN SPORTS 4 HD rumors have come from outside. “We’ve doubt about that,” he said. “In the second Celta v Real Madrid 20:00 achieved the best season in the Premier ‘ONLY THE BEGINNING’ half, we weren’t, and it wasn’t good Manchester United’s interim manager League in the history of this football club beIN SPORTS 8 “The performance level has been enough for this club. We need to face Ryan Giggs takes a free kick in this file so I think that translates as not being dis- beIN SPORTS HD 8 exceptional throughout the course of the that and find a solution.”—AFP photo. —AP tracted at all by these rumors.” —AFP