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Home , Raheem Sterling

Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2014

Moyes looks to past for Sports Digest Man United inspiration Now Liverpool LONDON: Manchester United manager David Moyes wants Asked if United’s multiple trophy-winners still had the his players to draw inspiration from the club’s history as requisite hunger, he replied: “I believe so. “I see them, I are in for it! they attempt to resurrect their imperilled bid for a think they’re great lads, they’re fantastic with their attitude, Champions League place. United were held to a 0-0 draw at their training. Their commitment is first-class. “You saw Arsenal on Tuesday and their disappointment was com- tonight (Wednesday), how good Vida (Nemanja Vidic) was, By Ahmad Al Othman pounded by the news that Champions League qualification how good Rio (Ferdinand) was when he came on. “They’re rivals Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur had both won. a great group of players, a very experienced group of play- ’s stoppage-time penalty gave fourth-place ers, and you have to say they’ve been winners, all of them. Liverpool a 3-2 success at Fulham that took them 11 points “They’ve all got medals, and when you’ve won, you want to above United, while Spurs are eight points clear of the win more. They’re all still hungry and determined to be suc- champions after a 4-0 win at Newcastle United. United have cesful.” only 12 games in which to reverse the situation if they are Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger voiced support for to avoid missing out on a place in Europe’s premier club Moyes and said that United’s performance proved that tournament for the first time since 1995, but Moyes refuses they remain one of the country’s leading sides. “Man to give up the fight. “All I can do-I keep saying it-but I’ll try United is a good team who can play against anybody in and win the next game and see if we can pick it up,” he told our league,” he said. “At the moment they’re not where journalists at the Emirates Stadium. “If there’s one club in they can be, but you cannot say with the players they history who’ve been great at winning games in the second have on the pitch that they are not quality.” When pushed half of the season and putting pressure on the teams on United’s chances of finishing in the top four, however, above, it’s been Manchester United. “We’ll continue to try Wenger would only say that it was “not mathematically and do that and see if we can make it work.” impossible”.—AFP

Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard celebrating in his own way after scoring late penalty at Craven Cottage

re we finally witnessing the resurgent of the almighty Liverpool Football Club? The club considered by many as the most successful team in ABritish football with 5 European Cups. Throughout the season, it was all about Arsenal spearheading the other 19 sides, 2 weeks ago it was Manchester City and only a few days ago it was Chelsea, now by the looks of it, Liverpool are well in the fight for the prestigious Barclays English winners medal. They are 4 points behind leaders Chelsea and 1 behind Man City who themselves have a game in hand. Funnily enough, the Scousers could yet still finish in 5th place as they’re ahead of Tottenham by 3 points only with the two sides set to meet in March. Under , Liverpool has been performing at the highest level sweetened by some fantastic football. The hierarchy have put a lot of faith on the Northern Irishman and counted on him as successor of all time SAN SEBASTIAN: Barcelona’s Argentinean forward (center) vies with Real Sociedad’s defender favorite . He has won 44 games from a possible 84 with more Jon Gaztanaga (right) and Real Sociedad’s defender Mikel Gonzalez (left) during the Spanish Copa del Rey than a 50 % win rate, a very good statistic when compared to previous regimes (King’s Cup) football match Real Sociedad vs FC Barcelona on February 12, 2014. — AFP under Dalglish and Benitez. With some shrewd and wise buys, he remodeled the Reds and transformed them to a side everybody is beginning to fear and cause of concern to their opposite rivals. Messi on target; Barca Thanks to him, Liverpool now has the deadliest partnership in European football. The so called “SAS” have both combined and scored 39 goals from a possible 66 and currently lead the top scorers chart by 1st and 2nd respectively. set up final with Real Suarez has been enjoying his football since he served the 10 match suspension and had he been available, Liverpool would’ve been at an even better position. MADRID: Barcelona will face Real Madrid in the Copa del a strong side and the visitors managed to take the sting out Sturridge, who’s always enjoyable to watch, has kick started his career which Rey final on April 19 after they drew 1-1 away to Real of the game early on by dominating possession without has halted since his free move from Man City to Chelsea, until Liverpool decid- Sociedad on Wednesday to progress 3-1 on aggregate. overly threatening the Sociedad goal. ed to spend £16 million on him . He hasn’t featured regularly at Stamford Lionel Messi continued his return to goalscoring form after Bridge and when he wasn’t fancied by Roberto Di Matteo or Villas Boas, it was netting twice against Sevilla on Sunday, with a fine solo run Zubikarai made amends Rodgers who pounced and found maximum use for him. and finish to put Barca in front midway through the first- However, after Zubikarai had parried a long-range effort Besides to their attacking line, Liverpool owe a lot to talisman and captain half. The hosts were then thankful to a number of saves from from Dani Alves, the ‘keeper would have been disappointed Steven Gerrard. The English legend is currently having one of his best seasons Enaut Zubikarai to prevent Barcelona extending their lead to see Messi’s low strike squeeze under his outstretched arm in a long time and his exquisite pass to Sturridge against Fulham speaks for on the night, but the Basques got some recompense for and trundle into the net. Zubikarai quickly made amends, itself. and Raheem Sterling have also been a bright spark, their efforts three minutes from time when Antoine though, as he denied Pedro Rodriguez from close range. At and Rodgers needs his young wide men at their best to sustain this top form. Griezmann thumped Chory Castro’s low cross past Jose the other end Carlos Vela had Sociedad’s best chance of the Despite thrashing Arsenal 5-1 and sending a clear message to title contenders, Manuel Pinto. Barca boss Gerardo Martino was happy to first half, but, after knocking the ball past Pinto, Dani Alves their final five fixtures of the calendar include clashes with City, Chelsea and have reached his first major final since taking charge at the was on hand to clear off the line. Barcelona continued to Newcastle. start of the season, but said it was far too early to judge who look the more likely to score after the break as Andres Iniesta was another who stepped up his game and is showing will be favorites to lift the trophy come April. “There were fired just wide from the edge of the area before Zubikarai why he’s worth the £20 million Liverpool coughed up for him. However, sum- three objectives this year and we have managed to make made a brilliant double save to deny Messi and Cesc mer arrivals such as Kolo Toure, and Luis Alberto have proved to be the final in one of them. Now we have to try and win it, but Fabregas. misfigured buys and Rodgers is demanded to correct them either by finding we have complied with the demands until now,” he said. “It Sociedad did though have clearer sights of goal them- replacements or selling them. Skrtel and Mignolet were top class throughout is a long way away, it is a Clasico so it always has special selves in the second period and Vela was unlucky to see his the campaign and they’re another reason why Liverpool looked tough at the importance. Madrid winning last night made it even more sensational curling effort come back off the underside of the back. As far as their fans are concerned, the trophy is in a touching distance and important for us not to miss this special date. bar. Zubikarai came to Sociedad’s rescue again 15 minutes they genuinely believe their side has what it takes to finally win the league, an “But it is hard to make a judgment because the final is from time when he blocked Alves’s shot after the Brazilian honor they have been waiting for a nearly a quarter century. still two months away. There are loads of important games had been played clean through on goal. And the ‘keeper’s between now and then for both teams and we don’t know heroics were rewarded with at least a draw on the night for Did You Know? how both sides will get there in terms of form, confidence or his side when Griezmann finished off a fine team move When Liverpool last won the league back in 1990, was 8 injuries.” Martino showed he wasn’t prepared to rest on last involving Sergio Canales and Castro to register his 17th goal months old and Raheem Sterling wasn’t born yet. week’s 2-0 win in the first leg at the Camp Nou as he named of the season. — AFP