Arsenal Extend Lead at the Top
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Palace welcome Barcelona crush Pulis by climbing Granada 4-0 off 19the bottom without Messi SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2013 18 Goetze strikes as Bayern run riot at Dortmund Page 18 LONDON: Arsenal’s French striker Olivier Giroud scores his second goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Southampton at the Emirates Stadium yesterday. — AFP Arsenal extend lead at the top Giroud’s goals condemned Southampton to Asmir Begovic but this was more embarrass- Lallana tested Arsenal keeper Wojciech only their second league defeat of the sea- ing even than that misjudgement. As unfor- Szczesny with a dipping volley from the English Premier League table Arsenal 2 son and snuffed out any hope Mauricio tunate as the 22nd minute goal was for the edge of the area that the Pole did well to tip Pochettino’s side had of claiming the win visitors, they had enjoyed two slices of good to safety. And the keeper produced an even LONDON: English Premier League table after yesterday’s match- es (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): that would have moved them to the top of fortune earlier in the game as Arsenal better save to deny Rodriguez’s acrobatic the table. Southampton arrived in north responded well to a positive opening from shot with Lambert’s follow-up flashing Arsenal 12 9 1 2 24 10 28 Southampton 0 London boasting the best defensive record the south coast side. Jack Wilshere, operat- across the face of goal. Southampton main- Liverpool 12 7 3 2 24 13 24 in the Premier League after conceding just ing in an unfamiliar position on the right, tained their momentum after the re-start Chelsea 12 7 3 2 21 10 24 five goals in their opening 11 games, one moved into the penalty area to collect a flick with Lallana again testing Szczesny with an Southampton 12 6 4 2 15 7 22 fewer than Tottenham Hotspur. from Giroud and clipped a right foot chip excellent left foot shot following a sweeping Everton 12 5 6 1 17 13 21 LONDON: Arsenal extended their lead at The last thing Arsenal expected, then, from a tight angle that rebounded to safety counter-attack. Manchester United 11 6 2 3 18 13 20 the top of the Premier League to four points was to be gifted an opening goal by the off the inside of the far post in the ninth But Arsenal exerted more control the Tottenham 11 6 2 3 9 6 20 after Olivier Giroud capitalized on a shock- kind of lapse that will give Boruc night- minute. longer the game went on as they went in Newcastle 12 6 2 4 17 17 20 ing mistake by Southampton goalkeeper mares. Poland international Boruc inexplica- Then, nine minutes later, Aaron Ramsey search of the second goal that would ensure Manchester City 11 6 1 4 28 12 19 Artur Boruc to set his side on course for a 2- bly failed to clear his lines after collecting a showed he is a player full of confidence at they avoided an uncomfortable end to the Swansea City 12 4 3 5 17 16 15 0 win at the Emirates Stadium yesterday. back-pass from Nathaniel Clyne and allowed the moment when he connected with game. And the feelgood factor around the West Brom 11 3 5 3 12 12 14 Giroud wrapped up the victory with an 86th Giroud to close him down before attempt- Mesut Ozil’s cross with a back heel flick from stadium was enhanced by the return of Aston Villa 11 4 2 5 11 12 14 minute penalty-his seventh league goal of ing to round the striker with a series of 12 yards out only to see his effort strike the England winger Theo Walcott as a 74th Hull City 12 4 2 6 9 15 14 the season-to ensure Arsene Wenger’s side clumsy drag-backs. Giroud eventually poked woodwork with Boruc beaten. minute substitute after a two month Stoke City 12 3 4 5 12 14 13 took full advantage of second-placed the ball away after the keeper had twisted Southampton’s reaction to falling behind absence following abdominal surgery. The Cardiff City 11 3 3 5 9 15 12 Liverpool’s failure to beat Everton in the and turned three times and, with Boruc would provide a measure of their progress second goal eventually came four minutes Norwich City 12 3 2 7 10 23 11 Merseyside derby earlier in the day. stranded, rolled the ball into an unguarded this season and they responded positively from time when Per Mertesacker was held West Ham 12 2 4 6 9 14 10 France forward Giroud had given Arsenal net. with their trio of new England internation- by Jose Fonte at a corner and Giroud scored Fulham 12 3 1 8 11 21 10 a 22nd minute lead when Boruc was caught Earlier this month Boruc had been beat- als-Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Jay with a left-footed shot from the ensuing Crystal Palace 12 2 1 9 7 21 7 in possession with the ball at his feet. en by a long clearance by Stoke keeper Rodriguez-leading the way. penalty. — AFP Sunderland 12 2 1 9 8 24 7 Liverpool, Everton share Lampard hits double the spoils in epic derby up front, while Jon Flanagan was pre- as Chelsea go third ferred to Aly Cissokho at left-back. record his first goal in 11 Premier League Everton started positively, but it was Everton 3 games, ending his longest barren run for a the visitors who took the lead after decade. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard West Ham 0 The former West Ham man celebrated- delivered an in-swinging corner that was flicked on by Suarez to Coutinho briefly-in front of the home fans, who reacted Liverpool 3 at the back post. predictably with boos. England midfielder Lampard headed another chance narrowly The Brazilian calmly controlled the Chelsea 3 ball on his thigh and struck a low vol- wide before Oscar doubled the lead in the 34th minute, with the Hammers’ defense again cul- LIVERPOOL: Substitute Daniel ley into the Everton net despite a last- pable. Hazard’s flick sent the Brazilian away Sturridge scored a dramatic late ditch attempt to clear the ball on the down the middle and when no challenge came equalizer as Liverpool shared the line from James McCarthy. Everton LONDON: Frank Lampard scored twice against in Oscar slotted low past Jaaskelainen from the spoils of a pulsating 3-3 draw with got themselves back on level terms his old club as Chelsea beat West Ham 3-0 yes- edge of the box. West Ham manager Sam Everton in the 221st Merseyside derby shortly afterwards, though, when yesterday. The England striker had Leighton Baines lifted a high free-kick terday to move up to third place in the Premier Allardyce, who again chose not to field a recog- started the game on the bench, hav- into the penalty area. Barkley used his League table. Lampard’s two goals, which nised striker, reacted by making a double sub- ing struggled with a dead leg, but strength to outmuscle Liverpool cen- included a penalty, came either side of an stitution five minutes before half-time. came on with 11 minutes left to head tre-back Martin Skrtel and Mirallas Oscar strike at West Ham’s Upton Park ground, Joe Cole and Jack Collison were taken off, home a minute from time in an steered the ball home from close with Jose Mourinho’s side now level on points with Modibo Maiga and Mohamed Diame enthralling Premier League contest at range. There was no let up in the with second-placed Liverpool after this victory. coming on. Chelsea continued to dominate, Goodison Park. intensity and Liverpool regained the The gulf in class between the two London however, and Jaaskelainen pulled off an acro- Philippe Coutinho had put lead five minutes later when they clubs was apparent throughout and only goal batic save to stop Eto’o making it 3-0. Gary LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez (right) com- difference is currently keeping West Ham out of Cahill, the England centre-back, almost scored Liverpool ahead in the fifth minute were awarded a free-kick in a danger- petes with Everton’s English defender John Stones during the English ous position for a foul on Suarez by the bottom three. the third early in the second half when but from a corner, only for Kevin Mirallas Premier League football match between Everton and Liverpool at to equalise for Everton three minutes Gareth Barry. Suarez dusted himself West Ham had to defend stoutly early on Mark Noble kicked his header from a corner off Goodison park yesterday. — AFP later. Luis Suarez struck a spectacular down and took advantage of a gap as Eden Hazard’s cross from the left narrowly the line. Cesar Azpilicueta, playing at left-back free-kick past Everton goalkeeper Tim between the Everton defensive wall in the second half and the on-loan the bit of luck his endeavor deserved evaded Branislav Ivanovic and James Tomkins, instead of Ashley Cole, started a move in his Howard in the 19th minute to give and Steven Pienaar to curl the dead Barcelona forward had a golden after his deflected free-kick was par- the centre-back, did well to dispossess Samuel own half that saw him cross to Oscar at the Liverpool a 2-1 advantage at half-time, ball into the bottom-right corner of chance to equalize when he was put ried by Mignolet and Mirallas picked Eto’o after the ball had been played to the back post only for the midfielder to fire waste- but the hosts roared back in the sec- the net past the despairing dive of Tim through one-on-one with Simon the ball up on the left flank.