Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2014 braced for bumper Boxing Day

LONDON: While professional footballers in the rest of don’t want to say that we’re going to, but we’re going to ance and good moments. “We are trusting in what we do Europe sleep off their Christmas hangovers, the Premier try. We have quality. We will see if we can do. But I am so, in the same way maybe we played in a poor way two League ploughs on regardless today with a bumper confident, I believe in my team, my team-mates, so every- months ago, we are doing very well.” schedule of traditional Boxing Day fixtures. thing is possible.” For the first time in the 2014-15 season, all 20 English Belgian winger Eden Hazard is a doubt for Chelsea United take Christmas off top-flight clubs will be in action on the same day, with after hobbling off against Stoke, with Brazilian playmaker Third-place Manchester United saw a six-game win- leaders Chelsea’s home game against high-flying London Oscar a potential candidate to replace him. ning run come to an end in a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa last rivals West Ham United the stand-out match. West Ham, meanwhile, will be boosted by the return weekend, but confidence at Old Trafford remains high Chelsea’s professional 2-0 victory at Stoke City on to fitness of midfielder Mark Noble, who has missed the ahead of Friday’s visit of Newcastle United. Monday allowed Jose Mourinho’s side to re-establish a last four games with an Achilles problem. Manager Louis van Gaal has granted his players three-point lead over champions Manchester City, who Injuries are a major concern for second-place City, Christmas Day off, rather than obliging them to train, and visit West Bromwich Albion today. who will be without all their senior strikers-Edin Dzeko, captain Wayne Rooney says that he and his team-mates The visit of fourth-place West Ham marks the start of a Stevan Jovetic and top scorer Sergio Aguero-for the trip are eager to repay the Dutchman’s benevolence. run of five games in less than two weeks, which includes to West Brom. But they can equal a club record of nine “We’re not training on Christmas Day this year an FA Cup third-round tie at home to second-tier Watford successive wins if they prevail at The Hawthorns and because we’ll be spending it at home, which will be good on January 4. Mourinho’s side also remain in contention manager Manuel Pellegrini believes that after a mid- for the foreign players and those of us with children,” said in the League Cup and the Champions League, and mid- autumn wobble, his side have rediscovered the form that Rooney, who has two young sons. fielder Nemanja Matic believes they can go all the way in swept them to the title in May. “We are playing now with “It must be strange for the new players to have more all four competitions. “I think it’s possible. We have a the intensity and style of play we always do,” said the games than ever over Christmas, having had the time off chance,” the Serbian told several British newspapers. “I Chilean. “Again we have players in high level of perform- previously. — AFP Lampard hope lights Man City’s striker gloom

WEST BROMWICH: Manchester City’s attacking injury problems remain ahead of today’s trip to West Bromwich Albion, but man- ager Manuel Pellegrini expects better news concerning on-loan midfielder before 2015 arrives. Lampard’s loan move from City’s sister club New York City in Major League Soccer is due to expire at the end of the month. But Pellegrini is confident he will sign the 36-year-old for the remainder of the season, regardless of whatever difficulties it may present to the American club as they prepare for their inaugural season. “I hope Frank’s situation will be resolved in the next days,” said Pellegrini, whose side trail leaders Chelsea by three points in the Premier League. “I said in the beginning it will be during December we are going to have the last decision. I repeat, Frank is very important for our team so I hope he will stay here. “I don’t think it will New York. That is why we have long conversations with all of them. That is just one club, so I think that what is better for the club is better for all the clubs.” While Lampard will be part of the City squad at The Hawthorns on Friday, Pellegrini will be without his injured front- line forwards Edin Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic and, most damagingly of all, leading scorer Sergio Aguero. Jovetic may play again before the turn of the year, with City STOKE: Stoke’s Marc Muniesa, left, contests the ball with Chelsea’s Diego Costa during the English Premier League soc- hosting Burnley on Sunday, but Dzeko and Aguero are expected cer match between Stoke City and Chelsea at the Britannia Stadium, in Stoke on Trent, England. — AP to be sidelined until the second half of January. Club captain is also due to return from injury over that period, but in any case, City have hardly stuttered Put on Christmas show, during their current personnel problems. The defending Premier League champions will take an eight- game winning run in all competitions to West Brom, while the four games since Aguero injured his hamstring at the start of the Mourinho tells Chelsea month have all ended in victory.

Irvine not fussy LONDON: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho no Christmas, just football, and I think the “We know what we have to do, we know “I think we need them as soon as we can,” said Pellegrini of his wants his players to show the world why they players deserve respect. we play for Chelsea and especially at home, injured players. “They must be fresh, but it is better for them to are currently on top of the Premier League “The supporters all around the country we have to take three points. “We are confi- be playing so they will be playing in 100 percent of their possibili- table when they host West Ham United today. give them that respect because every stadium dent, we are top of the table and we will try to ties. “When you come back from long injuries, you always need Monday night’s 2-0 victory at Stoke City is sold out. And the way to do it is with the continue like this.” some games to return to your normal performance. ensured that Chelsea would be the league kind of professionalism my players have leaders over Christmas and they will maintain shown.” Last season, West Ham defied the ‘Water under the sea’ “We have a team. We have a squad for the whole year. We that position with a positive result at home to odds to hold out for a 0-0 draw at Stamford West Ham manager regards make some rotations. It is important the whole squad arrives at their London rivals on Boxing Day. Bridge and they will be hopeful of at least the 0-0 draw in January as a significant turn- the end of the year with the freshness.” Chelsea then travel to Southampton two repeating that result given that they are in ing point in his fortunes. The Hammers had James Milner, pressed into emergency action as a lone striker days later and have a league clash with fine form, sitting in fourth place in the table. been battling against relegation at the time in City’s 3-0 win over Crystal Palace last Saturday, is likely to con- Tottenham Hotspur and an FA Cup third- Chelsea are likely to recall playmaker Oscar and a number of fans wanted co-owners tinue in that role against West Brom. round date with Watford on the horizon as for the occasion, especially as Eden Hazard David Sullivan and David Gold to sack him. West Brom head coach Alan Irvine said: “A lot has been made well. The other big leagues in Europe have all was hurt at Stoke, and midfielder Nemanja “I might not have been here had we lost,” of the fact that they didn’t have any striker for the game against shut down for the festive season, but Matic is adamant that whoever plays will be Allardyce admitted. “Chelsea can beat you Crystal Palace, and they won 3-0. It just shows the quality of the Mourinho is relishing his team’s role as busy ready to perform. five or six on their ground. On the back of our players that they’ve got in the squad.” holiday entertainers. “We have to be focused on our game,” he recent results, it would have made life for the Irvine is looking for a reaction after the disappointment of “At this moment the German guys are on said. “We are ready for everything and if we owners even more difficult to get behind me. watching his team surrender a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Queens Park the beach, the Spanish guys are in the play like we are used to playing, I’m not scared “But that’s not water under the bridge-that’s Rangers last weekend. Maldives getting sun-everybody else is doing of anybody. “I have seen them in a couple of water under the sea. That’s in the Atlantic “I am still desperately disappointed and I need this game to that,” he said. “But in this country you play on games this season and they’re very strong. Ocean it’s that far gone. We are a completely move on completely, but as far as the performance overall was the 22nd, you play on Boxing Day, you play on We expect a hard game, but we go into it with different team and we are enjoying our foot- concerned, it was a really good performance,” he added. —AFP the 28th, you play on New Year’s Day. There is confidence, which is very important. ball this year.” —AFP