TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2013 SPORTS Premier League holiday pileup of games MANCHESTER: With their six-figure weekly salaries, it’s hard,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says. “At on that day, even if it was the culture.” ing there were matches then and making plans to flashy cars, plush houses and supermodel wives and Christmas, the accumulation of matches is so high. Desailly can count himself fortunate he wasn’t go home for Christmas. “They thought they were girlfriends, sympathy is usually in short supply when You must do it with a special group with a special playing in Britain in the 1950s - in those days, getting their leg pulled in the dressing room that it comes to players in the English Premier League. mentality, enjoying the situation and forgetting you English clubs played on both Christmas Day and there were four games over Christmas,” he said, Except, maybe, over the Christmas and New Year don’t have a Christmas like the Spanish players, the Boxing Day (Dec. 26). More recently, teams in the laughing. “It’s a bit of a culture shock for some. There period. When you are sitting down to a big dinner, Italian players, the German players.” Scottish leagues played on Christmas Day in 1976. were certainly cases down the years of players get- drinking wine and spending time with the family Mourinho says he missed being part of England’s For players these days that’s no longer the case, ting Christmas hamstrings.” over the festive period, spare a thought for the likes hectic festive schedule when he left Chelsea in 2007 but it doesn’t mean Christmas Day isn’t ruined for There’s no rest for stadium staff and club officials, of Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Sergio to manage first in Italy with Inter Milan and then in them. There’s often training in the morning and a either. Managers have to work overtime, too, rotat- Aguero. Spain with Real Madrid. But it certainly isn’t to every long coach journey if you are unlucky enough to be ing their squads and dealing with injuries. For fans, They’ll most likely be practicing in the freezing foreigner’s liking. playing away on Dec. 26. though, Christmas soccer is the highlight of the year. cold. Or maybe on a bus traveling the length and Take Marcel Desailly, for example. He arrived at “I remember a couple of Christmases when I was Twelve points are up for grabs in a little more than a breadth of England (and Wales for that matter). Or Chelsea from AC Milan in 1998, the year he won the at Sunderland, we had to go down to Southampton week, a frenetic period that can shape a season and stuck in a hotel room with only a TV for company. World Cup with France, and soon discovered two years in a row,” former Arsenal and Manchester provide momentum for the second half of the cam- While the top leagues across Europe shut for two Christmas would no longer be the same. City striker Niall Quinn told the AP, recalling journeys paign. “It’s unique. Generally the stadium is full and weeks or more at the end of each year, there’s no “I thought it wasn’t fair,” Desailly told The from the north of England to the very south. “I can it’s usually a brilliant occasion,” Quinn said. So who winter break for the hardy souls of the Premier Associated Press. “Christmas Day should not be a remember skidding my car on ice and having to get cares if it harms England’s chances of success in League. British soccer persists with that proud, day for football. When you believe in something, you my in-laws to get me out of a ditch so I could get to World Cups and European Championships? Who unique - some call it downright weird - tradition of shouldn’t have to do it, even for the good of the training on Christmas Day. Then I get back home cares if it causes endless family feuds, with many piling up the matches over the festive period. football and the business of football. and the coach was leaving at 3 p.m. to go down to fans preferring a trip to a match than to their in- Players at Arsenal and Chelsea, for example, will play “I was coming from a Latin country where with Southampton. Christmas was obliterated in many laws? four games in 10 days from Dec. 23-Jan 1. “It’s a peri- Christmas, all the (religious) beliefs at that moment respects.” Just sit back and enjoy the uniqueness of English od where I think only the brave can survive, because were particularly strong. There was no reason to play Quinn recalls some foreign teammates not know- soccer over Christmas. — AP Suarez signs new contract at Liverpool

LONDON: Only four months after publicly sy, Liverpool supporters have remained loy- pleading to leave the club in the hope of al to their talisman. “Without doubt the joining Premier League rivals Arsenal, Luis backing I have received from the Liverpool Suarez has completed a remarkable U-turn fans has influenced my decision,” he said. “I and signed a new long-term contract at am so proud to represent them and go out Liverpool. to do my best for them every time I pull on The 26-year-old complained in August the shirt. that Liverpool had broken an agreement “We have a special relationship. They allowing him to leave after the club failed to have love for me and in return I love them qualify for the Champions League. His com- back. I will always do my best for them and plaint came shortly after Liverpool had hopefully we can achieve success together.” rejected a transfer bid from Arsenal for the Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers striker. made Suarez train alone after his outburst Liverpool stood firm however and in August but the striker returned to the Suarez began a dramatic period of rehabili- first-team squad before the start of the sea- tation. The Uruguay forward is the top scor- son. The Reds are aiming to finish in the er in the Premier League this season with 17 Premier League’s top four to qualify for the league goals in 11 starts, including a Champions League and could mount a quadruple against Norwich and a hat trick challenge for the title if the team maintains against West Brom. Tipped to shine at the its current form.”This is fantastic news for World Cup next year, his form has helped everyone associated with the club; the Liverpool climb to second in the division, team, the owners and most importantly the two points behind Arsenal. supporters,” Rodgers said. “We have some great players and the “Luis is a world-class talent and securing team is growing and improving all the time,” his services is crucial for what we are trying Suarez said. “I believe I can achieve the to achieve here. “What’s most important ambitions of winning trophies and playing and most exciting is that, at just 26 years at the very highest level with Liverpool. My old, his best years are still ahead of him and aim is to help get us there as quickly as pos- we now know we’ll be seeing him reach sible.” Suarez missed Liverpool’s first six that potential in a Liverpool shirt.” league games this season as he completed Suarez’s contract was due to expire in NEW YORK: Cam Talbot #33 of the New York Rangers makes a save in the first period as teammate Michael Del Zotto #4 defends against Zach a 10-match suspension for biting Chelsea 2016. Liverpool owner John W. Henry Parise #11 of the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden on Sunday in New York City. — AFP defender Branislav Ivanovic. It was the latest added: “We are committed to working hard in a long line of ugly incidents involving to keep our best players and this is an indi- Suarez, who was banned for eight matches cation that we are moving in the right for racially abusing Manchester United’s direction and moving at a pace that Eagles rout Bears 54-11 Patrice Evra in October 2011. impresses one of the best players in world Despite his habit for creating controver- football.” — AFP PHILADELPHIA: Knowing they have everything to chance to secure a division title because Green Bay first period during a television timeout. He was play for next week, the Philadelphia Eagles never let lost to Pittsburgh and the New York Giants eliminated replaced by Lack, who backstopped the Canucks to a up against a team with plenty on the line. Nick Foles Detroit from playoff contention. 3-2 shootout win in Chicago on Friday. Schalke keep Keller threw two touchdown passes, LeSean McCoy ran for two scores and the Eagles routed the Chicago Bears Canucks 2, Jets 1 Rangers 4, Wild 1 54-11 on Sunday night in a matchup of first-place Defenseman Chris Tanev’s third-period goal gave The New York Rangers, trying to salvage the as coach for 2014 teams with opposite stakes. Vancouver a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on a night remainder of a nine-game homestand, knocked off Instead of resting his starters for a winner-take-all the Canucks lost goaltender Roberto Luongo to a the Minnesota Wild 4-1. The win moved the Rangers BERLIN: Schalke 04 confirmed on 2012, the 43-year-old Keller has fallen game at Dallas next Sunday night, Chip Kelly didn’t groin injury. Tanev broke a 1-1 deadlock at 10:23 of (17-18-2) to just 2-4-2 on their longest ever home Sunday that coach Jens Keller will remain some way short of the club’s pre-season pull them until they finished whipping the Bears. the third with a shot from the high slot. stand, which concludes on Monday against the in charge of the Royal Blues going into target of challenging for the league title. “We’re from Philadelphia and we fight,” Kelly said. “If The Canucks (22-12-8) posted their ninth win in Toronto Maple Leafs. 2014, despite a string of erratic results. “All “Overall, it’s been a turbulent half a year,” there’s a game on, we’re playing.” Chicago’s loss sets the past 11 games, while the Jets (16-17-5) lost for the Minnesota (20-13-5) dropped their fourth game in topics have been discussed constructively Schalke’s director of sport Horst Heldt up two win-or-go-home games for NFC division fifth time in the past seven outings. It was Vancouver’s their last six. The Rangers had not won a game in reg- and openly with a clear analysis of what told Sky Sports. crowns next week. sixth consecutive home triumph. Goaltender Eddie ulation since a 3-1 win at Buffalo on Dec. 5. Coach The Bears (8-7) came in needing a win to clinch the Lack picked up the win in relief of injured starter Alain Vigneault’s team overcame a 1-0 Minnesota first- must be improved,” said the club in a “There have been situations that we’ve NFC North and secure the No. 3 seed while Luongo, who left the game late in the first period. period lead by scoring two goals in the second period statement. not been so happy with.” But while Keller, Philadelphia was just trying to stay healthy. But the Lack recorded 21 saves on 22 shots for his second con- and one in the third. Cam Talbot, making his first start “All this Jens Keller and his coaching who is under contract until June 2015, Eagles (9-6) played like the team trying to lock up a secutive win. Winnipeg goaltender Ondrej Pavelec in goal for the Rangers since Dec. 2, stopped 24 shots team will work on when the preparations can breath a little easier, there is no such playoff berth. bore the loss while stopping 23 of 25 shots. to improve to 7-2. Niklas Backstrom (2-7-2) recorded for the second part of the season begin peace of mind for Hanover’s Mirko Now, the Bears must tie or beat the Packers (7-7-1) Luongo left the game with 3:30 remaining in the 32 saves for the Wild. — Agencies on January 3.” The 43-year-old Keller was Slomka over the festive period. Hanover, at home next week to win the North. “We knew what forced to watch Saturday’s goalless draw 13th, are already ten points off a targeted was at stake and the opportunity we had and we at Nuremberg on television at home after top six spot to claim a European place didn’t get it done,” Bears coach Marc Trestman said. suffering with a stomach virus. next season after suffering their eighth- The Eagles (9-6) have to tie or beat the Cowboys (8-7) The result left Schalke seventh in the straight away defeat on Saturday. at Dallas next Sunday night to win the NFC East and table — 16 points behind leaders Bayern Slomka, 46, faces an uncertain start to complete a worst-to-first season under their rookie Munich-after suffering five league defeats 2014, knowing his future is being dis- coach. Once Dallas rallied to beat Washington earlier in the first half of the season. Although cussed behind closed doors. Having tak- in the day, the Eagles knew they were only playing for Keller has earned a reprieve from en charge in January 2010, Slomka’s posi- a No. 3 seed, that is, if they win the division. Schalke’s advisory board, only improved tion has been undermined by poor results after the winter break, which start- results, including Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Kelly played all his guys ed Sunday, will safe-guard his future. strugglers Freiburg to leave them with “This is our job. They pay us to play ball,” McCoy Although they have already been just one win in their last 10 games. said. “The fans pay their hard-earned money to watch. knocked out of the German Cup, Schalke “Christmas is the hardest time to make As a player, we never think a game is meaningless.” Foles was 21 of 25 for 230 yards, and set a franchise have reached the last 16 of the a decision like this,” Hanover’s director of record with a completion percentage of 84.0. In only Champions League where they will meet sport Dirf Dufner told broadcaster Sport1. nine starts, Foles has 25 TD passes and two intercep- Real Madrid. “We will have more talks over the next tions. He was replaced by Michael Vick midway Having taken charge in December few days.” — AFP through the fourth quarter. By that time, fans were chanting: “We want Dallas!” “The playoffs start one week early,” Kelly said. “That’s how we approach it.” McCoy, trying to become the first Eagles player to lead the NFL in rushing since Hall of Famer Steve Van Buren in 1949, ran for 133 yards and leads Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles by 189 going into the last game. Bryce Brown had 115 yards rushing, including a 65- VANCOUVER: Vancouver Canucks fans cheer on their team during the third period in NHL yard TD run. The Eagles dominated from the start. action against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Trent Cole sacked Jay Cutler to force a three-and-out on Chicago’s first possession, and the Canada. — AFP Eagles went right down the field and scored when Foles hit Riley Cooper going across the back of the end zone on a 5-yard pass. NHL results/standings Bradley Fletcher then forced Devin Hester to fum- ble after a 36-yard kickoff return and Cary Williams NY Rangers 4, Minnesota 1; Vancouver 2, Winnipeg 1. recovered at the Bears 39. Foles connected with Zach Ertz for 27 yards and McCoy ran in from the 1 to make Western Conference Eastern Conference it 14-0. Pacific Division Atlantic Division Boston 24 10 2 100 75 50 Foles tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Brent Celek to WL OTLGFGAPTS Tampa Bay 22 11 3 100 86 47 make it 21-0 in the first. “It was fun to play,” Foles said. Anaheim 26 7 5 124 96 57 Montreal 22 13 3 96 84 47 “That’s what I cherish. I don’t care about records.” Los Angeles 25 8 4 104 71 54 Detroit 17 12 9 99 105 43 Cedric Thornton tackled Matt Forte in the end zone for San Jose 22 8 6 116 90 50 Toronto 18 16 4 105 111 40 a safety and a 26-3 lead in the third quarter. McCoy Vancouver 22 11 6 106 93 50 Ottawa 14 17 7 106 126 35 ran in from the 1 to make it 33-3. Florida 14 18 5 87 117 33 Chris Polk had a 10-yard TD run in the fourth quar- Phoenix 19 10 6 110 108 44 Buffalo 9 24 3 64 104 21 ter and Brandon Boykin returned an interception 54 Calgary 13 17 6 91 115 32 Metropolitan Division yards for a score to make it 47-11. Chicago’s only TD Edmonton 11 24 3 95 133 25 Pittsburgh 27 10 1 121 83 55 Central Division Washington 19 13 4 115 109 42 came when Cutler threw a 6-yard pass to Brandon New Jersey 15 15 7 90 94 37 Marshall on the final play of the third quarter. Chicago 25 7 6 140 105 56 Philadelphia 16 16 4 89 103 36 “I thought we had a good game plan,” Cutler said. St. Louis 24 7 4 125 81 52 Carolina 14 14 8 83 101 36 “We had good practices this week. Obviously we Colorado 23 10 2 102 83 48 NY Rangers 17 18 2 86 101 36 didn’t play like it.” Bears seven-time Pro Bowl line- Minnesota 20 13 5 87 92 45 Columbus 15 17 4 97 103 34 NY Islanders 10 20 7 93 129 27 backer Lance Briggs returned to the lineup after miss- Dallas 17 12 6 101 105 40 MILAN: Inter Milan’s Argentinian forward Rodrigo Palacio (R) fights for the ball with ing seven games because of a fractured shoulder. He Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one Winnipeg 16 17 5 101 110 37 point in the standings and are not included in AC Milan’s midfielder of Ghana Sulley Ali Muntari during the Italian Serie A football wasn’t much help. Nashville 16 16 4 83 103 36 the loss column (L). match Inter Milan vs AC Milan at San Siro Stadium in Milan on Sunday. — AFP The Eagles racked up 514 yards. The Bears had a