42 Wednesday, December 8, 2010 NNewew VVisionision SPORT Babel shines as Liverpool humble former boss Houllier LIVERPOOL Bucharest last week and kept his place against Villa when result Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson pulled out Liverpool 3 A. Villa 0 Who should take insisted he’d always had faith in Monday because his wife was the blame for Ryan Babel after the Dutchman giving birth to their second child. aged by former Anfield boss England’s failure marked his first Premier League Midfielder Babel’s 16th minute Gerard Houllier eyeing the drop. start this season with a goal in a goal, which followed hot on the “I’ve never written Ryan Babel to host the 2018 3-0 victory against Aston Villa heels of David Ngog’s 14th off,” Hodgson said. “His chances World Cup? here at Anfield. minute opener, all but sealed a have been limited because we Babel was reportedly close to victory confirmed by Maxi have Torres, David Ngog and Type England leaving Merseyside in pre-season Rodriguez’s second half effort . and send sms to but he set up Milan Jovanovic’s that saw Liverpool move up to Villa have won just once in their 8338 goal in the 1-1 draw at Steaua eighth and left a Villa side man- last 10 league games. Liverpool scorer Rodriguez (right)

Ronaldo set for paternity check Kizito is determined SAO PAULO World Cup winner Ronaldo is to take a pater- nity test to find out if a five-year-old boy in Singapore is his fourth child. The Brazilian, 34, said he met the “beautiful, polite” lad called Alex on to frustrate Arsenal Sunday. He said on Twitter he “will take on the responsibilities and pleas- ures” of fatherhood if tests are positive. Alex’s mum Michele Umezu got preg- Wenger’s charges face must-win Champions League test nant in Tokyo in 2002. Ronaldo was there with By FRED KAWEESI in Ukraine on Wednesday But the absence of injured his then club Real Madrid. AND AGENCIES goes against them. playmaker Cesc Fabregas Back on the home front, has not proved as dam- Ugandan defender Nestroy Premier League leaders aging as first feared, Lampard back Kizito is relishing an inter- Arsenal face fellow English with Frenchman esting duel with Arsenal’s giants Manchester United, shining most in-form midfielder just a point behind, at Old in the Spanish Samir Nasir at the Emirates Trafford on Monday. star’s absence. Carlo Anceloti is Stadium today. Win both those games and Nasri scored a hopeful he will have The Cranes left-back, who Arsenal can look forward to brace in Arsenal’s Frank Lampard turns out for Serbian cham- a season of significant 2-1 win over Fulham available for pions Partizan Belgrade, will achievement; lose both and in the Premier League Chelsea’s clash with march into tonight’s Gunners manager Arsene on Sunday, the second Tottenham on Champions League group H Today: 10.45pm Wenger’s repeated promises a good combination of Sunday – a week match against Arsenal confi- Champions League of a bright future for his side slick footwork and bal- ahead of his sched- dent he will out-match Nasri Arsenal v Partizan, SS3 will start to sound decidedly letic balance. uled return to –Arsenal’s top scorer with Bayern v Basel, SS5 hollow. action. Lampard has 10 goals in all competitions. CFR Cluj v Roma Arsenal and France full- In Paris, Chelsea been injured Kizito’s side but also help Marseille v Chelsea back Bacary Sagna insists and Marseille, already since frustrate the Gunners from Zilina v S. Moscow the side are well aware of through top the last 16, August. making the knock-out stages Real v Auxerre the need to turn potential meet in a formali- of Europe’s elite competi- AC Milan v Ajax into performance. ty group F tion. S. Donetsk v Braga “We do not want the sea- game. “They are a difficult team son to be over at the end of to play against but we know matches, must defeat a December,” said Sagna. where their strengths and Partizan side that have lost Arsenal have experienced weaknesses are,” Kizito told all five of their group fix- defensive problems this sea- The New Vision yesterday. tures if they are to be certain son be it injury to centre- Arsenal’s hopes of ending of a place in the last 16 of back Thomas Vermaelen, out their six-year trophy drought the Champions League. since September and not could be determined in less Otherwise Arsenal, three expected back until the new than a week, starting with points behind leaders year at the earliest, or uncer- their match against make- Shaktar Donetsk and level tainty as to whether either weights Partizan Belgrade. with Sporting Braga, could Manuel Almunia or Lukasz The Gunners, beaten in miss out if the result of the Fabianski is their best goal- their last two European tie between their two rivals keeper. Fergie to oversee United’s Christmas party MANCHESTER dancers. The England striker and his on the night out, with team-mates usually organise their own the players being a big Wayne Rooney will have to learn how private knees-up. draw. to avert his eyes from showgirls at But after some well-publicised inci- A source said: “There’s Manchester United’s Christmas party. dents at parties down the years, the a real buzz about the The club is hosting a James Bond lads are being encouraged to attend party - it’s not often all themed do at with the the official bash alongside club staff, the players come along. title of A Night In Monte Carlo. including manager Sir Alex Ferguson. “There will certainly be a There’ll be casino tables, ice sculp- WAGs have been invited too. bit more glamour on show than tures plus Rooney’s favourite type of Club bosses have spent thousands usual. Nestroy Kizito’s (left) Partizan up against Sami Nasri’s Arsenal