TENNIS | Page 4 FOOTBALL | Page 7 Paes says Vardy 2020 will be his dilemma for last year as a Leicester as professional Reds lie in wait Thursday, December 26, 2019 CRICKET Rabia II 29, 1441 AH Pakistan pace GULF TIMES sensation Naseem grows from cub to lion SPORT Page 3 FOOTBALL Jürgen Klopp’s side passed their latest test in Doha and appear to be growing stronger in the Premier League race By Andy Hunter the omerta is as much under threat as The Guardian Manchester City’s hopes of winning a hat-trick of Premier League titles. Sixteen victories from 17 league games so far, 26 from the last 27 stretching ith the world conquered, back to last season’s challenge, and 49 Liverpool’s thoughts re- league games unbeaten at Anfi eld is a turn to scaling the peak stunning return from a team who do that means the world to not waver from their task. Wthem. It is a measure of their unrivalled Klopp’s demand for complete focus dominance and consistency in the Pre- on the next game is at the heart of Liv- mier League this season that their po- erpool’s extraordinary consistency. It sition at the summit strengthened de- may be dull to hear the one-game-at- spite being more than 3,000 miles away a-time cliche trotted out by the man- in Qatar. ager and repeated by his players but it Jürgen Klopp’s unbeaten leaders left works. The Club World Cup played out England for the Club World Cup 10 as everyone expected – and FIFA prob- points clear of Leicester, whom they ably hoped – with the champions of visit today. They returned 10 points Europe and South America in the fi nal clear and with a game in hand on their but there was no complacency inside nearest rivals after Brendan Rodgers’ the Liverpool camp. team were beaten by Manchester City, Firmino and Alisson, for example, whose challenge has not materialised were not asked for inside information so far. Liverpool also came back with on Flamengo until after Monterrey the fi rst world title in the club’s history were overcome. Klopp watched Fla- – an achievement that proved beyond mengo’s semi-fi nal comeback against Bob Paisley’s team in 1981, Joe Fagan’s Al Hilal at his hotel but again, only in 1984 and Rafael Benítez’s class of when Liverpool had booked their place 2005 – and their third trophy inside in the fi nal did he study four of the Bra- seven months. zilian club’s previous matches. The Club World Cup victory will Firmino’s stoppage-time win- generate momentum for the months ner against Monterrey was the sixth ahead, claimed Andy Robertson. Rob- goal Liverpool have scored in the 90th erto Firmino, required to give a rare minute or later this season (seven if interview after being named FIFA’s his extra-time winner in the fi nal is man of the match following the fi nal he included). There is no danger of Liv- settled against Flamengo, warned: “In erpool’s relentlessness being taken for every match Liverpool are playing bet- Klopp: commitment personified. granted when their innate belief in vic- ter.” The European champions appear tory, and the composure that remains to be growing stronger, too, despite In Qatar Naby Keïta continued his Gomez’s polished display in the fi nal before retiring in advance of a fl ight have been in Doha had he been avail- in their game when trailing late at As- concerns that fatigue might catch up recent progression into the potent, cre- after a diffi cult start to the season for home at noon. The Boxing Day trip to able. Klopp’s necessary rotation has ton Villa or falling behind in the fi rst eventually. ative and industrious midfi elder that the young defender. Leicester, and the opportunity to ex- brought the occasional dip in perform- minute to Tottenham, are part of the While out in Doha Liverpool com- Liverpool have been waiting to witness tend their lead to a remarkable 13 points ance but no change in results. team’s appeal. “Staying on track is part pleted the signing of the Japan inter- regularly since his arrival in July 2018. ENRAPTURED before the halfway mark of the cam- From here it would take a monumen- of our game,” as Klopp put it last week. national Takumi Minamino, the gifted Keïta’s opener against Monterrey was It was a tournament that again left paign was on Klopp’s mind before he tal collapse for Liverpool not to add the Strength in depth told against Red Bull Salzburg playmaker acquired his third goal in three games and his the Liverpool manager enraptured by left the Khalifa International Stadium Premier League title to world and Eu- Monterrey, as it has frequently this sea- for the bargain £7.25mn release clause penetrating runs into the box provided the single-minded focus and desire of with Liverpool’s latest trophy. ropean crowns. And a fade of that mag- son, while the fi nal lived up to its billing in a deal orchestrated by the sport- an alternative threat for a Liverpool his players. There was little celebration Liverpool have continued to rack up nitude appears beyond them. Liverpool as the best Europe and South America ing director, Michael Edwards. The team often reliant on the devastating beyond the changing room, from where the wins despite missing the infl uence supporters have craved championship have to off er. “Sensational” was how 24-year-old, who offi cially becomes power of their front three. Speaking the sound of “campiones, campiones, of Fabinho in central midfi eld – boast- number 19 for almost 30 years and that Klopp described the feeling of being a Liverpool player on New Year’s Day, of which, the return to form of Firmi- campiones” infi ltrated the nearby me- ing a 100% win rate from the seven exhausting wait, combined with pain- the fi rst Liverpool manager to win the could feature in the FA Cup third- no and Mohamed Salah at the Club dia room. games the Brazilian has missed through ful memories of 2014’s dramatic slip, Club World Cup. Becoming the fi rst round derby against Everton on 5 Janu- World Cup gave Klopp another reason The team returned to the plush St injury; and, no, Aston Villa in the Cara- has fuelled a code of silence around Liverpool manager to win the league in ary. to celebrate taking part. So, too, did Joe Regis hotel for a meal in the early hours bao Cup does not count as he would what the spring of 2020 promises. But 30 years would feel even better. CRICKET Aussies mull fi ve bowlers for Boxing Day Test AFP Paine told reporters. Australia head into the Melbourne Melbourne “We’ve probably got two differ- clash on the back of three wins at ent teams (in mind), to be honest, so home this summer — two against Pa- we’ll make the final call tomorrow.” kistan before their 296-run thrash- Australia traditionally play only ing of New Zealand in the first Test ustralia could play five spe- four frontline bowlers — three quicks at Perth, a day-night affair. cialist bowlers against New and spinner. Marnus Labuschagne has been Zealand during the second According to Cricket Australia, their star batsman, smashing his Test, captain Tim Paine they have only fielded five once be- third century in a row at Perth before Asaid yesterday, with the decision be- fore in the past decade — at the 2013 a second-innings 50. ing left until the last moment. Sydney Test against Sri Lanka. In contrast Steve Smith, their hero The Melbourne Cricket Ground If they go down this route today, during the Ashes against England track has been lifeless during the Neser is set to line up alongside this year, has managed only 43 and past two Boxing Day Tests, making Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and 16 in his last two innings, out twice it hard to take 20 wickets, although Nathan Lyon, with James Pattinson to short balls from Neil Wagner. a Sheffield Shield match there this replacing the injured Josh Hazle- It followed a quiet series against month was abandoned due to a dan- wood. Pakistan and he is keen to pile on gerous pitch. Travis Head is expected to be the some runs in Melbourne. With this in mind, Paine said a fall guy, with wicketkeeper Paine “I’ve been facing a fair bit of short decision would only be made after a moving up the batting order to six. stuff in the nets because I’m expect- late inspection. “Our batting team has been scor- ing a bit (in Melbourne),” Smith said. But one scenario could be a five- ing a lot of runs so if we were to go “It’s going to be completely dif- pronged attack, in which Queens- one more bowler, we would be com- ferent with the red ball as opposed land seamer Michael Neser likely fortable they could do the job,” said to the pink ball, particularly (com- makes his debut. Paine. pared) to the second innings in Perth “We’ll find out tomorrow. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) head curator Matt Page rolls “The bowlers we would be bring- when it was a bit up and down with wicket is a bit unknown... but we’ve the wicket ahead of the second cricket Test match between ing in can all bat so while we’re cracks and stuff.