15 SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019 sports Klopp never doubted Salah’s class he said. Mohamed Salah ends “People want us to play like • Manchester City, we are una- goal drought to put It was never in ble to do that, we play our own Liverpool back top of the doubt that he was football. Premier League table a great player in “We have 82 points now, that my side. It was is massive in this crazy league Salah nets for first and everyone is waiting for us. I • goal number 50 am really proud. It is incredible. time since February for Liverpool, “It is a difficult year for 9 as Liverpool come an incredible everybody, you need to have from behind to win number. He’s very 70-75 points for the Champions 3-1 at Southampton consistent League and 90-something for the title. We are in the race and JURGEN KLOPP that is nice.” AFP | Southampton, United Klopp acknowledged the in- Kingdom Liverpool were once again troduction of Henderson and forced to demonstrate their James Milner midway through urgen Klopp insists he nev- resilience as they struggled to the second half fired up Liver- er doubted Mohamed Salah find their most fluent form af- pool’s late rally. Jas the Egyptian ended an ter Southampton established “Jordan Henderson came on eight-game scoring drought to a ninth-minute lead through and brought aggressiveness, ver- help fire Liverpool back to the Shane Long. bal aggressiveness, we had di- top of the Premier League. Naby Keita equalised in the rection again after that,” he said. Salah returned to scoring form 36th minute with his first Liv- “We have to work for it, the with an outstanding solo run and erpool goal but it was not until moment will come but all three finish as Liverpool recovered Salah struck that Klopp’s side goals were brilliant. from falling a goal behind to beat could be confident of moving “It is nice for Naby Keita to Southampton 3-1 at St Mary’s two points ahead of City at the score the first to show South- and move two points clear of Mohamed Salah is mobbed by his Liverpool teammates after running from the halfway line to score his side’s crucial head of the table. ampton it will not be easy for Manchester City. second goal at Southampton Jordan Henderson wrapped them. After that we controlled The title remains in City’s things up in the 86th minute, but it more. It was good, I liked it.” hands, however, as the English until Salah intervened in the “It was goal number 50 for the right option despite the Klopp admitted his side were Southampton remain five champions have a game in hand. 80th minute to claim his 50th Liverpool, an incredible number. presence of Roberto Firmino in again not at their best, requiring points clear of the bottom three However, Liverpool continue Premier League goal for Liver- He’s very consistent.” support. late interventions just as they and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl to pile on the pressure in their pool in only his second season Salah has been criticised in re- When asked if he considered had in beating Tottenham Hot- admitted his disappointment at pursuit to end a 29-year wait to at the club. cent weeks for being too selfish playing in the Brazilian, Salah spur and Fulham in their previ- his side’s failure to hold on. win the league. “It was never in doubt that he in front of goal in desperation to told Sky Sports: “Not at all. As a ous two league games. “If you take the lead after five Klopp’s side appeared in dan- was a great player in my side,” end his scoreless streak. striker you need to score. I made “The performance was not minutes, you are going in the ger of dropping valuable points said Klopp. Yet, on this occasion he chose my decision to shoot.” top level but it is about fighting,” right direction,” said Hasenhuttl.

Shaikh Ali’s efforts Sheikh Salman hailed Bahrain excel in bowling championship retains place at helm of Asian TDT | Manama TDT | Manama football ahrain Olympic Com- ahrain men’s and women’s Bmittee (BOC) secretary Bbowling teams returned Reuters | Kuala Lumpur general Mohammed Al with a number of medals from Nusuf has commended the the Arab Championships held heikh Salman bin Ebra- efforts of Shaikh Ali bin Ab- in Egypt recently. Shim Al Khalifa was dulla Al Khalifa, president The men’s team took three re-elected unopposed to of the Asian Shooting Fed- gold medals, two silver and the position as president eration, to boost sport level. one bronze, while the women’s of Asian Football Confed- This was announced after squad managed one gold, one eration after the regional both parties’ meeting held silver and one bronze. body’s congress confirmed at the committee offices in Bahrain Olympic Committee a new four-year term for the Seef, where Al Nusuf noted (BOC) secretary general Mo - Bahraini by acclamation. the contributions of Shaikh hammed Al Nusuf received the- The 53-year-old, who was Ali in the development of members of the bowling teams not present at the meet - shooting in Asia during his at his office in Seef. Mohammed Al Nusuf at the reception of the Bahrain bowling teams ing due to the death of his term at the federation. Al Nusuf congratulated the mother earlier in the week, Al Nusuf asserted that the Bahrain Bowling Association He also commended the ef- ued support and follow up of programmes and plans of the was handed a third term successes of the federation president Ahmed Al Nuaimi and forts of the BBA board, led by the association by providing association, and asserted his at the helm after his rivals, under Shaikh Ali leader- members of the delegation on Al Nuaimi, to develop bowling all means of success for the p support to all other national Mohammed Al Romaithi ship reflects his abilities in these remarkable results, which at all levels, and noted such layers. sports federations in order to from the United Arab Emir- taking his organization to he attributed to the advanced achievement would not be Also during the reception, continue the march of successes ates and Qatari Saoud Al higher standards. level of the game in the country. possible without the contin- Al Nusuf was briefed on future for Bahraini sports. Mohannadi, withdrew.

‘We need Mendy’, says Man City boss Guardiola

AFP | Manchester lion ($68 million) in 2017. having been short of options in that The manager had strong words with area because of Mendy’s injury. ep Guardiola has indicated France the Frenchman in September after But if the defender can stay fit Pdefender Benjamin Mendy has a he was nearly three hours late for a and play consistently well then long-term future at Manchester City treatment session, having attended an Guardiola is likely to give him op- despite concerns over his off-field be- Anthony Joshua boxing bout in London portunities. haviour. the previous evening. “What we want to do is work The left-back, who has played just In February, Mendy caused his man- with him to protect his knee, his 27 minutes of football since November ager more irritation by claiming in an condition, to help us, because we BTA Junior Tennis Tournament’s 14-and-under category players with the while struggling to recover from a knee Instagram post that he was in Hong need him,” Guardiola said. Tournament Director preliminary rounds of the event at the Dilmun Club, injury, was filmed in a Manchester Kong, without his manager’s permis- “We have played two seasons Saar Players took part in a round-robin format competition in two groups. nightclub at 3:30 am last Saturday. sion, although the defender later clar- without a left-back. That is a reality, so At the conclusion of the group stage, eight players (the top four from Guardiola has in the past made clear ified the post by saying he was joking. in first season, Fabian Delph helped us each group) had earned themselves a place in the quarter-finals: Rohan his frustrations with Mendy, who has Guardiola has suggested previously incredibly and Danilo as well, he was Mukherjee, Anshuman Sonawane, James Blair, Jaber Abdulaal, Matthias been beset by injury problems since that he is considering signing another incredible in that position, and this Hopman-Ruh, Isa Al Qattan, Raj Singh and Rushikesh Sonawane joining City from Monaco for £52 mil- left-back before the start of next season, season Oleks (Zinchenko). Benjamin Mendy