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Home , Hatem Ben Arfa, Mamadou Sakho, Moussa Sissoko, Olivier Giroud, Tim Krul, Yohan Cabaye

Ruthless Australia Lukaku keeps wins 4th Test Everton’s bid by 8 wickets for top-four 18 19on track MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

Red Wings edge Panthers 4-3 Page 19

NEWCASTLE: Arsenal’s French striker (2L) scores the opening past Newcastle United’s Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul (R) during the English football match between Newcastle United and Arsenal at St James’ Park in , northeast England yesterday. —AFP Giroud strike helps Arsenal regain top spot

character they showed in withstanding the sus- years ago. Mesut Ozil headed Arsenal’s growing Debuchy’s looping far-post header bounced man move, before cut in from the tained challenge from an in-form Newcastle side list of key absentees, the German international down off the crossbar, with Mike Williamson right to force a low save from the Dutchman Newcastle 0 will stand them in good stead as they attempt to joining (thigh) on the sidelines unable to convert the rebound in a major let-off with a crisp left-foot shot. end their long trophy drought. with a minor shoulder problem that is expected for the visitors. Newcastle threw on Ben Arfa just after the The hosts almost snatched a late draw when to keep the out for at least another Cabaye combined several times with hour in a bold attacking move, but it was Wojciech Szczesny’s attempted clearance can- game. Debuchy to cause problems for Wenger’s side, Arsenal who took the lead within minutes of the Arsenal 1 noned off French forward Loic Remy to bounce Also missing were Thomas Vermaelen and and with better control, the latter would have Frenchman’s introduction. floated just a yard wide of goal with the Arsenal keeper , who were both unwell. With been clean through on goal as he raced onto a a free-kick into the area where Giroud, evading stranded, but Newcastle tasted defeat for only Mathieu Flamini prompting the visitors from in pinpoint 40-yard pass from his former Lille his marker Williamson, sent a glancing header the second time in 10 games to dent their hopes front of the back four in a 4-1-4-1 formation, team-mate. past the exposed Krul from 10 yards. NEWCASTLE: Olivier Giroud’s 11th goal of the of a top six finish. Arsenal enjoyed the majority of possession Debuchy also ought to have done better Walcott almost doubled the advantage soon sealed Arsenal’s return to the top of the As they look down on the rest of the Premier without being able to translate it into chances. when volleying wide as Cabaye’s raking free- after, the England forward’s first attempt Premier League courtesy of a hard-fought 1-0 League having regained pole position from It allowed Newcastle, who showed just one kick found him in space just inside the area. blocked by the legs of Krul, before Debuchy win at Newcastle yesterday. The Frenchman’s Manchester City, Arsenal will no doubt reflect change as Cheick Tiote returned from suspen- Arsenal’s ball retention and distribution, as ever, kept the Arsenal forward’s follow-up out with a 65th-minute header, his first goal for more than a that seven of the last nine teams to head the sion in place of , to end the half was pleasing on the eye, although with spectacular goal-line clearance. month, proved decisive as Arsene Wenger’s men division going into the New Year have gone on strongly, with forcing Szczesny Newcastle’s back four again impressing, the It wasn’t to prove a costly miss, as the visitors were forced to sweat for a victory that rounds off to lift the title in May. to produce a fingertip save as the Frenchman Gunners created only half chances before the held out with relative ease - Ben Arfa firing an impressive 2013 for the north London club. However, the Gunners are a notable recent unleashed a powerful 20-yard drive when fol- interval. wastefully into the side-netting in their biggest Arsenal racked-up 82 points in the calendar exception when they trailed in third despite top- lowing up as ’s shot was blocked. Tomas Rosicky aimed a 20-yard effort scare - to record a victory that could prove key year - the best in the English top-flight - and the ping the table at this stage of the season six From the resulting Cabaye corner, Mathieu straight at Tim Krul at the culmination of a four- when the title is decided in May. —AFP Battling Chelsea cut Liverpool loose Chelsea, for whom John Terry was making ball inside his right-hand post. It was an his 600th appearance, were quick to respond, impressive reaction from Mourinho’s side, but Chelsea 2 with Glen Johnson hacking off the line to pre- gradually Liverpool reasserted themselves. vent Skrtel scoring an own goal and Petr Cech produced a smart save to prevent heading wide from a free-kick. Joe Allen from equalising with a deflected shot Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet then shortly before half-time, before Sakho headed produced a stunning one-handed save to tip against the crossbar early in the second period. Liverpool 1 over a shot from , but in the Mignolet stood up well to stop Eto’o 17th minute the hosts drew level. A sharp extending Chelsea’s lead at the other end, but Chelsea counter-attack culminated in Liverpool were soon back on the attack, with LONDON: Chelsea demonstrated their Premier inadvertently diverting a pass Suarez volleying straight at Cech. League championship credentials by coming from Oscar into the path of Hazard, who swept The teams continued to exchange chances, from behind to beat title rivals Liverpool 2-1 in a magisterial first-time shot inside the right- Oscar drilling wide for Chelsea, Johnson work- an engaging and keenly contested game at hand post from 20 yards. ing Cech in reply, but Liverpool’s early fire had Stamford Bridge yesterday. Chelsea then lost Ivanovic to injury, with burnt itself out. And when Suarez went to Martin Skrtel gave Liverpool a third-minute Ashley Cole coming on, but it did not disrupt ground theatrically in the Chelsea box after lead, but Chelsea hit back before half-time their momentum. They went in front in the Eto’o ran across him, he received only a shake through and Samuel Eto’o to give 34th minute and Mignolet, culpable for City’s of the head from referee Howard Webb and a manager Jose Mourinho victory over his for- winning goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 loss at the torrent of jeers from the home fans. mer protege . Etihad Stadium on Thursday, was again partly Former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres Having led the league on Christmas Day, at fault. threatened to seal victory at the death after Liverpool will finish the year in fifth place, six Oscar’s low cross from the right was toed coming on from the bench, but having taken points below leaders Arsenal, with Chelsea two towards goal by Eto’o and despite getting Sakho out of the game, he saw his shot saved points off the pace in third place behind down quickly, Mignolet could only palm the by Mignolet. —AFP Manchester City. Beaten 2-1 by City on Boxing Day, Liverpool have now lost successive league games for the EPL results/standings first time since April 2012, while top scorer Luis Suarez has gone two games without scoring Standings from the English premier league matches yesterday. after amassing 10 in his previous four outings. The game marked the first meeting between P W D L F A Pts Swansea City 19 5 6 8 24 25 21 Suarez and Branislav Ivanovic since the Arsenal 19 13 3 3 37 18 42 Stoke City 19 5 6 8 18 29 21 Liverpool striker was banned for biting the Man City 19 13 2 4 54 21 41 Aston Villa 19 5 5 9 18 25 20 Chelsea defender last season, and the Chelsea 19 12 4 3 35 19 40 Norwich City 19 5 4 10 16 32 19 Liverpool man came out on top in their first Everton 19 10 7 2 31 18 37 West Bromwich 19 3 9 7 22 27 18 Liverpool 19 11 3 5 44 23 36 duel. Cardiff City 19 4 6 9 15 30 18 Man United 19 10 4 5 32 22 34 After Samuel Eto’o caught Jordan Crystal Palace 19 5 1 13 12 28 16 LONDON: Liverpool’s Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel (R) taps the ball into the Henderson with a high challenge on the Tottenham 19 10 4 5 22 24 34 net past Chelsea’s Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech (L) to score the opening goal dur- Newcastle 19 10 3 6 29 24 33 Fulham 19 5 1 13 19 41 16 Liverpool left, Philippe Coutinho curled in a West Ham 19 3 6 10 18 28 15 ing the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Liverpool free-kick and Suarez got in front of Ivanovic to Southampton 19 7 6 6 26 20 27 Sunderland 19 3 5 11 15 32 14 at Stamford Bridge in London yesterday. — AFP knock the ball down for Skrtel to prod home. Hull City 19 6 5 8 22 23 23