Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2014

Fabregas bullish on Messi’s return to action

MADRID: Lionel Messi will be “like a bull” when he with Marca sports daily published yesterday. to the winter break and netted a hat-trick against returns after almost two months out with a thigh “He had four or five injuries in a row in a muscle that Celtic, his first treble for the club, and a double against injury, his Barcelona team mate Cesc Fabregas predict- he uses a lot in accelerating from a standstill, which is Villarreal. Fabregas said the goals will help boost the ed ahead of Sunday’s match at home to Elche. what sets him apart,” added the former Arsenal cap- 21-year-old’s confidence. “Scoring is all about streaks,” Messi flew back to the Catalan capital on tain, who was a contemporary of Messi’s at the Barca he told Marca. “Right now the goals are going in for Wednesday from his native Argentina, where he com- academy. Neymar and that will give him a bit more confidence, pleted the final phase of his recovery, and will join “He had to stop no matter what and he’ll be like a stability and composure in the penalty area. Fabregas and the rest of Gerardo Martino’s squad for bull when he is back.” Champions Barca are level on 46 “As time passes his importance to the team will training later yesterday. Martino will be wary of rushing points with Atletico Madrid after 17 of 38 matches and increase. He is 21 and he will develop from game to the World Player of the Year back but is likely to give lead the Spanish capital’s second club, who play at game. The confidence will make him a better player.” his compatriot at least some playing time against pro- mid-table Malaga on Saturday (1500), on goal differ- Matchday 18 also features Sunday’s derby clash moted Elche at the Nou Camp (1500 GMT) in Barca’s ence. Real Madrid are five points further back in third between fourth-placed Athletic and Real first game after the winter break. and play at 15th-placed Celta Vigo on Monday (1800). Sociedad (1900), four points behind their Basque rivals Messi may also feature in Wednesday’s King’s Cup in fifth, at Sociedad’s stadium in San Sebastian. last 16, first leg at home against Getafe in the hope he Stability, composure Valencia’s new coach Juan Antonio Pizzi has a will be fully fit and able to play the whole of the La Liga Barca stumbled during Messi’s most recent absence, tough test in his first game in charge when his side match at title rivals Atletico Madrid on Jan. 11. “He defi- losing consecutive games to Ajax Amsterdam in the hosts local rivals Levante tomorrow (1900). Valencia are nitely needed to rest physically because he had already Champions League and in La Liga. in 11th place after an erratic start to their campaign suffered this (injury) and there was no other option However, their Brazil forward Neymar, signed in the that prompted the sacking of Serbian coach Miroslav than to stop playing,” Fabregas said in an interview close season from Santos, came into form in the run-up Djukic last month. — Reuters Adebayor doubtful for FA Cup trip to Arsenal

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s revitalised Harrison, aged 46 on Christmas Day. striker Emmanuel Adebayor could miss the tie Liverpool made Harrison the most expen- of the FA Cup third round at former club sive teenager in the world when they signed Arsenal tomorrow after being carried off on a him as a 17-year-old from Oldham for 250,000 stretcher during Spurs’ 2-1 win at Manchester pounds ($414,100) in 1984 but following one United on Wednesday. injury after another he never played a first The 29-year-old Togo international, team game for them, quit the game, and described as “unstoppable” by new Spurs worked as a van driver before succumbing to manager Tim Sherwood after scoring the pancreatic cancer. opening goal at Old Trafford, came off after 70 Tales of the past will also be in the air at minutes, “needing ice on every part of his Bolton where Blackpool are the visitors, evok- body” according to his boss afterwards. ing memories of the famous 1953 final when The match at the Emirates between the two Stanley Matthews inspired Blackpool to a 4-3 fierce north London rivals is one of five all- win with a hat-trick from Stan Mortensen after Premier League ties on what is usually one of they trailed 3-1 with 22 minutes to go. the most exciting and dramatic days in the English season. The others see Newcastle Rare meeting United against Cardiff City, Norwich City Tomorrow’s FA Cup clash at the Emirates OLD TRAFFORD: Manchester United’s English striker Danny Welbeck (L) attempts an overhead against Fulham, West Bromwich Albion between Arsenal and Spurs is their first in the kick during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and against Crystal Palace and Manchester United competition since Arsenal triumphed 2-1 in a Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, northwest England, on Wednesday. — AFP hosting Swansea City. 2001 semi-final at Old Trafford. Cup holders Wigan Athletic, who became And although the two clubs have played the first side to win the FA Cup and be relegat- each other over 170 times, they have only met Moyes furious with ed in the same season when they shocked five times in the FA Cup, starting with Arsenal’s Manchester City in last May’s final, are at home 3-0 victory in the third round in 1949, which to League One (third tier) MK Dons. Spurs avenged at the same stage in 1982. Webb after defeat Manchester City, second behind Arsenal at Their two other meetings were also semi- the top of the Premier League, make the short finals with Spurs winning in 1991 and Arsenal MANCHESTER: labelled a controver- doing as well as they can. But they keep picking trip to Championship side Blackburn Rovers, in 1993. Spurs go into the tie boosted by their sial decision by World Cup final referee Howard them don’t they? The people who employ refer- Webb as “scandalous” in the wake of his team’s 2-1 ees are going to have to look at that.” while Chelsea, who have won the FA Cup five win at Old Trafford on New Year’s Day as home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on times in the last 14 years, start their quest for Sherwood has overseen a quick turnaround in Wednesday. Simulation another honour at promotion-chasing fortune. The Manchester United manager was incensed The United manager’s angry mood was not Championship side Derby County. His recall of the previously-overlooked by a late decision not to award United a penalty helped by Webb showing a yellow card to United Roberto Martinez, who led Wigan to their Adebayor looks an inspired move as the rangy kick when Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris youngster Adnan Januzaj for “simulation” in the unlikely triumph last season before becoming forward has scored four goals in fivegames challenged home winger Ashley Young and ques- second half. It is not the first time this season the Everton’s manager, starts his quest to become and added a much-needed cutting edge to the tioned whether England’s most respected official talented winger has been punished for diving but, only the third manager to win the trophy with side’s previously misfiring attack as well as should be operating in the Premier League. on this occasion, Moyes believed his player was two different clubs when Everton play Queens forging an immediate partnership with Despite television pundits widely backing more sinned against than sinning. Park Rangers at Goodison Park. Roberto Soldado. Webb’s decision not to give United the penalty, an “It was a terrible decision,” added Moyes. However, league leaders Arsenal still start award that would surely also have led to the goal- “Adnan gets bumped, the boy tried to nudge him Shock win as favourites. They may have laboured to a 2-0 keeper’s dismissal, Moyes was adamant that the off the ball. That was a terrible decision.” United No one has achieved that feat since Billy win over Cardiff City on Wednesday, but 42-year-old Yorkshireman should be dealt with by have now dropped 26 points in the current cam- Walker steered Nottingham Forest to glory in Arsene Wenger’s men are playing with a self- the PGMO, the body who appoint match officials. paign, one more than they squandered all of last 1959 having previously won it with Sheffield confidence and conviction that has been miss- “It was a scandal,” fumed Moyes. “It’s reckless, season in winning the title in Alex Ferguson’s Wednesday in 1935. Herbert Chapman won ing in recent years. Although they are likely to it’s late, it’s in the penalty box, I don’t know what farewell term. else you can say. “If you follow through on a player More alarmingly, they now face the real the trophy with Arsenal and Huddersfield be without injured strikers Olivier Giroud and anywhere else on the pitch, foot-high, it’s a send- prospect of becoming only the second defending Town. Liverpool again face League One Nicklas Bendtner, who damaged his ankle ing off and a penalty kick. Ashley Young gets the Premier League champions in history to finish out- Oldham Athletic, who stunned the seven scoring the opener against Cardiff, Arsenal ball and he follows through. It’s an incredible deci- side the top three the following year. Moyes’s out- times winners with a shock 3-2 win in the have lost only once at home to Spurs in the sion that didn’t go our way. It’s one of the worst burst therefore neatly deflected from another fourth round a year ago. Sunday’s match has last 21 years in all competitions and beat them I’ve seen. “You only hope the people who put the appalling result that ended a run of six successive an added poignancy too following the death 1-0 in a Premier League match on their last vis- referees in there look to see if the referees are victories.—AFP of former Oldham and Liverpool player Wayne it in September. — Reuters