27 Sports Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Arsenal climb to third place as Ramsey, Lacazette sink Newcastle It’s a new history, we are creating our own way: Emery LONDON: Unai Emery challenged revitalised Arsenal zone after a 12th defeat in their last 13 meetings with to write their own history after they climbed to third Arsenal. “If you don’t take the chances and aren’t pre- place in the Premier League with a 2-0 win against cise against a good team, you know it is a matter of Newcastle on Monday. Aaron Ramsey’s first half strike time until you make a mistake,” Newcastle boss Rafael was followed by Alexandre Lacazette’s killer second in Benitez said, before taking a shot at owner Mike the closing stages at the Emirates Stadium, maintaining Ashley’s lack of investment in new players. Arsenal’s impressive progress under Emery. “We have been speaking all season about the final Emery’s side climbed two points above fourth placed third, you have to spend £50 million, £75 million (to Tottenham and fifth placed Manchester United to bol- have players to make a difference).” Ramsey thought ster their chance of qualifying for the Champions he’d given Arsenal the lead when he swept home at the League via a top-four finish with seven games to go. far post from Sead Kolasinac’s flick. It is the first time Arsenal have been as high as third But his celebrations were curtailed as the goal was place since April 2017, highlighting their improvement controversially ruled out by referee Anthony Taylor for since former Paris Saint Germain boss Emery replaced Sokratis’s shirt tug on Florian Lejeune. If Arsenal felt Arsene Wenger at the end of last season. aggrieved by that debatable decision, they poured their Ramsey’s fifth goal of the season was only the Wales frustration into breaking down Newcastle’s five-man midfielder’s second since he signed a lucrative pre-con- defence. tract agreement to join Juventus at the end of the cur- Emery had surprisingly left Gabon forward Pierre- rent campaign. But, while Ramsey won’t be part of Emerick Aubameyang on the bench as Mesut Ozil start- Emery’s long-term plans, the future still looks bright for ed behind Lacazette. Aubameyang has 22 goals in all Arsenal, who recorded a 10th consecutive home league competitions this season, but his absence wasn’t a victory for the first time since December 1997 to May problem for Arsenal as they unhinged Newcastle’s 1998. Arsenal finished with 63 points in Wenger’s final massed rearguard in the 30th minute. season, but Emery has matched that tally with seven Matteo Guendouzi passed to Ramsey and his clever games to spare. No wonder Arsenal fans celebrated an flick picked out Lacazette in the Newcastle area. important win by taunting their spluttering north Lacazette was surrounded by three defenders and as London rivals with chants of “are you watching he twisted to find space, the ball cannoned off DeAndre Tottenham”. Yedlin into Ramsey’s path and he guided a low shot LONDON: Arsenal’s French striker Alexandre Lacazette (C) shoots but fails to score during the English Premier “It’s a new history. We are creating our own way. past Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka via the far League football match between Arsenal and Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium in London. — AFP Our target is very clear,” Emery said. “We have created post. a big atmosphere here. We are in a good moment, a Arsenal remained by far the dominant force and good mentality with the players. “We are improving Lacazette almost doubled their lead on the stroke of knock that forced his substitution, then Aubameyang redirected it to Aubameyang, who cleverly headed the and making progress, but we know it is difficult. half-time when his shot was brilliantly headed off the went close when he found space for a low shot that ball over the statuesque Jamaal Lascelles. With Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United are going line by Matt Ritchie. Looking for the decisive second Dubravka turned away. And it was Aubameyang who Lascelles too slow to react, Lacazette nipped ahead of to win a lot of games.” goal, Emery sent on Aubameyang with half an hour left. was the catalyst for Arsenal’s second in the 83rd the Newcastle captain and chipped over Dubravka for Newcastle remain seven points above the relegation Ramsey departed to a rousing ovation after taking a minute. Guendouzi clipped a pass to Lacazette and he his 15th goal in all competitions this term. — AFP strong magnitude,” said Clarke. “Racism is racism UEFA match delegate or through employing specific FA chairman wants and we should have zero tolerance for it.” spotters and take the weight off the players’ shoul- England defender Danny Rose was subjected to ders and act ourselves,” he said. Matches on TV monkey chants during the Euro 2020 qualifier won “The responsibility should not be on them to (Local Timings) tougher rules to 5-1 by his side in Podgorica while Raheem Sterling instigate action.” Clarke was speaking after UEFA was also targeted. Clarke said the protocol was president Aleksander Ceferin, in an opening address, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE tackle racism designed to deal with mass chanting but abuse from said he was ashamed to see banana skins thrown Manchester City v Cardiff City 21:45 one fan should be enough for the referee to act. onto football pitches and hear monkey noises com- beIN SPORTS HD 2 “Receiving a torrent of vile, racist abuse from one ing from the stands. Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace FC 21:45 LONDON: Football Association chairman Greg person when you are taking a throw-in or a corner The Slovenian also spoke out against ‘sickening beIN SPORTS HD 1 Clarke called for zero tolerance on racism yesterday is wholly unacceptable too,” he said. “So we should fascist nostalgia’ in stadiums and said it shamed soc- Chelsea FC v Brighton & Hove Albion 21:45 and said it needed to be easier for referees to stop a look again at our definitions to make sure the proto- cer that there were still places in the world where beIN SPORTS HD 5 game and take players off the pitch if racially col covers this, because this needs to stop.” women could not play or attend games. “It is worry- abused. Clarke said the FA was looking at how incidents ing to see certain leaders and politicians playing SPANISH LEAGUE Addressing an Equal Game conference organised were dealt with in England and a board meeting last down these incidents when they occur in their own Athletic de Bilbao v Levante 20:30 by European soccer body UEFA at Wembley week agreed to review the processes for spectator countries,” he added. beIN SPORTS HD 3 Stadium, Clarke said he had rewritten a planned misconduct and how clubs are sanctioned. Momir Durdevac, the general secretary of the SD Eibar v Rayo Vallecano 21:30 speech after racist abuse of England players in “I also worry that there is an undue burden on the Montenegro FA, told delegates later through a beIN SPORTS Montenegro last week. player to report incidents themselves,” said the FA translator that he had heard no racist abuse at the Huesca v Celta de Vigo 21:30 He said UEFA’s three-step protocol on tackling chairman. He said every complaint should be investi- match and blamed a “handful of idiots’ if there beIN SPORTS HD 8 racism could be improved. The protocol allows the gated, rather than just reported by match officials, had been any. He said they should be condemned, Valencia C.F v Real Madrid CF 22:30 referee to stop a match if ‘racist behaviour is of a with video technology and lip-readers used. rather than the country, and apologised “to all beIN SPORTS HD 3 strong magnitude and intensity’. “There should be “We all know what racism looks like. We should those who have gained a very bad impression no judgement call on whether something is of a see how we can better report incidents through the from Podgorica.” — Reuters FRENCH LEAGUE Montpellier HSC v EA Guingamp 20:00 beIN SPORTS RC Strasbourg v Stade Reims 20:00 beIN SPORTS Guardiola places faith in Jesus with Aguero hurt MANCHESTER: Manchester City will be without injured leading scorer Sergio Aguero as they try to regain the advantage in the Premier League title race against strug- gling Cardiff today. A thigh injury means the Premier League’s leading marksman-he has 19 goals to his name- will sit it out with Brazil star Gabriel Jesus taking his place. Victory over a side they thrashed 5-0 in the away fix- ture earlier this season would see City leapfrog Liverpool to lead the title race by a point, with both having played the same number of games. City manager Pep Guardiola admitted Aguero faces a race to be fit for the FA Cup semi-final with Brighton on Saturday and the first leg of the Champions League quar- ter-final away to Tottenham next Tuesday. “Today Sergio is not able to play,” said Guardiola. “He LONDON: File photo taken on March 30, 2019 shows a general view of the exterior of the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Tottenham throw open the doors of their didn’t train the last two days. “Hopefully he can on new 62,000-capacity stadium today, hoping it will give them the financial firepower to compete with the Premier League and European elite. — AFP Saturday or next Tuesday.