SPORTS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2014 Spanish La Liga table MADRID: Spanish La Liga table ahead of the weekend’s matches Arsenal, Liverpool (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Real Madrid 12 10 0 2 46 11 30 Barcelona 12 9 1 2 30 6 28 seek to halt drift Atletico Madrid 12 8 2 2 23 12 26 Valencia 12 7 3 2 24 11 24 Sevilla 12 7 2 3 19 16 23 LONDON: Arsenal and Liverpool will each attempt to arrest Barcelona player, who has already contributed 10 goals to the Malaga 12 6 3 3 15 12 21 Celta Vigo 12 5 5 2 17 12 20 damaging sequences of results when they return to Premier Chelsea cause this term. “The mood is great and hopefully it Villarreal 12 5 3 4 17 14 18 League action this weekend following mid-week exertions in will grow as the season goes on because you know that for the Athletic Bilbao 12 4 3 5 10 13 15 the Champions League. The two teams have fallen out of title next two months it’s going to be really, really tough-a lot of Getafe 12 4 2 6 9 16 14 contention over recent weeks, with Arsenal now 15 points games.” Southampton’s hold on second place faces a stiff test Rayo Vallecano 12 4 2 6 15 24 14 behind leaders Chelsea following consecutive losses and over the next fortnight, with successive games against Eibar 12 3 4 5 13 19 13 Liverpool three points further back after three straight defeats. Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United on their Levante 12 3 3 6 9 26 12 Arsenal’s poor form has seen manager Arsene Wenger’s 18- schedule. Third-place City arrive at St Mary’s tomorrow, Espanyol 12 2 5 5 12 16 11 year stewardship called into question as rarely before, amid buoyed by a stunning 3-2 victory over Bayern Munich on Granada 12 2 5 5 6 17 11 concerns that a climate of tolerated under-achievement has Tuesday that breathed fresh life into their Champions League Real Sociedad 12 2 4 6 12 16 10 Almeria 12 2 4 6 9 14 10 infiltrated the club. However, Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over campaign. Deportivo 12 2 4 6 12 21 10 Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League saw Arsenal United, meanwhile, have crept into fourth place, five points Elche 12 2 4 6 12 24 10 reach the last 16 for the 15th consecutive season, boosting behind City, after their smash-and-grab victory at Arsenal last Cordoba 12 0 7 5 10 20 7 morale ahead of today’s trip to West Bromwich Albion. “We weekend. Louis van Gaal’s side host Hull City today, when vic- have to show character and that is what makes me really hap- tory would enable the 20-time champions to register a third py for the next few games, because we have to sharpen up in consecutive league victory for the first time since December ‘Buoyant’ Barcelona the Premier League as well,” said Arsenal’s German centre- 2013. Newcastle, who trail United on goal difference, visit back Per Mertesacker. West Ham United, who are a point further back in sixth place target Valencia scalp “Today is a good chance to show to everyone that we are after losing 2-1 at Everton last weekend. There is a basement still alive. We have to come back in the Premier League and battle at the foot of the table, with bottom club Queens Park MADRID: A Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona vanquished some that is the next target.” Victory over Dortmund came at a cost, Rangers hosting third-bottom Leicester City, while second- early season doubts with back-to-back thrashings of Sevilla with Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta joining a host of players bottom Burnley will be seeking a third straight win when they and APOEL Nicosia in the past week thanks to two hat-tricks on the sidelines after injuring his calf. Jack Wilshere has been entertain Villa.—AFP from the Argentine as he became the all-time leading scorer ruled out for three months after undergoing ankle surgery, in both La Liga and the Champions League. Luis Enrique’s but goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny should return from the hip English Premier League table men are expected to face a tougher test tomorrow, though, injury he sustained in last Saturday’s 2-1 loss at home to when they travel to a Valencia side that are unbeaten at home Manchester United. Liverpool host Stoke City today having LONDON: English Premier League table ahead of the weekend’s matches so far this season. Messi’s treble in Nicosia on Tuesday over- slumped to 12th place in the table after successive defeats by (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): shadowed Luis Suarez’s first goal for the club in a comfortable Newcastle United, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Chelsea 12 10 2 0 30 11 32 4-0 win as the Catalans remained on the tails of Paris Saint- They also received a setback in the Champions League, Southampton 12 8 2 2 24 6 26 Germain for top spot in Group F. conceding an 88th-minute equalizer to draw 2-2 at Man City 12 7 3 2 24 13 24 Enrique was delighted with his side’s display in the Cypriot Ludogorets Razgrad, but can still secure a place in the knock- Man Utd 12 5 4 3 19 15 19 out phase by beating Basel at home next month. Welsh mid- capital, claiming this was the Barca side he “wanted to see for Newcastle 12 5 4 3 14 15 19 fielder Joe Allen believes Brendan Rodgers’s side should draw the rest of the season.” The former Spanish international will West Ham 12 5 3 4 20 16 18 also have the luxury of recalling Claudio Bravo, Sergio encouragement from their display in Bulgaria, saying: “The Swansea 12 5 3 4 16 13 18 Busquets and Neymar to his starting line-up as they were rest- manager mentioned that it was almost like a fresh start and ed in midweek in preparation for the trip to Mestalla. we see it that way as players. “It’s up to us to turn it around Arsenal 12 4 5 3 20 15 17 Valencia’s title aspirations have faltered in recent weeks as and it is now back to Premier League action at the weekend. Everton 12 4 5 3 22 19 17 they were beaten 2-1 by local rivals Levante last weekend and We are looking forward to giving everything to get three Tottenham 12 5 2 5 16 17 17 held to a 0-0 draw by Athletic Bilbao last time out at home. points.” Stoke 12 4 3 5 13 15 15 Alvaro Negredo was finally fit enough to make his full debut Liverpool 12 4 2 6 15 18 14 for the club at Levante. The former Manchester City striker Fabregas buoyant West Brom 12 3 4 5 13 17 13 looked decidedly rusty having not completed 90 minutes Second-place Southampton’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa last Sunderland 12 2 7 3 12 19 13 since March, but he believes Barca can be exposed tomorrow. Monday means that Chelsea’s advantage at the summit has Crystal Palace 12 3 3 6 17 21 12 “Barcelona will be confident because they had a great win swelled to six points ahead of their visit to 14th-place Aston Villa 12 3 3 6 6 17 12 last week, but we are playing at home and need the three Sunderland today. Jose Mourinho’s side cruised into the Hull 12 2 5 5 14 17 11 points,” he told Valencia’s website. “We know how difficult a Champions League last 16 with a breezy 5-0 win at Schalke on Leicester 12 2 4 6 11 18 10 Tuesday and in-form midfielder Cesc Fabregas says their foot- game it will be, even if Barcelona aren’t at their best level. Burnley 12 2 4 6 8 20 10 ball is as enjoyable to create as it is to watch. They won’t make things easy for us, but at home we have QPR 12 2 2 8 11 23 8 played well, we feel comfortable and hopefully we can get the “We have a very young, talented team,” said the former three points we want.” Real Madrid will have the chance to stretch their lead over Barca at the top of the table to five points when they go for a club record 16th consecutive win in all competitions at Malaga today. Playmaker Isco has played a Mourinho in search of pivotal part in that run, filling a number of positions during the absence of Gareth Bale through injury and now in a cen- tral midfield role as Luka Modric is sidelined. Sunderland revenge And the 22-year-old can expect a hero’s welcome on his return to La Rosaleda after guiding Malaga to the quarter- finals of the Champions League in 2012/13 before sealing a 30 SUNDERLAND: Jose Mourinho will extended the Blues’ unbeaten start to the direction,” he added. Cesc Fabregas had a million euro move to the European champions. “It is always attempt to overturn a landmark defeat season to 19 games in all competitions. A hand in four of the goals that crushed very special to return home. Malaga gave me everything, but when Premier League leaders Chelsea visit demanding schedule between now and Schalke and the Spain midfielder said he now I have to defend another shirt and I am happy here,” he Sunderland this weekend.