Sports46 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2014 Wenger backs Mertesacker ahead of QPR visit LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has “I believe he’s on the way up. He had a difficult progress during the second half of the campaign. porters for Wenger to leave, but QPR manager defended under-fire centre-back Per Mertesacker start to the season, but he’s been much sharper The France international has scored twice in three Harry Redknapp has backed the Frenchman to ahead of his side’s Premier League home game lately,” Wenger said. games and is once again looking sharp after miss- turn things around. with Queens Park Rangers today. “Many people had a go at him for the corner ing three months of the season with a broken leg, “I can’t believe why Arsene Wenger would get Mertesacker was criticised after apparently at Liverpool, but I looked at it and he had no but he believes he must improve his strength in any stick. Arsenal are a good side. I still think they ducking beneath the ball to allow Martin Skrtel to chance to get that ball in the zone where he was. the air despite scoring an excellent headed goal will finish in the top four,” Redknapp said. net a 97th-minute equaliser for Liverpool in their “It’s not easy for him. When Koscielny comes back against Newcastle United recently. “They do it every year and I don’t see why they 2-2 draw with Arsenal last Sunday. and with Mathieu Debuchy being back, we will won’t do it again this year.” Redknapp’s side are But Wenger says the former German interna- be more stable. Even in midfield we need to get Redknapp defends Wenger attempting to build on their excellent home form tional-he retired from international football after our players back and to defend better. “We had “It’s surprising to hear, but headers aren’t my and continue their movement away from the winning the World Cup in July-was not to blame no stability at the back and when you look at the best quality. I have the timing, but I still need to bottom three. QPR are keen to bring in more for- for his side’s failure to hold on and claim three number of players who played centre-back this work on the technique,” Giroud said. ward power during the January transfer window points. Wenger concedes Mertesacker has strug- season, it’s not easy.” “You always have a side you prefer more than to support leading 11-goal scorer Charlie Austin, gled to find form during the opening months of The failure to beat Liverpool means Arsenal the other one, so I try to work on it every week but Redknapp says he is only able to consider the campaign following the World Cup in Brazil. trail leaders Chelsea by 15 points going into the and it’s something I can improve.” loan deals. “We’re not looking to spend money,” But the Frenchman is convinced that the 30- festive programme and now have their sights set Arsenal will again be without midfielders he said. “That’s where we are at. We spent mon- year-old defender is nearing a return to his best on forcing their way up from sixth and into the Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta, but ey to bring in players in the summer and now form and will only get better when Laurent Champions League places. could welcome back Tomas Rosicky and Yaya we have a good squad. But we can’t be buying Koscielny, his regular centre-back partner, returns Striker Olivier Giroud will be expected to make Sanogo. The north London club’s difficulties this players or spending big money in the transfer from an Achilles problem next month. a significant contribution if Wenger’s side are to season have led to calls from a minority of sup- window.”—AFP Van Gaal shows Man United festive cheer MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has entered into the festive spirit by granting his players Christmas Day with their families ahead of today’s Premier League meeting with Newcastle United. Traditionally, players around England will be given Christmas morning off, to spend with their families, before training in the afternoon and playing fixtures on Boxing Day. But Van Gaal, who is experiencing England’s jam-packed festive programme for the first time, has broken with tradition and allowed United’s stars a day at home. “I changed it,” said Van Gaal, who took over at Old Trafford in July. “I gave them Christmas Day free with their family. “We shall come together the next day, to our training complex, and have all the meetings we have had all season. “I believe in a total human being. The environment is also important. They are more pleased to be at home with their wives and children. Then, I hope they shall give everything to beat the opponent.” United host Newcastle and then, just 43 hours after the end of the game, play their second fixture of the holiday peri- od in London, with an early kick-off against Tottenham Hotspur.Given the long injury list that has plagued Van Gaal in MERSEYSIDE: Liverpool’s Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel (Front L) celebrates scoring his team’s second goal dur- his debut season, the workload promises to be a challenge. ing the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest “The recovery period for a lot of players is impossible,” he England. — AFP said. “Some players need more hours, more days. I have to rotate, but then I need fit players. Now I am forced to select and for a manager, that is not so good. I don’t have so many Liverpool’s Rodgers fit players. That’s my problem.” England defender Chris Smalling is the only current first- team absentee in contention to face Newcastle, although on- targets Burnley bounce loan striker Radamel Falcao came through a rare start in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa with a goal. “You saw him cheering with the fans, so you saw the goal BURNLEY: Liverpool manager Brendan game against Rodgers’s former side petitions, and we could have a very good was a very big boost for him,” said Van Gaal. Rodgers is confident his side can still go Swansea City before facing bottom club year despite all the doom and gloom “I have seen him play well in training also, so I was very on to enjoy a successful season as they go Leicester at Anfield on New Year’s Day. maybe that was around in the first part of pleased he made that beautiful goal. I hope he will follow that in search of some Christmas cheer at And the manager believes they can the season.” with a lot of other goals, go on a run.” Burnley today. make amends for a poor start to the sea- Liverpool are 10th in the Premier son. “The opening part of this season has ‘Perception changes’ Possession key for Pardew League and have no realistic chance of been less impressive. That’s the reality of Despite his forecast, Rodgers says he Angel di Maria also came back from injury at Villa Park and repeating last season’s title challenge, hav- it. We haven’t hit anywhere near the will not be under-estimating Sean Dyche’s is nearing full fitness. ing not failed to win in their last three heights that we would expect,” Rodgers Burnley, who are mounting a determined But his manager confesses he has yet to settle upon the league games and recording just one said. “There have been reasons for that, effort to stay in the top flight. best role for the multi-dimensional Argentinian. away league win since mid-October. which we don’t want to go on about all “I know Sean very well,” said the “We still need to find out what the team needs for him,” But just one defeat in eight games in all the time. “But what I have seen in these Northern Irishman, who welcomes Mario said Van Gaal. “And it’s also about the composure of the team. competitions at least hints at some last numbers of weeks is that belief and Balotelli back from suspension but is with- We have to look for the best team because so many good resilience and Rodgers has been encour- confidence starting to grow again. out the suspended Fabio Borini. players have been injured and I couldn’t select the team I aged by his team’s recent performances. “Our performance level, which is key to “We worked together at Watford, and want yet.” Newcastle have a good recent record at Old Liverpool booked a place in the semi-finals me as that will bring us results, is starting he has done a great job at Burnley with Trafford and added to Van Gaal’s predecessor David Moyes’s of the League Cup by winning 3-1 at sec- to return, so hopefully we can finish the very limited resources. woes last December when they won 1-0 through a goal from ond-tier Bournemouth last week and remainder of the year in a confident spirit “When you get promoted, the first Yohan Cabaye, who has since left. scored late to draw 2-2 with Arsenal at and then go into the New Year and really games can be daunting. It’s a new level, Alan Pardew’s side travel to Old Trafford after four succes- Anfield last Sunday.