Lyon bowls Barca slip up Aussies in title race to victory over India16 18 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014 United and Liverpool reclaim centre-stage Page 18 LONDON: Chelsea’s Gary Cahill (left) puts up a foot as he tackles Hull’s Sone Aluko for which he was shown a yellow card by referee Chris Foy, during their English Premier League soccer match. — AP Hazard, Costa keep Chelsea ticking Newcastle United, while defeat means Hull, who slipped the left wing with a threaded pass. Despite the lack of opportunities at either end, the to second-bottom, have now gone nine games without The Brazil playmaker moved the ball back inside onto game became increasingly fractious. Foy cautioned two Chelsea 2 a win. The mid-week Champions League victory over his right foot and, spotting Hazard’s run, delivered an Chelsea players-Willian and Costa-for diving and Sporting Lisbon had helped Mourinho’s side put the accurate cross towards the far post, where the Belgium ignored strong Hull complaints that Gary Cahill-who Newcastle loss behind them. But having dropped five international finished with a downward header. had already been booked should have been shown a points in their previous three league games, the meet- Hull’s problems continued to mount when, three second yellow for the same offence. Tempers eventually ing with Steve Bruce’s Hull had acquired added impor- minutes later, centre-back Michael Dawson pulled up spilled over when Huddlestone launched into a studs- Hull 0 tance for the home side. Hull’s preparations were dis- with a hamstring problem and was replaced by Alex up challenge that caught Filipe Luis on the knee and turbed by growing uncertainty over the future of Bruce. The visitors’ task was now even more daunting, earned the Hull midfielder a red card. winger Hatem Ben Arfa, on loan from Newcastle, who but having established an early advantage, Chelsea Now undermanned, it seemed only a matter of time has reportedly returned to his native France after falling appeared to ease off. before Hull’s defences were breached for a second time. LONDON: Diego Costa struck his 12th goal of the sea- out of favour. Willian and Oscar remained busy in midfield and And it took Chelsea just eight more minutes to find a son as Chelsea maintained their three-point lead at the With confidence low, Hull’s initial aim was to estab- Branislav Ivanovic supported well on the right flank, but way through and put the game beyond the reach of the Premier League summit with a 2-0 victory over Hull City lish a foothold in the game and deny Chelsea the the home side’s display did not possess the spark visitors. Hazard was the creator this time, stretching yesterday. chance to assume early control. required to kill off the game. Hull attempted to force Bruce’s side with a cross-field run before exchanging Eden Hazard put Jose Mourinho’s side ahead in the Mourinho’s side, however, gave the visitors no time their way back into the match, but lacked the quality to passes with Ivanovic and playing a reverse ball that seventh minute at Stamford Bridge and Costa wrapped to settle and after completely dominating the opening make the most of the few half-chances that came their picked out Costa’s darting run. The striker has already up the win shortly after Hull’s Tom Huddlestone had exchanges, the home side took the lead. way. Aluko was guilty of wasting their best first-half shown his strengths as a ruthless finisher this season been dismissed for an ugly challenge on Filipe Luis on Hull were convinced John Mikel Obi had fouled Sone opportunity when he was sent clear on the left side of and he gave Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor no chance the hour. The victory helped Chelsea re-assert their sta- Aluko in the build-up, but referee Chris Foy thought the home penalty area by Nikica Jelavic in the 21st with an angled, right-footed shot that crept inside the tus as league leaders after last weekend’s defeat at otherwise, allowing Nemanja Matic to pick out Oscar on minute, only to slice his shot wide. far post. — AFP Arsenal back on track Lampard sinks Leicester Hart as Leicester dominated. It took until the with an impressive 2-1 win over half-hour mark for City’s first chance when Chelsea last weekend, Wenger had Arsenal 4 Leicester 0 Pozo shot straight at Ben Hamer from the begun to feel the heat from ele- edge of the area after David Silva’s free-kick ments of Arsenal’s fanbase. But had only been half-cleared. Arsenal almost handed their Moments later Hamer, in the side for the under-fire manager an ideal start injured Kasper Schmeichel, made a decent Newcastle 1 via Per Mertesacker. Man City 1 stop to keep out a Yaya Toure drive from The German defender saw his Silva’s pullback. eighth-minute header from Pellegrini’s side were improving and Cazorla’s corner rattle the crossbar Manchester City made it seven went on to take the lead in the 40th min- LONDON: Olivier Giroud and Santi LEICESTER: and bounce to safety. But it was straight victories and kept the pressure on utes. A patient build-up resulted in Samir Cazorla each scored twice as not long before Arsenal drew first Premier League leaders Chelsea as Frank Nasri crossing for Lampard to coolly flick Arsenal beat Newcastle United 4-1 blood, as Giroud pounced in the Lampard’s first-half goal secured a 1-0 win home from six yards out. It was the former in the Premier League yesterday to 15th minute. The Frenchman at lowly Leicester City yesterday. England international’s sixth goal in 13 ease the pressure on long-serving sprayed a pass wide to Alexis Manuel Pellegrini’s side were far from games since moving to Eastlands on loan manager Arsene Wenger. Sanchez and then galloped into their clinical best at the King Power from New York City. Wenger was verbally abused by the box, getting a run on Daryl Stadium, but the winner from former City nearly made it two early in the sec- a small group of fans following Janmaat in the process, to head Chelsea midfielder Lampard ensured the ond half when Silva’s flicked shot just missed Arsenal’s 3-2 loss at Stoke City last home the Chilean’s subsequent champions remain just three points behind the target from Nasri’s cross. Vardy then had weekend, but he was serenaded by cross. his old club. a penalty appeal waved away as he went down under a challenge from Mangala. the home support after his side put Barely two minutes later, the There was a significant blow for City Lampard was withdrawn on the hour to be Newcastle to the sword at the home fans were on their feet when however as captain Vincent Kompany, who Emirates Stadium. Newcastle were had returned after a hamstring problem, replaced by James Milner, while Leicester Danny Welbeck found the bottom manager Nigel Pearson took off Jeffrey second-best from the first whistle corner, only for referee Lee Mason was forced off with a recurrence of the same injury. Schlupp and sent on top scorer Leonardo and could have no complaints to penalise the England striker for LONDON: Arsenal’s Mathieu Debuchy (right) competes for the ball about the scoreline, which left with Newcastle’s Papiss Cisse during the English Premier League To make matters worse, City-who were Ulloa in a bid to spark his team into life. tripping Janmaat in the build-up. It Pearson was given a good reception by them in seventh place in the table, soccer match. — AP already without Sergio Aguero due to a was all Arsenal, and Welbeck came knee injury-lost another striker in the warm- Leicester’s supporters in the club’s first home three points behind sixth-place close to adding a second goal That was a warning sign for no surprise to see him carve out game since he had an angry confrontation Arsenal. Arsenal’s injury woes have up with Edin Dzeko pulling out to be when he saw his volley from Arsenal, who were entitled to feel Cazorla’s 54th-minute goal. The replaced by youngster Jose Angel Pozo. It with one of his own fans at the end of the 3- mounted to such an extent that Sanchez’s scooped pass fly just aggrieved after Mason awarded a former Barcelona forward played 1 defeat by Liverpool earlier this month. The right-back Mathieu Debuchy was was the bottom-of-the-table Leicester who wide. However, for all Arsenal’s free-kick rather than a penalty after a pass into the box from the left had started the better with Esteban Leicester boss faces a possible touchline ban pressed into an emergency centre- dominance, it took a fine double Paul Dummett tripped Sanchez on and Cazorla eluded Fabricio Cambiasso slicing off target after a driving after being charged by the Football back role against Alan Pardew’s save from goalkeeper Wojciech the edge of his own area just Coloccini’s sprawling challenge run and Jamie Vardy having a shot deflected Association over that incident, but the home previously in-form side. Szczensy to thwart Yoan Gouffran before the interval. before elegantly chipping Jak wide off Eliaquim Mangala. fans were more concerned with trying to While Pardew crowned his and Papiss Cisse in the 33rd Sanchez was proving a real Alnwick to crown his 30th birth- An audacious 35-yard free kick from will their side to only their third league win fourth anniversary at St James’ Park minute.