14 Sports Sunday, February 7, 2021 Dias makes case for Man City defense as Liverpool struggle City looks to win at Anfield for first time since 2003 LONDON: Manchester City’s dominant position at a little bit his personality, but we have been impressed The impact made by Dias has been compared with the top of the Premier League ahead of tonight’s trip at the consistency to be ready mentally and physically Van Dijk’s signing in January 2018, which transformed to champions Liverpool has been built on the solid to play every three days,” said Guardiola on Dias’s Liverpool’s fortunes under Klopp. The kamikaze foundations of an impenetrable defense. Pep impact. Despite injuries to Kevin De Bruyne and scorelines of the German’s early days in charge disap- Guardiola’s men have conceded just two goals in their Sergio Aguero, City’s attacking play has begun to click peared with the towering Dutchman marshaling the past 13 league games, winning nine in a row to open into gear in recent weeks. Reds’ defense, leading Liverpool to Champions up a seven-point lead over fourth-placed Liverpool, League glory in 2018/19 before the long-awaited with a game in hand. Clean sheets league title. Since Van Dijk suffered cruciate ligament Liverpool took City’s crown as champions last sea- But their revival from mid-table obscurity after they damage in October, Klopp’s men have only conceded son, romping to a first league title in 30 years. But the last lost in the Premier League to Tottenham in 12 goals in 17 league games. contrasting fortunes at center-back for both clubs this November began with a series of clean sheets to win But the impact has been felt throughout the team as season have helped City reassert their position as the low-scoring games against Fulham, Southampton, midfielders Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have been team to beat in English football. After a humbling 5-2 Newcastle and Brighton. “This season we don’t make forced to deputies at center-back. Unbalanced by their home defeat by Leicester in their second game of the the mistakes that we did (in the past) to give oppo- injury crisis, it is Liverpool’s attack that has suffered in season, City splashed out £62 million ($85 million) on nents easy goals,” added Guardiola. “Many things help a run of two wins in eight games, which has allowed Ruben Dias from Benfica. to be champions. When one or two things drop a little City to leave them behind. Despite the huge sums In 27 games, the Portuguese international has been it is difficult to get it.” invested since City’s Abu Dhabi-backed takeover 13 on the losing side just once and has kept 18 clean In contrast to the wealth of center-back options years ago, their last win at Anfield came back in 2003. sheets, forming a formidable partnership with a revi- available to Guardiola, Liverpool have been hit hard by However, in front of empty stands, Liverpool’s fortress LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp talized John Stones. So strong has that pairing been long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and has crumbled in recent weeks. After a 68-game (left) congratulates Brighton’s English manager Graham that Aymeric Laporte — the bedrock of the City Joel Matip. Even when new recruits were badly need- unbeaten home run in the Premier League dating back Potter after the English Premier League football match defense that denied Liverpool the title by a point in the ed, the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic nearly four years, they have lost consecutive matches between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at 2018/19 season — has largely been left in reserve left Liverpool hunting for bargains in the final hours of at Anfield. The champions have failed to score in nearly Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 3, along with another £40 million summer center-back the January transfer window, bringing in Ozan Kabak 350 minutes at home. That task will not get any easier 2021. Brighton won the match 1-0. — AFP signing, Nathan Ake. on loan from Schalke and signing Ben Davies from on Sunday when they face the daunting task of finding “We knew the quality he had on the pitch, we knew Preston. a way past Dias at the heart of City’s backline. — AFP Doha since Qatar imposed stringent coronavirus Egypt’s Ahly propelled measures on all public football matches. ‘Greater opportunities’ by ‘home’ advantage at “The first effect of coronavirus is to limit the atten- dance to only 30 percent — this is felt especially by Al-Ahly, the most popular among the participating Qatar Club World Cup teams,” said Hossam Abu al-Ela, head of the Al-Ahly Fans Association in Qatar. Ela has led efforts to turn DOHA: Despite playing Qatar’s Duhail a stone’s throw out a formidable fan base, ensuring they were from their own ground, Egyptian giants Al-Ahly clear- equipped with up to date regalia for the clash. “Social ly felt they had the home advantage at the first day of distancing measures will affect the fans’ interaction the Club World Cup. Doha is home to tens of thou- with the tournament in general,” he added. sands of Egyptian expats, working in every corner of Qatar is in the grip of a COVID-19 resurgence. the Qatari economy, and turned out in numbers to New cases in Qatar averaged 95 per 100,000 people support the visitors despite strict virus controls. in the past week, up almost 30 percent on the previous The earlier fixture between Mexico’s Tigres and week as hospitalizations jumped 85 percent in the past South Korea’s Ulsan, which Tigres won 2-1, played out month compared to the 30 days before. As of in front of a mostly empty stadium as fans from over- Thursday, 249 people had died from the virus while seas are banned from travelling. Neither country has a the overall case load has topped 152,000 in a country significant diaspora in Doha, with Mexican expats with a population of under three million. The tourna- RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan (right) plays a shot as South Africa’s wicketkeeper captain Quinton de estimating that just three of their number cheer for ment is being staged under strict virus containment Kock (left) watches during the third day of the second Test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Tigres. rules. All fans are required to test negative or prove Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi yesterday. — AFP The African champions by contrast have a bedrock antibodies, players and staff are confined to bio-bub- of support among the estimated 300,000 Egyptians in bles and stadiums are at just 30 percent capacity. the Gulf gas emirate, easily eclipsing Duhail’s home On the eve of the tournament authorities support to watch their side triumph 0-1. They became announced new nationwide measures including reduc- South African spinners the first African side since 2013 to win their opening ing capacity at cafes and restaurants not yet assessed Club World Cup match meaning the Cairo Red Devils by health officials to 15 percent, and limiting gather- push Pakistan face a semi-final tomorrow against tournament ings in the home to five. Mohamed El Shenawy, Ahly favorites and former title-holders Bayern Munich. goalkeeper and captain, said “it makes me really happy England tribute Doha’s Education City was disproportionately to see the fans of Ahly” ahead of his team’s first match in second Test tussle speckled with Ahly’s home strip, a signature red jersey of the campaign. “When we reached Doha we saw all to phenomenal Root the fans. Everyone loves having the fans at the stadi- emblazoned with an eagle. Their vocal but masked RAWALPINDI: George Linde took three wickets um,” he said. support brandished Egyptian flags and Ahly scarves as and Keshav Maharaj two as South Africa and Pakistan Ahly, like all Egyptian top-flight sides, have been after double ton they were spurred on by drummers dotted among wrestled for advantage on the third day of their sec- playing without fans because of Egypt’s strict virus them. “Travel restrictions affect the fortunes of other ond Test in Rawalpindi yesterday. Pakistan closed the containment effort. European champions Bayern teams because their fans are absent... Al-Ahly has a day on 129-6 with an overall lead of 200 and four CHENNAI: Joe Root’s landmark double century for Munich are the overwhelming favorites as they head to large fan base inside and outside Egypt,” said red- wickets intact on a tacky Rawalpindi stadium pitch England against India in the opening Test made his Qatar for the delayed tournament which concludes on shirted accountant Naji Odeh, 31, during the match at which has cracks to help slow bowlers. teammates look “rubbish”, Ben Stokes said in a trib- February 11. “Football without fans is meaningless, and Doha’s 40,000-capacity Education City stadium. As Linde (3-12) and Maharaj (2-74) rattled Pakistan’s ute to his captain yesterday. The captain, who the absence of the other teams’ fans due to Corona many as 300,000 Egyptians call Qatar home, accord- top order before Faheem Ashraf (29) and Mohammad resumed on his overnight 128, hit a big six to means greater opportunities for Al-Ahly,” Ahmed ing to official statistics. Qataris number just 333,000. Rizwan (28 not out) saved Pakistan’s blushes during become the first player to go past 200 in his 100th Hassanein, a 31-year-old accountant, told AFP.