Younis, Misbah Conte makes fall but Pakistan Chelsea a happy press for victory family again MONDAY, MAY 15, 201717 19 Nadal crushes Djokovic to reach Madrid final Page 16 LONDON: Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho (C) shoots past West Ham United’s Welsh defender James Collins (2R) ot score the team’s second goal during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Liverpool at The London Stadium. —AFP Coutinho masterclass lifts Reds to third LONDON: Philippe Coutinho fired Liverpool within touching dis- post before Edimilson Fernandes forced Liverpool goalkeeper have evaporated moments before half-time. Manuel Lanzini’s corner REDS READY - STURRIDGE tance of the Champions League as the Brazilian’s masterclass Simon Mignolet into a smart save. Sandwiched in between was found its way to Andre Ayew but the striker hit the post from two- Daniel Sturridge says Liverpool are ready to finish off their inspired a 4-0 demolition of West Ham yesterday. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool’s first chance of the afternoon after 11 minutes. yards out before incredibly repeating the trick from the rebound. bid to qualify for the Champions League. Sturridge marked his side took the lead when Coutinho’s sublime pass was converted by Coutinho’s corner was met by Joel Matip whose header That could have changed the course of the match but instead, first Premier League start since January by putting Liverpool Daniel Sturridge in the first half at the London Stadium. Coutinho bounced down and off the crossbar as West Ham somehow Liverpool took full control. Adrian foiled them on three occasions ahead with a cool finish in the first half at the London Stadium. stole the spotlight again in the second half with a superb solo scrambled the ball clear. Liverpool began to find some momen- in quick succession. Origi’s low shot was pushed out before After top-four rivals Arsenal and Manchester City won on strike and a cool finish to put Liverpool three goals ahead before tum and Sturridge freed Adam Lallana, who shot straight at Lallana’s drive was blocked by the Spaniard’s feet. When West Saturday, the pressure was on Liverpool and they responded in Divock Origi netted to cap the Reds’ swaggering display. Adrian. The Hammers goalkeeper also had to be alert to keep out Ham failed to clear, Emre Can freed Georginio Wijnaldum and the perfect manner. Liverpool moved back one point above Manchester City into James Milner’s low drive before watching Coutinho’s long-range Adrian again came to the home side’s rescue at his near post. Jurgen Klopp’s third-placed side will guarantee a spot in third place in the Premier League. Although City and fifth placed effort drift just over the top of his crossbar. Milner dragged his The crossbar was still shaking from Wijnaldum’s fierce volley Europe’s elite club competition if they defeat relegated Arsenal both have a game in hand, Klopp’s men will be guaran- shot wide when well placed but the breakthrough arrived via when Coutinho gave Liverpool breathing space in the 57th Middlesbrough at Anfield next Sunday. “It’s important for every- teed a Champions League berth if they beat relegated Sturridge in the 35th minute. Coutinho split open the West Ham minute. Coutinho weaved his way through tired West Ham bod- one at the club to finish in the top four,” Sturridge said. “I’m glad Middlesbrough at Anfield next Sunday. In the unlikely event defence with a majestic long pass and Sturridge strode through, ies before finally beating Adrian with a fine, low drive. It was to be starting and glad to be providing some chances for the Arsenal lose at home to relegated Sunderland on Tuesday then rounded Adrian and slotted home his first goal since January 2. game over when Coutinho struck again five minutes later on the boys. It’s a great victory for us. Liverpool will clinch a top four spot without playing. counter-attack. West Ham were angered that Matip escaped with “I think we’ve been good the last few weeks but maybe West Ham ended Tottenham’s title dreams in their previous BREATHING SPACE an elbow on Winston Reid but Liverpool broke and Coutinho should have taken some more points in some of the games. “It match, but Coutinho ensured they never came close to derailing West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has made no secret that danced past Collins easily before netting. There was still time for was an important game for us. We rose to the occasion. We Liverpool. It might have been different if West Ham had capi- Sturridge is on his transfer wish-list. For now, Sturridge was focused Origi to stab home from close-range in the 76th minute following showed what we are about today. “We worked hard. We kept the talised on two early chances. Sam Byram fired inches past the on sending Liverpool closer to the top-four but their lead should Wijnaldum’s miscued shot. ball well. We did everything the manager asked of us.” — AFP Kane sinks United in Lane farewell LONDON: Homegrown hero Harry Kane scored arena awash with blue and white as Spurs’ fans Tottenham Hotspur’s last goal at White Hart waved flags bearing the legend “THE LANE, THE Lane as they bade farewell to their home with a FINALE” and filled the air with songs. Mourinho 2-1 victory over Manchester United yesterday. made eight changes to the team that had Kane, born up the road in Chingford, added to edged Celta Vigo in the Europa League semi- Victor Wanyama’s early header to secure a victo- finals on Thursday, with 19-year-old defender ry that confirmed Spurs will finish in second Axel Tuanzebe lining up in midfield, and within place in the Premier League and ended United’s six minutes his side were behind. hopes of a top-four finish. Spurs played a corner short on the left and Demolition work at the Lane, Spurs’ home Ben Davies’s deep cross was emphatically since 1899, will start on Monday, with Mauricio headed home by the leaping Wanyama. United Pochettino’s side playing at Wembley next sea- briefly threatened to draw level, Rooney head- son before moving into their new ground, ing over the bar from a Daley Blind corner and which is being built on the same site, in 2018. then playing an outside-of-the-foot pass down The Lane has been graced by such Spurs greats the line to Anthony Martial, who cut in and as Jimmy Greaves, Steve Perryman and Glenn curled wide. But with Spurs’ fans happily sere- Hoddle and it was fitting that Kane, emblem of nading favourites of yesteryear-Ledley King, their exciting current side, should be their final Teddy Sheringham, Aaron Lennon, who is goal-scorer there. fighting mental health issues at present-the It was Spurs’ 14th successive home league hosts quickly reasserted control. win-equaling the club record, set over two sea- United goalkeeper David de Gea was the sons in 1987 — and meant they finished a busiest man in the stadium, parrying a strike league campaign unbeaten at home for the first by Son Heung-Min, acrobatically denying time since 1964-65. An on-pitch ceremony fea- Dele Alli and saving with his legs from Kane, turing famous figures from the club’s past was who also clipped the bar with a header. Kane due to take place after the match. struck three minutes into the second half, Sixth-place United, who replied through innovatively volleying home Christian Wayne Rooney, fell to a second successive Eriksen’s free-kick from the left to take his league defeat, having seen a 25-game unbeat- goal tally for the league campaign to 22. en run ended by a 2-0 loss down the road at Rooney reduced the arrears in the 71st Arsenal last weekend. Guaranteed to finish out- minute, prodding in Martial’s low cross and side the top four for the third time in four sea- giving United their first goal in an away sons, Jose Mourinho’s team must now beat Ajax game against another member of the top six in the Europa League final in Stockholm on May this season at the fifth and final attempt. As 24 to procure a place in the Champions League. a steady rain began to fall, Alli came close to restoring Spurs’ two-goal cushion, but his LONDON: Football fans invade the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at White Lennon support curling effort was headed off the line by Phil Hart Lane. — AFP The teams emerged to find the famous old Jones. — AFP .