SPORTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015 Milner calls on City to show title credentials LIVERPOOL: James Milner has challenged Manchester “You’ve got teams at the bottom who look and And Martinez knows his side must now produce a City to seize the initiative in the Premier League title think, ‘We’re going to win that game,’ - look at Burnley near flawless performance to build on that against a race when they face struggling Everton today. coming here and how well they played. City side who beat Everton 1-0 in December thanks only Manuel Pellegrini’s side are joint top of the table “Sometimes it is easier to play against teams who are to a fortuitous Yaya Toure penalty as part of their with Chelsea, behind the Blues only on alphabetical mid-table and pushing for Europe and are moving it remarkable winning run. order, after hitting a rich vein of form in recent weeks. around a lot more. Who knows what an easy game is? It “Manchester City are playing with a real swagger The reigning champions trailed Jose Mourinho’s is the Premier League. and arrogance,” Martinez said. “They don’t need many men by eight points in November and their indifferent “All we can do is concentrate on our games and if we chances to punish you, which is why our performance form was raising questions over the long-term future of can get the results we want to get, it depends on how needs to be perfect. Pellegrini. But those doubts have been swept aside Chelsea do.” “But the way we performed not long ago at the amid a run of 13 games unbeaten in all competitions. Etihad, we deserved a lot more than what we got. I feel Their only blip during the congested festive pro- Martinez stays positive we are ready to face a team like City at this point. gramme was a 2-2 draw with Burnley and Milner sees Everton manager Roberto Martinez hopes a positive “We have had four really bad results and we need to no reason why momentum cannot be maintained, start- result against City can provide the catalyst for his side to put that right. It doesn’t matter what the opposition is, ing at Goodison Park this weekend. “Hopefully we’ll be start moving back up the table and away from potential we have to look at what we can do. looking to open up a little gap of our own,” said Milner, relegation trouble. A run of four successive league “We know how glamourous occasions can be, facing who scored twice to seal last weekend’s 2-1 win over defeats and six from their last eight games has dragged Manchester City. It’s always a really exciting game. “But Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup third round. Everton - who finished fifth last season - to within just in the position we are in the league, the only thing we “You look at this run (ahead) and people think it is four points of the drop zone. are looking at is to get a good, positive momentum. tougher than the games we had over Christmas but - it They stopped the rot with a late goal from Romelu “To do that you need to put a real chain of good is an old cliche in the Premier League - there are form Lukaku to earn a 1-1 FA Cup third-round draw against results together and that starts with one good perform- teams and out-of-form teams. Every game is difficult. West Ham on Monday night. ance. — AFP Mourinho’s Chelsea aim to get back on track LONDON: Jose Mourinho will attempt to any suggestion Messi might move to put a troubled festive campaign behind Stamford Bridge and will no doubt main- him when Chelsea resume their Premier tain that stance as he attempts to ensure League title push against Newcastle yester- his side are not knocked off the top of the day. Mourinho’s side have allowed second table. placed Manchester City to move level on After making eight changes to his start- points at the top of the table after a draw ing line for the visit of Watford, the manag- with Southampton and a defeat at er will revert to a more familiar starting Tottenham in their last two league match- line-up against Newcastle. es. As if squandering an eight-point lead Managerial search over City wasn’t frustrating enough for the Meanwhile, mid-table Newcastle are Chelsea manager, Mourinho discovered on continuing their search for a new head Thursday that he had been hit by a Football coach after the departure of Alan Pardew Association misconduct charge for com- to Premier League rivals Crystal Palace. LAGOS: Ivory Coast’s and Manchester City midfielder YaYa Toure gesture at a press confer- ments he made about referee Anthony Caretaker boss John Carver, who is keen ence after he was named Africa Player of the Year at the Glo CAF Awards in Lagos, Nigeria, Taylor after the Southampton clash. to take on the role full-time, is expected to yesterday. — AP Mourinho described the decision to be in charge for at least the next two book Cesc Fabregas for diving instead of games to give Mike Ashley, the club’s bil- awarding a penalty as a “scandal” and went lionaire owner, chance to finalise a short- on to describe Taylor’s performance as list of candidates. Rodgers won’t gamble “awful”, prompting the FA to take action. High-profile names including former The Portuguese coach has until January England managers Steve McClaren and on Sturridge fitness 13 to respond but, more significantly, by Glenn Hoddle have already ruled them- then he will know whether or not his selves out of the running, with ex-Lyon SUNDERLAND: Brendan Rodgers has no inten- idea of the game and wonderful qualities. His team’s recent wobble has been corrected. coach Remi Garde and Ajax’s Frank de Boer tion of gambling on the fitness of Liverpool pace is frightening and his movement. Chelsea responded positively to the 5-3 leading the list of contenders. striker Daniel Sturridge at Sunderland today. “As a footballer he is at a great age and if he defeat at White Hart Lane with a 3-0 win Newcastle can become the first side this Sturridge spent the Christmas and New Year can stay fit he can lead the charge for us. over Watford in the FA Cup third round last season to achieve the double over Chelsea period in the United States continuing treat- “It is difficult to focus on a date, we just need weekend. following their 2-1 victory over the Premier ment on a troublesome calf injury that has side- to assess. We’ve been monitoring his situation But victory over the Championship side League leaders at St James’ Park last lined him since the end of August. and he looks in a good moment.” was achieved only after Mourinho made a month. But he is scheduled to fly back to the UK on double substitution at half-time, introduc- Carver could be at the helm until the Friday and should resume training this week- Gerrard ‘rift’ ing Willian and Diego Costa after an uncon- end of the season if Ashley decides to bide end. Rodgers was less forthcoming over the latest vincing first half display. his time before making a appointment and With Liverpool having struggled for much of reports of his supposed strained relationship That raised questions about the quality the 49-year-old said: “I spoke to (managing Sturridge’s absence, Rodgers may have been with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. of the Mourinho’s back-up players with director) Lee Charnley yesterday and I’m tempted to put the England international Gerrard has confirmed he will leave at the Andre Schurrle once again failing to definitely in charge for Chelsea and possi- straight back into his squad. end of the season, but the midfielder says he impress during a 45-minute appearance. bly the next match against Southampton. But the Reds boss will take a cautious would have stayed at Anfield had he been approach and instead hopes to have Sturridge, offered a new deal last year-a claim to which And with Chelsea due to play six times “There was no talk beyond that. As far as who has scored 32 league goals in 40 career Rodgers would not respond. before the end of January, the manager is I’m concerned it’s all about preparing for starts for his club, back in his line-up before the “There is nothing more to add,” said Rodgers. certain to need all the players at his dispos- Chelsea.” end of the month. “Everything has been said on that situation that al if his side are to maintain a challenge on Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul is set to “He will be back in the country in the next 24 needs to be said. Steven spoke openly and hon- four fronts. return in from a two-month ankle injury hours to go into final stages of his rehab,” estly on it. The visit of Newcastle has been over- lay-off, and defender Davide Santon is in Rodgers said. “He elaborated, he is happy where he is at shadowed by reports of a possible shock line to make his first league start for nine “The work he has done in America has been and where he is going, done all the interviews. move for Argentina forward Lionel Messi months after groin surgery.