SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2014 SPORTS ‘Calm’ Man City ready to seize title destiny MANCHESTER: Manchester City that nerves will not be a problem midfielder Fernandinho has no for his side. The Chilean says that doubts his side have the compo- his team, who clocked up 100 sure to capture a second Premier league goals for the season League title in three years when against Villa, are only concerned they host West Ham United with three points and are not today. interested in simply trying to get Four straight wins, including a draw. Wednesday’s 4-0 victory over “Every team must play every Aston Villa, mean that City effec- game to win,” said the City man- tively need only a draw against ager. “It doesn’t matter in which Sam Allardyce’s team on the sea- conditions they are playing. son’s final day to secure the Every team must want to win. championship. “I think it is very important for While City are two points the manager to be calm, to try to clear of Liverpool, who host repeat what we did the whole Jose Mourinho Newcastle United, their goal dif- year. Preparing the game here is ference is superior by 13 goals. one game more. We must pre- Mourinho plans overhaul Manuel Pellegrini’s side have pare the same way.” recovered well after their title West Ham manager Sam after troublesome season hopes were hit by a 3-2 defeat at Allardyce will take charge of the Liverpool and a 2-2 draw at final game of the season against home to then-bottom club CARDIFF: Jose Mourinho’s thoughts are react and wait to see what is happening a backdrop of growing uncer- Sunderland. already turning to next season after with their own players. tainty surrounding his future. Their recent run has put them Chelsea’s interest in the Premier League “It’s very difficult to finalise deals early, The London club secured in control of their own fate and their top-flight status with victo- title race was ended before their final-day especially with the World Cup. Now the Fernandinho has no worries trip to Cardiff City. players disappear and go to the World ry over Tottenham Hotspur last about the team’s attitude going weekend, but reports have since Mourinho’s team will face Ole Gunnar Cup so it’s more of a time to find a direc- into the West Ham match. Solskjaer’s relegated side at the Cardiff tion and analyse details. emerged that the club’s owners “A lot has been changing at are planning changes in City Stadium today knowing they are “To decide the project for next season, the top of the table over the last response to fan discontent about almost certain to finish the season in third the project for the transfer window and few weeks,” said the Brazil mid- the team’s playing style. position. But while qualification for the make the deals happen.” Out-of-contract fielder, who has been named in “I heard rumors,” Allardyce Champions League has been assured, pair Frank Lampard and John Terry are his country’s World Cup squad. said. “The only thing I can say is I Blues boss Mourinho is clearly frustrated unlikely to make the trip to south Wales “A lot of results have been spoke to (co-owner) David there will be no silverware at Stamford because of injury, while Samuel Eto’o is good for us, but bad for the oth- Sullivan yesterday (Thursday) Bridge this season. also a doubt. er two. This was our first chance Chelsea’s challenge has fallen short Cardiff’s fate has already been con- to go to the top of the table. The about arranging our usual end- because of their failures in front of goal, firmed and the club will drop back into whole squad is calm. Every train- of-the-season meeting to go particularly in costly defeats to the Championship after a solitary season ing session is about doing what through the pre-season and Sunderland, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. in the Premier League. we do and keeping calm. “Maybe budgets and what’s going to Mourinho’s priority is now to remedy The campaign has been marked by a there was a few nerves in the happen, and had no indication that weakness in the transfer market and number of bitter twists and turns, princi- first half against Aston Villa, but of my position being under the Portuguese coach has confirmed a pally surrounding the relationship in the second half we changed threat. “Speculation is part of the leading goalscorer is his main target. between club owner Vincent Tan and slightly the way we play, and game. Whether it becomes a Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa is Malky Mackay, the manager who guided scored four goals. reality, only time will tell.” believed to be a priority, along with Paris the club to promotion before being “That’s great for us. In the The manager intends to see Saint-Germain pair Edinson Cavani and sacked in December. next couple of days we’ll be just out the season in style and has Ezequiel Lavezzi. And Mourinho said: “A The relationship between the pair had the same: we’ll keep calm and made it clear he would like to striker is something we have been speak- grown acrimonious and Mackay was pur- hope that we play a very good spoil City’s celebrations. “At this ing about for a long time. suing legal action against Tan before game today.” A minor leg prob- moment in time, from a neutral’s “In December and January, when peo- unexpectedly dropping the action this lem has obliged Fernandinho to point of view, I think everybody ple were asking and trying to understand week and offering an unreserved apology start City’s last two matches from would like to see Liverpool win why we weren’t bringing one in, I said it’s to his former employer. the bench, but striker Sergio it,” he said. “From a personal something we were working on and In a statement Mackay said: “My thanks Aguero has recovered from a point of view, I’d like to see preparing for the long-term future, not to those at the club and the fans who groin injury that forced him to Steven Gerrard win it. It’s the last just an immediate solution to try to help have supported me during my time in miss the victory against Villa. thing he hasn’t quite achieved us for the rest of the season. Wales. “If I have caused any offence to for Liverpool and he’s a one-club “It’s normal that we are going to bring anyone during this time, especially to SPOIL CITY’S CELEBRATIONS man. But obviously they’ve let it LONDON: Manchester City’s Samir Nasri races for a ball in this file a striker, it’s normal we want to improve. Vincent Tan, then I apologise without Pellegrini is also confident slip out of their hands.”—AFP photo. —AP “We have good strikers, we have good reservation.” players and we are not in a desperate situ- Solskjaer’s priority is now to look for- ation, but every team wants the summer ward to next season and skipper Steven Decision day for Giggs window to improve. Caulker admits performances this season Matches on TV “And one area where we want to have not been good enough. “We can’t (Local Timings) SOUTHAMPTON: Ryan Giggs will take remains uncertain if he will play on or go improve, which we’ve made clear since point fingers, we’re a team in there and charge of Manchester United for the final into management elsewhere if there is no January, is the striker’s position. We have we’re all united,” he said. “We know that we time against Southampton today and is still room for him in Van Gaal’s plans at Old English Premier League have to go again against Chelsea, be strong three at the moment, normally one is undecided about whether to continue his Trafford. “I don’t know, my stance hasn’t Man City v West Ham 17:00 coming and one is leaving.” and put a performance on for the fans. “We playing career next season. Netherlands changed,” Giggs said when asked if he beIN SPORTS 9 HD Mourinho expects the World Cup to were not good enough on the pitch. We’ve coach Louis van Gaal is reportedly set to be would retire. delay Chelsea’s efforts to strengthen and got to hold our hands up and take respon- named as David Moyes’s permanent suc- “I am going to take a holiday as soon as Cardiff v Chelsea 17:00 he added: “More and more, if the window sibility for the way we’ve performed in too cessor as United manager next week fol- the season finishes and discuss with family beIN SPORTS 12 HD is open until 31 August people delay, they many games this season.”—AFP lowing Giggs’s spell in temporary charge. and friends what to do next. “My priorities Liverpool v Newcastle 17:00 During that time, United have won two are Southampton and getting ready for and lost one of their three matches under that. It is not something I am thinking too beIN SPORTS 10 HD the veteran Welsh midfielder, with victories much about. Norwich v Arsenal 17:00 against Norwich City and Hull City coming “It is a tough game and it is their last beIN SPORTS 5 either side of a home defeat to Sunderland.