SPORTS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2013 Celtic extend lead with hard-fought win GLASGOW: Celtic extended their lead at the top of Substitute James Forrest sealed the win with a goal Commons latched on to a Joe Ledley ball over the top minute when Commons grabbed his 13th goal of the the Scottish Premiership yesterday but were forced to three minutes into stoppage time as he latched on to of the Jambos’ defence. However, the out-rushing season. Scott Brown threaded a ball through to his fel- work hard for a 2-0 win over a Jamie MacDonald- a Georgios Samaras pass to finish past MacDonald MacDonald did well to block and then made a fabu- low midfielder, who sent an angled first time shot inspired Hearts at Parkhead. In stark contrast to three and put Celtic 10 points clear of second-placed lous save to deny Stokes when he somehow tipped beyond MacDonald from six yards out. The Hoops weeks ago, when Celtic dished out a record 7-0 defeat Inverness, who have a game in hand. the Irishman’s first-time shot on to the bar. came close to doubling their advantage moments lat- to Hearts, the Jambos put in a resolute defensive per- For Hearts, their performance helped ease the MacDonald’s impressive form continued as he er when Forrest found Ledley in the box but the Welsh formance with MacDonald in impressive form.The memory of their Scottish Cup thrashing by Celtic but turned Commons’ bouncing volley round the post international’s effort came back off the base of the ‘keeper seemed to thwart Celtic at every opportunity Gary Locke’s financially-stricken side continue to lan- before getting down low to smother a shot from post. as he made superb stops to keep out efforts from guish at the bottom of the table. With Mikael Lustig Teemu Pukki after the Finn collected an excellent MacDonald continued to thwart Celtic as he Anthony Stokes, Kris Commons and Joe Ledley in a ruled out for four months following a double hip dinked pass from Stokes. Celtic dominated as they scrambled to tip a Commons header over the bar goalless first half. operation, Darnell Fisher was handed a rare start at probed for an opening but MacDonald continued to before Hearts came close to grabbing a last-gasp He continued to frustrate the Hoops until the 63rd right-back by Neil Lennon. Injury-hit Hearts, who frustrate them in their quest as he pulled off a won- equalizer. McGowan bulleted a header towards minute, when Commons, who grabbed a hat-trick in were only able to name five substitutes on the bench, derful reflex save to stop Ledley’s diving header on goal from a corner but Commons was on hand to the 7-0 win, fired them in front as Celtic scored for the were forced to make three changes with youngster the line after the Welshman connected with clear his effort off the line. And Celtic grabbed a 35th consecutive league game. Commons then came Adam King handed his debut. Commons’ excellent delivery. second three minutes into stoppage time when to the rescue for Celtic when he cleared Dylan MacDonald had to endure a torrid time three Forrest replaced Nir Biton at the break and the Forrest latched on to a Samaras pass before step- McGowan’s header off the line as the Hearts defender weeks ago when the sides met at Tynecastle and the winger immediately injected some urgency into ping inside his marker and lashing a shot past looked to have grabbed a 90th-minute equaliser. stopper was called into action immediately when Celtic’s play. The breakthrough came in the 63rd MacDonald. — AFP Pellegrini vexed by City’s Matches on TV busy Christmas schedule (Local Timings) ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE LONDON: Manchester City manager and deepen the sense of gloom at Manuel Pellegrini admits he has been Stamford Bridge following their sur- Southampton v Tottenham 16:30 left cold by the Premier League’s busy prise League Cup quarter-final defeat Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Christmas schedule. Pellegrini, in his at struggling Sunderland in mid- Aljazeera Sport +9 first season in the English top-flight, week. In the circumstances, is about to get his first taste of the Mourinho could do with his strikers Swansea v Everton 19:00 unique demands posed by the fes- finally finding their shooting boots Aljazeera Sport 1 HD tive fixture list and the Chilean is and he said: “Missing goals. It’s always Aljazeera Sport +9 already frustrated that title chal- the same words. It’s unbelievable. ITALIAN LEAGUE lengers City must play on Boxing Day “Even on the bench, I feel every and again on December 28. Those time we miss a chance and the score Bologna v Genoa 14:30 matches, against Liverpool and is 0-0, 1-0, 2-1, 1-1, I feel the pressure. Aljazeera Sport +7 Crystal Palace respectively, come “I feel that missing the chances, Aljazeera Sport 3 HD amid a run of four games in 12 days maybe later you are punished. We starting at Fulham. have this problem. “In every match Torino v AC Chievo Verona 17:00 Tottenham Hotspur’s British interim head coach Tim Pellegrini, having seen Sergio we lost in England, in the Premier Aljazeera Sport +1 Sherwood Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta join League and in the cup at Micah Richards, Matija Nastasic and Sunderland, we were the best team Sassuolo v Fiorentina 17:00 Sherwood uncertain Stevan Jovetic on the casualty list in by far. “We create, we enjoy the ball, Aljazeera Sport +2 the past week, fears losing more we were always very comfortable on players to injury. “We have to play the pitch, we had unbelievable Roma v Catania 17:00 over Tottenham role 26th and 28th, less than 48 hours. It chances to score to kill the game. We Aljazeera Sport +4 is incredible that the games are so don’t do it.” Arsenal will be without SOUTHAMPTON: Tim Sherwood is keen to press his claims near,” Pellegrini said. “I think that to England midfielder Jack Wilshere on Atalanta v Juventus 17:00 to become Tottenham’s permanent manager, but admits Aljazeera Sport +7 play two games in less than 72 hours Manchester City’s Chilean manager Monday after he was handed a two- today’s trip to Southampton could mark his final game in Aljazeera Sport 3 HD is not a good thing, the players are Manuel Pellegrini game suspension for making an charge of the club. Sherwood was installed as interim man- not recovered in less than 72 hours offensive gesture at Manchester City ager following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas in the wake normally. “Playing after 40 hours, I has so far been unable to find a solu- fans during last weekend’s 6-3 Hellas Verona v Lazio 17:00 of a 5-0 home defeat against Liverpool last weekend. think, is a very bad thing. It is a lot of tion to a problem that threatens to thrashing. Aljazeera Sport +5 The former Blackburn midfielder oversaw a defeat in his games and in this case we are not in wreck the team’s challenge for the That humbling result raised ques- Aljazeera Sport 4 HD first match in charge, the midweek home loss to West Ham the best situation.” title. Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o tions about Arsenal’s ability to main- in the League Cup quarter-finals, and is keen to register his first victory when he takes his side to St Mary’s Stadium. “If it City, currently three points behind and Demba Ba have scored just five tain their title challenge and the like- Internazionale v AC Milan 22:45 was down to me, I’m getting a 10-year contract now but leaders Arsenal in fourth place, travel league goals between them this ly absence of French defender Aljazeera Sport +7 Aljazeera Sport +5 football doesn’t work like that,” said Sherwood, who has to second bottom Fulham hoping to term, leaving Mourinho under pres- Laurent Koscielny, who suffered a been given no guarantee he will be in charge beyond the transfer their free-scoring home form sure to resolve the issue by making a deep gash in his knee just before Aljazeera Sport 3 HD visit to the south coast. to a vital away game. Pellegrini’s signing in the January transfer mar- half-time at Eastlands, is a further Aljazeera Sport 4 HD “It’s all about getting the results. I listen to managers all team have hit 35 goals in eight home ket. While a win for second placed blow for Arsene Wenger’s side. Tim the time talking about the project, but the project is you win league games, but have won just Liverpool over Cardiff at Anfield Sherwood will remain in charge as SPANISH LEAGUE games or get sacked. End of story. “I hope to have a chat two of their eight matches away would knock Arsenal off the top, the caretaker boss when seventh placed Granada v Real Sociedad 0:00 with the chairman. I’m obviously taking the game today, but from Manchester. Meanwhile, Jose result of the London derby between Tottenham visit Southampton for Aljazeera Sport +4 the games come thick and fast around Christmas, so I don’t Mourinho admits he is starting to the Gunners and Chelsea will been their first league match since Andre know when we are going to get that meeting in.” Sherwood feel the strain of Chelsea’s inconsis- seen as an indication of which club is Villas-Boas’s sacking on Monday.