The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Success for Mata and Liverpool, Arsenal slip Posted: 28 Jan 2014 02:32 PM PST Leaders Arsenal, meanwhile, spurned an opportunity to move four points clear after drawing 2-2 at Southampton, but Liverpool tightened their grip on fourth place with a superb 4-0 defeat of derby rivals Everton. Mata started at Old Trafford, three days after making a £37.1 million (RM205.1 million) move from Chelsea, as former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returned to his old stomping ground as Cardiff manager. Last season's top scorer Robin van Persie was also included in United's starting line-up, after seven weeks out with a thigh strain, and the Dutch striker broke the deadlock in the sixth minute. Mata found Ashley Young with a raking pass and when his cross was headed against the bar by Antonio Valencia, Van Persie headed in at the second attempt after his initial header was parried by goalkeeper David Marshall. Young added a fine second in the 59th minute, cutting in from the left flank and arrowing a drive into the bottom-right corner, before Wayne Rooney made his return from injury as a substitute for Van Persie. United, who had lost three of their previous five home league games, remain six points below the Champions League places, but they inched to within 12 points of Arsenal after the London club's slip-up at St Mary's. Bidding to move four points clear of second-place Manchester City, Arsenal fell behind in the 21st minute when centre-back Jose Fonte headed in a left-wing cross from Luke Shaw. The visitors sprang to life early in the second half, equalising through Olivier Giroud's deft back-heel and going ahead when Santi Cazorla drilled home, only for Adam Lallana to sweep in an equaliser two minutes later. Arsenal's push for a late winner was undermined when midfielder Mathieu Flamini was sent off for a studs-up lunge at Morgan Schneiderlin. Arsene Wenger's side are now at risk from City, who will take over at the top if they win at Tottenham Hotspur today, while Chelsea could draw level with Arsenal if they win at home to West Ham United. Liverpool moved three points clear of fifth-place Spurs and four points above sixth-place Everton with a memorable 4-0 victory in a one-sided Merseyside derby at Anfield. Steven Gerrard's 21st-minute header from Luis Suarez's corner broke the deadlock and a quick-fire brace from Daniel Sturridge made the game safe before half-time. The England striker finished coolly from Philippe Coutinho's through ball in the 33rd minute before deftly lobbing Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard from the edge of the area two minutes later. Suarez raced clear to add a fourth early in the second half, before Sturridge squandered an opportunity to complete his hat-trick by blazing a penalty over the crossbar. France midfielder Yohan Cabaye, who is reported to be on the verge of a move to Paris Saint-Germain, was absent for Newcastle United as Alan Pardew's side recorded a 0-0 draw at Norwich City. Both sides finished with 10 men at Carrow Road after Newcastle striker Loic Remy and Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson were shown straight red cards following a late altercation. Goals from Jonjo Shelvey and Chico Flores gave Swansea City a 2-0 win at home to relegation-threatened Fulham, while improving Crystal Palace climbed to 14th after an early Jason Puncheon goal saw them beat Hull City 1-0. - AFP, January 29, 2014. |
| Liverpool boost top-four bid with derby rout Posted: 28 Jan 2014 02:25 PM PST Everton have not won at Liverpool since 1999 and the 222nd meeting between the two sides – both previously unbeaten in the league in 2014 – was effectively over by half-time, with Liverpool three goals up. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said in his programme notes that this derby had "double significance", with vital points in the race to qualify for the Champions League at stake in addition to local pride. But the Northern Irishman could probably not have envisaged the clinical manner in which his team would blow Roberto Martinez's men away, with a double from Sturridge and one each for captain Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez. England striker Sturridge could even afford to miss a penalty as fourth-place Liverpool put four points between themselves and Everton in the Premier League table. Liverpool made three changes as Simon Mignolet replaced Brad Jones in goal, Jon Flanagan returned for Martin Kelly at right-back, and Raheem Sterling was preferred to Victor Moses on the right flank. Everton, meanwhile, were bolstered by the return of midfielder Ross Barkley from a broken toe. Toffees captain Phil Jagielka had also recovered from the hamstring injury he picked up in the FA Cup victory over Stevenage and made his 200th league appearance alongside Antolin Alcaraz at the heart of the visitors' defence. Barkley looked sharp in the opening stages and struck a swerving shot from distance that flew just over the crossbar, while Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was called into action moments later as he pushed a Suarez shot past the post. Sturridge opened up the Everton defence in the 18th minute as he sent Sterling clear with a searching pass, but Howard came off his line quickly and blocked the winger's effort. The hosts' spell of pressure earned them a goal three minutes later when Suarez's corner picked out Gerrard, who escaped his marker at the near post and headed home his eighth goal in Merseyside derbies. Everton were subsequently forced to withdraw Romelu Lukaku due to injury, although without the Belgium international they still pressed for an equaliser, as Jagielka brought a save out of Mignolet. However, Liverpool effectively made the result certain 10 minutes before half-time as Sturridge scored twice in the space of two minutes. The 24-year-old striker was put through on goal by playmaker Philippe Coutinho in the 33rd minute and kept his composure to lift the ball over the advancing Howard. Moments later the hosts added a third when Kolo Toure's long ball found Sturridge and with Howard off his line, the England man cleverly lobbed the ball over the American international and into the unguarded net. Everton initially responded positively after half-time, with Mignolet forced to palm away a Leon Osman shot, but Liverpool remained hungry for goals and added a fourth five minutes into the second half. Suarez dispossessed Jagielka just inside the Everton half and powered towards goal before coolly slotting past the exposed Howard. Howard's misery continued when a penalty was given against him by referee Martin Atkinson for a foul on Sterling, but Sturridge, on a hat-trick, struck the spot-kick over the bar and into the Kop. Suarez was angry with Sturridge just after the hour-mark when his strike partner selfishly went for goal from a difficult angle rather than square the ball across goal. Everton briefly flickered into life with 15 minutes left when Steven Naismith crossed for Osman, but Mignolet snuffed out the danger. - AFP, January 29, 2014. |
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