Ultimate EPL wrap – ManU “still in title race”; Chelsea, Man City managers fume

Here’s a comprehensive wrap of the weekend’s English Premier League matches. I spent a frustrating Sunday afternoon watching my thus far over-achieving West Ham United lose their second game in two days. While the 2-0 scoreline at Chelsea was flattering, the loss to Arsenal was a poor reflection of a game West Ham could easily have won, or should at least have drawn. But great sides are able to “win ugly” and on the back of this victory, Arsenal look set to once more challenge for their usual Top Four position, especially once some superstars return to an injury hit squad. Despite a slow start, Manchester United are also starting to fancy their chances of snatching away a title from a Chelsea side showing the first signs of vulnerability. An interesting piece below focuses on Alan Pardew, manager of the only team to have beaten Chelsea in the current campaign. Might be he heading back to London as the new boss of Crystal Palace? – AH 

By Ed Osmond of Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) – Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris inspired his team to a feisty 0-0 draw with Manchester United in the Premier League’s early game on Sunday.

Spurs survived a wave of early pressure and threatened to end United’s eight-match unbeaten run in the closing stages as tempers flared at White Hart Lane.

“They had a great first half but we stayed in the game because we were strong defensively,” man-of-the-match Lloris told BT Sport. “The spirit was great.”

United, who had won seven of their last eight games, stayed third in the table, nine points behind leaders Chelsea, and Tottenham remained sixth.

“We lost two points. We had the best performance of the season in the first half and could have scored four or five goals,” United manager Louis van Gaal said.

“We were fantastic. But when you don’t score goals you cannot win. The second half was a struggle.”

The visitors, who named an unchanged starting line-up for the first time in 85 matches, dominated the first half.

Frenchman Lloris made a fine diving save to tip over Ashley Young’s fierce curling shot and Phil Jones had a close-range effort correctly ruled out for offside.

The influential Juan Mata’s deflected free kick also crashed against the post and Robin van Persie should have scored after running on to a sublime pass from Michael Carrick but Lloris blocked his tame shot.

Referee Jon Moss brandished six yellow cards and Spurs nearly sneaked victory eight minutes from time when midfielder Ryan Mason blazed the ball over after good hold-up play from Harry Kane.

Chelsea travel to fourth-placed Southampton and champions Manchester City, in second, host Burnley in two of eight matches later on Sunday. – REUTERS

Man Utd still very much in the title race – Van Gaal

by Ian Winrow of Agence France-Presse

Louis van Gaal believes Manchester United are still in the Premier League title race despite missing a chance to close the gap on the top two.

Van Gaal’s side paid the price for their failure to convert a number of first half chances when they were held to a 0-0 draw at Tottenham on Sunday.

That meant they stay 10 points behind Chelsea, who were held by Southampton, and seven adrift of second placed Manchester City, who were also frustrated in a draw with struggling Burnley.

Van Gaal admits his side cannot afford a repeat of this wasteful display.

But he is confident United are improving and capable of reeling in Chelsea and City during the second half of the season.

“When you cannot win such type of matches when (you are the) better team –- like against (Aston) Villa and also now — then it is very difficult to be the champions at the end of the season,” Van Gaal said.

But asked if he still believed his side could be champions, he said: “Still, because we are improving every week.

“Of course, of course, we shall be better in 2015. So watch.”

Van Gaal claimed it was impossible for his injury-hit squad to maintain top form having beaten Newcastle 3-1 just two days earlier.

“When you play your best first half of the season as Manchester United and you are playing in White Hart Lane and playing a top six club and you play like that and create six to eight open chances then you have to finish them,” he said.

“If you don’t reward yourself, normally the opponent wins.

“You could see also the difference in the second half. It was not football anymore and a struggle for life.

“I have said already a month ago. It is scientifically proven that (the) body cannot recover in 48 hours.

“When the Premier League allow that to play matches you see what it is like, the second half is much different to the first.

“Not only for Manchester United but also Tottenham Hotspur. I think Tottenham could have played much better than today.

“Manchester united could also, in the second half, have played much better. But you cannot do that in the second half.”

 Signs of progress 

Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris kept his side in the game during the first half but United’s David De Gea was prominent after the break.

United survived late Spurs pressure to maintain a clean sheet and Van Gaal believes that is another sign of his side’s progress.

“I asked David de Gea how many clean sheets he had and now he has six already,” he said.

“So maybe now you will remember what some people said at the beginning of the season. It is a matter of organisation I think.”

Meanwhile, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged the demands of playing two games in quick succession, but refused to complain.

“The condition was for both teams the same. We never complain about when the opponent has the same condition as you,” he said.

“For Tottenham, from the beginning of the season, is the team that has had less recovery days in every competition.

“I never complain about that. I think Manchester had the same hours to recover as us.

“We showed we are more solid as a team. It is true in (the) first half they had most chances but in the end the result is fair.

“Lloris is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and I repeat that every week. That’s not new for me.

“The clean sheet is important. I think that always you need to improve. But I am happy with the performance.

“I am very pleased because the players made a big effort today less than 48 hours after playing again. Therefore I think the effort was great.”

© 1994-2014 Agence France-Presse

English Premier League table

Pos	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Chelsea	21	15	4	2	46	19	27	49
2	Manchester City	21	14	5	2	45	20	25	47
3	Southampton	21	12	3	6	35	15	20	39
4	Manchester United	21	10	7	4	34	21	13	37
5	Arsenal	21	10	6	5	37	25	12	36
6	Tottenham Hotspur	21	10	4	7	30	29	1	34
7	West Ham United	21	9	6	6	32	25	7	33
8	Liverpool	21	9	5	7	29	27	2	32
9	Swansea City	21	8	6	7	26	25	1	30
10	Newcastle United	21	7	6	8	25	33	-8	27
11	Stoke City	21	7	5	9	22	27	-5	26
12	Everton	21	5	7	9	30	34	-4	22
13	Aston Villa	21	5	7	9	11	23	-12	22
14	West Bromwich Albion	21	5	6	10	20	29	-9	21
15	Crystal Palace	21	4	8	9	22	31	-9	20
16	Sunderland	21	3	11	7	18	31	-13	20
17	Burnley	21	4	8	9	19	33	-14	20
18	Hull City	21	4	7	10	20	27	-7	19
19	Queens Park Rangers	21	5	4	12	23	37	-14	19
20	Leicester City	21	4	5	12	20	33	-13	17

Latest standings of the 20 teams in the Barclays English Premier League.

Pardew back to London with Crystal Palace?

by Jason Mellor of Agence France-Presse

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew cast his future into doubt after failing to rule out a return to Crystal Palace.

The 53-year-old has been strongly linked with the vacant post at Selhurst Park following the sacking of Neil Warnock.

Pardew, a beaten FA Cup finalist with Palace as a player in 1990, has been installed as a clear favourite to succeed Warnock by many bookmakers.

The Newcastle manager turned down an opportunity to put an end to growing speculation, choosing not to conduct any press interviews after his side stemmed a four-game losing streak with a narrow 3-2 Premier League victory over Everton.

His assistant John Carver was prevented from answering questions about the future of Pardew, who recently celebrated four years in charge at St James’ Park, and who is the second longest-serving manager in the Premier League after Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger.

Pardew made more than 100 appearances for the Eagles during a four-year spell at Palace from 1987, and still retains property near their Surrey base. This is not the first time he has been linked with a return to his former club.

He has more than five years left on his current deal at St James’ Park, having recently signed a contract extension to 2020.

However, he enjoys an uneasy relationship with Newcastle supporters, who mounted a campaign calling for his dismissal earlier this season before a six-game winning run helped to see him through one of his most turbulent spells in management.

His post-match no-show took the attention away from a much needed victory, as Everton manager Roberto Martinez insisted Papiss Cisse should have been sent off before cancelling out Arouna Kone’s early goal for the visitors.

Seamus Coleman felt the full force of Cisse’s elbow, a first-half incident that went unseen and unpunished by the officials. The Senegal forward is likely to face trial by video for the way he caught the Everton defender in the throat at a Newcastle set-piece.

“He’s very fortunate he stayed on the pitch,” insisted Martinez, in the wake of a fifth defeat in seven games for his mid-table side.

The Spaniard added: “It’s unacceptable to see an action like that. It’s a clear elbow to try to hurt someone.

“I don’t want to see players sent off but that’s unacceptable from Cisse. It shouldn’t be allowed. He elbowed a fellow professional and that should have been a red card. There’s no intention to hide it.

“He acts in a manner that’s hard to justify, then he scores the equaliser and the game changes completely.”

Carver pleaded ignorance of the incident. “All I saw was Seamus Coleman lying on the floor,” he said. “I’ve not had chance to see the TV since but it’s obviously been mentioned so we’ll look at it.”

Cisse swept home his ninth goal of the season and fifth in six games from close range after Mike Williamson pulled back a Cheick Tiote cross.

Ayoze Perez put Newcastle ahead after the break and Jack Colback doubled the advantage before Everton substitute Kevin Mirallas pulled one back late on.

“It’s a concerning run,” Martinez added. “We’re not in a good moment and everything that could go against us went wrong. You don’t want to create that negative momentum and we have to stop giving away soft goals.”

© 1994-2014 Agence France-Presse

 

Pellegrini fumes after Man City coast too early

by Ian Whittell of Agence France-Presse

Manuel Pellegrini (right) accused his Manchester City players of complacency after they allowed a two-goal lead to slip away in a costly 2-2 draw against lowly Burnley.

The defending champions wasted the opportunity to pull to within a point of Premier League leaders Chelsea, who were held by Southampton earlier on Sunday, after first half goals from David Silva and Fernandinho had put City well in control at Eastlands.

An early second half effort from Burnley’s George Boyd was followed by a dramatic 82nd minute equaliser from Ashley Barnes which ended City’s bid for a club record 10th consecutive victory.

“The way we’re playing, we need to run a lot of metres,” said Pellegrini.

“Maybe leading 2-0 we thought that the game was over but until the last whistle the game has never finished. We couldn’t continue with the same pace.

“In football, two balls can decide the score. At the beginning of the second half, Burnley scored a clear offside goal; after that, with a rebound, they scored the second.

“We played very well in the first half but it’s clear that we couldn’t keep the same intensity as we had in the first half.

“In the second half, they scored the early goal and that was very important for them. They grew a lot and had a lot of trust in what they could do.”

Defiant Pellegrini

Pellegrini, who revealed he had left Yaya Toure out of his squad as a precaution after the Ivory Coast international reported a slight groin problem, remained defiant about City’s title chances despite the setback.

“Of course, this was a chance to have two points more, but not a chance for anything else,” he said.

“We have to play the complete second round (of fixtures). We have finished the first round with 43 points, which is a good amount of points.

“After leading 2-0, it’s more disappointing to lose the two points but we have all the second round to see who is the best team.”

Stevan Jovetic returned as a second half substitute, meaning City’s run of games without a fit, recognised first team forward is over, but news about the fitness of club captain Vincent Kompany, laid off with a hamstring injury, is less positive.

“We will see tomorrow if he’s fit for the next game,” said Pellegrini whose side next face Sunderland on New Year’s Day.

“It is very difficult to know for now. He still has some problems in his calf.”

Pellegrini also blamed the fixture schedule, and the fact his players had to perform on a heavy, snow-bound pitch at West Brom on Boxing Day, for their poor second half showing.

But opposite number Sean Dyche not only named the same starting line-up that lost to Liverpool on Boxing Day but also resisted the temptation to make a substitution during the 90 minutes at the Etihad.

“I find it incredible people are making that point,” said Dyche. “When I was playing, we would put out the same team if we were playing well.

“I don’t over-think it. If the team is ready to play, we play and today the players were ready to deliver.

“I keep reading about ‘struggling Burnley,’ But the expectation was we had no chance at all.

“If you look at the way the team is performing, we’re not struggling, we’re playing really well and I’m delighted with all the players.

“I’m intrigued to see where the journey is taking us and I’ve been very much enjoying the way the team has been playing.”

© 1994-2014 Agence France-Presse

Wenger believes Arsenal hitting stride at perfect time

by Darren Witcoop of Agence France-Presse

Arsene Wenger (right) believes Arsenal are gathering momentum at the right time after they enhanced their prospects of qualifying for the Champions League with a hard-fought 2-1 win at West Ham.

First half goals from Santi Cazorla and Danny Welbeck at Upton Park on Sunday were enough to help Arsenal leapfrog West Ham in the Premier League table.

And, after a spluttering campaign, the Gunners are back on course to finish in the top four and seal a coveted place in Europe’s elite club competition.

“The Champions League is vital for us,” Wenger said. “We have done it 17 years so I’m entitled at least to believe we can do it.

“It’s still all to do. When you look at the league, everyone fights very hard for it. Southampton, Tottenham, Man United, so many teams who can fight for these positions.

“I always had that belief, but it’s far from done. We just want to win the next game and be consistent in our performances.

Another victory at fourth placed Southampton on New Year’s Day would be a further step in the right direction for Wenger’s side.

“If you look at our recent results we look to be more stable. We have a big game in front of us now at Southampton,” Wenger added.

With the transfer window set to open on January 1, Wenger knows there will be speculation about moves in and out of the Emirates Stadium, but the Gunners boss is focused on getting his injured players fit rather than any wheeling and dealing.

Out-of-favour Germany striker Lukas Podolski continues to be strongly linked with a January move to Inter Milan.

But Wenger has played down the prospect of him moving on and is more concerned at seeing the likes of Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere return from spells on the sidelines.

“There’s nothing concrete there with Lukas,” Wenger added.

“At the moment nobody goes out. Ozil is coming back at the back of January, so of course there is a lot of competition up front.”

Allardyce rues decision

West Ham were surprise challengers for a Champions League place before back-to-back defeats derailed their charge.

But boss Sam Allardyce is hoping for a response against West Bromwich Albion to mark the start of the new year as he looks to get his side back on track.

“The players have once again given their all. I cannot question their commitment all season,” Allardyce said.

“We have to go again now and we have only lost two games.

“Of course we want to bounce back against West Brom now.”

Allardyce was also frustrated that referee Neil Swarbrick and his assistant ruled out Alex Song’s early strike due to Diafra Sakho standing offside in front of Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

“If we’d been allowed that goal we wouldn’t have lost. We would have kicked on and Arsenal would have found life very difficult from then on,” Allardyce said.

“I’ve not spoken to the ref because I don’t see any point in confronting him when you know you’re 100 per cent right and he hasn’t had the visuals. You can’t get anything out of telling him how wrong he’s been.

“Going on what we were told at the start of the season, they got it horribly wrong. He (Sakho) wasn’t in the eye-line of the keeper. He didn’t touch the ball.

“Yes he was offside, but we’ve seen so many of those allowed as goals. I’ve not seen one ‘not given’.

“Can you tell me what is an offside? Now I’m totally and utterly confused and bewildered. There are far too many inconsistencies.”

© 1994-2014 Agence France-Presse

Chelsea held by Southampton – Mourinho cries foul

by Jon WEST of Agence France-Presse

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed that there is a “campaign” to get his players wrongly punished for diving following his side’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Southampton.

After Eden Hazard had cancelled out Sadio Mane’s opener for Southampton on Sunday, referee Anthony Taylor booked Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas after he went down under a challenge by Matthew Targett in the second half.

Television replays indicated that the official may have made a mistake, as Targett appeared to make contact with Fabregas after slipping, but Mourinho suggested that there was more to it than that.

He listed previous incidents when Chelsea players had been booked for perceived dives, including one involving Diego Costa against Burnley on the opening weekend of the season.

Diving had also been the topic of post-match conversation after a 2-0 home win against Hull City earlier this month, which saw England defender Gary Cahill topple to the turf in an eye-catching manner.

“Why was it not a penalty? Because the referee made a mistake,” Mourinho said. “People make mistakes — he made a mistake. A big mistake, but a mistake.

“I think it is the result of something that looks like a campaign. In the first match, Diego got a yellow card when it should have been a red card (for the defender) and a penalty at Burnley.

“A few months later, Fabregas gets a yellow card. The double punishment is unbelievable. You have a penalty and probably you win the game. You don’t get the penalty and you get a yellow card.

“We have had bad yellow cards for simulation. I am not saying all, but we are speaking about crucial decisions. For example, the game against Hull City — do you think the most important thing was Cahill or Filipe Luis almost with a broken leg?”

Chelsea’s Boxing day fixture had also featured a simulation controversy, with West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce having accused Branislav Ivanovic of going down too easily during his side’s 2-0 defeat.

On that occasion the officials punished neither side.

Stupid mistakes

Asked who he thought was behind the “campaign”, Mourinho replied: “I don’t know, but after the game against West Ham — a good game, a normal game — (Enner) Valencia made a very bad dive and at the end of the game, Sam is speaking about Ivanovic. What is this? Why?

“It is not against me because I am not on the pitch, but against Chelsea, yes. Do you want me to tell you the two most important things that happened in my matches, in my opinion? Filipe Luis and Eden Hazard could be in hospital now with broken legs.”

The point kept Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table, three points ahead of Manchester City, who surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to Burnley.

“Chelsea have been playing very well since the beginning of the season. We are top of the league because we deserve to be,” added Mourinho defiantly. “I am so happy with my players.”

Ronald Koeman, the Southampton manager, was also delighted, having seen his players defend for most of a second half that saw home midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin sent off late on for two bookable offences.

Southampton, who are in fourth place, had previously lost home fixtures against City and Manchester United, and the Dutchman was satisfied that his players had applied the lessons learnt the hard way from those defeats.

“One point against Chelsea is maybe three points against another opponent,” Koeman said.

“The difference was we played until the last second. We didn’t make stupid mistakes like we did against United and City.”

Koeman, who was a colleague of Mourinho’s at Barcelona when Louis van Gaal was coach, admitted the Fabregas incident could well have gone against his side.

“Maybe it’s a penalty. I don’t know,” he said. “If it’s a penalty they can be disappointed about that decision, but it’s part of football.”

© 1994-2014 Agence France-Presse

By Ed Osmond

LONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea’s Premier League title hopes suffered a blow when they were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by a resilient Southampton side at St Mary’s on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris inspired his team to a feisty 0-0 draw with Manchester United in the early kickoff and Chelsea started sluggishly at fourth-placed Southampton.

Sadio Mane gave the hosts a deserved 17th-minute lead, running clear of the defence to slot coolly past Thibaut Courtois.

The visitors struggled to produce their usual fluent attacking play but equalised just before halftime when Eden Hazard brilliantly controlled a fine pass from Cesc Fabregas, cut inside and stroked the ball into the net.

Chelsea poured forward in search of a winner but were frustrated by well-organised Southampton who had midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin sent off in the closing stages after receiving a second yellow card.

Jose Mourinho’s team remained top of the table but their lead will be cut to one point if Manchester City beat Burnley later on Sunday.

Spurs survived a wave of early United pressure but threatened to end the visitors’ eight-match unbeaten run in the closing stages as tempers flared at White Hart Lane.

“They had a great first half but we stayed in the game because we were strong defensively,” man-of-the-match Lloris told BT Sport. “The spirit was great.”

United, who had won seven of their last eight games, stayed third in the table, 10 points behind Chelsea, and Tottenham remained sixth.

“We lost two points. We had the best performance of the season in the first half and could have scored four or five goals,” United manager Louis van Gaal said.

“We were fantastic. But when you don’t score goals you cannot win. The second half was a struggle.”

The visitors, who named an unchanged starting line-up for the first time in 85 matches, dominated the first half.

Frenchman Lloris made a fine diving save to tip over Ashley Young’s fierce curling shot and Phil Jones had a close-range effort correctly ruled out for offside.

The influential Juan Mata’s deflected free kick also crashed against the post and Robin van Persie should have scored after running on to a sublime pass from Michael Carrick but Lloris blocked his tame shot.

Referee Jon Moss brandished six yellow cards and Spurs nearly sneaked victory eight minutes from time when midfielder Ryan Mason blazed the ball over after good hold-up play from Harry Kane. – REUTERS