Chelsea march on, Arsenal suffer sloppy defeat to West Brom

LONDON - Chelsea continued their seemingly irresistible surge towards regaining the Premier League title as a late Gary Cahill goal saw them snatch a 2-1 win at Stoke City on Saturday to move a provisional 13 points clear at the top.

The latest triumph for Antonio Conte's unstoppable charges came after London rivals Arsenal's season continued to unravel with a third straight 3-1 away league defeat, this time at West Bromwich Albion.

The Gunners' fourth loss in five league games raised further questions about the future of under-pressure manager Arsene Wenger, who announced intriguingly afterwards: "I know what I will do. You will soon know".

Conte had been without the in-form Eden Hazard through injury for what always promised to be an awkward fixture for Chelsea at Stoke and, just as they had recently held Manchester City at home, the Potters again made life difficult.

Willian put the leaders ahead after 13 minutes thanks to a blunder by Stoke goalkeeper Lee Grant but Jon Walters equalised with a penalty before halftime after being fouled by Cahill.

The England defender made amends in the 87th minute with a deserved winner and, after Phil Bardsley had been sent off for Stoke in added time, Conte celebrated with his staff on the touchline as Chelsea moved on to 69 points, leaving all the pressure on their nearest pursuers who play on Sunday.

Second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who host Southampton, and third-placed Manchester City, who welcome fourth-placed Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium, now both have to win just to get back within 10 points of the leaders.

WENGER PROTESTS

 
Arsenal's defeat came amid more protests from some of the more vociferous of the Gunners' faithful about Wenger as the manager acknowledged that his side were in the middle of "a unique bad patch" in his two-decade managerial reign.

After dismal defending saw West Brom's Craig Dawson head home twice from corners in a convincing win for Tony Pulis's men, Wenger told reporters: "We lose game after game at the moment and that for me is much more important than my future."

Yet as the debates about his prospects became ever louder -- one airplane trailed a banner over the ground that declared "Wenger Out" while another trumpeted "In Arsene We Trust" -- the Frenchman said he would clarify his future soon.

His team, though, now look in serious jeopardy of not enjoying a 20th successive season of Champions League football in 2017-18 -- and if Manchester United win at Middlesbrough on Sunday, Arsenal, currently fifth on 50 points, will drop to sixth, two points behind Jose Mourinho's men.

Basement club Sunderland were held 0-0 at home to poor travellers Burnley, while third-bottom Hull City were trounced 4-0 by Everton, for whom league-leading scorer Romelu Lukaku scored twice in added time, taking his season's tally to 21.

The Belgian became the first Toffees' striker to hit 20 league goals in a season, since Gary Lineker 31 years ago, though his goals were bitter-sweet for Everton fans who know he could leave after this week rejecting a new contract offer.

Leicester City's remarkable resurgence under new manager Craig Shakespeare continued with a fourth successive win under his stewardship since Claudio Ranieri's sacking.

The champions won 3-2 at West Ham United with first-half goals from Riyad Mahrez, Robert Huth and Jamie Vardy for their first league success away from home all season.

Shakespeare, the first Premier League manager to oversee a side scoring three goals in his first three matches in charge, was "intensely proud" of the results his players had gleaned.

Like Leicester, Crystal Palace eased their worries with a third straight win, 1-0 at home to Watford through Troy Deeney's own goal, suggesting master escapologist Sam Allardyce can maintain his record of never suffering a Premier League relegation.

After Swansea City's recent revival under Paul Clement was checked with a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth in the late game, the bottom five teams are now Sunderland on 20 points, Middlesbrough 22, Hull 24, Swansea 27 and Crystal Palace 28.

(Reporting by Ian Chadband; Editing by Ken Ferris)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

PREMIER LEAGUE: Misery for Manchester as United thrashed and City draw

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Manchester's two Premier League clubs managed just a point between them on Sunday as Manchester United suffered a chastening 4-0 defeat by Chelsea on manager Jose Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge and leaders Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Southampton.

Chelsea's Pedro Rodriguez opened the scoring after just 30 seconds and the Blues were on their way, with Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante adding to the agony for Mourinho, who won seven major titles in two spell as the London club's manager.

Victory saw Antonio Conte's side move up into fourth place, just a point behind the top three of City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

By contrast, defeat left United seventh and five points adrift of the top four finish they need to qualify for the Champions League after missing out on European club football's elite competition this season -- a failure that led the Old Trafford club to replace former manager Louis van Gaal with Mourinho.

"You come with a strategy. You cannot concede a goal in the way we did," Mourinho told Sky Sports. "We made incredible defensive mistakes, individual mistakes, and you pay for that."

After the final whistle, Mourinho whispered in the ear of Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

Conte had urged home fans to make more noise after Kante made it 4-0 in the 70th minute.

But Mourinho refused to reveal what he had told the Italian, saying: "My words were with Antonio Conte were for him, not for you."

Conte was equally guarded, telling the BBC: "When there is a private conversation it is right to remain private, I have great respect for Jose, he is a great manager and he won a lot here."

As for the match itself Conte, in a separate interview with Sky Sports, said: "I am pleased with the performance, we started well, moved the ball quickly, created chances to score the goal."

At Eastlands, City suffered a fifth consecutive match without a victory although the point gained took Pep Guardiola's side back to the top of the table

Following their 4-0 midweek Champions League loss away to Barcelona, City were behind in the 27th minute when central defender John Stones's careless pass across the face of goal was seized on by Saints striker Nathan Redmond.

"I was anticipating it and it was just about keeping a cool head and putting the chance away," said Redmond.

The hosts were much improved in the second half and Kelechi Iheanacho equalised in the 55th minute when he finished a neat move involving Fernandinho and Leroy Sane from close range.

"The second half was much better," said Guardiola. "Of course our mistake is always complicated. The way I want to play is not to pass to their striker."

Southampton manager Claude Puel was pleased by the way his side recovered from their 1-0 Europa League loss away to Inter Milan.

"We played with just two days recovery after the Inter Milan match, which is difficult and we finished the game tired," said Puel. "It is a good point."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LEAGUE CUP: Fabregas downs Leicester, Everton crash out

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Cesc Fabregas made an emphatic point to Chelsea manager Antonio Conte as his double sealed a 4-2 win at Leicester, while Everton and Bournemouth suffered shock third-round exits from the English Football League Cup on Tuesday.

Fabregas has been limited to three substitute appearances in the Premier League since Conte took charge over the summer, but the Spain midfielder proved he can still be a game-changer with an influential display capped by the decisive two goals in extra-time.

"I was happy to play from the start! Hopefully this will shut up a few journalists talking rubbish all the time," said Fabregas, who has been linked with a move away from Chelsea.

Elsewhere, second-tier Norwich spoiled Everton's impressive start to the season and inflicted Ronald Koeman's first defeat as Toffees boss with a 2-0 win at Goodison Park.

Bournemouth were the other top-flight casualties as second-tier Preston won 3-2 thanks to a hat-trick from Denmark striker Simon Makienok.

At the King Power Stadium, Shinji Okazaki put Premier League champions Leicester ahead in the 17th minute when the Japan striker punished terrible Chelsea defending to head home from close range.

Okazaki followed his first goal since March with a second in the 34th minute.

Gary Cahill reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time, the defender heading home after being left unmarked at the far post from a Fabregas corner.

The Blues equalized four minutes after the interval through Cesar Azpilicueta's blistering long-range effort.

Leicester had to play extra-time with 10 men after Marcin Wasilewski's 89th minute dismissal for elbowing Diego Costa and Fabregas made them pay, finishing a flowing move in the 92nd minute and drilling home again two minutes later.

Everton are second in the Premier League but Koeman made six changes and his stand-ins were brushed aside by promotion-chasing Norwich.

The Canaries went ahead when former Everton striker Steven Naismith slipped as he went to shoot and inadvertently lobbed the ball into the net.

Josh Murphy's superb strike from the edge of the area in the 74th minute completed the upset.

"I can't criticise the players. We played well but weren't clinical enough. The difference was Norwich were clinical with their two chances," Koeman said.

- Hat-trick hero -

At Dean Court, Makienok, who hadn't scored in his previous 19 appearances, gave Preston the lead in the 10th minute before Bournemouth equalised through Lewis Grabban's 53rd minute penalty.

Dan Gosling put the hosts ahead from close range in the 76th minute, only for Makienok to force extra-time in the 85th minute and then win it for Simon Grayson's men in the 111th minute.

Lucas Perez's first goals for Arsenal inspired a 4-0 rout of second-tier Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who has never won the League Cup, made 11 changes from the team that thrashed Hull on Saturday and the understudies went ahead in the 23rd minute through a long-range effort from Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka.

Spanish striker Perez, who arrived from Deportivo La Coruna on transfer-deadline day, opened his Arsenal account in his third appearance with a 60th-minute penalty after a foul on Chuba Akpom.

Perez got his second in the 71st minute and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain got Arsenal's fourth in stoppage time.

"It was a motivated team against us and we had a complete performance. The speed and movement of our play was fantastic," Wenger purred.

Liverpool, last year's beaten finalists, remain on course for a return to Wembley after a 3-0 win against Championship side Derby at the iPro Stadium.

Estonia centre-back Ragnar Klavan took advantage of poor Derby defending to fire home in the 24th minute.

Philippe Coutinho doubled Liverpool's lead in the 50th minute and Divock Origi put the result beyond doubt four minutes later.

Newcastle defeated Championship rivals Wolves 2-0, Leeds beat fellow second-tier side Blackburn 1-0, while Reading won 2-1 in another all-Championship clash at Brighton.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

FOOTBALL: Real face disqualification in King's Cup, Barca ease through

Real face disqualification as Barca ease through

Tim Hanlon, Reuters

Real Madrid could be thrown out of the King's Cup for playing an ineligible player in their 3-1 victory over Cadiz on Wednesday after Barcelona routed lower league Villanovense 6-1 to reach the last 16.

Real's Denis Cheryshev received a third yellow card playing for Villarreal in the semi-finals last season but he has not served the resulting ban and the Madrid club are set to be thrown out of the competition, Spanish media reported.

Cheryshev scored the opening goal before being substituted at halftime and Isco struck twice for Real against the third- tier side who pulled a late goal back through Enrique Marquez.

The potential disqualification heaps more pressure on Real Madrid who lost 4-0 at home to arch-rivals Barca in La Liga last month and are six points behind them in the standings after 13 games.

Youngster Sandro Ramirez hit a hat-trick and Munir El-Haddadi struck twice for a Barcelona second-string side who tore apart lower league Villanovense 6-1 to book the holders a place in the last 16.

With big names including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez rested, it was a chance for Barca's lesser lights to shine after a goalless first leg and Sandro and Munir took full advantage with deadly performances.

Liverpool hit Saints for six to reach League Cup semis

Reuters

Liverpool ran riot to reach the League Cup semi-finals with a 6-1 thrashing of Southampton on Wednesday in which Divock Origi grabbed a hat-trick and Daniel Sturridge scored twice as the Juergen Klopp juggernaut rolled on.

Jordon Ibe added his name to the scoresheet as Liverpool emphatically overcame the early blow of Sadio Mane putting the hosts ahead inside a minute to emphasise their resurgence since Klopp arrived at the start of October.

Klopp's side, who have now won seven of their last eight games in all competitions, will face Stoke City in the semi-finals while Premier League leaders Manchester City will play Everton in the other last-four clash after Wednesday's draw.

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Cahill signs new four-year Chelsea deal

Reuters

Chelsea's England defender Gary Cahill has signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at the club until 2019, the Premier League champions said in a statement.

The 29-year-old has become a pivotal figure in the Chelsea backline since joining from Bolton Wanderers in 2012, winning the Champions League, Europa League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup in his relatively short time at Stamford Bridge.

His partnership alongside John Terry at the heart of the Chelsea defence was a key component in their run to the Premier League title last season, with the west London club boasting the meanest rearguard in the top flight.

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La Liga agrees three-year 2.65 billion euro TV rights deal

Agence France-Presse

The Spanish league announced on Wednesday that it has agreed a domestic television deal worth a minimum 2.65 billion euros ($2.8 billion, £1.86 billion) for the next three seasons.

A subsidiary of telecommunications giant Telefonica, Movistar, will have first choice of one match from each round of fixtures for 250 million euros a season.

Meanwhile, multimedia communications group Mediapro have the rights to eight other La Liga games each weekend for 633 million euros a season.

Moreover, the deal is set to rise with eight other available packages including Copa del Rey games, highlights and one La Liga match per round of fixtures to be shown on free-to-air television still to be agreed.

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Italy's Giovinco voted MLS Most Valuable Player

Agence France-Presse

Italian striker Sebastian Giovinco, a former Juventus star who scored 22 goals for Toronto this past season, was named Wednesday as Major League Soccer's 2015 Most Valuable Player.

The 28-year-old from Turin was the league's joint-top scorer and laid on a league-best 16 assists for the Canadian club in his debut season, leading Toronto FC to its first playoff appearance.

Giovinco also captured the MLS Golden Boot and Newcomer of the Year awards and was named to the North American league's Best 11 all-star squad.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Chelsea, Barca sore but ready to defend crowns

WASHINGTON -- Reigning English Premier League champions Chelsea and reigning European kings Barcelona exited Tuesday's friendly showdown injured but intensely motivated as they return to Europe to defend their crowns.

Chelsea captured the International Champions Cup victory 4-2 on penalty kicks after the teams were deadlocked 2-2 after regular time thanks to Chelsea defender Gary Cahill's header in the 85th minute.

In the shootout, Alan Halilovic put Barca down with a shot off the crossbar to open the second round. In the third, Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denied Gerard Pique and Chelsea's Ramires and Loic Remy scored after that to settle the outcome.

"The penalties mean nothing for us and I think they mean nothing for Barcelona," said Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. "This was not about win or lose. They were playing and training the same as us. It was not a tactical game. It was two teams looking for intensity."

They found intensity in each other in the training match before 78,914 at the home of the NFL Washington Redskins, so much so that both sides are nursing injuries with the start of a new season fast approaching.

"It was a more physical game than it should be at this point of the pre-season," said Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. "It's not a loss. It's a tie. Overall this was practice. We gave playing time to the players we wanted to see."

Chelsea's Eden Hazard opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Luis Suarez and Sandro Ramirez answered for Barcelona in the 52nd and 66th minutes respectively and Cahill nodded in a header as he took a blow in the face from substitute Barcelona goalkeeper Jordi Masip.

No one wanted to see injuries but Mourinho has hamstring fears for striker Diego Costa and a possible broken nose for Cahill, who regardless will not miss Sunday's Community Shield match against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium.

"Cahill has a chance of a broken nose," Mourinho said. "If yes, goes tomorrow to make a mask to be ready to play Sunday. Costa, he felt a little thing in his hamstring. No more than that, but we have to wait."

Barcelona fullback Douglas was hurt early and midfielder Sergi Roberto played 75 minutes in a backline role.

"He can play a lot of roles. He's definitely an option for us, Enrique said, noting that the Douglas injury was unlikely to impact a possible transfer deal involving defender Adriano and Roma.

"If someone wants to pay his clause, he'll leave," he said. "With the (Douglas) injury it's bad news. Ultimately, we will see what happens."

- Chelsea a Champs 'outsider' -

Mourinho calls Chelsea an outsider for taking the Champions League prize.

"We have a team that's going to fight for that," he said. "There are teams with more potential but not always does the best team win. Sometimes an outsider can win it. We go as an outsider and we're going to try."

Barcelona, coming off an unprecedented second European treble of La Liga and the Copa del Rey plus the Champions League, was without five players, including standouts Lionel Messi and Neymar, who took part in Copa America last month.

"We've shown an acceptable level on the field," Enrique said. "I liked the way we played. We have five players on vacation, but the other players are ready for the season and extremely motivated."

Mourinho said he puts the Community Shield a notch above the tour friendlies.

"It's different than today. It's a title. It's less important but it's the opening of the official season," Mourinho said. "It's still a preparation match, but the Cup is there and the Cup is always motivation so we will be going in prepared."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com