Mario sends City top

LONDON: Mario Balotelli scored a hat-trick as Manchester City went top of the Premier League, for a few hours at least, after a 4-0 win at home to Aston Villa yesterday.

City’s crushing win - they were 3-0 up before half-time against a struggling Villa side - saw them climb above Manchester United at the summit of English football.

But United will regain top spot if they avoid defeat away to Birmingham in one of yesterday’s late kick-off matches.

Tottenham Hotspur displaced Premier League champions Chelsea in the top four after a 2-0 win at home to Newcastle.

England international Aaron Lennon’s second-half goal broke the deadlock at White Hart Lane.

Then, for the second match in a row, Spurs were reduced to 10 men when Younes Kaboul was sent off in the 65th minute after his head needlessly made contact with Newcastle’s Cheick Tiote.

But, as was the case in their win over Villa, Spurs scored a second goal when a man down with in-form Wales midfielder Gareth Bale netting nine minutes from time.

Blackpool’s fairytale first season in the Premier League continued with a 2-0 win away to Sunderland secured by striker DJ Campbell’s second-half double.

At the other end of the table, Fulham climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win away to Stoke City, where Chris Baird netted twice for his first goals in four years.

It was only Fulham’s third league success this season and their first away victory in the Premier League since August 2009.

Balotelli gave Manchester City an eighth minute lead at Eastlands when, after he was brought down in the box by Eric Lichaj, he scored from the resulting penalty.

Five minutes later, City doubled their lead when defender Joleon Lescott got on the end of an Adam Johnson corner.

There were doubts as to whether all of the ball had crossed the line but the officials let the goal stand.

However, there was no debate about City’s third goal, in the 27th minute, when Villa keeper Brad Friedel parried David Silva’s powerful shot only for the ball to fall to Italian forward Balotelli, who tapped in from close range.

Balotelli, starting in place of the rested Carlos Tevez, completed his treble in the 55th minute with a second goal from the penalty spot after Johnson was fouled by Villa’s Marc Albrighton.

At the Britannia Stadium, Fulham went ahead in the fourth minute when Baird struck a fierce 20-yard shot past Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic.

And six minutes later, Baird and Fulham had a second goal, this time from a free-kick, as the defender again beat Begovic from long-distance.

Nikola Kalinic scored twice but was then sent off as Blackburn Rovers, whose Indian owners faced a legal challenge yesterday to their takeover of the club, won 3-1 away to West Bromwich Albion.

Croatia striker Kalinic, who scored either side of Jerome Thomas’s equaliser, was denied the chance of a hat-trick following a straight red card issued in the 64th minute for a late and high challenge on Paul Scharner.

The Baggies also ended the match a man down after defender Gabriel Tamas was sent off for a crude 78th minute challenge on Mame Diouf, who scored just after the hour mark.

West Ham, who climbed off the bottom of the table by beating Fulham on Sunday, are at home to Everton later Tuesday.

Chelsea, looking to bounce back from their 3-1 London derby defeat by Arsenal on Monday, face Bolton today while the Gunners travel to Wigan and Liverpool welcome Wolves to Anfield.

Wenger hopes pivotal victory can inspire title charge

LONDON: Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Chelsea can inspire his side to finally mount a sustained challenge for the title as they prepare to face Wigan today.

Wenger has kept faith with his young squad through several years of growing pains and the Gunners manager is confident their emphatic demolition of the champions at the Emirates Stadium on Monday will be the result that defines their campaign.

Arsenal have gone five years without a trophy and critics often pointed to their repeated failures against Chelsea and United as proof that, for all their eye-catching football, they didn’t have the attributes needed to compete with their main rivals.

That criticism was answered in resounding fashion as goals from Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott ripped the lacklustre Blues to shreds.

It was the kind of dominant display that Arsenal desperately needed after their recent tame defeat at Old Trafford.

Now they must keep the momentum going at Wigan – the kind of unglamourous venue where they have often come unstuck.

“It can be a pivotal result. Beating the big teams at home will have an impact on the league,” Wenger said.

“It was a win we wanted and needed. It has a double impact because it keeps us in touch with the leaders and it’s psychological as well because we were questioned about our ability to win big games.

“Of course we want to be consistent and we have to respond straight away at Wigan on Wednesday.”

Even Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas had questioned his team-mates’ ability to raise their game on the biggest occasions and Wenger conceded he was starting to think along the same lines.

Wenger knew the key to banishing that concern was finding a way to match Chelsea’s physical approach and he was delighted with his players’ refusal to be intimidated by the Blues.

“Fabregas said we were playing scared. That is a strong word but there was maybe something in that but we didn’t see that in this game,” Wenger said.

“Two years ago with the same players we were maybe battered by Chelsea. Last year we felt we were getting closer. It was a slow learning process that we got out of our system with this result.

“I felt the strength and desire in the team. We kept good discipline and hunger over 90 minutes.

“We were putting in the challenges. We have improved on that front, that is for sure. We have a more ‘man-ish’ dimension in our team and we won our duels.

“We are not bullied anymore that is for sure. Over the last two years we have matured.” 

Fabregas hails team for fantastic performance

LONDON: Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas hailed his team as “fantastic” after they regained second place in the Premier League with a 3-1 win over champions Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Monday.

Victory saw Arsenal move to within two points of leaders Manchester United and go second on goal difference above Manchester City.

But Chelsea’s fifth league defeat of the season left the fourth-placed Blues six points adrift of United, having played one game more.

Fabregas, who scored Arsenal’s second goal in between strikes from Alex Song and Theo Walcott, was in no doubt as to how the Gunners had won for the first time in 12 games against Chelsea and United.

“Belief was the difference,” Fabregas told Sky Sports 1. “The difference between a good team and a great team is very little. We did what a great team does. We were fantastic.

“The league is so tight,” the Spain international added. “Anyone can win it. We will try to do our best.”

Song gave Arsenal the lead shortly before half-time. The hosts then scored two goals in three minutes early in the second period from Fabregas and Walcott, who created chances for one another, after Chelsea were twice caught in possession.

However, Branislav Ivanovic pulled one back for Chelsea when he headed in Didier Drogba’s free-kick in the 57th minute.

Liverpool look to take bite out of struggling Wolves

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to Anfield today with defender Fabio Aurelio believing it is the first of three quick-fire games that could define the Merseyside club’s season.

While other leagues in Europe opt for a winter break, the Premier League experiences one of its busiest periods during the festive season and this encounter is the first of three games in a seven-day spell for Liverpool with matches against Bolton and Blackburn to follow.

Liverpool have finally begun to look more solid and competitive following their worst start to a season for 57 years under new manager Roy Hodgson.

Victory in the three encounters coming up, starting against bottom of the table Wolves, would restore faith amongst the Anfield faithful that Liverpool could yet salvage something from this campaign.

“We are getting back towards the fortress that Anfield has been for Liverpool in the past,” Aurelio said.

“The situation is that every game is very important. It’s a very busy period and if we can win three or four games that can make a very big difference to the table.

“With a good run of results you can quickly change your position. So that is what we are looking to do and hopefully we can look at it again at the start of January.”

Liverpool have not played since Dec 15 after their league games against Fulham and Blackpool were both postponed as a result of the severe cold weather that has swept across England.

The Merseysiders are exactly mid-table in 10th place but Aurelio stressed they should not get too obsessed by their league position at this stage.

“From my point of view we need to just take it each game at a time and get the three points.”

Liverpool have won just two away games in the whole of 2010 and although two of the upcoming three are at home, they will then face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

“It’s difficult to explain our away record,” Aurelio added. “We have spoken about it but our approach is more or less the same.

“We think we should have won most of those games but during the 90 minutes we haven’t played as well as we can. We are trying to make sure we improve that.”

Wolves may be heading to Merseyside with a depleted squad and bottom of the league but manager Mick McCarthy is refusing to give up hope on this season quite yet.

Despite playing some attractive football this term, McCarthy’s side have simply not got the necessary results and the Molineux outfit have also been hit by a host of injury problems.

Karl Henry (knee), Jody Craddock (thigh) and Kevin Doyle (leg) remain absent as do Steven Mouyokolo (back) and Michael Mancienne (knee)

However, Steven Fletcher and Matt Jarvis came off the bench in the Boxing Day home defeat by Wigan.

“We’re missing a few and I don’t know how many teams would cope with losing their captain and vice-captain,” McCarthy said.

“I suppose we just get on with it and don’t whinge about it and just put up with it.

“There’s only one way left for us to go now with where we are and the games we’ve got remaining.

“There are plenty of games left and who’s to say we can’t go and win at Liverpool?

“We will go there and try and win it, although we’ll have to play a lot better than we did against Wigan.” 

Legal threat hits Blackburn’s new Indian owners

MUMBAI: The new owners of English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, Indian poultry firm Venky’s, are facing a claim for more than US$5mil for allegedly reneging on a proposed joint venture deal.

Mumbai-based businessman Saurin Shah said he had issued a legal notice to the firm over a proposed tie-up for the Blackburn bid between Venky’s and his investment firm, Qubic Group.

The notice alleged that Venky’s, which completed the deal in November for US$30mil, was liable for the equivalent of a 24% stake in the club, as agreed in early talks between Venky’s and Qubic.

Venky’s were also bound to pay Qubic’s costs and expenses for its “advice, reference and recommendations“, the legal notice said.

Shah’s lawyers wrote to Venky’s parent company Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group on Dec 22, threatening legal action unless payment was made within seven days.

The correspondence claims that Venky’s successful bid for Blackburn was the result of work put in by Shah, who was therefore entitled to payment.

Shah, who had been looking to buy Rovers himself, said that Venky’s had “backstabbed” him and completed the deal independently, with a “dishonest” motive of depriving Qubic.

“This is unethical and nothing less than a highway robbery,” he said.

AFP contacted Venky’s several times for a response to the allegations but the company did not reply.

Venky’s sacked Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce earlier this month after a defeat to his old club Bolton Wanderers that left the Ewood Park side 13th in the Premier League.

Hammam supports winter World Cup

DUBAI: Qatar would have no problem organising the 2022 World Cup in July despite the heat but moving the tournament to the cooler winter months would be better for the players, the head of the Asian Football Confederation said yesterday.

Mohamed Hammam (pic), a Qatari national who is also a FIFA executive committee member, said a winter tournament would ensure players are “in better shape” and wouldn’t be “exhausted” after completing a gruelling season that can run up to 60 games. A January tournament would also be easier to organise, since it would coincide with the winter break for most leagues, he said.

“If the competition were held in June and July, it will be perfectly organised by the host,” Hammam said, noting Qatar has already proposed to air condition stadiums and other facilities.

“If the competition would be moved to January, it will be a sort of win-win situation for all the parties.”

Hammam, who spoke on the sidelines of the Globe Soccer conference in Dubai, is the latest football executive to support a winter tournament over concerns that players and fans could suffer from Doha’s summer temperatures, which routinely exceed 40°C (104°F).

Earlier this month, FIFA president Sepp Blatter and general secretary Jerome Valcke said moving the Qatar matches to winter deserves study. It could protect players from heat and show flexibility for future bid cities.

Valcke, attending the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, said that switching the schedule would make it possible for a wider range of countries to bid for the World Cup – which traditionally takes places in June and July – in the future.

Still, he said it is “not so easy” to stage a winter World Cup since it would require changing the international calendar – including possibly the year before and after the 2022 tournament – and getting the support of domestic leagues and national federations.

FIFA executive committee member Franz Beckenbauer was the first to suggest the idea, and he was followed by UEFA president Michel Platini. 
  

Bastian voted best in Germany

BERLIN: Bayern Munich star Bastian Schweinsteiger was named German footballer of the year by sporting magazine Kicker on Monday.

Schweinsteinger, who has just extended his contract with the German champions until 2016, was one of the stars of the World Cup in South Africa where his team reached the semi-finals.

The 26-year-old has played 223 Bundesliga games, winning five league titles and five German Cup crowns since joining the club in 1998.