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Arsenal eased their way past Watford 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday, marking their first clean sheet in 12 league matches and settling nerves at the Emirates after a string of losses in 2018.

A first-half header from Shkodran Mustafi and second-half strikes from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan sealed the win for the Gunners.

Watford won a penalty when Arsenal&#39;s Ainsley Maitland-Niles was deemed to have brought down Roberto Pereyra, but Petr Cech got his fingertips to Troy Deeney&#39;s spot kick, nudging the ball onto the post and back out to roars of approval from the home crowd.

The win leaves Arsenal 10 points off Champions League qualification in sixth place in the standings, while Watford stay in 10th.

A first-half header from Shkodran Mustafi and second-half strikes from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan sealed the win for the Gunners

Arsenal eased their way past Watford 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday, marking their first clean sheet in 12 league matches and settling nerves at the Emirates after a string of losses in 2018. A first-half header from Shkodran Mustafi and second-half strikes from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan sealed the win for the Gunners. Watford won a penalty when Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles was deemed to have brought down Roberto Pereyra, but Petr Cech got his fingertips to Troy Deeney's spot kick, nudging the ball onto the post and back out to roars of approval from the home crowd. The win leaves Arsenal 10 points off Champions League qualification in sixth place in the standings, while Watford stay in 10th.

EPL: Arsenal beat Watford 3-0 for first clean sheet in 12 league matches

Neymar already regrets moving to Paris Saint-Germain and is seeking a shock return to Barcelona, according to reports in the Spanish media on Friday.&nbsp;

In the same week that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-real-on-song-as-psg-falter-again-in-champions-league-34934" target="_blank">PSG crashed out</a> of the Champions League, and only seven months after he joined the club for a world record 222 million euros ($264 million, Neymar&acute;s future has become uncertain.&nbsp;

Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo claims the Brazilian, recovering from surgery on a broken foot in Brazil, has made contact with Barca to ask how he can engineer a return.&nbsp;

The article adds Neymar has explained he made a mistake in leaving the club, was wrong to want independence from Lionel Messi and has been disappointed by the standard of opposition in Ligue 1.&nbsp;

Barca, however, is not the only club Neymar is reportedly targeting as a potential way out of PSG.&nbsp;

Madrid-based newspaper AS reports Neymar&acute;s father has met with Real Madrid, who are ready to pay 400million euros to sign the striker.&nbsp;

Asked about the speculation on Friday, Real coach Zinedine Zidane said: &quot;Neymar could play in all the clubs because he is very good, like many players.&nbsp;

&quot;I&acute;m not going to talk about a player that is not mine. On the 400 million, they paid 220 million and when they bought me they paid 72.&nbsp;

&quot;It seemed crazy to me and 10 years later they are paying 220 million. It can be that in the next 10 years someone will pay 400m, or sooner, I do not know.&quot;

Mundo Deportivo concedes Neymar&acute;s courting of Barcelona may even be a tactic to justify a move to Real, given the Catalan club are likely to reject any chance to re-sign the 26-year-old.&nbsp;

Barcelona are still embroiled in a financial dispute over a bonus due to Neymar last summer, which the club cancelled when they believe it became clear he was moving to PSG.&nbsp;

Neymar missed PSG&#39;s last 16 loss to Real on Tuesday after undergoing surgery on a broken foot in Brazil last week.

Neymar joined PSG only seven months ago for a world record 222 million euros

Neymar already regrets moving to Paris Saint-Germain and is seeking a shock return to Barcelona, according to reports in the Spanish media on Friday. In the same week that PSG crashed out of the Champions League, and only seven months after he joined the club for a world record 222 million euros ($264 million, Neymar´s future has become uncertain. Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo claims the Brazilian, recovering from surgery on a broken foot in Brazil, has made contact with Barca to ask how he can engineer a return. The article adds Neymar has explained he made a mistake in leaving the club, was wrong to want independence from Lionel Messi and has been disappointed by the standard of opposition in Ligue 1. Barca, however, is not the only club Neymar is reportedly targeting as a potential way out of PSG. Madrid-based newspaper AS reports Neymar´s father has met with Real Madrid, who are ready to pay 400million euros to sign the striker. Asked about the speculation on Friday, Real coach Zinedine Zidane said: "Neymar could play in all the clubs because he is very good, like many players. "I´m not going to talk about a player that is not mine. On the 400 million, they paid 220 million and when they bought me they paid 72. "It seemed crazy to me and 10 years later they are paying 220 million. It can be that in the next 10 years someone will pay 400m, or sooner, I do not know." Mundo Deportivo concedes Neymar´s courting of Barcelona may even be a tactic to justify a move to Real, given the Catalan club are likely to reject any chance to re-sign the 26-year-old. Barcelona are still embroiled in a financial dispute over a bonus due to Neymar last summer, which the club cancelled when they believe it became clear he was moving to PSG. Neymar missed PSG's last 16 loss to Real on Tuesday after undergoing surgery on a broken foot in Brazil last week.

Neymar wants to return to Barcelona: Spanish reports

Minerva Punjab today triumphed against all odds less than a year after a miracle by another underdogs Aizawl FC, concluding an I-League season peppered with twists and turns never seen or felt before.

The 2017-18 league was down to the most dramatic final day in the competition&#39;s history with as many as four teams, including old guards Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, gunning for the title.

Debutants Neroca FC, surprisingly, were the other contenders.

For a club that is only in its second season in top-flight, the title triumph would easily qualify as some achievement.

In the process, they created history by becoming the first team from North India to win the Hero I-League.

William Asiedu Opoku&#39;s goal was enough to seal the title for Minerva Punjab, who beat Churchill Brothers by a solitary goal.

This is a landmark moment in Indian football where two relegation threatened teams have won back to back I-League titles. Last year it was Aizawl, this year it is Minerva Punjab from Chandigarh.

Churchill Brothers, on the other hand, got relegated as this defeat demotes them to second division.

Minerva Punjab&#39;s attacking trio of Chencho Gyeltshen, William and Girik Khosla combined well to put Churchill?s defence in jeopardy.

Chencho almost scored the opener in 8th minute when a low Khosla cross wasn?t dealt with properly by Osagie Monday, giving the Bhutanese ace a chance, but he couldn?t make full use of it.

Minutes later Akash Sangwan had an opportunity to score from left but his shot went straight into the keeper&#39;s hands.

The moment finally came in the 16th minute when William converted from point blank range after a rebound from Khosla&#39;s shot, which fell right into his feet.

William had another great chance in the injury time of first half but he couldn&#39;t control his effort and lost possession.

The first half ended with the home side leading 1-0.

The second half started with a flurry of attacks from Churchill Brothers who tried their best to come back but got unlucky on many occasions.

In the 49th minute, Sangwan?s pin point corner kick met Chencho header but his effort went just wide of target.

Churchill Brothers almost scored in the 51st minute when Britto got a chance from just six yards out but his weak effort hit the keeper. Ceesay took a long shot in the 54th minute but Kiran was there to save comfortably.

Monday tried his luck in the 59th minute but his wayward short was nowhere near the target. The big chance for Churchill came in the 61st minute when Ceesay created space inside box to set himself for a shot but ball just went over the crossbar.

Minerva should have doubled their lead in the 64th minute when Kassim Aidara played one two with Chencho but Chencho?s following cross towards Sangwan, who was unmarked, went out for a goal kick.

In the 65th minute, Britto missed the opportunity of the match so far when he went one on one with the keeper Kiran but Minerva shot stopper came out quickly to save his side.

In another show of combination play Chencho was brilliantly set up by William in the 73rd minute in the box but he decided to cut inside and in doing so lost possession.

Minerva centre back Eric Dano got a chance in the 80th minute when he took a shot after a deflected corner kick but his shot was nowhere near target.

Gangandeep Bali got a chance to get his name on the score-sheet but his weak effort didn&#39;t trouble the keeper.&nbsp;

As many as four teams, including old guards Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, were gunning for the title

Minerva Punjab today triumphed against all odds less than a year after a miracle by another underdogs Aizawl FC, concluding an I-League season peppered with twists and turns never seen or felt before. The 2017-18 league was down to the most dramatic final day in the competition's history with as many as four teams, including old guards Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, gunning for the title. Debutants Neroca FC, surprisingly, were the other contenders. For a club that is only in its second season in top-flight, the title triumph would easily qualify as some achievement. In the process, they created history by becoming the first team from North India to win the Hero I-League. William Asiedu Opoku's goal was enough to seal the title for Minerva Punjab, who beat Churchill Brothers by a solitary goal. This is a landmark moment in Indian football where two relegation threatened teams have won back to back I-League titles. Last year it was Aizawl, this year it is Minerva Punjab from Chandigarh. Churchill Brothers, on the other hand, got relegated as this defeat demotes them to second division. Minerva Punjab's attacking trio of Chencho Gyeltshen, William and Girik Khosla combined well to put Churchill?s defence in jeopardy. Chencho almost scored the opener in 8th minute when a low Khosla cross wasn?t dealt with properly by Osagie Monday, giving the Bhutanese ace a chance, but he couldn?t make full use of it. Minutes later Akash Sangwan had an opportunity to score from left but his shot went straight into the keeper's hands. The moment finally came in the 16th minute when William converted from point blank range after a rebound from Khosla's shot, which fell right into his feet. William had another great chance in the injury time of first half but he couldn't control his effort and lost possession. The first half ended with the home side leading 1-0. The second half started with a flurry of attacks from Churchill Brothers who tried their best to come back but got unlucky on many occasions. In the 49th minute, Sangwan?s pin point corner kick met Chencho header but his effort went just wide of target. Churchill Brothers almost scored in the 51st minute when Britto got a chance from just six yards out but his weak effort hit the keeper. Ceesay took a long shot in the 54th minute but Kiran was there to save comfortably. Monday tried his luck in the 59th minute but his wayward short was nowhere near the target. The big chance for Churchill came in the 61st minute when Ceesay created space inside box to set himself for a shot but ball just went over the crossbar. Minerva should have doubled their lead in the 64th minute when Kassim Aidara played one two with Chencho but Chencho?s following cross towards Sangwan, who was unmarked, went out for a goal kick. In the 65th minute, Britto missed the opportunity of the match so far when he went one on one with the keeper Kiran but Minerva shot stopper came out quickly to save his side. In another show of combination play Chencho was brilliantly set up by William in the 73rd minute in the box but he decided to cut inside and in doing so lost possession. Minerva centre back Eric Dano got a chance in the 80th minute when he took a shot after a deflected corner kick but his shot was nowhere near target. Gangandeep Bali got a chance to get his name on the score-sheet but his weak effort didn't trouble the keeper.

Against all odds, Minerva Punjab win I-League

Britain threatened on Tuesday to pull out of the soccer World Cup in Russia if Moscow was shown to be behind the mysterious illness that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ex-russian-spy-sergei-skripal-daughter-ill-after-exposure-to-unidentified-substance-in-britain-34897" target="_blank">struck down</a> a Russian former double agent convicted of betraying dozens of spies to British intelligence.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson named Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia&#39;s GRU military intelligence service, and his daughter, Yulia, as the two people who were found unconscious on Sunday on a bench outside a shopping centre in southern England.

Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter were exposed to what police said was an unknown substance in the English city of Salisbury. Both are still critically ill in intensive care.

&quot;We don&#39;t know exactly what has taken place in Salisbury, but if it&#39;s as bad as it looks, it is another crime in the litany of crimes that we can lay at Russia&#39;s door,&quot; Johnson told the British parliament.

&quot;It is clear that Russia, I&#39;m afraid, is now in many respects a malign and disruptive force, and the UK is in the lead across the world in trying to counteract that activity.&quot;

If Moscow was shown to be behind Skripal&#39;s illness, Johnson said, it would be difficult to see how Britain could attend the World Cup in Russia in June and July.

England is the only British national team to have qualified for the tournament, which is held every four years.

A previous British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210 in London. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in Litvinenko&#39;s killing.

Litvinenko, 43, an outspoken critic of Putin who fled Russia for Britain six years before he was poisoned, died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at London&rsquo;s Millennium Hotel.

It took some time for British doctors to discern the cause of Litvinenko&#39;s illness.

His murder sent Britain&#39;s relations with Russia to what was then a post-Cold War low. Relations suffered further from Russia&#39;s annexation of Crimea and military backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebels trying to topple him.

&nbsp;

RUSSIAN DOUBLE AGENT

While the British authorities said there was no known risk to the public from the unidentified substance, they sealed off the area where Skripal was found, a pizza restaurant called Zizzi and the Bishop&#39;s Mill pub in the centre of Salisbury.

Some investigators at one point wore yellow chemical suits, though most police at the scene did not.

Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after he was exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.

The Kremlin said it was ready to cooperate if Britain asked it for help investigating the incident with Skripal.

Calling it a &quot;tragic situation,&quot; Putin&#39;s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin had no information about the incident.

Asked to respond to British media speculation that Russia had poisoned Skripal, Peskov said: &quot;It didn&#39;t take them long.&quot;

Russia&#39;s embassy in London said the incident was being used to demonise Russia and that it was seriously concerned by British media reporting of the Skripal incident.

Russia&rsquo;s foreign spy service, known as the SVR, said it had no comment to make. Russia&rsquo;s foreign ministry, and the Russian counter-intelligence service, the FSB, did not immediately respond to questions submitted by Reuters about the case.

&nbsp;

FROM MOSCOW TO SALISBURY

Skripal was arrested in 2004 by Russia&#39;s Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.

Skripal, who was shown wearing a track suit in a cage in court during the sentencing, had admitted betraying agents to MI6 in return for money, some of it paid into a Spanish bank account, Russian media said at the time.

But he was pardoned in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev as part of a swap to bring 10 Russian agents held in the United States back to Moscow.

The swap, one of the biggest since the Cold War ended in 1991, took place on the tarmac of Vienna airport where a Russian and a U.S. jet parked side by side before the agents were exchanged.

One of the Russian spies exchanged for Skripal was Anna Chapman. She was one of 10 who tried to blend into American society in an apparent bid to get close to power brokers and learn secrets. They were arrested by the FBI in 2010.

The returning spies were greeted as heroes in Moscow. Putin, himself a former KGB officer, sang patriotic songs with them.

Skripal, though, was cast as a traitor by Moscow. He is thought to have done serious damage to Russian spy networks in Britain and Europe.

The GRU spy service, created in 1918 under revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky, is controlled by the military general staff and reports directly to the president. It has spies spread across the world.

Since emerging from the John le Carre world of high espionage and betrayal, Skripal lived modestly in Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found unconscious on Sunday at 1615 GMT.

Wiltshire police said a small number of emergency services personnel were examined immediately after the incident and all but one had been released from hospital.

Skripal&#39;s wife died shortly after her arrival in Britain from &quot;disseminated endometrial carcinoma,&quot; the Guardian newspaper reported. His son died on a recent visit to Russia.

A white and yellow police forensics tent covered the bench where Skripal was taken ill.

The World Cup this year is being held in Russia

Britain threatened on Tuesday to pull out of the soccer World Cup in Russia if Moscow was shown to be behind the mysterious illness that struck down a Russian former double agent convicted of betraying dozens of spies to British intelligence. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson named Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service, and his daughter, Yulia, as the two people who were found unconscious on Sunday on a bench outside a shopping centre in southern England. Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter were exposed to what police said was an unknown substance in the English city of Salisbury. Both are still critically ill in intensive care. "We don't know exactly what has taken place in Salisbury, but if it's as bad as it looks, it is another crime in the litany of crimes that we can lay at Russia's door," Johnson told the British parliament. "It is clear that Russia, I'm afraid, is now in many respects a malign and disruptive force, and the UK is in the lead across the world in trying to counteract that activity." If Moscow was shown to be behind Skripal's illness, Johnson said, it would be difficult to see how Britain could attend the World Cup in Russia in June and July. England is the only British national team to have qualified for the tournament, which is held every four years. A previous British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210 in London. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in Litvinenko's killing. Litvinenko, 43, an outspoken critic of Putin who fled Russia for Britain six years before he was poisoned, died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at London’s Millennium Hotel. It took some time for British doctors to discern the cause of Litvinenko's illness. His murder sent Britain's relations with Russia to what was then a post-Cold War low. Relations suffered further from Russia's annexation of Crimea and military backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebels trying to topple him. RUSSIAN DOUBLE AGENT While the British authorities said there was no known risk to the public from the unidentified substance, they sealed off the area where Skripal was found, a pizza restaurant called Zizzi and the Bishop's Mill pub in the centre of Salisbury. Some investigators at one point wore yellow chemical suits, though most police at the scene did not. Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after he was exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport. The Kremlin said it was ready to cooperate if Britain asked it for help investigating the incident with Skripal. Calling it a "tragic situation," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin had no information about the incident. Asked to respond to British media speculation that Russia had poisoned Skripal, Peskov said: "It didn't take them long." Russia's embassy in London said the incident was being used to demonise Russia and that it was seriously concerned by British media reporting of the Skripal incident. Russia’s foreign spy service, known as the SVR, said it had no comment to make. Russia’s foreign ministry, and the Russian counter-intelligence service, the FSB, did not immediately respond to questions submitted by Reuters about the case. FROM MOSCOW TO SALISBURY Skripal was arrested in 2004 by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial. Skripal, who was shown wearing a track suit in a cage in court during the sentencing, had admitted betraying agents to MI6 in return for money, some of it paid into a Spanish bank account, Russian media said at the time. But he was pardoned in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev as part of a swap to bring 10 Russian agents held in the United States back to Moscow. The swap, one of the biggest since the Cold War ended in 1991, took place on the tarmac of Vienna airport where a Russian and a U.S. jet parked side by side before the agents were exchanged. One of the Russian spies exchanged for Skripal was Anna Chapman. She was one of 10 who tried to blend into American society in an apparent bid to get close to power brokers and learn secrets. They were arrested by the FBI in 2010. The returning spies were greeted as heroes in Moscow. Putin, himself a former KGB officer, sang patriotic songs with them. Skripal, though, was cast as a traitor by Moscow. He is thought to have done serious damage to Russian spy networks in Britain and Europe. The GRU spy service, created in 1918 under revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky, is controlled by the military general staff and reports directly to the president. It has spies spread across the world. Since emerging from the John le Carre world of high espionage and betrayal, Skripal lived modestly in Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found unconscious on Sunday at 1615 GMT. Wiltshire police said a small number of emergency services personnel were examined immediately after the incident and all but one had been released from hospital. Skripal's wife died shortly after her arrival in Britain from "disseminated endometrial carcinoma," the Guardian newspaper reported. His son died on a recent visit to Russia. A white and yellow police forensics tent covered the bench where Skripal was taken ill.

England threatens to pull out of Football World Cup if Russia behind spy's mysterious illness

European Union to black list Pakistan for their terror activities. Pakistan is expected to give an undertaking against terror. If they fail to imply rules of the grey list then the country will run the risk of being included in the black list of FATF

European Union to black list Pakistan

A wanted criminal, carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head, was shot dead in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police in Meerut district on Saturday.

&quot;A criminal with the bounty of Rs&nbsp;50, 000 on his head was killed in the incident, we chased him down after we got information of his presence in the area,&quot; the Meerut Superintendent of Police, Manzil Saini said.&nbsp;

The man has been identified at Surjit, who was accused of killing three members of a family and was planning to target another person, say police. The Police on specific information chased him down and after an exchange of firing, he was shot dead.

Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week. Reports said the killings were due to family rivalry.

Apart from the murder of three persons, Surjit was also wanted in ten other cases including extortion and kidnapping, say police sources.

Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week

A wanted criminal, carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head, was shot dead in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police in Meerut district on Saturday. "A criminal with the bounty of Rs 50, 000 on his head was killed in the incident, we chased him down after we got information of his presence in the area," the Meerut Superintendent of Police, Manzil Saini said. The man has been identified at Surjit, who was accused of killing three members of a family and was planning to target another person, say police. The Police on specific information chased him down and after an exchange of firing, he was shot dead. Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week. Reports said the killings were due to family rivalry. Apart from the murder of three persons, Surjit was also wanted in ten other cases including extortion and kidnapping, say police sources.

Wanted man who killed family members shot in UP

Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five days on Thursday, beating them 3-0 on a freezing night at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead as they close in on the Premier League title.

Arsenal hoped for redemption after City thrashed them by the same scoreline in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday but first-half goals by Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Leroy Sane handed the Gunners their second home league loss this season.

Arsenal&#39;s club record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added to the home side&#39;s woes when his penalty was saved by Ederson early in the second half after fellow new arrival Henrikh Mkhitaryan was brought down just inside the area.

The win leaves Pep Guardiola&#39;s scintillating City side on 75 points from 28 games ahead of second-placed Manchester United and they only have to win five of their last 10 matches to be crowned champions for the third time in seven seasons.

&quot;We are close. It&#39;s in our hands, we can&#39;t deny it,&quot; Guardiola said, while stressing his team must focus on the next game at home to last season&#39;s champions Chelsea on Sunday.

He expressed some sympathy for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has faced renewed speculation over his future at the London club as the Gunners slide out of contention for Champions League football next season for the second year in a row.

&quot;He knows my admiration for him... I know all the managers can be in that situation. I&#39;m sure he&#39;s going to take the right decision for him and for the club,&quot; Guardiola told a post-match news conference without elaborating.

LOW CONFIDENCE

The result leaves Arsenal sixth, 10 points outside the top four places that guarantee Champions League football next term.

They can still qualify for Europe&#39;s elite club competition, but to do so they will almost certainly have to win the Europa League in which they meet AC Milan in the last 16.

&quot;We played with low confidence, you could see that at the start of the game and we paid for it,&quot; said Wenger.

&quot;We needed the penalty to go in, but that was another negative. We lost to a team that is the best in the country at the moment... The difference in the league is no coincidence.&quot;

On a snowy night at The Emirates, City&#39;s Portuguese forward Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 14th minute, collecting a pass after a long weaving run from Leroy Sane and delightfully curling his shot into the far corner past goalkeeper Petr Cech.

City sliced open Arsenal&#39;s defence again just before the half-hour, moving the ball swiftly upfield to Aguero who laid it into the path of David Silva racing up on the left, and the Spaniard drove a low shot into the corner to double the lead.

Sane made it 3-0 five minutes later, walking the ball into the goal after another quick-fire City move had bamboozled Arsenal&#39;s ramshackle defence who were left chasing shadows.

The young German&#39;s goal drew the first of many boos from the home fans in the less than full stadium as their team headed for home and away defeats by City for the first time in 42 years.

Arsenal had a chance to get back into the game when they won a penalty early in the second half but their Gabon striker Aubameyang saw his spot kick saved by Ederson to complete a miserable night that piles more pressure on Wenger&#39;s team.

Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five day, beating them 3-0 at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead at the top of the table

Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five days on Thursday, beating them 3-0 on a freezing night at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead as they close in on the Premier League title. Arsenal hoped for redemption after City thrashed them by the same scoreline in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday but first-half goals by Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Leroy Sane handed the Gunners their second home league loss this season. Arsenal's club record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added to the home side's woes when his penalty was saved by Ederson early in the second half after fellow new arrival Henrikh Mkhitaryan was brought down just inside the area. The win leaves Pep Guardiola's scintillating City side on 75 points from 28 games ahead of second-placed Manchester United and they only have to win five of their last 10 matches to be crowned champions for the third time in seven seasons. "We are close. It's in our hands, we can't deny it," Guardiola said, while stressing his team must focus on the next game at home to last season's champions Chelsea on Sunday. He expressed some sympathy for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has faced renewed speculation over his future at the London club as the Gunners slide out of contention for Champions League football next season for the second year in a row. "He knows my admiration for him... I know all the managers can be in that situation. I'm sure he's going to take the right decision for him and for the club," Guardiola told a post-match news conference without elaborating. LOW CONFIDENCE The result leaves Arsenal sixth, 10 points outside the top four places that guarantee Champions League football next term. They can still qualify for Europe's elite club competition, but to do so they will almost certainly have to win the Europa League in which they meet AC Milan in the last 16. "We played with low confidence, you could see that at the start of the game and we paid for it," said Wenger. "We needed the penalty to go in, but that was another negative. We lost to a team that is the best in the country at the moment... The difference in the league is no coincidence." On a snowy night at The Emirates, City's Portuguese forward Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 14th minute, collecting a pass after a long weaving run from Leroy Sane and delightfully curling his shot into the far corner past goalkeeper Petr Cech. City sliced open Arsenal's defence again just before the half-hour, moving the ball swiftly upfield to Aguero who laid it into the path of David Silva racing up on the left, and the Spaniard drove a low shot into the corner to double the lead. Sane made it 3-0 five minutes later, walking the ball into the goal after another quick-fire City move had bamboozled Arsenal's ramshackle defence who were left chasing shadows. The young German's goal drew the first of many boos from the home fans in the less than full stadium as their team headed for home and away defeats by City for the first time in 42 years. Arsenal had a chance to get back into the game when they won a penalty early in the second half but their Gabon striker Aubameyang saw his spot kick saved by Ederson to complete a miserable night that piles more pressure on Wenger's team.

EPL: Sparkling City close in on title by thrashing Arsenal again

Disgraced former British youth coach Barry Bennell was on Thursday found guilty of 43 counts of sexual abuse against 11 boys aged between eight and 15 in a case that has rocked English football.

Bennell, 64, who coached at Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra, was found guilty of indecent assault, buggery and attempted buggery and police said 86 more complainants have come forward since the case started.

&quot;Barry Bennell is a predatory paedophile who groomed and abused young boys who dreamed of a career in professional football,&quot; prosecutor Jackie Lamb said after the trial concluded at Liverpool Crown Court.

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The case has sparked wider allegations of sexual and physical abuse of boys at football clubs in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, some of whom went on to become heroes of the terraces and international stars.

Nearly 800 victims have come forward against more than 100 coaches, leading to accusations that some of the game&#39;s most famous and loved clubs covered up allegations of abuse of boys in their care.

&quot;My parents thought I was safe,&quot; victim Steven Walters said outside court. &quot;They trusted the club, the staff, the senior management.

&quot;For years, hundreds of us were groomed in plain view. How can it be that no one realised something was wrong?

&quot;We suffered because a culture of complacency and cover-up was allowed to take root.&quot;

&#39;All worthwhile&#39; 
The scandal broke in late 2016 when former Liverpool and Tottenham star Paul Stewart broke his 40-year silence and revealed how he was abused as a teenager, shortly after former Crewe player Andy Woodward went public with allegations against Bennell.

&quot;I can&#39;t put it into words how difficult these last 15 months have been for me and my family,&quot; Woodward said outside court.

&quot;I feel such gratitude and I&#39;m proud of what I&#39;ve achieved, it was all worthwhile,&quot; he added.

The former youth player demanded that authorities and clubs reveal what they knew.

The clubs &quot;could have stopped this,&quot; he said.

&quot;I would personally like... an apology from Crewe Alexandra. The FA has been very quiet. I hope now they will speak out.&quot;

Crewe Alexandra put out a statement expressing its &quot;deepest sympathies&quot; to Bennell&#39;s victims.

The club said it was not aware of any sexual abuse by Bennell and only became aware of any offences committed by him when he was arrested in the United States in 1994.

During the trial, another victim revealed how four players coached by Bennell had gone on to commit suicide, including Newcastle and Wales star Gary Speed, who hanged himself in November 2011, at the age of 42.

England&#39;s Football Association (FA) opened an inquiry into the scandal in 2016, headed by lawyer Clive Sheldon.

He was due to report back in the New Year, but the sheer weight of accusations has put back its publication.

Any new information unearthed is being handed to Operation Hydrant, a wider police investigation into child abuse.

Premier League giants Chelsea were forced to apologise in 2016 after admitting to paying former player Gary Johnson &pound;50,000 ($70,000, 56,000 euros) to keep quiet about the abuse he suffered while in the club&#39;s youth team in the 1970s.

Meanwhile, Premier League leaders Manchester City are conducting their own review into Bennell&#39;s activities while at the club.

The club said it was examining &quot;a number of reports of historic anomalous behaviours.. over a period spanning more than 50 years&quot;.

The abuse of young sportspeople by those supposed to be in charge of their welfare was thrown into focus in the United States with the conviction earlier this year of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who sexually abused girls and young women for decades.

Nassar faces a lifetime behind bars after being accused by some 265 women -- including Olympians and collegiate athletes -- of sexually abusing them over more than two decades.

Bennell will be sentenced at a later date.

Barry Bennell coached at Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra

Disgraced former British youth coach Barry Bennell was on Thursday found guilty of 43 counts of sexual abuse against 11 boys aged between eight and 15 in a case that has rocked English football. Bennell, 64, who coached at Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra, was found guilty of indecent assault, buggery and attempted buggery and police said 86 more complainants have come forward since the case started. "Barry Bennell is a predatory paedophile who groomed and abused young boys who dreamed of a career in professional football," prosecutor Jackie Lamb said after the trial concluded at Liverpool Crown Court. Bennell was found guilty of sexually abusing 11 boys aged between eight and 15. Police said 86 more complainants have come forward since the case started × The case has sparked wider allegations of sexual and physical abuse of boys at football clubs in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, some of whom went on to become heroes of the terraces and international stars. Nearly 800 victims have come forward against more than 100 coaches, leading to accusations that some of the game's most famous and loved clubs covered up allegations of abuse of boys in their care. "My parents thought I was safe," victim Steven Walters said outside court. "They trusted the club, the staff, the senior management. "For years, hundreds of us were groomed in plain view. How can it be that no one realised something was wrong? "We suffered because a culture of complacency and cover-up was allowed to take root." 'All worthwhile' The scandal broke in late 2016 when former Liverpool and Tottenham star Paul Stewart broke his 40-year silence and revealed how he was abused as a teenager, shortly after former Crewe player Andy Woodward went public with allegations against Bennell. "I can't put it into words how difficult these last 15 months have been for me and my family," Woodward said outside court. "I feel such gratitude and I'm proud of what I've achieved, it was all worthwhile," he added. The former youth player demanded that authorities and clubs reveal what they knew. The clubs "could have stopped this," he said. "I would personally like... an apology from Crewe Alexandra. The FA has been very quiet. I hope now they will speak out." Crewe Alexandra put out a statement expressing its "deepest sympathies" to Bennell's victims. The club said it was not aware of any sexual abuse by Bennell and only became aware of any offences committed by him when he was arrested in the United States in 1994. During the trial, another victim revealed how four players coached by Bennell had gone on to commit suicide, including Newcastle and Wales star Gary Speed, who hanged himself in November 2011, at the age of 42. England's Football Association (FA) opened an inquiry into the scandal in 2016, headed by lawyer Clive Sheldon. He was due to report back in the New Year, but the sheer weight of accusations has put back its publication. Any new information unearthed is being handed to Operation Hydrant, a wider police investigation into child abuse. Premier League giants Chelsea were forced to apologise in 2016 after admitting to paying former player Gary Johnson £50,000 ($70,000, 56,000 euros) to keep quiet about the abuse he suffered while in the club's youth team in the 1970s. Meanwhile, Premier League leaders Manchester City are conducting their own review into Bennell's activities while at the club. The club said it was examining "a number of reports of historic anomalous behaviours.. over a period spanning more than 50 years". The abuse of young sportspeople by those supposed to be in charge of their welfare was thrown into focus in the United States with the conviction earlier this year of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who sexually abused girls and young women for decades. Nassar faces a lifetime behind bars after being accused by some 265 women -- including Olympians and collegiate athletes -- of sexually abusing them over more than two decades. Bennell will be sentenced at a later date.

Ex-UK football coach found guilty on 43 charges of child sex abuse

Two goals from Eden Hazard helped Chelsea cruise to a 4-0 victory at Brighton &amp; Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday for their first league win of 2018.

Chelsea&#39;s midweek penalty shootout success over Norwich City in the FA Cup meant they had drawn their last five games in regulation time in all competitions but Hazard and Willian struck inside six minutes to set them on their way on Saturday.

Brighton tried to get back into the match but were denied by the bar, some fine saves by Willy Caballero -- making his first league start for Chelsea in place of injured Thibaut Courtois -- while having two penalty appeals waved away by the referee.

With Brighton pushing forward, Hazard brilliantly netted a third 13 minutes from time before Victor Moses made it four late on. The win took Chelsea above Liverpool -- who play on Monday -- into third . One win in 13 league games leaves Brighton 16th.

Chelsea's midweek penalty shootout success over Norwich City in the FA Cup meant they had drawn their last five games in regulation time in all competitions

Two goals from Eden Hazard helped Chelsea cruise to a 4-0 victory at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday for their first league win of 2018. Chelsea's midweek penalty shootout success over Norwich City in the FA Cup meant they had drawn their last five games in regulation time in all competitions but Hazard and Willian struck inside six minutes to set them on their way on Saturday. Brighton tried to get back into the match but were denied by the bar, some fine saves by Willy Caballero -- making his first league start for Chelsea in place of injured Thibaut Courtois -- while having two penalty appeals waved away by the referee. With Brighton pushing forward, Hazard brilliantly netted a third 13 minutes from time before Victor Moses made it four late on. The win took Chelsea above Liverpool -- who play on Monday -- into third . One win in 13 league games leaves Brighton 16th.

Hazard nets double as Chelsea ease to victory at Brighton

BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday said the Union Budget would ensure that development touched all sections of society and help the government realise its dream of a &quot;New India&quot; by 2022.

Speaking to the media here, Shah highlighted various budget provisions, especially those aimed at weaker sections, and said it was a pro-people Budget that would take the country ahead on the path to development.

The Budget gives &quot;new wings&quot; to the aspirations of the poor, he said, citing measures aimed at giving a boost to farmers, infrastructure, rural sector and small and medium enterprises.

Shah also posted a number of tweets as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented his fifth straight budget today to highlight the significance of the measures, especially those for the weaker sections.

This is the last full-fledged budget of the BJP-led NDA government before the next Lok Sabha polls, scheduled for 2019, and the ruling alliance hopes that its emphasis on the rural sector will help it connect with the masses as the elections approach.

The BJP president said the &quot;record allocation&quot; to the rural sector and agriculture would lead to the unprecedented rural development and agricultural growth and asserted that the consistent focus on these sectors had been a hallmark of the government.

He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaitley for the &quot;historic&quot; step of raising MSPs to 1.5 times the costs incurred by farmers and said it showed the government&#39;s commitment to farmers and resolve of doubling their income.

&quot;This budget gives new wings to the aspirations of the poor, farmers and the middle class. The #NewIndiaBudget will truly empower all sections of society to attain prosperity,&quot; he tweeted.

There was a &quot;tremendous stress&quot; on improving the ease of living for the common man and this was happening by improving affordability and access and would give a boost to the aspirations of the common man, Shah added.

He also termed the government&#39;s &quot;Ayushman Bharat&quot; scheme an unparalleled initiative to ensure &quot;health insurance as well as health assurance&quot;.

Protecting 10 crore families, which is about 40 per cent of India&#39;s population, with a health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family, was a global first, he said.

The scheme had received a good response from the people, who were calling it &quot;ModiCare&quot;, he added.

The proposed &quot;Eklavya Schools&quot; in tribal blocks reflected the govt&#39;s resolve to uplift tribal communities and help them secure a better future, he said.

The &quot;significant benefits&quot; to the MSME sector would not only give relief to small and medium entrepreneurs but also help them achieve new heights of development, he added.

&quot;I thank the government for the budgetary allocation of Rs 3 lakh crore under the &#39;Mudra Yojana&#39; for the year 2018- 2019 that will boost employment generation. This will especially benefit women, OBC, SC &amp; ST, as so far 76 per cent of loan accounts are of women and more than 50 per cent belong to SC, ST &amp; OBC,&quot; Shah said.

Building a solid Infrastructure for a &#39;New India&#39; has always been the focus of the government and the BJP welcomed and appreciated the record allotment to infrastructure and hastening the pace of completion, Shah said.

Reducing corporate tax to 25 per cent was a major initiative towards creating a competitive environment for doing business in India and was in line with global standards, he said.

&quot;The Modi government has continuously improved fiscal deficit since its first budget. The target of 3.3 per cent for 2018-19 is another effort in the same direction and will certainly improve investor confidence in the Indian economy,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

"This budget gives new wings to the aspirations of the poor, farmers and the middle class. The #NewIndiaBudget will truly empower all sections of society to attain prosperity," he tweeted.

BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday said the Union Budget would ensure that development touched all sections of society and help the government realise its dream of a "New India" by 2022. Speaking to the media here, Shah highlighted various budget provisions, especially those aimed at weaker sections, and said it was a pro-people Budget that would take the country ahead on the path to development. The Budget gives "new wings" to the aspirations of the poor, he said, citing measures aimed at giving a boost to farmers, infrastructure, rural sector and small and medium enterprises. Shah also posted a number of tweets as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented his fifth straight budget today to highlight the significance of the measures, especially those for the weaker sections. This is the last full-fledged budget of the BJP-led NDA government before the next Lok Sabha polls, scheduled for 2019, and the ruling alliance hopes that its emphasis on the rural sector will help it connect with the masses as the elections approach. The BJP president said the "record allocation" to the rural sector and agriculture would lead to the unprecedented rural development and agricultural growth and asserted that the consistent focus on these sectors had been a hallmark of the government. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaitley for the "historic" step of raising MSPs to 1.5 times the costs incurred by farmers and said it showed the government's commitment to farmers and resolve of doubling their income. "This budget gives new wings to the aspirations of the poor, farmers and the middle class. The #NewIndiaBudget will truly empower all sections of society to attain prosperity," he tweeted. There was a "tremendous stress" on improving the ease of living for the common man and this was happening by improving affordability and access and would give a boost to the aspirations of the common man, Shah added. He also termed the government's "Ayushman Bharat" scheme an unparalleled initiative to ensure "health insurance as well as health assurance". Protecting 10 crore families, which is about 40 per cent of India's population, with a health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family, was a global first, he said. The scheme had received a good response from the people, who were calling it "ModiCare", he added. The proposed "Eklavya Schools" in tribal blocks reflected the govt's resolve to uplift tribal communities and help them secure a better future, he said. The "significant benefits" to the MSME sector would not only give relief to small and medium entrepreneurs but also help them achieve new heights of development, he added. "I thank the government for the budgetary allocation of Rs 3 lakh crore under the 'Mudra Yojana' for the year 2018- 2019 that will boost employment generation. This will especially benefit women, OBC, SC & ST, as so far 76 per cent of loan accounts are of women and more than 50 per cent belong to SC, ST & OBC," Shah said. Building a solid Infrastructure for a 'New India' has always been the focus of the government and the BJP welcomed and appreciated the record allotment to infrastructure and hastening the pace of completion, Shah said. Reducing corporate tax to 25 per cent was a major initiative towards creating a competitive environment for doing business in India and was in line with global standards, he said. "The Modi government has continuously improved fiscal deficit since its first budget. The target of 3.3 per cent for 2018-19 is another effort in the same direction and will certainly improve investor confidence in the Indian economy," he said.

Budget gives new wings to aspirations of poor, says Amit Shah

Wales have appointed former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs as their manager, the Football Association of Wales announced on social media on Monday.

The 44-year-old takes over from Chris Coleman, who led Wales to the Euro 2016 semi-finals but quit the job in November to take charge of English Championship (second tier) side Sunderland.

Giggs won 64 caps between 1991 and 2007 but was unpopular with some Wales fans for missing many internationals, especially friendlies.

He ended his playing career in 2014 and was Louis van Gaal&#39;s assistant at Old Trafford for the following two seasons before leaving United in 2016 after Jose Mourinho was appointed as manager.

Ryan Giggs takes over from Chris Coleman, who led Wales to the Euro 2016 semi-finals but quit the job in November

Wales have appointed former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs as their manager, the Football Association of Wales announced on social media on Monday. The 44-year-old takes over from Chris Coleman, who led Wales to the Euro 2016 semi-finals but quit the job in November to take charge of English Championship (second tier) side Sunderland. Giggs won 64 caps between 1991 and 2007 but was unpopular with some Wales fans for missing many internationals, especially friendlies. He ended his playing career in 2014 and was Louis van Gaal's assistant at Old Trafford for the following two seasons before leaving United in 2016 after Jose Mourinho was appointed as manager.

Football: Wales name Ryan Giggs as manager

The form table suggests Liverpool have realistic hopes of disrupting Manchester City&#39;s waltz towards the Premier League title when they meet on Sunday, although they must quickly learn how to cope without Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian playmaker completed a 142 million-pound ($192 million) move to Barcelona on Monday, meaning Juergen Klopp&#39;s &quot;fab four&quot; up front is now just a three.

Unbeaten City are 15 points clear at the top of the table, having scored more goals than anybody with 64, but fourth-placed Liverpool come second on that count with 50.

Klopp&#39;s side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22.

Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah is set to return from injury and he and Sadio Mane are likely to play either side of striker Roberto Firmino.

Although Coutinho will no longer be able to provide the trio with ammunition, they still have the speed and guile to trouble Pep Guardiola&#39;s side at the back.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer believes the Reds can get at City&#39;s defence.

&quot;We know Manchester City&#39;s quality, we know that they&#39;re running away with (the league) at the minute, but I think, on their day, Liverpool can match anybody,&quot; McAteer told the Liverpool website.

&quot;They&#39;re so good going forward. You&#39;ve got to be (wary) of the attacking prowess that they&#39;ve got but there are areas of weakness.

&quot;If you can get in between the lines and at the two centre-halves, which I feel we can, then there are chances and goals there.&quot;

City, however, will look to repeat their dominant 5-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad in September, although they will be without injured striker Gabriel Jesus, who scored a brace that day.

This time they will have Virgil van Dijk in their way with the Liverpool defender set to make his Premier League debut after his move from Southampton.

Van Dijk enjoyed a dramatic debut for his new team in the FA Cup, scoring late on against Everton to earn Liverpool a derby victory.

City&#39;s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said his team would just focus on their own performance.

&quot;We go there to win the game,&quot; he said. &quot;They will have a very strong team and they want to be there for the Champions League (places).

&quot;We just try to do the things that we do well and then we will see what happens.&quot;

Second-placed Manchester United host Stoke City on Monday, the visitors currently without a coach after sacking Mark Hughes following their FA Cup defeat by League Two Coventry City.

Coach Eddie Niedzwiecki is in temporary charge of the team for the trip to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho&#39;s side anxious to keep ahead of the chasing pack behind Manchester City.

The Portuguese has been embroiled in a war of words with Chelsea coach Antonio Conte, whose side host Leicester City on Saturday when a victory would see them provisionally move above United into second.

Tottenham host Everton on Saturday and Arsenal travel to Bournemouth on Sunday. Crystal Palace face Burnley, Huddersfield meet West Ham United and Newcastle United entertain Swansea City in other weekend matches.

Klopp's side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22.

The form table suggests Liverpool have realistic hopes of disrupting Manchester City's waltz towards the Premier League title when they meet on Sunday, although they must quickly learn how to cope without Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian playmaker completed a 142 million-pound ($192 million) move to Barcelona on Monday, meaning Juergen Klopp's "fab four" up front is now just a three. Unbeaten City are 15 points clear at the top of the table, having scored more goals than anybody with 64, but fourth-placed Liverpool come second on that count with 50. Klopp's side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22. Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah is set to return from injury and he and Sadio Mane are likely to play either side of striker Roberto Firmino. Although Coutinho will no longer be able to provide the trio with ammunition, they still have the speed and guile to trouble Pep Guardiola's side at the back. Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer believes the Reds can get at City's defence. "We know Manchester City's quality, we know that they're running away with (the league) at the minute, but I think, on their day, Liverpool can match anybody," McAteer told the Liverpool website. "They're so good going forward. You've got to be (wary) of the attacking prowess that they've got but there are areas of weakness. "If you can get in between the lines and at the two centre-halves, which I feel we can, then there are chances and goals there." City, however, will look to repeat their dominant 5-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad in September, although they will be without injured striker Gabriel Jesus, who scored a brace that day. This time they will have Virgil van Dijk in their way with the Liverpool defender set to make his Premier League debut after his move from Southampton. Van Dijk enjoyed a dramatic debut for his new team in the FA Cup, scoring late on against Everton to earn Liverpool a derby victory. City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said his team would just focus on their own performance. "We go there to win the game," he said. "They will have a very strong team and they want to be there for the Champions League (places). "We just try to do the things that we do well and then we will see what happens." Second-placed Manchester United host Stoke City on Monday, the visitors currently without a coach after sacking Mark Hughes following their FA Cup defeat by League Two Coventry City. Coach Eddie Niedzwiecki is in temporary charge of the team for the trip to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho's side anxious to keep ahead of the chasing pack behind Manchester City. The Portuguese has been embroiled in a war of words with Chelsea coach Antonio Conte, whose side host Leicester City on Saturday when a victory would see them provisionally move above United into second. Tottenham host Everton on Saturday and Arsenal travel to Bournemouth on Sunday. Crystal Palace face Burnley, Huddersfield meet West Ham United and Newcastle United entertain Swansea City in other weekend matches.

Football: Liverpool, without Philippe Coutinho, out to halt Manchester City march

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Wednesday confirmed that he has signed a contract extension which will keep him at the European champions until 2020.

&quot;It&#39;s signed,&quot; said the French star after his side drew 2-2 with Numancia to progress to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey 5-2 on aggregate.

After a dream start at Real, with eight trophies out of a possible 10, Zidane has endured a tough season with his side 16 points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race.

And the 45-year-old cautioned: &quot;I&#39;m enjoying what I do every day, because that&#39;s the way it is. I can&#39;t imagine myself as a coach in two, three years, because things are not like that. I know how it goes, nothing more, even with this contract it does not change anything.&quot;

On Wednesday, Real fielded an almost unrecognisable team and struggled into the Copa del Rey last-eight.

Zidane could afford to rest his superstars with one eye on La Liga and the Champions League last 16 with a clash against Paris Saint-Germain next month.

However, they were far from convincing at the Bernabeu. Lucas Vazquez scored both of Real&#39;s goals after the 11th and 59th minutes.

But on both occasions, their modest visitors fought back thanks to a brace from Guillermo on the stroke of half-time and then after 82 minutes.

Numancia ended the game with 10 men after captain Dani Calvo was red-carded in the dying moments.

Leganes, a modest club from the Madrid suburbs, reached the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey for the first time in their 89-year existence.

Despite losing 2-1 at Villarreal, who are currently sixth in La Liga, Leganes progressed on away goals having won the first leg 1-0. Moroccan international Nabil El Zhar scored the crucial away goal for mid-table Leganes on the half-hour mark.

In the night&#39;s other early second leg tie, last season&#39;s runners-up Alaves downed third division Formentera 2-0 for a 5-1 aggregate win.

On Thursday, three-time defending champions Barcelona host Celta Vigo with the two sides locked at 1-1.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde insisted that despite the high-profile capture of Philippe Coutinho, who can&#39;t play for around three weeks due to a thigh injury, his team&#39;s character will not change with the Brazilian&#39;s arrival.

&quot;The Barca model will stay the same,&quot; he said Wednesday.

&quot;The club always has the chance to go into the market to buy the great players. But at the same time, Barca will continue to nurture young players at the training centre to maintain the style and identity.

&quot;That&#39;s still the case today.&quot;

After a dream start at Real, with eight trophies out of a possible 10, Zidane has endured a tough season with his side 16 points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Wednesday confirmed that he has signed a contract extension which will keep him at the European champions until 2020. "It's signed," said the French star after his side drew 2-2 with Numancia to progress to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey 5-2 on aggregate. After a dream start at Real, with eight trophies out of a possible 10, Zidane has endured a tough season with his side 16 points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race. And the 45-year-old cautioned: "I'm enjoying what I do every day, because that's the way it is. I can't imagine myself as a coach in two, three years, because things are not like that. I know how it goes, nothing more, even with this contract it does not change anything." On Wednesday, Real fielded an almost unrecognisable team and struggled into the Copa del Rey last-eight. Zidane could afford to rest his superstars with one eye on La Liga and the Champions League last 16 with a clash against Paris Saint-Germain next month. However, they were far from convincing at the Bernabeu. Lucas Vazquez scored both of Real's goals after the 11th and 59th minutes. But on both occasions, their modest visitors fought back thanks to a brace from Guillermo on the stroke of half-time and then after 82 minutes. Numancia ended the game with 10 men after captain Dani Calvo was red-carded in the dying moments. Leganes, a modest club from the Madrid suburbs, reached the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey for the first time in their 89-year existence. Despite losing 2-1 at Villarreal, who are currently sixth in La Liga, Leganes progressed on away goals having won the first leg 1-0. Moroccan international Nabil El Zhar scored the crucial away goal for mid-table Leganes on the half-hour mark. In the night's other early second leg tie, last season's runners-up Alaves downed third division Formentera 2-0 for a 5-1 aggregate win. On Thursday, three-time defending champions Barcelona host Celta Vigo with the two sides locked at 1-1. Barca coach Ernesto Valverde insisted that despite the high-profile capture of Philippe Coutinho, who can't play for around three weeks due to a thigh injury, his team's character will not change with the Brazilian's arrival. "The Barca model will stay the same," he said Wednesday. "The club always has the chance to go into the market to buy the great players. But at the same time, Barca will continue to nurture young players at the training centre to maintain the style and identity. "That's still the case today."

Zinedine Zidane pens new Real Madrid deal until 2020

Atletico Madrid&#39;s Diego Costa scored on his home debut in a 2-0 win over Getafe and was immediately sent off for an over-zealous celebration as the former Chelsea striker marked a typically eventful return to La Liga on Saturday.

Real Betis beat fierce city rivals Sevilla for the first time in the league since 2012 by winning a thrilling derby 5-3 away from home as Vincenzo Montella lost his first game as a coach in La Liga.

Elsewhere, Valencia hit back from two straight defeats by coming from behind to beat Girona 2-1 and hold on to third place in the standings in coach Marcelino&#39;s first game back in the dugout after being involved in a serious car crash before Christmas.

Atletico are second on 39 points, six behind leaders Barcelona who host Levante on Sunday. Valencia are third with 37 while Real Madrid, who visit Celta Vigo on Sunday and have another game in hand, are fourth on 31.

Angel Correa had put Atletico ahead against Getafe in the 18th minute while Costa sent the fans in the Wanda Metropolitano stadium into delirium by scoring the second goal in the 67th, creating a mini-surge as supporters ran down to embrace their returning hero who also played for the club from 2010-2014.

Leaving the pitch to celebrate with the fans automatically incurs a booking and, as Costa had already been shown a yellow card for elbowing Djene Dakonam, referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero had no choice but to send him off.

Costa, who returned to Atletico from Chelsea for 57 million pounds ($77 million) in September but could not play until January due to a ban on the club registering new players, will be suspended for Atletico&#39;s next Liga game at Eibar.

The 29-year-old had scored his first goal in his second spell at Atletico in a 4-0 win at Lleida Esportiu in the King&#39;s Cup on Wednesday less than six minutes after coming on.

Costa was a heroic figure at Atletico&#39;s old home the Vicente Calderon for firing them to their first league title in 18 years in 2014 and he brought much-needed aggression to their front line.

No complaints

Atletico coach Diego Simeone had no complaints about Costa&#39;s sending-off.

&quot;I&#39;d like to focus on all the good things Costa did, his presence made us more direct, he strikes fear into opponents, everyone can see that and that makes us all so happy,&quot; Simeone told reporters.

&quot;The referee is here to follow the rules and not make emotional decisions.&quot;

Sevilla coach Montella, who was sacked by AC Milan in November, got off to a nightmare start in La Liga game as his new team were beaten at home for the first time in any competition since November, 2016.

Betis, who scored five goals for the first time ever against Sevilla, struck in the opening minute through Fabian Ruiz. They lost their lead twice before halftime but went 4-2 ahead in the second half through Riza Durmisi and Sergio Leon.

Clement Lenglet&#39;s goal made for a nail-biting finish but Cristian Tello sealed victory for Betis with a counter-attack goal in stoppage-time, taking his side up to eighth in the standings.

&quot;This win gives us immense happiness, we showed big hearts and cold heads,&quot; Betis captain Joaquin said.

&quot;No-one can rest tonight, anyone who gets home before five in the morning should be fined.&quot;

Atletico are second on 39 points, six behind leaders Barcelona who host Levante on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa scored on his home debut in a 2-0 win over Getafe and was immediately sent off for an over-zealous celebration as the former Chelsea striker marked a typically eventful return to La Liga on Saturday. Real Betis beat fierce city rivals Sevilla for the first time in the league since 2012 by winning a thrilling derby 5-3 away from home as Vincenzo Montella lost his first game as a coach in La Liga. Elsewhere, Valencia hit back from two straight defeats by coming from behind to beat Girona 2-1 and hold on to third place in the standings in coach Marcelino's first game back in the dugout after being involved in a serious car crash before Christmas. Atletico are second on 39 points, six behind leaders Barcelona who host Levante on Sunday. Valencia are third with 37 while Real Madrid, who visit Celta Vigo on Sunday and have another game in hand, are fourth on 31. Angel Correa had put Atletico ahead against Getafe in the 18th minute while Costa sent the fans in the Wanda Metropolitano stadium into delirium by scoring the second goal in the 67th, creating a mini-surge as supporters ran down to embrace their returning hero who also played for the club from 2010-2014. Leaving the pitch to celebrate with the fans automatically incurs a booking and, as Costa had already been shown a yellow card for elbowing Djene Dakonam, referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero had no choice but to send him off. Costa, who returned to Atletico from Chelsea for 57 million pounds ($77 million) in September but could not play until January due to a ban on the club registering new players, will be suspended for Atletico's next Liga game at Eibar. The 29-year-old had scored his first goal in his second spell at Atletico in a 4-0 win at Lleida Esportiu in the King's Cup on Wednesday less than six minutes after coming on. Costa was a heroic figure at Atletico's old home the Vicente Calderon for firing them to their first league title in 18 years in 2014 and he brought much-needed aggression to their front line. No complaints Atletico coach Diego Simeone had no complaints about Costa's sending-off. "I'd like to focus on all the good things Costa did, his presence made us more direct, he strikes fear into opponents, everyone can see that and that makes us all so happy," Simeone told reporters. "The referee is here to follow the rules and not make emotional decisions." Sevilla coach Montella, who was sacked by AC Milan in November, got off to a nightmare start in La Liga game as his new team were beaten at home for the first time in any competition since November, 2016. Betis, who scored five goals for the first time ever against Sevilla, struck in the opening minute through Fabian Ruiz. They lost their lead twice before halftime but went 4-2 ahead in the second half through Riza Durmisi and Sergio Leon. Clement Lenglet's goal made for a nail-biting finish but Cristian Tello sealed victory for Betis with a counter-attack goal in stoppage-time, taking his side up to eighth in the standings. "This win gives us immense happiness, we showed big hearts and cold heads," Betis captain Joaquin said. "No-one can rest tonight, anyone who gets home before five in the morning should be fined."

Football: Costa scores and sent off on Atletico return, Betis beat Sevilla

Hector Bellerin came to Arsenal&#39;s rescue as the defender&#39;s last-gasp strike earned a dramatic 2-2 draw in a heated London derby against Chelsea on Wednesday.

Bellerin looked set to be the villain of the piece for Arsenal after the Spaniard&#39;s foul on Eden Hazard conceded a penalty that allowed the Chelsea star to cancel out Jack Wilshere&#39;s opener.

When Marcos Alonso put Chelsea in front with just six minutes left at the Emirates Stadium, Bellerin&#39;s misery seemed complete.

But the 22-year-old enjoyed a sweet moment of redemption in the 90th minute as he lashed in only his second goal of the season.

The frenetic conclusion to a thrilling encounter actually did little for either team&#39;s prospects in the Premier League.

Chelsea remain in third place, one point behind Manchester United and 16 adrift of runaway leaders Manchester City.

Arsenal, who have now won only once in 13 league meetings with Chelsea, are languishing in sixth place, five points behind fourth placed Liverpool in the battle to qualify for the Champions League.

In an early sign of the drama to come, Alvaro Morata squandered a golden opportunity to put Chelsea ahead when Arsenal defender Calum Chambers completely misjudged a long pass.

Morata pounced on the loose ball and sprinted clear but with only Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech to beat, the Spain striker scuffed woefully wide.

Foreshadowing the penalty angst to come for Wenger, Ainsley Maitland-Niles had a spot-kick appeal turned down following Victor Moses&#39; challenge.

It looked a good decision by referee Anthony Taylor however and there was more frustration for Wenger moments later.

Alexis Sanchez wriggled into position for a powerful shot that Thibaut Courtois pushed onto one post, with the ball rolling agonisingly along the goalline, then hitting the other post before rebounding into the keeper&#39;s arms.

If that was a stroke of luck for Chelsea, there was no fortune about Courtois&#39;s next contribution as he produced a fine save to deny Alexandre Lacazette after the Arsenal forward turned Gary Cahill and unleashed a powerful low strike.

Arsenal&#39;s Mesut Ozil almost opened the scoring just before half-time with a stinging drive that whistled narrowly wide.

- Conspiracies - 
Cech was called into action twice in quick succession after the interval as he repelled Hazard&#39;s low shot and palmed away Alonso&#39;s header.

Courtois was matching Cech save for save and the Belgian produced another brilliant block to stop Lacazette&#39;s close-range effort.

But the Chelsea keeper was finally beaten in the 63rd minute.

Ozil picked out Rob Holding on the edge of the area and when the defender&#39;s pass was deflected into Wilshere&#39;s path, he reacted instinctively to drive his shot high into the net at Courtois&#39;s near post.

It was Wilshere&#39;s first league goal since May 2015, although he might have been fortune to still be on the pitch after avoiding a second booking for a theatrical tumble just before he scored.

Yet the crucial moment in a pulsating clash came just four minutes later.&nbsp;

As Hazard twisted and turned inside the Arsenal area, Bellerin rashly stuck out a leg to halt his progress and Taylor pointed to the spot.

Hazard stepped up to convert the 67th minute penalty for his ninth Chelsea goal this season.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had ranted darkly about refereeing conspiracies after Arsenal&#39;s Calum Chambers conceded a debatable penalty for handball in Sunday&#39;s draw at West Bromwich Albion.

The Frenchman has already been charged by the Football Association for his angry protests at the weekend, but his expression after the decision suggests another blast is in the offing.

When Alonso timed his run perfectly to meet Davide Zappacosta&#39;s cross with a cool finish in the 84th minute, it seemed certain Chelsea would start 2018 in winning style.

But Bellerin was determined not to end the night as the fall guy and the wing-back pounced on Alonso&#39;s weak header to crash in the equaliser.

Even then there was almost a sting in the tale when Zappacosta smashed against the bar in stoppage-time.

The defender's last-gasp strike earned Arsenal a dramatic 2-2 draw in a heated London derby

Hector Bellerin came to Arsenal's rescue as the defender's last-gasp strike earned a dramatic 2-2 draw in a heated London derby against Chelsea on Wednesday. Bellerin looked set to be the villain of the piece for Arsenal after the Spaniard's foul on Eden Hazard conceded a penalty that allowed the Chelsea star to cancel out Jack Wilshere's opener. When Marcos Alonso put Chelsea in front with just six minutes left at the Emirates Stadium, Bellerin's misery seemed complete. But the 22-year-old enjoyed a sweet moment of redemption in the 90th minute as he lashed in only his second goal of the season. The frenetic conclusion to a thrilling encounter actually did little for either team's prospects in the Premier League. Chelsea remain in third place, one point behind Manchester United and 16 adrift of runaway leaders Manchester City. Arsenal, who have now won only once in 13 league meetings with Chelsea, are languishing in sixth place, five points behind fourth placed Liverpool in the battle to qualify for the Champions League. In an early sign of the drama to come, Alvaro Morata squandered a golden opportunity to put Chelsea ahead when Arsenal defender Calum Chambers completely misjudged a long pass. Morata pounced on the loose ball and sprinted clear but with only Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech to beat, the Spain striker scuffed woefully wide. Foreshadowing the penalty angst to come for Wenger, Ainsley Maitland-Niles had a spot-kick appeal turned down following Victor Moses' challenge. It looked a good decision by referee Anthony Taylor however and there was more frustration for Wenger moments later. Alexis Sanchez wriggled into position for a powerful shot that Thibaut Courtois pushed onto one post, with the ball rolling agonisingly along the goalline, then hitting the other post before rebounding into the keeper's arms. If that was a stroke of luck for Chelsea, there was no fortune about Courtois's next contribution as he produced a fine save to deny Alexandre Lacazette after the Arsenal forward turned Gary Cahill and unleashed a powerful low strike. Arsenal's Mesut Ozil almost opened the scoring just before half-time with a stinging drive that whistled narrowly wide. - Conspiracies - Cech was called into action twice in quick succession after the interval as he repelled Hazard's low shot and palmed away Alonso's header. Courtois was matching Cech save for save and the Belgian produced another brilliant block to stop Lacazette's close-range effort. But the Chelsea keeper was finally beaten in the 63rd minute. Ozil picked out Rob Holding on the edge of the area and when the defender's pass was deflected into Wilshere's path, he reacted instinctively to drive his shot high into the net at Courtois's near post. It was Wilshere's first league goal since May 2015, although he might have been fortune to still be on the pitch after avoiding a second booking for a theatrical tumble just before he scored. Yet the crucial moment in a pulsating clash came just four minutes later. As Hazard twisted and turned inside the Arsenal area, Bellerin rashly stuck out a leg to halt his progress and Taylor pointed to the spot. Hazard stepped up to convert the 67th minute penalty for his ninth Chelsea goal this season. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had ranted darkly about refereeing conspiracies after Arsenal's Calum Chambers conceded a debatable penalty for handball in Sunday's draw at West Bromwich Albion. The Frenchman has already been charged by the Football Association for his angry protests at the weekend, but his expression after the decision suggests another blast is in the offing. When Alonso timed his run perfectly to meet Davide Zappacosta's cross with a cool finish in the 84th minute, it seemed certain Chelsea would start 2018 in winning style. But Bellerin was determined not to end the night as the fall guy and the wing-back pounced on Alonso's weak header to crash in the equaliser. Even then there was almost a sting in the tale when Zappacosta smashed against the bar in stoppage-time.

EPL: Bellerin strikes late to rescue Arsenal in Chelsea thriller

Tottenham Hotspur could afford to start Harry Kane on the bench and watch his replacement Fernando Llorente spearhead their hard-earned 2-0 Premier League win at bottom club Swansea City on Tuesday.

Former Swansea man Llorente, enjoying a rare start as Kane recovered from a heavy cold, headed Spurs in front after 12 minutes, although he was clearly offside when meeting Christian Eriksen&#39;s free kick.

In incessant driving rain at the Liberty Stadium, Spurs looked largely in control until after the break when Jordan Ayew went close and Jan Vertonghen inadvertently deflected a Swansea attack against his own post.

Yet Kane, brought on for the final 20 minutes, calmed nerves as he superbly set up an 89th-minute goal for Dele Alli that sealed the victory which lifted Spurs to fifth in the table, above their local rivals Arsenal.

A dramatic late win at Watford had given Swansea&#39;s new manager Carlos Carvalhal the ideal launch pad for a revival but the Portuguese&#39;s first home match in charge illustrated the magnitude of the task facing him.

&quot;You need luck to score and win, yes, but after 90 minutes I think it&#39;s clear we were better and deserved the points,&quot; Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino told the BBC.

&quot;The first half was so difficult to play football. The weather was horrible, but we dominated and tried to play football.&quot;

Even the absence of Kane, not risked from the start with Spurs due to play 48 hours later against West Ham United, did not stop the early one-way traffic in the pouring rain which left surface water on the pitch.

It did, however, mean the Spurs&#39; marksman, who was brought on midway through the second half, missed out on the chance of a third successive league hat-trick, a feat not achieved in English football for 72 years.

Instead, it was Spanish international Llorente who ghosted ahead of his marker and latched on to Eriksen&#39;s superb whipped free kick from the left flank to head home past Lukasz Fabianski.

The decision to award the goal clearly exasperated Carvalhal, who was right in thinking Llorente was offside but there could be no argument about the quality of the assist from Eriksen.

It meant the Dane has now been involved in either scoring or setting up 11 goals in eight league matches against Swansea.

Yet after dominating the first half against the side with the worst defensive record in the league, Spurs made heavy weather of the win, a resurgent Swansea coming closest when Mike van der Hoorn&#39;s header deflected off Vertonghen&#39;s back and struck the woodwork.

Spurs, though, reasserted their superiority when Kane came on, the goalscorer par excellence turning provider as his marvellous through ball on the counter-attack found Alli, who bundled the ball home at the second attempt.

Tottenham Hotspur could afford to start Harry Kane on the bench and watch his replacement Fernando Llorente spearhead their hard-earned 2-0 Premier League win at bottom club Swansea City on Tuesday. Former Swansea man Llorente, enjoying a rare start as Kane recovered from a heavy cold, headed Spurs in front after 12 minutes, although he was clearly offside when meeting Christian Eriksen's free kick. In incessant driving rain at the Liberty Stadium, Spurs looked largely in control until after the break when Jordan Ayew went close and Jan Vertonghen inadvertently deflected a Swansea attack against his own post. Yet Kane, brought on for the final 20 minutes, calmed nerves as he superbly set up an 89th-minute goal for Dele Alli that sealed the victory which lifted Spurs to fifth in the table, above their local rivals Arsenal. A dramatic late win at Watford had given Swansea's new manager Carlos Carvalhal the ideal launch pad for a revival but the Portuguese's first home match in charge illustrated the magnitude of the task facing him. "You need luck to score and win, yes, but after 90 minutes I think it's clear we were better and deserved the points," Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino told the BBC. "The first half was so difficult to play football. The weather was horrible, but we dominated and tried to play football." Even the absence of Kane, not risked from the start with Spurs due to play 48 hours later against West Ham United, did not stop the early one-way traffic in the pouring rain which left surface water on the pitch. It did, however, mean the Spurs' marksman, who was brought on midway through the second half, missed out on the chance of a third successive league hat-trick, a feat not achieved in English football for 72 years. Instead, it was Spanish international Llorente who ghosted ahead of his marker and latched on to Eriksen's superb whipped free kick from the left flank to head home past Lukasz Fabianski. The decision to award the goal clearly exasperated Carvalhal, who was right in thinking Llorente was offside but there could be no argument about the quality of the assist from Eriksen. It meant the Dane has now been involved in either scoring or setting up 11 goals in eight league matches against Swansea. Yet after dominating the first half against the side with the worst defensive record in the league, Spurs made heavy weather of the win, a resurgent Swansea coming closest when Mike van der Hoorn's header deflected off Vertonghen's back and struck the woodwork. Spurs, though, reasserted their superiority when Kane came on, the goalscorer par excellence turning provider as his marvellous through ball on the counter-attack found Alli, who bundled the ball home at the second attempt.

EPL: Llorente punishes old club as Spurs win at Swansea

Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Watford on Tuesday, showing no signs of letting the festive flurry of fixtures impact their momentum.

City manager Pep Guardiola responded to Sunday&rsquo;s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, which ended their 18-match winning run, by fielding a full-strength side with John Stones and David Silva both returning.

Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who was stretchered off at Palace after a horrific challenge, was fit to start while Sergio Aguero replaced the injured Gabriel Jesus in the centre-forward role.

If that was a statement of intent - it was certainly backed up on the field. It took just 38 seconds for the leaders to get ahead when Silva fed Leroy Sane on the left flank and the German&rsquo;s low cross was turned in at the back post by an unmarked Raheem Sterling.

City looked in the mood to get the business settled early and they should have doubled their lead when Sane, after a clever piece of footwork, cut back to Stones but the defender&rsquo;s shot, while leaning back, flew high over the bar.

It was not long before the second came, however, and again it was a low ball across the face of the goal that proved Watford&rsquo;s undoing. Silva fed De Bruyne on the right and the midfielder&rsquo;s cross was turned into his own net by the sliding Christian Kabasele.

Marco Silva&rsquo;s Watford faced a long night of damage limitation and they had their keeper Heurelho Gomes to thank for tipping a curling De Bruyne free kick against the bar.

The counter-attack was Watford&rsquo;s only likely route to goal and that nearly proved fruitful in the 29th minute when Andre Gray broke clear and burst goalwards but his low shot was well saved by Ederson.

The City keeper did well again to keep out a low drive from Etienne Capoue two minutes before the break but only the most optimistic of Hornets fans would have seen that as a sign of things changing in the second half.

Aguero missed a clearcut chance to make it 3-0 three minutes after the restart, heading well wide when found unmarked 10 metres out by a trademark pinpoint cross from De Bruyne.

It was that combination, however, that put the game well and truly beyond Watford in the 63rd minute with the help of Gomes who fumbled the Belgian&rsquo;s cross to leave Aguero with the simplest of tap-ins.

De Bruyne drove into the side-netting from a tight angle in the 78th minute and was immediately taken off by Guardiola, receiving a richly deserved ovation from the Etihad crowd.

Gray got a consolation for Watford in the 82nd minute slotting home a low cross from Andre Carillo.

Manager Pep Guardiola responded to Sunday?s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, which ended their 18-match winning run, by fielding a full-strength side

Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Watford on Tuesday, showing no signs of letting the festive flurry of fixtures impact their momentum. City manager Pep Guardiola responded to Sunday’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, which ended their 18-match winning run, by fielding a full-strength side with John Stones and David Silva both returning. Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who was stretchered off at Palace after a horrific challenge, was fit to start while Sergio Aguero replaced the injured Gabriel Jesus in the centre-forward role. If that was a statement of intent - it was certainly backed up on the field. It took just 38 seconds for the leaders to get ahead when Silva fed Leroy Sane on the left flank and the German’s low cross was turned in at the back post by an unmarked Raheem Sterling. City looked in the mood to get the business settled early and they should have doubled their lead when Sane, after a clever piece of footwork, cut back to Stones but the defender’s shot, while leaning back, flew high over the bar. It was not long before the second came, however, and again it was a low ball across the face of the goal that proved Watford’s undoing. Silva fed De Bruyne on the right and the midfielder’s cross was turned into his own net by the sliding Christian Kabasele. Marco Silva’s Watford faced a long night of damage limitation and they had their keeper Heurelho Gomes to thank for tipping a curling De Bruyne free kick against the bar. The counter-attack was Watford’s only likely route to goal and that nearly proved fruitful in the 29th minute when Andre Gray broke clear and burst goalwards but his low shot was well saved by Ederson. The City keeper did well again to keep out a low drive from Etienne Capoue two minutes before the break but only the most optimistic of Hornets fans would have seen that as a sign of things changing in the second half. Aguero missed a clearcut chance to make it 3-0 three minutes after the restart, heading well wide when found unmarked 10 metres out by a trademark pinpoint cross from De Bruyne. It was that combination, however, that put the game well and truly beyond Watford in the 63rd minute with the help of Gomes who fumbled the Belgian’s cross to leave Aguero with the simplest of tap-ins. De Bruyne drove into the side-netting from a tight angle in the 78th minute and was immediately taken off by Guardiola, receiving a richly deserved ovation from the Etihad crowd. Gray got a consolation for Watford in the 82nd minute slotting home a low cross from Andre Carillo.

EPL: City back to winning ways with 3-1 victory over Watford

Manchester United put a smile back on Jose Mourinho&#39;s face as fine goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard sealed a 2-0 win over Everton, while Liverpool left it late to snatch a 2-1 victory at Burnley.

Martial started in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku and the United forward broke the deadlock in the 57th minute at Goodison Park.

Paul Pogba teed up Martial on the edge of the area and he stroked a sublime finish into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season.

Having struggled towards the end of 2017, United were more commanding in their first match of the new year and Lingard wrapped up the points with a superb solo strike in the 81st minute.

The winger beat several Everton players before curling home from 20 yards for his fourth goal in his last five appearances.

It was a welcome tonic for Mourinho amid reports the United manager is beginning to lose the support of his players after branding them &quot;childish&quot; and &quot;immature&quot; and admitting the squad needs major investment to catch City.

United moved back into second place in the Premier League after ending a frustrating run of three successive draws during the congested Christmas period.

&quot;Our pride, our effort, everything was top class and on top of it we played very well. It wasn&#39;t a performance of tired boys, with the worst possible calendar,&quot; Mourinho said.

&quot;Jesse is more consistent, he is adaptable, he is going in a good direction.&quot;

United are 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, who host Watford on Tuesday, and two points ahead of third placed Chelsea, who play Arsenal tomorrow.

With Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah missing due to thigh and groin injuries respectively and Roberto Firmino left on the bench, Sadio Mane was the lone member of Liverpool&#39;s &#39;Fab Four&#39; to start at rain-lashed Turf Moor.

Senegal winger Mane showed Liverpool can thrive without his star team-mates as he opened the scoring in the 61st minute, hammering home from the edge of the area for his eighth club goal this season.

Burnley equalised with just three minutes left as Sam Vokes flicked on and Johann Gudmundsson pounced to slot home.

But Liverpool&#39;s Dejan Lovren headed on a free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time and Estonia defender Ragnar Klavan poked home from close-range.

Liverpool&#39;s third successive win extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games as they cemented their place in the top four.

&quot;A very difficult game, the weather made it so hard, windy, rainy,&quot; Klopp said.

&quot;This is one of the toughest places to play all season. Did we deserve to win? I don&#39;t care. We got the three points.&quot;

Stoke manager Mark Hughes faced calls for his sacking after a 1-0 home defeat against Newcastle.

Stoke&#39;s latest lacklustre display piled pressure on Hughes, whose gamble of fielding a weakened team in Saturday&#39;s 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea proved an unwise move.

Newcastle took a deserved lead in the 73rd minute when Ayoze Perez stabbed past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland from close-range.

That triggered chants for Hughes&#39;s dismissal from Stoke fans, with a &#39;Hughes out&#39; banner held aloft in the stands.

Stoke have won once in their last six games and sit two points above the relegation zone.

High standards

Asked if he feared the sack, a defiant Hughes said: &quot;Who else is going to do it?

&quot;In terms of the knowledge of the group and the progress in my time here, I&#39;m the best person to do it.&quot;

Algeria duo Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani inspired Leicester&#39;s 3-0 win over Huddersfield.

Claude Puel&#39;s side took the lead through Mahrez in the 53rd minute, the winger meeting Marc Albrighton&#39;s cross with a well-taken volley for his eighth goal of the season.

With Leicester striker Jamie Vardy sidelined by a groin injury, Islam Slimani who marked only his second league start this season with his first league goal since April -- a chipped finish in the 60th minute.

Albrighton&#39;s 90th minute goal capped a good afternoon for Leicester, who ended a four-match winless run.

Callum Wilson&#39;s second goal in three games earned Bournemouth a 2-2 draw at south coast rivals Brighton.&nbsp;

Manchester United beat Everton 2-0, Liverpool beat Burnley 2-1

Manchester United put a smile back on Jose Mourinho's face as fine goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard sealed a 2-0 win over Everton, while Liverpool left it late to snatch a 2-1 victory at Burnley. Martial started in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku and the United forward broke the deadlock in the 57th minute at Goodison Park. Paul Pogba teed up Martial on the edge of the area and he stroked a sublime finish into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season. Having struggled towards the end of 2017, United were more commanding in their first match of the new year and Lingard wrapped up the points with a superb solo strike in the 81st minute. The winger beat several Everton players before curling home from 20 yards for his fourth goal in his last five appearances. It was a welcome tonic for Mourinho amid reports the United manager is beginning to lose the support of his players after branding them "childish" and "immature" and admitting the squad needs major investment to catch City. United moved back into second place in the Premier League after ending a frustrating run of three successive draws during the congested Christmas period. "Our pride, our effort, everything was top class and on top of it we played very well. It wasn't a performance of tired boys, with the worst possible calendar," Mourinho said. "Jesse is more consistent, he is adaptable, he is going in a good direction." United are 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, who host Watford on Tuesday, and two points ahead of third placed Chelsea, who play Arsenal tomorrow. With Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah missing due to thigh and groin injuries respectively and Roberto Firmino left on the bench, Sadio Mane was the lone member of Liverpool's 'Fab Four' to start at rain-lashed Turf Moor. Senegal winger Mane showed Liverpool can thrive without his star team-mates as he opened the scoring in the 61st minute, hammering home from the edge of the area for his eighth club goal this season. Burnley equalised with just three minutes left as Sam Vokes flicked on and Johann Gudmundsson pounced to slot home. But Liverpool's Dejan Lovren headed on a free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time and Estonia defender Ragnar Klavan poked home from close-range. Liverpool's third successive win extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games as they cemented their place in the top four. "A very difficult game, the weather made it so hard, windy, rainy," Klopp said. "This is one of the toughest places to play all season. Did we deserve to win? I don't care. We got the three points." Stoke manager Mark Hughes faced calls for his sacking after a 1-0 home defeat against Newcastle. Stoke's latest lacklustre display piled pressure on Hughes, whose gamble of fielding a weakened team in Saturday's 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea proved an unwise move. Newcastle took a deserved lead in the 73rd minute when Ayoze Perez stabbed past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland from close-range. That triggered chants for Hughes's dismissal from Stoke fans, with a 'Hughes out' banner held aloft in the stands. Stoke have won once in their last six games and sit two points above the relegation zone. High standards Asked if he feared the sack, a defiant Hughes said: "Who else is going to do it? "In terms of the knowledge of the group and the progress in my time here, I'm the best person to do it." Algeria duo Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani inspired Leicester's 3-0 win over Huddersfield. Claude Puel's side took the lead through Mahrez in the 53rd minute, the winger meeting Marc Albrighton's cross with a well-taken volley for his eighth goal of the season. With Leicester striker Jamie Vardy sidelined by a groin injury, Islam Slimani who marked only his second league start this season with his first league goal since April -- a chipped finish in the 60th minute. Albrighton's 90th minute goal capped a good afternoon for Leicester, who ended a four-match winless run. Callum Wilson's second goal in three games earned Bournemouth a 2-2 draw at south coast rivals Brighton.

EPL roundup: United lift Mourinho, Liverpool leave it late

Jose Mourinho has lambasted former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes after he criticised the manager and key players in his role as a TV pundit.

Scholes singled out Paul Pogba, the club&#39;s record signing, after his anonymous performance in the weekend draw with Southampton.

But the French international was far more impressive in the 2-0 victory at Everton on New Year&#39;s Day, which ended a run of three consecutive United draws and put the Red Devils 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City.

The victory allowed Mourinho to launch a remarkable verbal attack on Scholes, one of the storied &quot;Class of 92&quot; who was a key part of some of the greatest successes in United&#39;s history.

&quot;I think the only thing Paul Scholes does is criticise,&quot; said Mourinho. &quot;I don&#39;t think he comments, I think he criticises, which is a different thing.

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&quot;Not every one of us has to be phenomenal like he was as a player. That does not mean that we all have to be phenomenal.&quot;

Scholes accused Pogba of coasting through games and failing to make the sort of impact his &pound;89 million ($120 million) transfer fee demands.

But Mourinho was clearly in the mood to defend his player and claimed that part of Scholes&#39; attitude was fuelled by jealousy.

&quot;Paul tries to do his best all the time,&quot; he said. &quot;Sometimes he plays very well, sometimes he plays well, sometimes he doesn&#39;t play so well.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s not Paul&#39;s fault that he made much more money than Paul Scholes. It&#39;s just the way football is.&nbsp;

&quot;I think Scholes will be in history as a phenomenal player, not as a pundit. I prefer to look at him as a phenomenal player that gave so much to the club that I am proud to represent.&quot;

The United manager, who won at Goodison thanks to superb goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, both of which were set up by Pogba, also believes that Scholes has a desire to break into management.

The former United player recently claimed that his application for a job managing United&rsquo;s under-23 team was turned down by the club&#39;s management.

&quot;If Paul one day decides to be a manager I wish that he can be 25 percent as successful as myself,&quot; said Mourinho.&nbsp;

&quot;50 percent of that is 12.5 silverware, 25 percent is around six. If he&#39;s 25 percent, he&#39;ll be quite happy.&quot;

Mourinho did round off his criticism by adding that he believed Scholes was &quot;a phenomenal player&quot; and called him &quot;one of the best I&#39;ve ever seen playing in midfield&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;The prestige of this club is based on people like him, so successful here,&quot; he said.

&#39;Kings of rock and roll&#39; 
Scholes is the latest of the &quot;Class of 92&quot; to have voiced criticism of United under Mourinho, after Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville also made uncomplimentary comments - a point not lost on Mourinho who described them as &quot;the kings of rock and roll.&quot;

He said: &quot;I think the performance was really good so maybe I am lucky this time - and the kings of rock and roll who say I was under-performing last match say, this time, I performed.

&quot;I think they would love to be here. They would love to be at the club and that&#39;s a problem I cannot resolve.&quot;

Giggs was an assistant to previous United manager Louis Van Gaal.

Mourinho also revealed that Romelu Lukaku, who was stretchered off early in the draw with Southampton, did not suffer a concussion and will be available for selection for United&#39;s FA Cup tie with Derby on Friday.

Arsene Wenger made a similar criticism of former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry on Sunday, saying &quot;I don&#39;t listen to what he says&quot; after the Frenchman claimed the Arsenal squad was riven by divisions over the attitude of Chilean star Alexis Sanchez.

Scholes criticised both Mourinho and key players in his role as TV pundit. The former Manchester United played especially singled out Paul Pogba

Jose Mourinho has lambasted former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes after he criticised the manager and key players in his role as a TV pundit. Scholes singled out Paul Pogba, the club's record signing, after his anonymous performance in the weekend draw with Southampton. But the French international was far more impressive in the 2-0 victory at Everton on New Year's Day, which ended a run of three consecutive United draws and put the Red Devils 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City. The victory allowed Mourinho to launch a remarkable verbal attack on Scholes, one of the storied "Class of 92" who was a key part of some of the greatest successes in United's history. "I think the only thing Paul Scholes does is criticise," said Mourinho. "I don't think he comments, I think he criticises, which is a different thing. It's not Paul's fault that he made much more money than Paul Scholes. It's just the way football is,' said Mouringo × "Not every one of us has to be phenomenal like he was as a player. That does not mean that we all have to be phenomenal." Scholes accused Pogba of coasting through games and failing to make the sort of impact his £89 million ($120 million) transfer fee demands. But Mourinho was clearly in the mood to defend his player and claimed that part of Scholes' attitude was fuelled by jealousy. "Paul tries to do his best all the time," he said. "Sometimes he plays very well, sometimes he plays well, sometimes he doesn't play so well. "It's not Paul's fault that he made much more money than Paul Scholes. It's just the way football is. "I think Scholes will be in history as a phenomenal player, not as a pundit. I prefer to look at him as a phenomenal player that gave so much to the club that I am proud to represent." The United manager, who won at Goodison thanks to superb goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, both of which were set up by Pogba, also believes that Scholes has a desire to break into management. The former United player recently claimed that his application for a job managing United’s under-23 team was turned down by the club's management. "If Paul one day decides to be a manager I wish that he can be 25 percent as successful as myself," said Mourinho. "50 percent of that is 12.5 silverware, 25 percent is around six. If he's 25 percent, he'll be quite happy." Mourinho did round off his criticism by adding that he believed Scholes was "a phenomenal player" and called him "one of the best I've ever seen playing in midfield". "The prestige of this club is based on people like him, so successful here," he said. 'Kings of rock and roll' Scholes is the latest of the "Class of 92" to have voiced criticism of United under Mourinho, after Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville also made uncomplimentary comments - a point not lost on Mourinho who described them as "the kings of rock and roll." He said: "I think the performance was really good so maybe I am lucky this time - and the kings of rock and roll who say I was under-performing last match say, this time, I performed. "I think they would love to be here. They would love to be at the club and that's a problem I cannot resolve." Giggs was an assistant to previous United manager Louis Van Gaal. Mourinho also revealed that Romelu Lukaku, who was stretchered off early in the draw with Southampton, did not suffer a concussion and will be available for selection for United's FA Cup tie with Derby on Friday. Arsene Wenger made a similar criticism of former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry on Sunday, saying "I don't listen to what he says" after the Frenchman claimed the Arsenal squad was riven by divisions over the attitude of Chilean star Alexis Sanchez.

Mourinho lashes out at 'critical' Scholes

Ederson`s last-gasp penalty heroics saved Manchester City from defeat but a 0-0 stalemate at Crystal Palace on Sunday brought the Premier League leaders` record-breaking 18-match winning run to an end.

Luka Milivojevic was presented with the chance to seal a memorable victory for Roy Hodgson`s relegation-threatened side when Wilfried Zaha was brought down by Raheem Sterling in injury time.

But the Palace midfielder struck his spot-kick too close to Ederson, allowing the City goalkeeper to preserve his side`s 21-game unbeaten start to the league campaign.

City`s failure to score in a league game for the first time since last April meant they fell short in their bid to equal Bayern Munich 19-game winning run of four years ago, the longest in Europe`s five major leagues, set under their current boss Pep Guardiola.

And City`s afternoon was further soured when Kevin De Bruyne was stretchered off immediately after the spot-kick following an ugly challenge by Palace substitute Jason Puncheon.

Guardiola, who also said forward Gabriel Jesus was likely to be out for up to two months after an injury early in the game, called for referees to take firm action.

&quot;Please, referees, they have to protect players,&quot; he said. &quot;We were lucky against Tottenham and against Newcastle. Today we were not lucky.

&quot;Referees have to protect. We know how strong physically it is England but teams miss big players, not just Manchester City. The replay speaks for itself. We have to protect players.&quot;Hodgson claimed before the game there was &quot;no magic formula&quot; to competing with City, insisting his Palace side`s hopes of getting something from the game hinged on working hard and defending well while maintaining an attacking threat.

The manager could be satisfied that during the opening 45 minutes his players stuck to the prescribed plan to the extent that by the half-time break, the frustration among Guardiola`s players was obvious.

There was an early sign the visitors might not be at their best when a breakdown in communication between Eliaquim Mangala and Ederson led to the goalkeeper directing an attempted clearance against his centre-back, presenting Christian Benteke with an opportunity that he could not take.

Both sides were forced into early changes, with Palace captain Scott Dann being stretchered off in the 19th minute and City striker Jesus following shortly afterwards.

The subsequent reshuffle appeared to affect the visitors more, with Palace growing more into the game the longer the half went on.

Sergio Aguero, Jesus`s replacement, struck the post in the 28th minute with a deflected shot from the edge of the penalty area but that proved to be a rare moment of concern for home goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

And while Palace were unable to carve out many clear chances at the other end, Wilfried Zaha was a constant threat down the Palace left, frequently getting the better of City right-back Kyle Walker.

An animated conversation between De Bruyne and Leroy Sane confirmed the sense that City were growing increasingly uncomfortable.

Palace found it far harder to be as expansive after the restart, when City finally began to move through the gears.

But Hennessey proved equal to the task, blocking Leroy Sane`s close-range volley at the far post and denying De Bruyne as City struggled to find openings in a well-drilled Palace backline.

And they should have entered the final 14 minutes of the game needing a goal to get back on level terms after Andros Townsend missed the home side`s best chance of the half before Milivojevic was handed his late opportunity to clinch the points.

City`s failure to score in a league game for the first time since last April meant they fell short in their bid to equal Bayern Munich 19-game winning run of four years ago

Ederson`s last-gasp penalty heroics saved Manchester City from defeat but a 0-0 stalemate at Crystal Palace on Sunday brought the Premier League leaders` record-breaking 18-match winning run to an end. Luka Milivojevic was presented with the chance to seal a memorable victory for Roy Hodgson`s relegation-threatened side when Wilfried Zaha was brought down by Raheem Sterling in injury time. But the Palace midfielder struck his spot-kick too close to Ederson, allowing the City goalkeeper to preserve his side`s 21-game unbeaten start to the league campaign. City`s failure to score in a league game for the first time since last April meant they fell short in their bid to equal Bayern Munich 19-game winning run of four years ago, the longest in Europe`s five major leagues, set under their current boss Pep Guardiola. And City`s afternoon was further soured when Kevin De Bruyne was stretchered off immediately after the spot-kick following an ugly challenge by Palace substitute Jason Puncheon. Guardiola, who also said forward Gabriel Jesus was likely to be out for up to two months after an injury early in the game, called for referees to take firm action. "Please, referees, they have to protect players," he said. "We were lucky against Tottenham and against Newcastle. Today we were not lucky. "Referees have to protect. We know how strong physically it is England but teams miss big players, not just Manchester City. The replay speaks for itself. We have to protect players."Hodgson claimed before the game there was "no magic formula" to competing with City, insisting his Palace side`s hopes of getting something from the game hinged on working hard and defending well while maintaining an attacking threat. The manager could be satisfied that during the opening 45 minutes his players stuck to the prescribed plan to the extent that by the half-time break, the frustration among Guardiola`s players was obvious. There was an early sign the visitors might not be at their best when a breakdown in communication between Eliaquim Mangala and Ederson led to the goalkeeper directing an attempted clearance against his centre-back, presenting Christian Benteke with an opportunity that he could not take. Both sides were forced into early changes, with Palace captain Scott Dann being stretchered off in the 19th minute and City striker Jesus following shortly afterwards. The subsequent reshuffle appeared to affect the visitors more, with Palace growing more into the game the longer the half went on. Sergio Aguero, Jesus`s replacement, struck the post in the 28th minute with a deflected shot from the edge of the penalty area but that proved to be a rare moment of concern for home goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. And while Palace were unable to carve out many clear chances at the other end, Wilfried Zaha was a constant threat down the Palace left, frequently getting the better of City right-back Kyle Walker. An animated conversation between De Bruyne and Leroy Sane confirmed the sense that City were growing increasingly uncomfortable. Palace found it far harder to be as expansive after the restart, when City finally began to move through the gears. But Hennessey proved equal to the task, blocking Leroy Sane`s close-range volley at the far post and denying De Bruyne as City struggled to find openings in a well-drilled Palace backline. And they should have entered the final 14 minutes of the game needing a goal to get back on level terms after Andros Townsend missed the home side`s best chance of the half before Milivojevic was handed his late opportunity to clinch the points.

Football: Man City winning run ends in draw at Crystal Palace

Diego Costa is eager to begin his second spell at Atletico Madrid after spending the last three months confined to the club&#39;s training ground, shackled by the club&#39;s ban on registering new players, the striker said on Sunday.

&quot;I&#39;ve waited a long time for this day, I&#39;ve been working hard and training hard but there&#39;s nothing else to do, I need to play, I&#39;m tired of training,&quot; Costa told a news conference.

Costa, who fired Atletico to a first league title in 18 years in 2014, agreed a return to the club from Chelsea in September for 57 million pounds ($77 million), nearly double the price he left for more than three years ago.

He was officially presented alongside fellow Spain team-mate Vitolo -- who signed from Sevilla in July for 40 million euros -- before an open training session at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, which local media said 20,000 supporters attended.

&quot;I&#39;m in much better shape than when I arrived, I&#39;ve prepared well and worked hard and I&#39;m ready to help the team and score goals,&quot; Costa said.

Atletico&#39;s ban on registering new players due to the illegal transfer of minors expires on Monday, meaning Costa could make his debut against Lleida Esportiu in the King&#39;s Cup on Wednesday, with his first league appearance set for Saturday at home to Getafe.

Atletico are second in the league but Costa&#39;s return cannot come soon enough for Diego Simeone&#39;s side who are nine points adrift of leaders Barcelona and had their confidence rocked by elimination from the Champions League group stage.

Their defence is as resolute as ever, conceding just eight goals in 17 games, but they have had serious difficulties creating and converting chances, scoring fewer goals (25) than the other teams in the top four.

It may not take the 29-year-old Costa long to catch up with his new teammates. Antoine Griezmann is Atletico&#39;s leading marksman with five league goals but Costa will have to prove his fitness as his last competitive game was for Spain in a World Cup qualifier against Macedonia on June 11.

Since Costa departed for London in 2014, Atletico have spent 144.5 million euros trying to replace him.

However, Mario Mandzukic, Griezmann, Jackson Martinez, Luciano Vietto, Kevin Gameiro, Angel Correa and Fernando Torres have all failed to top his 27 league goals in 2013/14 which helped Atletico to break Barca&#39;s and Real Madrid&#39;s nine-year stranglehold on the title.

Costa also won two UEFA Super Cups with Atletico and the 2013 King&#39;s Cup.

&quot;I want to thank the club from the bottom of the heart for the effort they made to bring me back here,&quot; said Costa.

&quot;Today we present a footballer who doesn&#39;t need any introduction,&quot; said Atletico president Enrique Cerezo.

&quot;This is his home and we&#39;re going to give him the best welcome possible.&quot;

Costa, who fired Atletico to a first league title in 18 years in 2014, agreed a return to the club from Chelsea in September for 57 million pounds ($77 million), nearly double the price he left for more than three years ago.

Diego Costa is eager to begin his second spell at Atletico Madrid after spending the last three months confined to the club's training ground, shackled by the club's ban on registering new players, the striker said on Sunday. "I've waited a long time for this day, I've been working hard and training hard but there's nothing else to do, I need to play, I'm tired of training," Costa told a news conference. Costa, who fired Atletico to a first league title in 18 years in 2014, agreed a return to the club from Chelsea in September for 57 million pounds ($77 million), nearly double the price he left for more than three years ago. He was officially presented alongside fellow Spain team-mate Vitolo -- who signed from Sevilla in July for 40 million euros -- before an open training session at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, which local media said 20,000 supporters attended. "I'm in much better shape than when I arrived, I've prepared well and worked hard and I'm ready to help the team and score goals," Costa said. Atletico's ban on registering new players due to the illegal transfer of minors expires on Monday, meaning Costa could make his debut against Lleida Esportiu in the King's Cup on Wednesday, with his first league appearance set for Saturday at home to Getafe. Atletico are second in the league but Costa's return cannot come soon enough for Diego Simeone's side who are nine points adrift of leaders Barcelona and had their confidence rocked by elimination from the Champions League group stage. Their defence is as resolute as ever, conceding just eight goals in 17 games, but they have had serious difficulties creating and converting chances, scoring fewer goals (25) than the other teams in the top four. It may not take the 29-year-old Costa long to catch up with his new teammates. Antoine Griezmann is Atletico's leading marksman with five league goals but Costa will have to prove his fitness as his last competitive game was for Spain in a World Cup qualifier against Macedonia on June 11. Since Costa departed for London in 2014, Atletico have spent 144.5 million euros trying to replace him. However, Mario Mandzukic, Griezmann, Jackson Martinez, Luciano Vietto, Kevin Gameiro, Angel Correa and Fernando Torres have all failed to top his 27 league goals in 2013/14 which helped Atletico to break Barca's and Real Madrid's nine-year stranglehold on the title. Costa also won two UEFA Super Cups with Atletico and the 2013 King's Cup. "I want to thank the club from the bottom of the heart for the effort they made to bring me back here," said Costa. "Today we present a footballer who doesn't need any introduction," said Atletico president Enrique Cerezo. "This is his home and we're going to give him the best welcome possible."

Football: Atletico pin their hopes on Costa's second coming

Pep Guardiola refused to be drawn into a war of words with Jose Mourinho after Manchester City maintained their impressive progress towards the Premier League title.

City stretched their commanding advantage at the top to 15 points over Manchester United as Raheem Sterling sealed a 1-0 win at Newcastle to record an 18th consecutive league victory, one short of Bayern Munich&#39;s current best for Europe&#39;s top five leagues of 19 straight wins.

United manager Mourinho attempted to provoke Guardiola on Tuesday after pointing to their rivals&#39; huge spending power by claiming &quot;City buy full-backs for the price of strikers&quot; and insisting that the &pound;300 million ($402 million) he has spent since taking charge at Old Trafford 18 months ago as &quot;not enough&quot;.

Mourinho paid &pound;93 million to sign France midfielder Paul Pogba, while also recruiting &pound;30 million defender Eric Bailly, and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan for &pound;26.3 million.&nbsp;

This year, United spent &pound;75 million on striker Romelu Lukaku, as well as &pound;31 million on defender Victor Lindelof and &pound;40 million for midfielder Nemanja Matic.

In comparison, City bought three defenders -- Kyle Walker from Tottenham for an initial &pound;45 million, Benjamin Mendy from Monaco for &pound;52 million and Danilo from Real Madrid for &pound;26.5 million as part of a summer outlay that topped &pound;200 million.

When asked about the comments made by the Portuguese, Guardiola said: &quot;I&#39;m so delighted to be here to speak about what happened on the pitch.&nbsp;

&quot;About what happened with my colleague speaking off the pitch in the press conference, I&#39;m not the right guy. You want to talk about what happened today on the pitch, I will answer.&quot;

City remain on course to win the title in record time after equalling Chelsea&#39;s English top flight record of 11 consecutive away wins.&nbsp;

But Guardiola will await medical updates on Vincent Kompany, after the injury-prone skipper limped off with a recurrence of a long-term calf problem.

City face a minimum of eight games in 34 days in a hectic start to the New Year, and Guardiola added: &quot;Of course we are happy to break records but when we prepare for games we don&#39;t speak about them. Until now, we have found a way to win.

&quot;I saw the schedule in my office the other day and I wanted to escape, because it&#39;s terrible. The games we are going to play, it&#39;s tough.&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;ve played all these games in December then in January you have the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and then the return of the Champions League in February.&nbsp;

&quot;It will be tough but it will also be tough for our opponents.&quot;&nbsp;

Guardiola&#39;s opposite number Rafa Benitez hit back at criticism of his negative approach after his team slid to a fifth consecutive home defeat, Newcastle&#39;s worst run at St James&#39; Park for 64 years to leave them just a point above the bottom three after one win in their last 11 matches.

Substitute Dwight Gayle almost snatched a dramatic late equaliser to in-part justify the manager&#39;s ultra-cautious approach, and the Spaniard said: &quot;We were in the game until the end and very close to getting a point against a very good team.&quot;

Newcastle face the key visit of relegation rivals Brighton before the turn of the year, and Benitez added: &quot;We have a couple of games in the space of a few days against teams near the bottom of the table and hopefully we&#39;ll have some of our injured players back before then.&quot;

'City buy full-backs for the price of strikers,' Mourinho said

Pep Guardiola refused to be drawn into a war of words with Jose Mourinho after Manchester City maintained their impressive progress towards the Premier League title. City stretched their commanding advantage at the top to 15 points over Manchester United as Raheem Sterling sealed a 1-0 win at Newcastle to record an 18th consecutive league victory, one short of Bayern Munich's current best for Europe's top five leagues of 19 straight wins. United manager Mourinho attempted to provoke Guardiola on Tuesday after pointing to their rivals' huge spending power by claiming "City buy full-backs for the price of strikers" and insisting that the £300 million ($402 million) he has spent since taking charge at Old Trafford 18 months ago as "not enough". Mourinho paid £93 million to sign France midfielder Paul Pogba, while also recruiting £30 million defender Eric Bailly, and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan for £26.3 million. This year, United spent £75 million on striker Romelu Lukaku, as well as £31 million on defender Victor Lindelof and £40 million for midfielder Nemanja Matic. In comparison, City bought three defenders -- Kyle Walker from Tottenham for an initial £45 million, Benjamin Mendy from Monaco for £52 million and Danilo from Real Madrid for £26.5 million as part of a summer outlay that topped £200 million. When asked about the comments made by the Portuguese, Guardiola said: "I'm so delighted to be here to speak about what happened on the pitch. "About what happened with my colleague speaking off the pitch in the press conference, I'm not the right guy. You want to talk about what happened today on the pitch, I will answer." City remain on course to win the title in record time after equalling Chelsea's English top flight record of 11 consecutive away wins. But Guardiola will await medical updates on Vincent Kompany, after the injury-prone skipper limped off with a recurrence of a long-term calf problem. City face a minimum of eight games in 34 days in a hectic start to the New Year, and Guardiola added: "Of course we are happy to break records but when we prepare for games we don't speak about them. Until now, we have found a way to win. "I saw the schedule in my office the other day and I wanted to escape, because it's terrible. The games we are going to play, it's tough. "We've played all these games in December then in January you have the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and then the return of the Champions League in February. "It will be tough but it will also be tough for our opponents." Guardiola's opposite number Rafa Benitez hit back at criticism of his negative approach after his team slid to a fifth consecutive home defeat, Newcastle's worst run at St James' Park for 64 years to leave them just a point above the bottom three after one win in their last 11 matches. Substitute Dwight Gayle almost snatched a dramatic late equaliser to in-part justify the manager's ultra-cautious approach, and the Spaniard said: "We were in the game until the end and very close to getting a point against a very good team." Newcastle face the key visit of relegation rivals Brighton before the turn of the year, and Benitez added: "We have a couple of games in the space of a few days against teams near the bottom of the table and hopefully we'll have some of our injured players back before then."

Mourinho provokes Guardiola but he does not bite

Manchester City&#39;s relentless assault on English football&#39;s record books continued on Wednesday as a Raheem Sterling goal earned them a 1-0 win at Newcastle United to extend their extraordinary record of successive Premier League wins to 18.

Sterling&#39;s fine 31st-minute finish saw Guardiola&#39;s men improve their unbeaten league sequence this season to 20 games and stretch their yawning gap at the top of the league to 15 points on a night where they dominated but were very wasteful.

Rafa Benitez started with the most negative approach St James&#39; Park can ever have seen from a Newcastle side, allowing City to monopolise proceedings before Sterling finally broke their resistance with his 13th league goal of the season.

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<h5>Rafa Benitez started with the most negative approach St James&#39; Park can ever have seen from a Newcastle side, allowing City to monopolise proceedings before Sterling finally broke their resistance with his 13th league goal of the season</h5>
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City hit the woodwork three times in total -- twice from Sergio Aguero and once from Kevin De Bruyne -- and they nearly paid for their profligacy in front of goal when, in rare Newcastle attacks, Rolando Aarons had a first-half chip cleared off the line and Dwight Gayle headed wide late on.

Despite a slightly sloppy second-half performance, it would have been a travesty if Newcastle, just a point above the relegation zone after their fifth straight home defeat, had been rewarded for an ultra-cautious approach.

City moved on to 58 points out of a possible 60, with their Manchester United neighbours on 43 points and Chelsea on 42.

&quot;We did absolutely everything but it is difficult to play when the other team doesn&#39;t want to play,&quot; Guardiola told BBC Sport in what sounded a harsh but fair assessment of Newcastle&#39;s early passivity.

&quot;Any manager can decide what he wants. I prefer to try to play but I respect a lot what opponents do and we have to try to discover how to attack against them.&quot;

Such is City&#39;s aura now that Newcastle, almost as if Benitez was resigned to their fate from the start, invariably put 10 men behind the ball in the opening half an hour as the visitors sought an opening.

Argentine Aguero volleyed against the post after seven minutes and De Bruyne let Newcastle off with some slack finishing before the South American again struck the post on the half-hour with a right foot shot.

City even made light of the early departure of captain Vincent Kompany, who suffered yet another of his injury woes and had to limp off after 10 minutes.

Refusing to compromise their attacking approach, they simply pushed midfielder Fernandinho back into central defence and brought on striker Gabriel Jesus.

With Newcastle offering nothing, it felt just a matter of time before De Bruyne picked out Sterling brilliantly with a floated through ball which saw the England international ghost in and squeeze it left-footed past Rob Elliot from a narrow angle.

Forced to offer a response, Newcastle responded almost immediately when a fine Aarons&#39; chip brought an excellent headed goalline clearance from Nicolas Otamendi under his own bar but it was just a brief respite as City equalled the English top-flight record of 11 consecutive away league victories.

De Bruyne, with a strange mixture of commanding orchestration and wayward finishing, struck the post with one searing shot but City did appear to become a little complacent as substitute Gayle came close with an 89th minute header that went just wide.

Now, Guardiola is just one win away from equalling the record of 19 league victories in a row that he set with Bayern Munich in 2013-14, the longest winning streak achieved in any of Europe&#39;s top five leagues. 
&nbsp;

A Raheem Sterling goal earned the league leaders a 1-0 win at Newcastle United

Manchester City's relentless assault on English football's record books continued on Wednesday as a Raheem Sterling goal earned them a 1-0 win at Newcastle United to extend their extraordinary record of successive Premier League wins to 18. Sterling's fine 31st-minute finish saw Guardiola's men improve their unbeaten league sequence this season to 20 games and stretch their yawning gap at the top of the league to 15 points on a night where they dominated but were very wasteful. Rafa Benitez started with the most negative approach St James' Park can ever have seen from a Newcastle side, allowing City to monopolise proceedings before Sterling finally broke their resistance with his 13th league goal of the season. Rafa Benitez started with the most negative approach St James' Park can ever have seen from a Newcastle side, allowing City to monopolise proceedings before Sterling finally broke their resistance with his 13th league goal of the season × City hit the woodwork three times in total -- twice from Sergio Aguero and once from Kevin De Bruyne -- and they nearly paid for their profligacy in front of goal when, in rare Newcastle attacks, Rolando Aarons had a first-half chip cleared off the line and Dwight Gayle headed wide late on. Despite a slightly sloppy second-half performance, it would have been a travesty if Newcastle, just a point above the relegation zone after their fifth straight home defeat, had been rewarded for an ultra-cautious approach. City moved on to 58 points out of a possible 60, with their Manchester United neighbours on 43 points and Chelsea on 42. "We did absolutely everything but it is difficult to play when the other team doesn't want to play," Guardiola told BBC Sport in what sounded a harsh but fair assessment of Newcastle's early passivity. "Any manager can decide what he wants. I prefer to try to play but I respect a lot what opponents do and we have to try to discover how to attack against them." Such is City's aura now that Newcastle, almost as if Benitez was resigned to their fate from the start, invariably put 10 men behind the ball in the opening half an hour as the visitors sought an opening. Argentine Aguero volleyed against the post after seven minutes and De Bruyne let Newcastle off with some slack finishing before the South American again struck the post on the half-hour with a right foot shot. City even made light of the early departure of captain Vincent Kompany, who suffered yet another of his injury woes and had to limp off after 10 minutes. Refusing to compromise their attacking approach, they simply pushed midfielder Fernandinho back into central defence and brought on striker Gabriel Jesus. With Newcastle offering nothing, it felt just a matter of time before De Bruyne picked out Sterling brilliantly with a floated through ball which saw the England international ghost in and squeeze it left-footed past Rob Elliot from a narrow angle. Forced to offer a response, Newcastle responded almost immediately when a fine Aarons' chip brought an excellent headed goalline clearance from Nicolas Otamendi under his own bar but it was just a brief respite as City equalled the English top-flight record of 11 consecutive away league victories. De Bruyne, with a strange mixture of commanding orchestration and wayward finishing, struck the post with one searing shot but City did appear to become a little complacent as substitute Gayle came close with an 89th minute header that went just wide. Now, Guardiola is just one win away from equalling the record of 19 league victories in a row that he set with Bayern Munich in 2013-14, the longest winning streak achieved in any of Europe's top five leagues.

EPL: Man City march to 18th straight win

Antonio Conte insists the battle for a top-four finish is providing Chelsea with all the motivation they need, even if Premier League leaders Manchester City out of reach.

Conte&#39;s side recovered from the disappointment of a pre-Christmas draw at Everton by beating Brighton 2-0 on Tuesday to move within a point of second-placed Manchester United.

With City on a record-breaking run of victories, Blues boss Conte admits there appears to be little chance of closing the gap.

But the Italian insisted last season&#39;s champions are still motivated.

&quot;I think in this league there is a great motivation for all. To try, I repeat, to stay there and to fight until the end,&quot; he said.

&quot;I don&#39;t know if it will win the title. It depends upon Manchester City. They are doing something extraordinary to win every game and draw only once up to now. That means you&#39;re having a fantastic run.

&quot;Otherwise, Chelsea, United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool would be staying there to fight. We fight for a place in the Champions League next season.

&quot;There are four places for six top teams. Last season, Manchester United and Arsenal finished fifth and sixth, no?. There is this great motivation for me, for the players, and we want to try and improve.

&quot;Our start wasn&#39;t easy this season, for many reasons. But we want to work and improve. There are many competitions.&nbsp;It&#39;s important to face every competition and be very proud to play every game.&quot;

Alvaro Morata headed Chelsea ahead immediately after half-time and Marcos Alonso added the second on the hour at Stamford Bridge.

&quot;Today it was positive to score for Alvaro,&quot; said Conte. &quot;He&#39;s our No9. Against Everton, he didn&#39;t play.&nbsp;Also, Alonso, to score five goals up to now, for a wing-back, is a great achievement.&nbsp;

&quot;But it&#39;s important to continue. Not to stop scoring. We need this alternative from our strikers.&quot;

Conte wants to strengthen his squad in January and expressed his admiration for Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal after being questioned about reports linking the Chile midfielder with a move to Chelsea.

&quot;I must be honest, it&#39;s not right to talk about a player of another team,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;Especially if you try to link this player with us. Arturo is a fantastic player, I have a great respect for Arturo, and we spent many years in Juventus together. I&#39;d always want him with me.&quot;

Brighton manager Chris Hughton also responded to reports claiming Albion have agreed a fee for Celtic striker Moussa Dembele.

&quot;I&#39;ve heard reports. As manager of this football club, I&#39;m quite sure I&#39;d know. There&#39;s been no contact between the two clubs,&quot; he said.

Albion remains close to mid-table our a solid run following last season&#39;s promotion and Hughton added: &quot;I want them to feel proud of where we are and what we&#39;ve achieved so far, but frustrated because we could have done better.

&quot;Would we have been happy at the start of the season to be in the position we are in now? The answer would be yes. But we could have done better.&nbsp;

&quot;If anything, in the second half of the season, it won&#39;t get any easier. It will get harder, if anything.&quot;

Conte's side recovered from the disappointment of a pre-Christmas draw at Everton by beating Brighton 2-0 on Tuesday to move within a point of second-placed Manchester United

Antonio Conte insists the battle for a top-four finish is providing Chelsea with all the motivation they need, even if Premier League leaders Manchester City out of reach. Conte's side recovered from the disappointment of a pre-Christmas draw at Everton by beating Brighton 2-0 on Tuesday to move within a point of second-placed Manchester United. With City on a record-breaking run of victories, Blues boss Conte admits there appears to be little chance of closing the gap. But the Italian insisted last season's champions are still motivated. "I think in this league there is a great motivation for all. To try, I repeat, to stay there and to fight until the end," he said. "I don't know if it will win the title. It depends upon Manchester City. They are doing something extraordinary to win every game and draw only once up to now. That means you're having a fantastic run. "Otherwise, Chelsea, United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool would be staying there to fight. We fight for a place in the Champions League next season. "There are four places for six top teams. Last season, Manchester United and Arsenal finished fifth and sixth, no?. There is this great motivation for me, for the players, and we want to try and improve. "Our start wasn't easy this season, for many reasons. But we want to work and improve. There are many competitions. It's important to face every competition and be very proud to play every game." Alvaro Morata headed Chelsea ahead immediately after half-time and Marcos Alonso added the second on the hour at Stamford Bridge. "Today it was positive to score for Alvaro," said Conte. "He's our No9. Against Everton, he didn't play. Also, Alonso, to score five goals up to now, for a wing-back, is a great achievement. "But it's important to continue. Not to stop scoring. We need this alternative from our strikers." Conte wants to strengthen his squad in January and expressed his admiration for Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal after being questioned about reports linking the Chile midfielder with a move to Chelsea. "I must be honest, it's not right to talk about a player of another team,” he said. "Especially if you try to link this player with us. Arturo is a fantastic player, I have a great respect for Arturo, and we spent many years in Juventus together. I'd always want him with me." Brighton manager Chris Hughton also responded to reports claiming Albion have agreed a fee for Celtic striker Moussa Dembele. "I've heard reports. As manager of this football club, I'm quite sure I'd know. There's been no contact between the two clubs," he said. Albion remains close to mid-table our a solid run following last season's promotion and Hughton added: "I want them to feel proud of where we are and what we've achieved so far, but frustrated because we could have done better. "Would we have been happy at the start of the season to be in the position we are in now? The answer would be yes. But we could have done better. "If anything, in the second half of the season, it won't get any easier. It will get harder, if anything."

Chelsea still have plenty to achieve, says Conte

Tottenham Hotspur&#39;s Harry Kane became Europe&#39;s most lethal marksman of 2017 with a second hat-trick in four days to break a 22-year-old Premier League record as his side thumped Southampton 5-2 on Tuesday.

Another young England striker was also among the goals as Jesse Lingard struck twice, the second in stoppage time, as Manchester United hit back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Burnley and deny the visitors a first win at Old Trafford since 1962.

Second-placed United&#39;s second consecutive 2-2 draw left them 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City, who play Newcastle United on Wednesday. United&#39;s result allowed Chelsea to close to within a point of Jose Mourinho&#39;s side with a laboured 2-0 home win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Liverpool slipped below Tottenham for a few hours but reclaimed fourth spot in emphatic fashion in the late Boxing Day kickoff by hammering bottom club Swansea City 5-0.

Roberto Firmino scored twice for Liverpool with Philippe Coutinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also on target for Juergen Klopp&#39;s side.

There was no doubt who the spotlight was on though as England striker Kane eclipsed Alan Shearer&#39;s record 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year, taking his tally to 39 in 2017.

He is also the Premier League&#39;s leading scorer this season with 18, having won the Golden Boot for the past two seasons.

Two close-range efforts and a superb dinked finish from fellow goalscorer Dele Alli&#39;s pass took his tally in all competitions in the calendar year for club and country to 56, lifting him ahead of Lionel Messi who hit 54 for Barcelona and Argentina in the past 12 months.

Kane is the first player apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi to finish the year as top scorer in Europe since 2009.

&quot;I&#39;m very proud of it. Messi and Ronaldo have dominated football for so long, they&#39;re two of the world&#39;s greatest players ever,&quot; Kane said.

&quot;I said to the lads before the game to try and set me up and they all did that, so I&#39;ll have to take them out to dinner or something.&quot;

With runaway leaders Manchester City not in action it was a chance for United to close the gap to 10 points but they ended the day 12 behind as Burnley came close to a shock.

Ashley Barnes gave Burnley a third-minute lead and the visitors went further ahead when Belgian midfielder Steven Defour curled a 36th-minute free-kick past David De Gea.

Mourinho put Lingard on in the second half in place of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, after missing a sitter, he reduced the arrears with a back-heel flick. Burnley hung on desperately but Lingard drove home the equaliser in stoppage time.

&quot;We should have won, yes. I take satisfaction by the way the team played, by the way the team reacted, to try to recover from 2-0 down,&quot; Mourinho said.

Chelsea were uninspired at Stamford Bridge but Alvaro Morata and Spanish compatriot Marcos Alonso scored after the break to earn the win and move Chelsea to 42 points from 20 games.

Liverpool have 38 with Tottenham on 37 and Arsenal, who play at Crystal Palace on Thursday, on 34.

A fierce relegation battle on the south coast led to Bournemouth snatching a point at the death with a 3-3 draw against West Ham United - Callum Wilson&#39;s controversial goal denying the visitors a victory.

Wilson&#39;s effort, after Marko Arnautovic&#39;s two late goals had turned the game on its head to give West Ham a 3-2 lead, was initially disallowed for offside but was deemed legal by referee Bobby Madley.

&quot;The mistake was the referee went to the linesman. He knows he made a mistake, but we all make mistakes,&quot; Arnautovic said.

The result left Bournemouth third from bottom, a point and a place below West Ham.

Watford snapped a four-game losing streak as they came back to beat Leicester City 2-1 thanks to an own goal by Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Huddersfield drew 1-1 at home to Stoke City and second-bottom West Bromwich Albion did little to ease their relegation fears with a 0-0 draw at home to Everton.

Liverpool slipped below Tottenham for a few hours but reclaimed fourth spot in emphatic fashion in the late Boxing Day kickoff by hammering bottom club Swansea City 5-0

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane became Europe's most lethal marksman of 2017 with a second hat-trick in four days to break a 22-year-old Premier League record as his side thumped Southampton 5-2 on Tuesday. Another young England striker was also among the goals as Jesse Lingard struck twice, the second in stoppage time, as Manchester United hit back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Burnley and deny the visitors a first win at Old Trafford since 1962. Second-placed United's second consecutive 2-2 draw left them 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City, who play Newcastle United on Wednesday. United's result allowed Chelsea to close to within a point of Jose Mourinho's side with a laboured 2-0 home win over Brighton and Hove Albion. Liverpool slipped below Tottenham for a few hours but reclaimed fourth spot in emphatic fashion in the late Boxing Day kickoff by hammering bottom club Swansea City 5-0. Roberto Firmino scored twice for Liverpool with Philippe Coutinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also on target for Juergen Klopp's side. There was no doubt who the spotlight was on though as England striker Kane eclipsed Alan Shearer's record 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year, taking his tally to 39 in 2017. He is also the Premier League's leading scorer this season with 18, having won the Golden Boot for the past two seasons. Two close-range efforts and a superb dinked finish from fellow goalscorer Dele Alli's pass took his tally in all competitions in the calendar year for club and country to 56, lifting him ahead of Lionel Messi who hit 54 for Barcelona and Argentina in the past 12 months. Kane is the first player apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi to finish the year as top scorer in Europe since 2009. "I'm very proud of it. Messi and Ronaldo have dominated football for so long, they're two of the world's greatest players ever," Kane said. "I said to the lads before the game to try and set me up and they all did that, so I'll have to take them out to dinner or something." With runaway leaders Manchester City not in action it was a chance for United to close the gap to 10 points but they ended the day 12 behind as Burnley came close to a shock. Ashley Barnes gave Burnley a third-minute lead and the visitors went further ahead when Belgian midfielder Steven Defour curled a 36th-minute free-kick past David De Gea. Mourinho put Lingard on in the second half in place of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, after missing a sitter, he reduced the arrears with a back-heel flick. Burnley hung on desperately but Lingard drove home the equaliser in stoppage time. "We should have won, yes. I take satisfaction by the way the team played, by the way the team reacted, to try to recover from 2-0 down," Mourinho said. Chelsea were uninspired at Stamford Bridge but Alvaro Morata and Spanish compatriot Marcos Alonso scored after the break to earn the win and move Chelsea to 42 points from 20 games. Liverpool have 38 with Tottenham on 37 and Arsenal, who play at Crystal Palace on Thursday, on 34. A fierce relegation battle on the south coast led to Bournemouth snatching a point at the death with a 3-3 draw against West Ham United - Callum Wilson's controversial goal denying the visitors a victory. Wilson's effort, after Marko Arnautovic's two late goals had turned the game on its head to give West Ham a 3-2 lead, was initially disallowed for offside but was deemed legal by referee Bobby Madley. "The mistake was the referee went to the linesman. He knows he made a mistake, but we all make mistakes," Arnautovic said. The result left Bournemouth third from bottom, a point and a place below West Ham. Watford snapped a four-game losing streak as they came back to beat Leicester City 2-1 thanks to an own goal by Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel. Huddersfield drew 1-1 at home to Stoke City and second-bottom West Bromwich Albion did little to ease their relegation fears with a 0-0 draw at home to Everton.

EPL: Liverpool thump Tottenham, Man United come back from two goals down

Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to stay motivated to reach their target of a place in next season&#39;s Champions League by the end of the season.

Klopp has acknowledged ahead of Liverpool&#39;s clash with bottom side Swansea at Anfield on Tuesday that a Premier League title challenge is beyond them given they trail leaders Manchester City by 20 points.

But the German believes there is still plenty for the fourth-placed Reds to play for and they should not get complacent just because City are so far ahead.

&quot;We have to qualify for the Champions League. We have to finish as high as possible,&quot; Klopp said.

&quot;It looks like we could be second, third or fourth this year, that&#39;s a fantastic situation. Not the dream but a fantastic situation.&nbsp;

&quot;That&#39;s what we are working on and for this we have to improve in all departments.

&quot;This year, I don&#39;t think that anyone apart from Manchester City and maybe Manchester United are thinking too much about how they can win the league.

&quot;In a very difficult league, performance-wise we are really consistent so far. If we stay consistent and avoid our mistakes, mistakes like in the 3-3 draw with Arsenal, we will win much more games than we lose or draw.

&quot;As it was and so it will be against Swansea, we have to perform first of all and then we have to see how the other team can react.&quot;

Even though Swansea are at the foot of the table, Klopp does not want his players to assume the result will be a foregone conclusion.

&quot;They are under pressure and that&#39;s clear because they fight for the league, 100 per cent, and that will not change before Boxing Day,&quot; Klopp added.

&quot;But we will be ready and we will perform, if possible, like against Arsenal but avoid the mistakes we made.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t really remember the game from last year, to be honest. I remember that we lost it. But that&#39;s not the plan!&quot;

Step by step 
Klopp confirmed Liverpool will be without captain Jordan Henderson after he limped out of their 3-3 draw with Arsenal last Friday.

Defender Joel Matip could be fit enough to feature after he recently returning to training following a muscle injury while striker Daniel Sturridge has recovered from illness.

Alberto Moreno (ankle) and Nathanial Clyne (back) remain on the sidelines.

Swansea caretaker manager Leon Britton will take charge of his second game following the sacking of Paul Clement last week.

Britton is a modern-day Swansea great with more than 500 appearances to his name, and guided the club to a 1-1 draw in his first match against Crystal Palace.

A match against free-scoring Liverpool at Anfield, however, will present a somewhat more difficult prospect for the South Wales club.

Swansea striker Jordan Ayew admits the draw against Palace, in which he scored, has helped them take at least some confidence into the trip to Merseyside.

&quot;We all have a job to do. I think we responded well,&quot; Ayew said. &quot;We will take it day by day and see what happens in the future.

&quot;We will do our best to get something out of the game against Liverpool. We will build step by step and things will get better. It is important for us to get a good result.&quot;

Swansea will give a fitness test to striker Wilfried Bony (hamstring) and midfielder Leroy Fer (back), who both missed the game against Palace.

Liverpool are currently fourth in the league

Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to stay motivated to reach their target of a place in next season's Champions League by the end of the season. Klopp has acknowledged ahead of Liverpool's clash with bottom side Swansea at Anfield on Tuesday that a Premier League title challenge is beyond them given they trail leaders Manchester City by 20 points. But the German believes there is still plenty for the fourth-placed Reds to play for and they should not get complacent just because City are so far ahead. "We have to qualify for the Champions League. We have to finish as high as possible," Klopp said. "It looks like we could be second, third or fourth this year, that's a fantastic situation. Not the dream but a fantastic situation. "That's what we are working on and for this we have to improve in all departments. "This year, I don't think that anyone apart from Manchester City and maybe Manchester United are thinking too much about how they can win the league. "In a very difficult league, performance-wise we are really consistent so far. If we stay consistent and avoid our mistakes, mistakes like in the 3-3 draw with Arsenal, we will win much more games than we lose or draw. "As it was and so it will be against Swansea, we have to perform first of all and then we have to see how the other team can react." Even though Swansea are at the foot of the table, Klopp does not want his players to assume the result will be a foregone conclusion. "They are under pressure and that's clear because they fight for the league, 100 per cent, and that will not change before Boxing Day," Klopp added. "But we will be ready and we will perform, if possible, like against Arsenal but avoid the mistakes we made. "I don't really remember the game from last year, to be honest. I remember that we lost it. But that's not the plan!" Step by step Klopp confirmed Liverpool will be without captain Jordan Henderson after he limped out of their 3-3 draw with Arsenal last Friday. Defender Joel Matip could be fit enough to feature after he recently returning to training following a muscle injury while striker Daniel Sturridge has recovered from illness. Alberto Moreno (ankle) and Nathanial Clyne (back) remain on the sidelines. Swansea caretaker manager Leon Britton will take charge of his second game following the sacking of Paul Clement last week. Britton is a modern-day Swansea great with more than 500 appearances to his name, and guided the club to a 1-1 draw in his first match against Crystal Palace. A match against free-scoring Liverpool at Anfield, however, will present a somewhat more difficult prospect for the South Wales club. Swansea striker Jordan Ayew admits the draw against Palace, in which he scored, has helped them take at least some confidence into the trip to Merseyside. "We all have a job to do. I think we responded well," Ayew said. "We will take it day by day and see what happens in the future. "We will do our best to get something out of the game against Liverpool. We will build step by step and things will get better. It is important for us to get a good result." Swansea will give a fitness test to striker Wilfried Bony (hamstring) and midfielder Leroy Fer (back), who both missed the game against Palace.

Klopp: Premier League title beyond us, play for Champions League place

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