Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/187071
53 Sport maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 OCTOBER 2013 FOOTBALL Liverpool go top LIVERPOOL moved to the top of the Barclays Premier League as three first-half goals steered them to a 3-1 win against Crystal Palace at Anfield. Luis Suarez slotted in the Reds' first in the 14th minute from Jose Enrique's pass and Daniel Sturridge doubled the advantage with a fierce strike three minutes later. With seven minutes remaining before the interval, Steven Gerrard then scored a penalty, given for a Dean Moxey foul on Raheem Sterling. Substitute Dwight Gayle headed in a consolation goal for second-bottom Palace in the 77th minute. In third place, behind Arsenal, are Manchester City, who ended their difficult week on a high in Saturday's early kick-off as they came from behind to beat Everton 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium. City went into the contest off the back of last weekend's 3-2 top-flight defeat at Aston Villa and Wednesday's 3-1 Champions League home loss to Bayern Munich, and they were a goal down in the 16th minute when Romelu Lukaku scored. A minute later Alvaro Negredo equalised and Sergio Aguero put the hosts 2-1 up just prior to halftime, before the unlucky Tim Howard diverted in City's third in the 69th minute. The Everton goalkeeper tipped Aguero's penalty - awarded for Seamus Coleman's challenge on Pablo Zabaleta - onto a post but the ball hit Howard's head on the rebound and went in. In the late kick-off, teenager Adnan Januzaj blasted Manchester United to a much-needed 2-1 victory at Sunderland with a superb double on his first start for the club. The 18-year-old Belgian winger, who had earlier been booked for diving, dragged a misfiring United back into the game with a calmlytaken 55th-minute equaliser and then smashed a dipping volley past keeper Keiren Westwood to win the game just six minutes later. On an afternoon when United were far from their best, they were all but taken apart by the bottomof-the-table Black Cats before the break with Craig Gardner's fifthminute opener setting the stage for a concerted assault by the home side. But David Moyes' men, who were facing a third successive Premier League defeat for the first time since December 2001, responded in the second half and eventually earned their reward. Fulham moved out of the relegation zone after posting their first win in six league games - and only their second of the season - with a 1-0 home triumph against Stoke. The three points were sealed by Darren Bent's left-footed strike with seven minutes of normal time to go. Newcastle, who had suffered losses in their previous two league outings, also bounced back as they won 2-1 at Cardiff, with Loic Remy netting both Magpies goals to take his tally to five in his last three matches. Remy drilled in his first on the half-hour mark having burst forward and then converted on the follow-up in the 38th minute when David Marshall parried Papiss Cisse's shot. The home side pulled a goal back 13 minutes after the break through Peter Odemwingie, but Newcastle were able to hold on. In the day's other 3pm kick-off, Hull and Aston Villa played out a 0-0 draw at the KC Stadium. Totti double sinks Inter Totti celebrates his goal CAPTAIN Francesco Totti scored twice as Roma powered five points clear at the top of the Serie A standings with a stunning 3-0 win over previously undefeated Inter Milan at the San Siro. All three goals came in the first half with 37-year-old Totti opening the scoring in the 18th minute before adding a second with a 40thminute penalty following a foul by Alvaro Pereira on Gervinho inside the area. Alessandro Florenzi then notched a third four minutes later to complete a dream half for Roma, who even coped with the 79th-minute dismissal of Federico Balzaretti to claim a seventh successive win. Roma, who are enjoying their bestever start to a Serie A season, are now five points clear at the summit above Napoli, who are at home to Livorno on Sunday. Inter, meanwhile, remain in fourth place on 14 points after seeing their unbeaten start to the campaign shattered. Also on Saturday, Atalanta took all three points for a second successive game as Maximiliano Moralez's early strike steered them to a 1-0 win at Chievo. Moralez netted what proved to be only goal of the contest in the 16th minute, volleying in from Christian Raimondi's tee-up. The victory follows the 2-0 home league win over Udinese last weekend, prior to which Atalanta had lost three matches in a row. Struggling Chievo, meanwhile, are now on a three-game losing streak themselves and have been defeated in a five of their seven league fixtures this season. Liverpool eased to a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace