Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/224217
53 Sport maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 DECEMBER 2013 FOOTBALL Manchester United and Chelsea suffer shock defeats DAVID Moyes' difficult start as Manchester United manager turned into a full-blown crisis as Yohan Cabaye ended Newcastle's 41-year wait for an Old Trafford win by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory. The result condemned United to back-to-back home Premier League defeats for the first time 2002. It meant United have lost five times already this season and that they have collected just two points from their last four games. Little wonder the reaction at the end was one of anger from the home supporters, who watched virtually the same group of players they booed off today clinch a 20th title by 11 points less than seven months ago. Title contenders Chelsea were also on the receiving end of a shock result as Oussama Assaidi's superb 90th-minute winner gave Stoke a first league victory over the Blues in 38 years. The on-loan Liverpool winger came on as a substitute six minutes from time and his first real contribution was to pick the ball up on the left, cut inside and unleash a ferocious shot into the top corner to seal a 3-2 triumph. Jose Mourinho's first trip to the Britannia Stadium began well as Andre Schurrle gave Chelsea a 10th-minute lead. But Peter Crouch levelled three minutes before half-time, and five minutes after the break Stephen Ireland put the hosts ahead. Schurrle quickly equalised with another fine finish and it looked like both sides would have to settle for a point until Assaidi's brilliant intervention earned a 3-2 victory. Stoke's last win over Chelsea came in the League Cup in 1995 when Potters manager Mark Hughes was in the Blues side, while their most recent league victory was in 1975. Liverpool took advantage of Chelsea's slip-up to go second in the Premier League table on goal difference as Luis Suarez helped them ease to a 4-1 victory over West Ham at Anfield. It was the Uruguay international's shot which produced Guy Demel's own goal just before half-time, he won the free-kick from which Mamadou Sakho scored his first goal for the club and then added a late goal to calm the nerves after Martin Skrtel put past his own goalkeeper. He might even have laid claim to the fifth goal of the afternoon but the ball had taken a fateful deflection off Joey O'Brien. Suarez could have had back-toback hat-tricks after getting four in midweek against Norwich but in taking his tally to 26 in his last 25 league matches, including 10 in his last four home matches, he provided further proof - should it be needed - that he is central to the Reds' bid to regain Champions League status. Manchester City's shaky away form continued as Dani Osvaldo's exquisite strike earned Southampton a 1-1 draw at St Mary's. As impressive as City have been since Manuel Pellegrini's arrival, they have shown a soft underbelly away from home, winning just two matches on the road - the latest of which came at West Brom on Wednesday. It was a result they were unable to match on the south coast, where Osvaldo's wondrous goal earned Southampton a deserved, moraleboosting point. Tottenham moved up to sixth after they came from behind to defeat Sunderland 2-1 at the Stadium of Light. Adam Johnson gave the hosts a 37th-minute lead only for Paulinho to level the scores just before the break. Tottenham edged ahead thanks to a John O'Shea own goal five minutes into the second half and held on for a second successive victory. At the other end of the table Tony Pulis enjoyed a second home victory inside a week as his Crystal Palace side recorded a fully deserved 2-0 win over Cardiff at Selhurst Park. The former Stoke boss took charge at Palace a little over two weeks ago and, following a narrow loss at Norwich, the Welshman has THE Italy striker saw his clumsy first goal cancelled out by Luca Siligardi as Livorno snapped their three-game scoring drought, and the struggling Tuscans moved towards taking a valuable win when Paulinho completed the turnaround shortly before the hour mark. Balotelli would, however, spare the Rossoneri from the embarrassment of suffering a sixth Serie A loss of the season with a powerful free-kick in the last 10 minutes. The point - Livorno's first since November 3 - leaves Milan in eighth place ahead of a full weekend of league games that could see them dragged back into the bottom half of the table by other teams. It was hardly the confidence-boosting result Milan needed before a crucial Champions League showdown with Ajax. Balotelli wasted no time practising his aim at the Stadio Armando Picchi. Seven minutes were on the clock when Kaka fed the Italy international from the left wing and, although he failed to connect properly with the ball, he would fumble it past Francesco Bardi. Livorno pushed back and Federico Ceccherini was unlucky to nod over the bar from Alfred Duncan's cross before Paulinho sent an angled drive wide. Moments after Kaka saw his rightfooted volley deflected wide, Emerson sent Gabriel sprawling across the Milan goalmouth with a classy shot on the turn. The Rossoneri goalkeeper did not heed the warning and was picking the ball out of his net in the 26th minute. He should have done so much better when Siligardi appeared on the edge of the box to hook a slow-moving effort home at the far post. The Tuscans fancied a second to turn the game around but would not find it despite Paulinho dazzling with a backheeled through-ball in the 33rd minute. Duncan latched onto the pass, only to make a complete hash of his finish from a clear scoring position. Bardi had to be at his best to keep Milan out when play resumed, the young keeper first absorbing Antonio Nocerino's shot before pulling off a sensational save on Balotelli. Milan held by Livrono David Moyes' job is on the line after Manchester United's defeat to Newcastle Chelsea's Jose Mourinho was not expecting a defeat against Stoke City now guided the Eagles to back-toback home wins as Cameron Jerome and Marouane Chamakh got on the scoresheet to secure a comfortable triumph. Norwich bounced back from their Anfield nightmare as goals from Gary Hooper and Leroy Fer earned them a valuable 2-0 win over West Brom at The Hawthorns. Hooper scored the opener in the 13th minute, smashing an unstoppable drive into the top corner, before Fer finished off a sharp counter late on to seal the points. West Brom had countless chances to take at least a point from this game with Stephane Sessegnon twice failing to convert great opportunities and Shane Long also guilty of being profligate in front of goal. It is now one win in nine games for the Baggies, and Steve Clarke's side were booed off at full-time. English Premier league Standings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 The former Manchester City striker loped into the area and let rip with a fierce drive but Bardi's hand somehow got in the way. Livorno celebrated that moment and were even happier in the 58th minute. A defensive mix-up from Milan allowed Paulinho free reign to pick his spot past Gabriel and the Amaranto were on course to claim a famous victory. Bardi earned his wages once again as Milan pushed for an equaliser, blocking a close-range header from Cristian Zapata before shepherding Mbaye Niang out of striking range. Siligardi will have wished he took his chance to push Livorno further clear P Arsenal 14 Liverpool 15 Chelsea 15 Manchester City 15 Everton 14 Tottenham H. 15 Newcastle United 15 Southampton 15 Manchester U. 15 Aston Villa 14 Swansea City 14 Stoke City 15 Hull City 14 Norwich City 15 West Brom. A. 15 Cardiff City 15 West Ham United 15 Crystal Palace 15 Fulham 14 Sunderland 15 in the 75th minute, but he put too much power behind an angled drive from the right. In the 83rd minute, Milan equalised through a familiar source. There were nervous glances between Livorno's players when Milan won a free-kick in Balotelli range and the mercurial forward did not disappoint, steering an unstoppable curler past the flailing Bardi. He found time to further entertain the crowd before the final whistle, clattering the crossbar from an improbable angle. As nice as it looked, Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was left to rue another dismal result. Italian Serie A Standings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Juventus Roma SSC Napoli Inter Fiorentina Hellas Verona Genoa AC Milan Atalanta Lazio Parma Udinese Torino Cagliari Sassuolo Livorno ChievoVerona Bologna Sampdoria Catania 15 14 15 14 14 14 14 15 14 14 14 15 14 14 14 15 14 15 14 14 40 34 32 27 27 22 19 18 17 17 17 17 16 15 14 13 12 12 11 9 Freephone: (+356) 800 737 70 cabs minivans vip transport w w w. c a b s . c o m . m t 2138 9575 / 9921 5286 luxury coaches Pts 34 30 30 29 27 27 26 23 22 19 18 17 17 17 15 14 13 13 10 8 info@cabs.com.mt vintage buses