Sports

United reduces City’s lead to 12 points

January 16, 2018
Manchester United’s Juan Mata shoots wide against Stoke City during their Premier League match at Old Trafford Monday. — Reuters
Manchester United’s Juan Mata shoots wide against Stoke City during their Premier League match at Old Trafford Monday. — Reuters

MANCHESTER — Manchester United took a chunk out of Manchester City’s large lead in the English Premier League by beating relegation-threatened Stoke 3-0 in a one-sided match featuring spectacular goals by Antonio Valencia and Anthony Martial Monday.

United capitalized on City’s first loss in the league — at Liverpool Sunday — to reduce the gap to 12 points with 15 games remaining.

Valencia, back from nearly a month out with a hamstring injury, blasted a shot into the top corner with his weaker left foot to give United the lead in the ninth minute, and Martial curled in a first-time effort from the edge of the area for 2-0 in the 38th.

Romelu Lukaku added a third goal in the 72nd from a shot on the turn.

Second-place United moved three points clear of Chelsea and Liverpool in the race for qualification for the Champions League.

Paul Lambert was hired as Stoke manager hours before kickoff, as a replacement for Mark Hughes, and was in the stands at Old Trafford. He saw the size of the task awaiting him as he looks to steer the club away from relegation trouble, with Stoke easily seen off by United in occasional hailstorms in northwest England.

United goalkeeper David De Gea was needed to pull off a couple of good saves from Xherdan Shaqiri and Mame Biram Diouf.

Stoke, which has been in the top flight since 2008, is in third-to-last place after 23 games.

Mourinho ‘relaxed’ about Sanchez joining United

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho remains relaxed about his chances of signing Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez despite reported late interest from Chelsea.

The United manager was speaking at the end of a Monday of high drama in the pursuit of the Chilean, who looks likely to leave the Emirates in the January transfer window ahead of his contract expiring at the end of the current campaign.

That will enable Arsenal to recoup some cash for the highly-rated Sanchez, with United understood to have put together a package that will be worth £35 million ($48 million, 39 million euros) to Arsene Wenger’s club, and include United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, valued at £10 million, as part of the deal.

Sanchez had long been expected to join Manchester City, which failed in a bid to secure his services on the final day of the European summer transfer window.

As recently as last week, Sanchez looked set for a reunion with his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola at the Etihad but late on Monday saw City officially withdrew their interest, scared off apparently by the escalating fee and wage demands that are reported to be around £300,000 a week.

There were also reports later that evening that Chelsea has now made a late attempt to hijack the signing and Mourinho, speaking after his team defeated relegation-threatened Stoke 3-0 at Old Trafford, admitted Sanchez had attracted attention from other clubs.

“I am not confident but, what’s the opposite? Not unconfident.

“Just relaxed with the feeling he is an Arsenal player, that he can stay there but also with the feeling that he can move. If he moves, I think we have a chance.”

The Portuguese added: “Most probably, a player like him, he probably has other big clubs who are interested. And who knows?

“I think him, Mr. Wenger, Mr. (Ivan) Gazidis (the Arsenal chief executive), they are the ones who really know what’s going to happen.

“I don’t know anything about it. Today, I don’t have one single piece of information so let’s see what happens.”

Mourinho left Mkhitaryan out of his matchday squad for the victory over Stoke, which came courtesy of goals from Antonio Valencia, Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku.

That decision fuelled the theory that the playmaker is bound for Arsenal as a makeweight in the transfer.

“I didn’t select him today because I wanted players fully focused and I understand that with so much talk and speculation it is not easy for Mkhitaryan to play at home with this feeling,” Mourinho said.

“So I prefer to protect him and the situation. If he stays here he is a very good player that started the season very, very well and came a little bit down but last season did amazing things for us, helped us to win the Europa League, being one of the most important players.” — Agencies


January 16, 2018
31 views
HIGHLIGHTS
Sports
5 days ago

Neom FC clinches First Division spot with a thrilling victory over Al Zulfi

Sports
5 days ago

Hiba Al Owaidi becomes first female main referee in Saudi Women's League

Sports
6 days ago

Salem Al Dawsari's goal secures Saudi victory over Tajikistan in World Cup qualifiers