City lead charge as title race nears climax

LONDON: The closest English top-flight title race in 33 years speeds towards its conclusion this weekend, with Manchester City carrying the advantage ahead of a thorny trip to Everton on Saturday.

Leaders Liverpool's 2-0 loss at home to second-place Chelsea last weekend means that City will probably be assured of a second title in three seasons if they win their three remaining matches.

City trail Liverpool by three points but have a game in hand and a superior goal difference (+58 to +50), and yet with the teams so tightly bunched, the race is far from run.

Not since 1981 have the top three been so close together at this stage of the season and only twice in the Premier League era (1999 and 2008) have three teams been in mathematical title contention at this point.

With Chelsea not hosting Norwich City until Sunday and Liverpool visiting Crystal Palace on Monday, City can take over at the top by prevailing at Goodison Park.

However, while Everton now trail Arsenal by four points in the race for the fourth and final Champions League place, they have lost at home only twice this season.

"They are at home in front of their fans, and they are always good at home," City's Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho told the club website.

"The atmosphere is also good there, and they will play with a lot of intensity. We have to be ready for that. It will be a very tough game."

Chelsea saw their hopes of a trophy double dashed last Wednesday when they lost 3-1 at home to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semifinals.

Two points off the summit, Jose Mourinho's side need both Liverpool and City to slip up if they are to claim the title, but goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer says that they have no option but to keep on fighting.

"We need to put the others under pressure," said the Australian, whose side will go top if they overcome third-bottom Norwich.

"We have to pick ourselves up from this disappointment and realise we must keep banging on the door with the game against Norwich on Sunday. We must make sure we pick up three points so we can capitalise on any slip-ups."

Having stretched their lead over Everton with a breezy 3-0 success against Newcastle United on Monday, Arsenal can rubber-stamp a top-four finish if they win at home to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

Manchester United's Champions League ambitions have long faded, but they will look to build on last weekend's 4-0 win over Norwich in interim manager Ryan Giggs's first game in charge when they host Sunderland.

Sunderland, however, are on a run of back-to-back victories that have lifted them out of the bottom three, and having already beaten both City and Chelsea this season, they have pedigree against the top sides.

"We haven't played to the level that we're capable of this season, but we did that against Norwich," said Giggs.

"It can't just be for one game. It has to be for longer than that. Every time you play for Manchester United you have to stay at that level, and they have to keep to these standards against Sunderland."

While Sunderland also have a game in hand to fulfil, at home to West Brom on Wednesday, time is running out for bottom club Cardiff City, who are two points from safety ahead of Saturday's trip to Newcastle.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side could be relegated this weekend if results go against them, while Fulham are also in a perilous position, just a point better off and facing a trip to Stoke City.

With an away game at Palace awaiting on the season's final day, Fulham manager Felix Magath has urged his players to take responsibility for their destiny by winning their last two matches.

"I still believe two wins will be enough," he said "There is no doubt, we need three points to have the chance to not be relegated. That is the situation.

"The atmosphere is very good and the players want to show people we are still alive."

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Ryan Giggs aims for more of the same

MANCHESTER: Manchester United caretaker boss Ryan Giggs will look to carry on from where he left off when Sunderland visit Old Trafford on Saturday amid consistent speculation that Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal is closing in on the job of permanent manager.

Giggs, 40, guided United to a comprehensive 4-0 win over Norwich last week after David Moyes was sacked as manager of the faltering Premier League champions.

Any discussions between United and Van Gaal, the overwhelming favourite with the bookmakers, are sure to involve what role the Dutchman, 62, has in mind for the United veteran, whose contract as a player-coach expires following the end of this season.

With Giggs restoring the feel-good factor with United's impressive win over Norwich, there have been calls for him to be given the Old Trafford post full-time.

However, former France striker Louis Saha, who was at United with Giggs between 2004 and 2008, believes that four games is not long enough for the Welshman to prove himself as a potential candidate.

"It's a great opportunity for him. He's definitely got the quality, the character and the charisma," Saha said.

"The experience is maybe the only thing missing but when you play 20 years at United you know how to work and how to behave.

"It's sad because he could have been given another month to prove to people that he's the right choice but only four games is not enough.

"I think Ryan deserves a chance but we haven't seen him in Champions League or the rotation system because when you're in the hotseat it's totally different."

Giggs may be tempted to change a winning team by bringing Robin van Persie back into the side.

Van Persie returned to training at the end of last week following a knee injury that has kept the Dutch striker out since March and will be pushing to feature against the Black Cats as he looks to build his fitness ahead of the World Cup.

Sunderland emerged victorious from a League Cup semifinal penalty shoot-out at Old Trafford in January, but that triumph was in stark contrast to their league form at the Theatre of Dreams, where they are without a win since 1968.

After an unlikely return of seven points from the last nine helped them to climb out of the bottom three for the first time since mid-February, two wins from their final three games should be enough to secure an eighth consecutive season in the top flight, given their superior goal difference to Norwich -- who occupy the final relegation place.

Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole feels it could take as little as one more victory to complete their dramatic escape, but he agreed Gus Poyet's side must go all out for victory in each of their remaining fixtures.

The north-east side host West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City in the final week of the season following Saturday's visit to Old Trafford.

"A few games ago, we were looking to get 10 points to stay up," Cattermole said.

"After the last three games, we're three points away from that target now. Another win might be enough, but we have to look to win every game.

"I know the next game is at Manchester United, but we've done well away from home all season and we'll go there looking to give another good account of ourselves after winning the penalty shoot-out there at the start of the year."

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NBA owners set out to remove Sterling

NEW YORK: NBA owners took their first concrete step Thursday towards booting Donald Sterling from their ranks after the disgraced real estate tycoon's racist remarks.

Hours after the league's advisory/finance committee held a meeting to discuss NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's recommendation that Sterling be forced to sell the team, reports surfaced that the 80-year-old Sterling is battling cancer.

ESPN.com said Thursday that unnamed sources had confirmed Sterling's illness, first reported by the New York Post.

On Tuesday, Silver banned Sterling for life from all league activities and fined him $2.5 million over racially charged comments he made to his girlfriend that caused a furor within basketball and beyond after they were aired at the weekend.

"This afternoon the Advisory/Finance Committee met via conference call to discuss the process for termination of Donald T. Sterling's ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers," NBA executive vice president Mike Bass said in a brief statement.

"The committee unanimously agreed to move forward as expeditiously as possible and will reconvene next week."

A move to force Sterling to sell would require the approval of three-quarters of the other 29 NBA owners, and Silver said Tuesday he was confident of gaining the needed votes.

Sterling snapped up the Clippers for $12 million in 1981. The club is now worth at least $575 million.

A swarm of high-profile potential buyers has already surfaced, although Sterling could tie things up if he chooses to challenge any NBA action in court.

Under NBA rules, before the league can force him to sell Sterling must be presented with written charges and given time to respond.

Silver would then convene the board of governors, which would vote after hearing evidence in the case.

While the NBA began to pick its way through the process, fallout continued outside of basketball.

The president of the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP resigned Thursday amid questions about the civil rights organization's relationship with Sterling.

Leon Jenkins had announced this week that the group was dropping plans to present Sterling with a lifetime achievement award and would be returning donations Sterling had made to the organization.

Nevertheless, questions lingered about the chapter's ties to Sterling, who had previously faced allegations he discriminated against black, Hispanic and Korean tenants at some of his rental properties.

Clippers coach Glenn "Doc" Rivers has told his players to expect the affair to follow them no matter how far they go in the playoffs.

"It's not going anywhere. And you've just got to embrace that," Rivers said. "That's just part of this year's playoffs for us.

The team missed out on a chance to wrap up a first-round victory over the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, California, on Thursday, falling 100-99.

The defeat means the Clippers will host the Warriors in a decisive game seven on Saturday.

"I think we're getting closer to being able to play basketball," Rivers said. "I think the discussion will be here, and that's fine by us. I think our guys have been around it long enough now and they'll deal with it and put it in its right place."

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Wilshere no World Cup gamble: Wenger

LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is confident England boss Roy Hodgson won't be taking an undue risk in selecting Jack Wilshere for his World Cup squad, provided the midfielder is "completely fit".

Wilshere has been out of first-team action following the fractured foot he suffered while playing for England in a friendly international against Denmark on March 5.

The Gunners had hoped to have him back for this weekend's Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion, but he might not now be available until their league finale at Norwich ahead of the FA Cup final on May 17.

England have three warm-up matches and a training camp ahead of their World Cup Group D opener against Italy in Brazil on June 14 and Wenger believes that will give the 22-year-old Wilshere sufficient time to get to full fitness.

"It is not a gamble if he is completely fit. It is a strengthening of the (England) team," Wenger said Friday.

"If there was a medical doubt then yes it would be a gamble, but I think he will be completely safe and on that front medically he should be all right."

Wilshere's fellow Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also hoping to be a member of Hodgson's World Cup squad.

Oxlade-Chamberlain missed Monday 3-0 win over Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium, that cemented Arsenal's grip on fourth position and a place in next season's Champions League, because of a niggling groin problem,

"Chamberlain at the moment has an inflamed groin," said Wenger. We will see how he progresses.

"For the World Cup he should be okay, for us, will he come back for the end of the season? I don't know," the veteran French manager added.

Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna remains doubtful for the West Brom match because of a knee injury.

The France international is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to respond to Arsenal's offer of a new deal.

"It is in his camp so he can give you a much better answer than I can," Wenger said.

"I would like the players to stay for more positive reasons, not for fear of failing somewhere else.

"You want the players to be part of this club. "I believe that is something we are keen on here is to help players to love the club and stay for the good reasons, for the football we play, for the values we rate and for being part of the club that is special.

Wenger, 64, is himself out of contract come the end of the campaign and so Sunday's match could, in theory at least, be his final home game in charge of Arsenal -- a club he joined in 1990.

"There is always a chance because none of us know how long we will live," Wenger joked. "But on my desire, no, there is no doubt."

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Suarez promises fans to stay at Anfield

LONDON: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has reportedly promised club fans that he would not demand a move to another club, even if one of Europe's giants show their interest in him, as he is very happy with his current club.

Suarez, who had demanded a move to Arsenal last summer as he wanted to play in the Champions League, is said to be on the transfer list for a number of European clubs, including Real Madrid, at the end of the season.

However, with a chance to play for Liverpool in the Champions League, Suarez wants to stay under boss Brendan Rodgers' guidance and has insisted that he does not want to leave the Anfield dugout, the Daily Star reported.

Suarez is reportedly set to earn around 2,00,000 pounds-a-week from the start of next season with his new four-and-a-half year deal, which he signed in December.

Suarez, who has won the PFA Player of the Year award for netting 30 goals in 31 Premier League appearances so far, is currently looking forward to help Liverpool end their 24-year wait for a league crown, the report added.

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Indian women earn direct last 8 berth

TOKYO: Indian women topped their group to secure a direct entry into the quarterfinals while the men will fight it out in the round of 16 after finishing third in their group in the second division of the World Team Table Tennis Championships on Thursday.

The women got past Bulgaria 3-2 in their toughest test in Group G which they topped with five wins in as many matches. Given a bye in the first round of the knock-out stage, India face the winners of the Egypt-Brazil in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

The men's team led by World No. 39 Sharath Kamal finished third in Group F behind Iran and Italy though all three teams had nine points and suffered a loss each. For India, the loss against Italy Wednesday from a winning position cost them dear. They take on Egypt on Friday.

"It is a pity the way we lost against Italy. Harmeet (Desai) lost a close match he should have won," India's foreign coach Peter Engel said referring to the 2-3 loss against the Italians. Desai lost the fifth and deciding tie 1-3 and was leading 9-1 in the fourth game before Niagol Stoyanov turned it around to win the game 24-22, thus the match.

"Sometimes one game can make all the difference. We would have topped the group had Harmeet won more game. All the top three teams were balanced. There is not much difference between winning and losing. We could have beaten Italy and lost to Iran," added Engel.

Both Indian teams are playing in the biennial tournament's second division where only the top-two of the 24 teams qualify for the Championships division in the following edition.

Results:

Women: India beat Bulgaria 3-2 (Manika Batra beat Anelia Karova 7-11, 11-4, 14-12, 11-8; Shamini Kumaresan lost to Sibel Remzi 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 13-11, 6-11; Ankita Das beat Ivanka Angelova 11-6, 7-11, 14-12, 11-8; Manika Batra lost to Sibel Remzi 8-11, 8-11, 8-11; Shamini Kumaresan beat Anelia Karova 11-5, 11-9, 11-7).

Men: India beat Paraguay 3-0 (Sharath Kamal beat Alejandro Toranzos 11-4, 11-8, 11-1; Anthony Amalraj beat Marcelo Aguirre 11-1, 11-6, 11-7; Sanil Shetty beat Axel Gavilan 11-3, 11-3, 13-11).

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Ranadive leads charge against Sterling

WASHINGTON: Mumbai-born Vivek Ranadive, the first and only Indian-American owner of a US National Basketball Association (NBA) team, is leading the charge against fellow team owner Donald Sterling accused of making racist comments.

Sacramento Kings owner Ranadive expects his fellow NBA owners will vote unanimously to force Sterling, who has been banned by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for life and fined $2.5 million, to sell the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN reported.

Ranadive, who emphatically supported Silver's ruling Tuesday, reiterated his stance Wednesday morning on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike."

"I would be surprised if this was not a unanimous vote," Ranadive was quoted as saying. "The owners are amazing people-they're colour-blind -- and I fully expect a unanimous vote."

Ranadive, according to ESPN, said he was shocked and outraged by Sterling's comments, which were revealed over the weekend as part of an audio recording.

In the taped conversation with his girlfriend, Sterling specifically objected to photos that the woman posted of herself with Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.

"It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people. Do you have to?" Sterling asks the woman on the tape.

"I have had overwhelming support for this position," Ranadive was quoted as saying. "People were outraged by these comments.

"This is really a global game-you have people from all parts of the world, all skin colours, all religions. The only thing we care about is if you have game."

"So these comments were insulting to everyone. One of my favourite quotes is from Gandhi, and he liked to say that, 'If you slight one person, you slight the whole world.' I feel that the whole world was slighted," he added.

Ranadive said Tuesday in a phone interview with ESPN.com that he thought Silver's discipline against Sterling "sent a very clear, unequivocal and decisive message that we will have zero tolerance" for racist behaviour in the NBA.

After banning Sterling, Silver said he will press the other teams to force NBA's longest-tenured owner to sell Los Angeles Clippers as part of the sanctions brought against him in response to his racist comments.

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Rooney asks Utd not to appoint Van Gaal

LONDON: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has reportedly asked the club's senior officials to not appoint Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal as their manager this summer.

Media reports have claimed that Rooney has asked United board members to consider someone else instead of Van Gaal, who is the bookmakers favourite to take charge of the Old Trafford side, as he is not a fan of the Dutchman's hard-line methods.

According to Metro.co.uk, Rooney has a strong influence over the goings on at United after signing his new contract recently at the club and is hoping of using it.

Media reports claim that the striker is of the opinion that Van Gaal would overlook his chances of becoming the next captain for United and would also challenge Rooney's authority with the players.

However, it is not yet certain whether the United board members would listen to Rooney, but it is easy for them to look elsewhere as Van Gaal is still to sign anything with the club, the report added.

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Madrid celebrates CL final success

MADRID: Madrid is celebrating the success of its two major football clubs after Atletico Madrid ensured a historic Champions League final derby against crosstown rival Real Madrid.

Atletico's 3-1 victory at Chelsea saw it progress to its first European Cup final in 40 years, where record nine-time champion Madrid awaits after crushing title holder Bayern Munich 5-0 over two legs.

Spanish media hailed the feat, with sports daily Marca's headline touting "A Spanish Champion," while El Mundo said "Madrid wins the Champions" League.

Atletico is on the verge of a historic double as it closes in on tis first Spanish league title in 18 years, while Madrid is chasing a treble after winning the Copa del Rey against Barcelona.

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Sania-Black reach Portugal Open semis

OEIRAS (Portugal): Top seeds Sania Mirza and Cara Black progressed to the Portugal Open women's doubles semifinals by overcoming Spanish-Chinese pairing Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Shuai Zhang on Thursday.

The Indian-Zimbabwean combine won 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 10 minutes on the clay courts of Sports Complex of Jamor.

Though Silvia and Shuai broke their opponents once in the first set, the top seeds responded by converting two of the seven break points they earned.

The second set turned out to be even more difficult to hold on to service games as there was a total of five service breaks. But the Indian-Zimbabwean duo got the significant break needed to clinch the set and match.

Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja/Divij Sharan play their respective men's singles and men's doubles matches later in the day.

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