Arsenal missed their chance to return to the top of the Premier League

Arsenal missed their chance to return to the top of the Premier League

LONDON: Arsenal missed their chance to return to the top of the Premier League after being held to a bruising 0-0 draw by title rivals Chelsea in a spiteful London derby on Monday. 

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GD	Points
1	Liverpool	17	11	3	3	23	36
2	Arsenal	17	11	3	3	16	36
3	Man City	17	11	2	4	31	35
4	Chelsea	17	10	4	3	14	34
5	Everton	17	9	7	1	13	34
6	Newcastle	17	9	3	5	2	30
7	Tottenham	17	9	3	5	-5	30
8	Man United	17	8	4	5	8	28
9	Southampton	17	6	6	5	4	24
10	Stoke City	17	5	6	6	-4	21
11	Swansea City	17	5	5	7	0	20
12	Hull City	17	5	5	7	-6	20
13	Aston Villa	17	5	4	8	-6	19
14	Norwich City	17	5	4	8	-14	19
15	Cardiff City	17	4	5	8	-12	17
16	West Brom	17	3	7	7	-5	16
17	West Ham	17	3	5	9	-8	14
18	Crystal Palace	17	4	1	12	-16	13
19	Fulham	17	4	1	12	-17	13
20	Sunderland	17	2	4	11	-18	10
1-3: Champions League; 4: Champions League preliminary rounds; 5: Europa League; 6 - 7: Europa league depending on domestic cup; 18-20: Relegation

English Premier League point Table

 

Arsenal vs Chelsea match draw 0-0

Arsenal vs Chelsea match draw 0-0

LONDON: Arsenal missed their chance to return to the top of the Premier League after being held to a bruising 0-0 draw by title rivals Chelsea in a spiteful London derby on Monday. This was the final English top-flight fixture before Christmas, but there was little festive cheer on display at the Emirates Stadium as Chelsea battered Arsenal with a series of bruising challenges.

John Obi Mikel was fortunate to avoid a red card after the Chelsea midfielder crunched into Mikel Arteta, while Arsenal also complained they should have had a penalty for Willian's challenge on Theo Walcott.

It was a frustrating night for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who failed to secure his first win over Jose Mourinho at the 10th attempt and as a result saw his side waste an opportunity to climb back above leaders Liverpool.

Instead, second placed Arsenal go into the Christmas programme level on points with Liverpool but behind the Anfield outfit on goal difference.

Chelsea, who moved up to fourth and are two points behind Liverpool, finished the more satisfied side after stifling Arsenal with ease and creating the better of the few chances on offer.

"We controlled the game defensively. It was a tactical match, a match where neither side wanted to lose," Mourinho said.

"We want creative players who use the ball and kill opponents. But there are some matches where we have to take one step backwards and play with a different philosophy."

Wenger had admitted Arsenal had a point to prove after last weekend's 6-3 thrashing at Manchester City prompted many pundits to question his team's chances of lasting the pace in the title race, but this spluttering performance will hardly silence the doubters.

Mourinho sent Chelsea out in a 4-5-1 formation, with Fernando Torres as the lone striker, and that cautious approach worked impressively as Arsenal struggled to find any rhythm.

It didn't help that torrential rain and gale-force winds lashed the Emirates throughout the match, making passing something of a lottery.

Frank Lampard made a typically intelligent run to meet Cesar Azpilicueta's cross in the early stages, but for once the Chelsea midfielder's clinical finishing deserted him and he scuffed a mistimed effort well wide.

Mourinho's men finally cast off their defensive shackles just before the break and almost took the lead when Lampard met Eden Hazard's pass with volley against the crossbar.

The ball rebounded to safety, but Arsenal were under the cosh again moments later when Torres tested Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny with a snap-shot on the turn.

Wenger was growing increasingly vexed on the touchline and he was furious when referee Mike Dean refused to even book Mikel for his aggressive lunge on Arteta.

Mikel's eyes were on the ball when he went into the tackle and Arteta slid in with equal intent, but it was the Chelsea midfielder whose follow-through contained more menace and could easily have left the Spaniard nursing a serious injury.

Arsenal's anger increased when they appealed in vain for a penalty after Willian's challenge caught Walcott on the foot without making contact with the ball.

Willian squandered a golden opportunity to add to Arsenal's angst when he shot straight at Szczesny after a rapid break caught the hosts out-numbered.

Arteta was the victim of another crunching tackle from Ramires, but the Brazilian escaped with just a booking.

By now Walcott, usually so mild mannered, had had enough and the winger responded by chopping down Azpilicueta, earning a yellow card of his own.

The tone of an already fiery match became ever more combustible after Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic caught Mesut Ozil and then started a bout of shoving with an incensed Kieran Gibbs.

Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky sought retribution and went into the book for a crude foul on Ivanovic.

It was Arsenal who finished the stronger, with Giroud firing into the side-netting and then forcing Cech to block at his near post.

Bacary Sagna's header was cleared off the line by Azpilicueta, but neither side deserved to take the points on an ugly night.

Virat Kohli achieves career best Test ranking of 11

Virat Kohli achieves career best Test ranking of 11

Dubai:  Star Indian batsman Virat Kohli jumped nine places to achieve his career-best 11th spot in the latest Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen issued on Monday.

Kohli, who stroked 119 and 96 in the two innings in the first Test against South Africa, was the second highest-ranked Indian after Cheteshwar Pujara, another centurion in the same match in Johannesburg, who remained on seventh spot after earning 37 rating points. (Also read: Kohli shocked South Africa did not go for win vs India)

South African A B de Villiers, one of the two South African centurions to help draw the Johannesburg Test, leads the rankings. He leads compatriot and second-ranked Hashim Amla by 25 ratings points.

Rank	Name	Country	Rating as on Dec. 23
1	AB de Villiers	South Africa	906
2	Hashim Amla	South Africa	881
3	Shivnarine Chanderpaul	West Indies	876
4	Ross Taylor	New Zealand	871
5	Michael Clarke	Australia	868
6	Kumar Sangakkara	Sri Lanka	866
7	Cheteshwar Pujara	India	838
8	Misbah-ul-Haq	Pakistan	783
9	Gareme Smith	South Africa	775
10	Younus Khan	Pakistan	769
11	Virat Kohli	India	748

Meanwhile, South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander has achieved the coveted number-one ranking on the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers after a stellar performance against India in the drawn Johannesburg Test.

Philander has dislodged team-mate Dale Steyn, who had been at the top of table since July 2009 when he went past Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan. Overall, Steyn spent 186 matches at the number-one position, the second-most ever after Muralitharan. (Also read: Dale Steyn records worst figures in Test career)

Philander had entered the Test trailing Steyn by four ratings points. While Philander recorded figures of four for 61 and three for 68, Steyn managed just one wicket. The contrasting performances resulted in Philander gaining 13 ratings points and Steyn conceding 13 ratings points.

This swing means Philander now leads Steyn by 22 ratings points and the 28-year-old from Bellville will now start the Durban Test as the number-one ranked bowler in the world for the first time in his career.

Philander is now the seventh South Africa bowler to claim the number-one rank after Aubrey Faulkner (1914-1921), Hugh Tayfield (1955-1958), Peter Pollock (1969), Allan Donald (1998-1999), Shaun Pollock (1999-2003) and Steyn (2008-2013).

Overall Philander is the 74th bowler to head the Test bowling ranking.

Philander has also become the third South Africa bowler after Pollock and Steyn to break the barrier of 900 ratings points, considered a landmark for top bowlers.

Philander's total of 912 ratings points is the joint-sixth best ever, with England's Tony Lock and West Indies paceman Curtly Ambrose, and the best-ever by a South Africa bowler.

In the team rankings, New Zealand's eight-wicket win over West Indies in the Hamilton Test has helped it register a 2-0 series win and, thereby, gain seven ratings points to retain seventh position with 82 ratings points.

West Indies, on the other hand, has dropped behind Sri Lanka in seventh position in the table headed by South Africa (131 rating points). India are at second place with 119 rating points.

England off-spinner Graeme Swann, who retired from international cricket on Sunday, ended his Test career in 15th spot.

Swann's highest ranking with the ball was when he achieved the number-two position in March 2010. He reached a peak of 858 points later that year. (Suggested read: Swann takes parting shot at teammates)

Swann also spent 41 matches and 111 days in 2011 as the top ranked ODI bowler, first reaching top spot on 3 July 2011. He has ended his ODI career in 24th rank on the bowling table. He also spent 35 matches and 338 days as the top ranked T20I bowler, first reaching top spot on 30 December 2010. Swann has ended his T20 International career in 17th position.

Deepika Kumari creates two national records in Archery

Deepika Kumari creates two national records in Archery 2013

World Cup silver medalist Deepika established a new national record each in the 70 meters and 60 meters events en route to winning the gold medal.

Jamshedpur:  Top-ranked women recurve archer Deepika Kumari of Jharkhand on Monday created two national records in the FITA round on the opening day of the 34th Senior National Archery Championship at JRD Tata Sports Complex here.

World Cup silver medalist Deepika established a new national record each in the 70 meters and 60 meters events en route to winning the gold medal.

A Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medalist and a cadet of Tata Archery Academy, Deepika eclipsed the previous best of 330 points out of 360, set up by Chekrovolu Swuro (SPSB) at the 32nd Sahara Senior National Recurve and Compound Championship at the same venue here in January 2012, by scoring 333 points out of maximum 360 in the 70 meter distance on Monday.

She also shattered the previous record of Olympian L Bombayla Devi's (RSPB) 345 out of 360 points record by scoring 346 points in the 60 meter distance.

Bombayla Devi had created the record at 32nd Sahara Senior National Recurve and Compound Championship held here in January last year.

Deepika in women's section and Tarundeep Rai (SSCB) in the men's section topped the medal chart on Monday.

In the men's 90 meter and 70 meters, Rai hit the bull's eye to earn 323 and 339 points respectively to emerge victorious.

In the men's 90 meters, Rai was followed by his team-mate Viswash, who accumulated 320 points, and Atanu Das (PSPB) finished third with 320 points.

Ajay (Delhi) gave Rai a tough fight in the 70 meters event and finished a close second with 338 points while Jayanta Talukdar was third with 334 points.

Similarly, Deepika dominated proceedings right from the start and pushed her one-time team-mate at Tata Archery Academy and former Olympian V Praneetha, now representing Gujarat, to second place.

Praneetha earned 326 points from a maximum 360 points while Reena Kumari of Jharkhand finished third with 319 points.

In the women's 60 meter event, Deepika was followed by her team-mate Asha Rani Horo, who scored 331. Praneetha had to settle with the bronze medal with 329 points.

While top-ranked Talukdar (Jharkhand) won the top place in the 30 meters recurve event followed by Rai and Hurdup Tiriya (SPSB), Somnath Mondal (West Bengal) emerged champion in the 50 meter event.

Mondol, who scored 339 points in the event to bag the gold, was trailed by Talukdar (339 points) while Sanjay Boro (Assam) was third with 336 points.

Jharkhand's international archer Jhano Hansda and Delhi's Abhishek Verma topped the points chart in the women's and men's compound sections respectively in the championship that kicked off at the main JRD Sports Complex.

Hansdah scored highest with 689 points out of 720 to emerge winners in 50 meters event. Hansdah had to sweat it out as her Manipuri opponent P Lily Chanu put up a stiff challenge but fell one short of her opponent.

Ramandeep Kaur of Punjab finished third with 684 points.

In the men's 50 meters compound event, Verma (702 points) faced a close fight with I R Sanam (Andhra Pradesh), who scored 701 points.

International archer Ch Jignas (SSCB) finished third with 699 points.

Ronjan Sodhi wins gold in double trap

Ronjan Sodhi wins gold in double trap 2013

Ronjan shot 27 out of possible 30 against silver medalist Ajay Mittal's score of 25/30 in the 57th National Shooting Championship.

New Delhi:  Ace shooter Ronjan Sodhi won the double trap gold, while another top marksman Sanjeev Rajput bagged the yellow metal in the 50m rifle 3 position event in the 57th National Shooting Championship at Dr Karni Singh Range here on Monday.

Ronjan shot 27 out of possible 30 against silver medallist Ajay Mittal's score of 25/30. Mohammed Asab of Uttar Pradesh won the bronze in the final fight with Ankur Mittal. Asab shot 30 out of possible 30 score against 27/30 of Ankur in the fight for bronze medal.

Athens Olympics silver medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore finished seventh in the event with 129 points as he did not participate in the final round.

Meanwhile, Olympian Rajput bagged the gold in 50m rifle 3 position event with Gagan Narang finishing second. Narang had won a bronze in the 10 meter air rifle event in 2012 London Olympics.

Rajput of Navy shot 456.1 to win the gold, while Narang scored 448.6 to claim the silver, followed by Chain Singh of Army who shot 437.1 to win the bronze. Sanjeev, Narang and Chain Singh scored 1174, 1159 and 1159 points in the qualification round.

Nadia Petrova out of Australian Open

 Nadia Petrova out of Australian Open after mother's death

Moscow:  Russian tennis star Nadia Petrova has pulled out of January's Australian Open following the death in a car accident of her mother, herself an Olympic athletics bronze medallist.

Also out of the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne is another top Russian player, Maria Kirilenko, who is injured.

The withdrawal of both players was reported by Russian media and confirmed on the official Twitter account of the Australian Open.

Petrova's mother - Nadezhda Ilyina - died in a car accident in the Moscow region on December 7. A successful 400 metre runner, she won a bronze in the 4x400 relay in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

She had also held the USSR record in both the 400 metres and the 4x400 metres relay as well as the world record for 400 metres indoors.

"Our condolences to Nadia Petrova who's withdrawn from Ausopen following the tragic loss of her mother," the Australian Open organisers said.

Andres Iniesta signs Barcelona until 2018

 Andres Iniesta signs Contract Barcelona until 2018

Barcelona:  Barcelona's emblematic midfielder Andres Iniesta signed a three-year contract extension with the La Liga leaders Monday, keeping him with the club until at least 2018.

"Andres Iniesta signed his new contract with FC Barcelona at midday," the club said in a statement.

The 29-year-old Spanish international's previous contract was due to run out next year and delays in announcing a new deal had sparked speculation about his future in the club.

But Iniesta is now tied to Barcelona until June 2018.

After that date, his contract is automatically extended annually if he has played a certain number of matches in the previous season, the club said.

Winner of three Champions League trophies with Barcelona in 2006, 2009 and 2011, Iniesta was also key to Spain taking the World Cup in 2010 and being crowned European champions in 2008 and 2012.