Newcastle turn heat on Spurs in top-four battle

Toons win 2-0 to go level with Spurs who lost 2-1.

LONDON: Newcastle United moved level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League as the battle for Champions League qualification intensified.

Newcastle’s 2-0 win over strugglers Bolton combined with Tottenham’s 2-1 loss at home to Norwich left the Champions League rivals together on 59 points.

After a goal-less first-half at St James’ Park, Hatem Ben Arfa gave Newcastle a sensational 73rd-minute lead when he beat several Bolton defenders before slipping the ball into the corner. In-form Senegal striker Papiss Demba Cisse, one of the signings of the season, then made it 10 goals in nine games when he turned in Shola Ameobi’s cross from close range seven minutes from time.

Norwich stun Spurs

Meanwhile, Tottenham fell behind at White Hart Lane when Anthony Pilkington capitalised on a mix-up in the Spurs defence to fire the Canaries into a 13th-minute lead. But England striker Jermain Defoe drew Tottenham level after the half-hour mark in controversial fashion.

Norwich appealed for a penalty when Spurs defender Ledley King appeared to grab hold of forward Grant Holt’s shirt but play continued and the home side broke down the other end, with Jake Livermore setting up Defoe, who produced a cool finish.

However, the Canaries - all but assured of safety following promotion from the Championship last season - saw winger Elliott Bennett lash the ball past Brad Friedel as the Spurs defence backed off to make it 2-1 in the 66th minute.

Everton thrash Sunderland

Everton warmed up for their FA Cup semi-final against Merseyside rivals Liverpool at Wembley on Saturday, by thrashing Sunderland 4-0 at Goodison Park.

All of the home side’s goals came in a second half spree, with winger Magaye Gueye firing Everton ahead in the 52nd minute. The Frenchman then turned provider as South Africa’s Steven Pienaar sealed victory with a 75th-minute shot from the edge of the box. Barely 60 seconds later Leon Osman made it 3-0 before Nigerian striker Victor Anichebe added a fourth nine minutes from time, with Everton resting several players ahead of the Cup semi-final.

Balotelli could face Euro snub

Coach Cesare Prandelli has admitted that talented but troubled striker Mario Balotelli could be excluded from the Italy squad following his sending off at the end of Manchester City’s 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.

City manager Roberto Mancini said afterwards he would not use the controversial 21-year-old again this season and would probably sell the Italian. And Balotelli could also be left out of Italy’s Euro 2012 squad as Prandelli is a stickler for discipline.

“I will watch his sending off before deciding whether or not to apply the code of ethics for Balotelli,” said Prandelli who has a no-tolerance policy towards ill discipline and has always excluded players if they are serving a club ban for violent conduct.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2012.