English Premier League: Wenger cheered by multi-faceted Cazorla

Striker’s two-goal haul against Fulham keeps Arsenal top of the table.

LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Santi Cazorla is back to his best after he scored his first Premier League goals in two months to keep his side top of the table.

Cazorla was sidelined for six weeks earlier in the season after suffering an ankle injury in the victory over Tottenham Hotspur on September 1.

But Arsenal manager Wenger feels that the player’s two-goal display in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium provided confirmation that he is ready to play a key role in his side’s title bid.

“He was out for a long time at the start of the season and had some injury problems,” said Wenger. “Only recently has he come back to his level.

“He is one of the players who can create something special, either through his pass or through his finishing.”

Pellegrini sets ton-up City quadruple target

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes his team’s free-scoring form can sweep them to an unprecedented haul of all four major trophies this season.



A 4-2 home victory over Cardiff City on Saturday means that City have now scored 103 goals in all competitions and 42 in their 11 home league games to date.

“I think we’re in a very good moment, in terms of the confidence of the whole team; not just the 11 players,” said Pellegrini. “The confidence is very high at this moment.

“This team is getting better. We must be candidates for all the titles. We are playing better than at the beginning of the season.

“It is not easy to change so many things. The players had to learn new things. Now we must continue.”

Point means progress, says Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers claimed the point his side secured from their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa should be seen as a mark of the progress they have made this season.

Rodgers felt the result in the context of this campaign could prove to be a valuable one as Liverpool, fourth in the table, strive to qualify for the Champions League.

“It’s a mark of how we are doing,” said Rodgers.

“We played Stoke and then Aston Villa last year at the same time last season and we didn’t get any points, we lost both games. This time we have four points out of the six.”

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice as Tottenham claimed a fifth straight league away win with a 3-1 victory over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2014.

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