Arsenal secure Champions League berth

Giroud scores only goal of the game as The Gunners beat West Brom .

LONDON:

Arsenal celebrated their qualification for next season’s Champions League for the 17th successive time with a 1-0 win at home to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

France striker Olivier Giroud scored the only goal of the game when he headed in a 14th-minute corner.

Everton’s 3-2 defeat by Manchester City on Saturday meant Arsenal kicked-off at the Emirates Stadium knowing they could not be caught in the race for fourth place in the Premier League and a spot in next term’s Champions League.



“I believe the mentality of the team was outstanding [in reaching the Champions League],” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose side will look to end a nine-year spell without a major trophy when they face Hull in this month’s FA Cup final at Wembley.

“We still have games ahead of us. You can be pleased of the attitude, but frustrated because we were top of the league [for 128 days] but then we dropped off.”

The veteran French boss added: “We had injures — three or four players who missed too many games.

“And in some games, at the start away from home, we were caught by surprise. We were perhaps too cautious and not confident enough.”

Pellegrini says City have it all to do

Manuel Pellegrini has insisted Manchester City still have plenty of work to do to wrap up a second English title in three years, despite their hopes being in their own hands.

Saturday’s trip to Goodison Park was seen as the key match in City’s hopes but Pellegrini told his players immediately after the final whistle not to let it slip now.

“It was a testing moment but we haven’t finished yet,” said the City manager.

“We’ve just won one of the three games that we must win to win the title.”

Solskjaer at a low ebb as Cardiff go down

Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer described his side’s relegation from the Premier League as the bleakest day of his illustrious career.

Solskjaer saw Cardiff drop back into the Championship on Saturday as their fate was sealed by a 3-0 defeat at Newcastle.

“The realisation that we’re down is hard to take,” said Solskjaer. “It’s the lowest moment of my career and it’s the same for many of my players.”

Meanwhile, Fulham’s 13-year run in the English top flight also ended by a 4-1 defeat at Stoke City.

Reds out to keep pace at Palace

Having seen Manchester City grab the initiative in the Premier League title race, Liverpool have no option but to win when they visit Crystal Palace on Monday.

Liverpool were unable to find a way through Chelsea’s defence last weekend despite enjoying 73% of possession, but Rodgers has vowed that they will not abandon their patient approach.

“You are always going to get that criticism when you try to play and work and pass the ball,” he said. “It is something I’ve had since I was a young coach.

“What we did do was run out of patience in the [Chelsea] game, but we had a good week to analyse and hopefully we will improve.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2014.

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