Swansea, Boro in deep trouble

Swansea (United Kingdom), April 2: Middlesbrough wasted a chance to boost their survival bid as the Premier League strugglers were held to a 0-0 draw by relegation rivals Swansea on Sunday.

Steve Agnew’s side would have moved within two points of safety with a victory at the Liberty Stadium.

But instead second-bottom Middlesbrough remain five points adrift of 17th-placed Swansea after a nervous, errorstrewn encounter.

Middlesbrough, without a win in 12 league games, are four points behind third-bottom Hull, although they have a game in hand on both sides in the battle to avoid dropping into the Championship.

It was also a missed opportunity for Swansea, who could have pulled clear of the bottom three but instead remain deep in trouble themselves, just one point above Hull following their third successive game without a win.

Middlesbrough had to withstand early Swansea pressure, which saw Martin Olsson fire over and Jordan Ayew sting Victor Valdes’ palms from 20 yards.

Swansea midfielder Tom Carroll went close to breaking the deadlock with a 25-yard drive that whistled past a post. Bournemouth’s Harry Arter blazed a late penalty high over the crossbar as his side were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw at local rivals Southampton on Saturday.

Eddie Howe’s team had a chance to secure their first ever win at Southampton when Ryan Bertrand conceded the penalty with a foul on Ryan Fraser.

But Cherries midfielder Arter lost his footing as he ran up to take the spotkick and blasted it into the fans behind Fraser Forster’s goal. Arsene Wenger rubbished the notion that he could give up management if his two-decade reign at Arsenal ends, saying that “retiring is for young people”.

The 67-year-old is yet to announce whether he will sign a new contract at the Emirates Stadium this summer, but in the buildup to Sunday’s Premier League clash at home to Manchester City he said that he intends to remain a coach — whether at Arsenal or elsewhere.

Amid reports of interest from Paris Saint Germain, Wenger said: “I will not retire (if he leaves Arsenal).

“Retiring is for young people. For old people retirement is dying. I still watch every football game. I find it interesting.”

He insists he is as ambitious as ever.

“Of course I’m as hungry,” he said.