Holebas gives Watford win at Middlesbrough in Premier League

Valencia gets win in Prandelli’s debut

Jose Holebas lit up an unspectacular game with an eye-catching goal to give Watford a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough in the Premier League yesterday.

The 32-year-old Greek midfielder sent a shot from the edge of the penalty area soaring into the top of the net in the 54th minute at the Riverside stadium in northeast England.

Watford climbed to 10th place as Middlesbrough remained winless at home this season since returning to the Premier League and only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

“I know for everybody it is not a nice moment,” Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka said after a fourth loss in five league games. Former Italy manager Cesare Prandelli got off to a good start in his coaching debut in the Spanish league yesterday, leading Valencia to a difficult win at Sporting Gijon and lifting the club out of the relegation zone.

Playing smart football with quick transitions and efficient ball possession, Valencia defeated Sporting 2-1 with two goals by striker Mario Suarez at El Molinon Stadium.

It was the team’s third win in eight rounds as Valencia reached 14th place with nine points, two more than Sporting, now in the relegation zone after its fifth straight loss.

The top four teams in the league played on Saturday. Atletico Madrid thrashed Granada 7-1 to

“We have to be positive because we have a strong group of players, so we have to keep going. If we don’t believe ourselves, who can believe in us?”

Austin scores twice as Southampton beats Burnley 3-1

Southampton striker Charlie Austin scored twice against former club Burnley in a convincing 3-1 Premier League win.

Even with Shane Long, James Ward-Prowse and Pierre EmileHojbjerg on the bench, Southampton retained a strong look and climbed to eighth in the standings.

Sunday's home fixture represented Southampton's first game in a run of seven in 22 days, with maintain its lead with 18 points. Real Madrid, which won 6-1 at Real Betis, also has 18 points, but a worse goal difference than the city rival.

Barcelona defeated Deportivo La Coruna 4-0 at home in the return of Lionel Messi, staying in fourth place with 16 points, one less than Sevilla, which won 3-2 at Leganes.

Valencia scored first with Suarez’s right-footed shot from inside the area after a cross in the seventh minute, but Sporting striker Carlos Castro equalized with a close-range header in the 41st.

Suarez’s winner came with an easy shot from in front of the goal after Sporting defenders failed to clear a ball crossed into the area in the 65th. a trip to Inter Milan in the Europa League on Thursday followed by an away match at Manchester City.

A third loss in four left promoted Burnley only a point above the relegation zone. But Southampton took until seven minutes into the second half to break through Burnley's resistance.

Dusan Tadic’s corner was headed across goal by Virgil van Dijk. Austin, from his second attempt amid Burnley's desperate defending, finally stabbed his first goal into the back of the net from directly in front of goal.

Southampton's second goal provided by Nathan Redmond on the hour - was of a higher

The 59-year-old Prandelli, who coached Italy from 2010-14, was hired just before the international break to replace Pako Ayestaran, who began the season with four straight losses.

Prandelli is Valencia’s eighth full-time manager since Unai Emery’s four-year stint ended in 2012.

Owned by Singapore investor Peter Lim since 2014, Valencia is the last team other than Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico to win the league title, in 2004.

ATH. BILBAO 3, REAL SOCIEDAD 2

Fifth-placed Athletic got the better of Basque rival Real Sociedad to earn its fifth win in its last six games.

The hosts conceded early at San quality. In space in the penalty area after another corner, Redmond waited for the ball to arrive at his feet before sending a low finish into the bottom right beyond goalkeeper Tom Heaton’s reach.

Southampton went further in front six minutes later. After Johann Berg Gudmundsson brought down Sam McQueen, Austin made it seven goals in six games by converting a penalty.

A consolation arrived for Burnley when the north-west club was awarded a penalty in the 72nd minute. Referee Mike Dean felt Tadic had fouled Ben Mee, allowing Sam Vokes to become the first player to score against Southampton in 612 minutes. Memes Stadium but rallied with three second-half goals, including a nice lob from outside the area by veteran striker Aritz Aduriz.

Athletic had won four in a row before a loss at Malaga in the previous round.

It trails leaders Atletico and Real Madrid by three points.

ALAVES 1, MALAGA 1

Promoted Alaves was close to winning for the third time this season until conceding a late goal against Malaga.

Brazilian striker Deyverson had put the hosts ahead in the ninth minute but Roberto Rosales evened the match in the 85th.

Alaves, which beat Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the third round, is ninth with 10 points. Malaga is 13th, one point behind. Man City Arsenal Tottenham Liverpool Chelsea Everton Man United Southampton Crystal Palace Watford Bournemouth West Brom Leicester Burnley West Ham Hull City M’boro Stoke City Swansea Sunderland

Championship Huddersfield-Sheffield W ................... 0-1 La Liga P W D LF A Pts 8 6 1 119 8 19 8 6 1 1 19 9 19 8 5 3 0 13 4 18 7 5 1 1 18 10 16 8 5 1 2 15 9 16 8 4 3 1 12 6 15 7 4 1 2 13 8 13 8 3 3 2 10 7 12 8 3 2 3 11 9 11 8 3 2 3 13 13 11 8 3 2 3 12 12 11 8 2 4 2 9 8 10 8 2 2 4 8 14 8 8 2 1 5 6 12 7 8 2 1 5 9 17 7 8 2 1 5 8 20 7 8 1 3 4 7 11 6 8 1 3 4 7 16 6 8 1 1 6 8 15 4 8 0 2 6 6 15 2

Friday Las Palmas-Espanyol . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-0 Saturday Leganes-Sevilla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Barcelona-Dep. La Coruna . . . . . . . . 4-0 At. Madrid-Granada . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Real Betis-Real Madrid . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Yesterday Dep. Alaves-Malaga . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Ath. Bilbao-Real Sociedad . . . . . . . . . 3-2 Sp. Gijon-Valencia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Villarreal-Celta Vigo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-0 Today Eibar-Osasuna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Atl. Madrid Real Madrid Sevilla Barcelona Villarreal Ath Bilbao Las Palmas Eibar Alaves Real Sociedad Leganes Celta Vigo Malaga Valencia Deportivo Betis Espanyol Gijon Osasuna Granada CF

SPAIN Standings

P 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 8 W 5 5 5 5 4 5 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 1 2 0 0 D 3 3 2 1 4 0 3 2 4 1 1 1 3 0 2 2 4 1 3 2 L F A Pts 0 21 3 18 0 22 8 18 1 16 12 17 2 26 10 16 0 14 4 16 3 13 10 15 2 16 13 12 2 9 7 11 2 9 8 10 4 11 12 10 4 9 13 10 4 9 16 10 3 8 10 9 5 11 15 9 4 5 10 8 4 9 18 8 3 9 14 7 5 7 18 7 4 7 15 3 6 8 23 2