Hindustan Times (Delhi)

SAI appoints Olympians as coaches and assistant coaches

- HT Correspond­ent sportsdesk@hindustant­imes.com

in their first 12 league games, determined­ly hanging on to the coat-tails of Manchester City and Liverpool. But after losing two of their last three league games, the gap between them has extended.

Pep Guardiola's

will be without key players Kevin De Bruyne, out with knee injury, and Sergio Aguero, suffering from a muscle injury which may weaken them slightly when taking on a top team like Chelsea.

a key role in whatever City have achieved

a cue from City’s last three matches in all competitio­ns, they have shown signs of susceptibi­lity when the opposition employ high-press counter attack. Won Drawn Lost Avg goals scored/match Avg goals conceded/match Clean sheets Avg chances created/match live on Star Sports Select 2 &

HD, 6:00pm

Arsenal v Huddersfie­ld, live on Star Sports Select 1, 8:30pm Manchester United v Fulham, live on Star Sports Select 1 HD league leaders, they will be looking at a yawning gap of 13 points which will be difficult to bridge considerin­g the fact that City are currently unstoppabl­e. under

Guardiola.

While there is enough cover for De Bruyne in the midfield, same can’t be said for Aguero as Gabriel Jesus hasn’t been able to find his best form this season.

have done that are Lyon, in the Champions League, and Bournemout­h and Watford in the league. All of them used pace and pressed them hard, robbing them of time on the ball. and SS Select 2, 8:30pm

live on Star Sports Select 1 & HD, 11:00pm

Leicester City v Tottenham, live on Star Sports Select 1 & HD, 1:15am (Sun) NEW DELHI: Top sportspers­ons, including Asian Games medallists such as Ashwini Akkunji and OP Jaisha, are among 14 Olympians and paralympia­ns appointed as coaches and assistant coaches by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), in an effort to ensure that “experience­d and elite sportspers­ons continue to contribute to the progress of sport in the country during their tenure as active sportspers­ons and even after they retire”.

According to SAI, t heir appointmen­ts as regular staff will secure the sportspers­ons financiall­y, while allowing them to continue with their regular training and participat­ion in competitio­ns. Retired sportspers­ons who have been appointed will take on the jobs with immediate effect.

Mariyappen T (athletics), who won gold for India in high jump in Paralympic­s 2016 has been offered a Group A post. Besides, 11 Olympians and 2 Paralympia­ns have been offered Group B posts as assistant coaches. They will join on January 5, 2019.

List of coaches: Athletics - Ashwini Akkunji, Jincy Philip, Surendra Singh, OP Jaisha, Debashri Mazumdar, Muhammed Anas, Gopi T, Ram Singh Yadav. Rowing - Inderpal Singh. Archery - Majhi Sawaiyan

Hockey - Savita Punia.

Paralympia­ns – Sharad Kumar, Ankur Dhama (athletics). games Man City have won entering Saturday’s game and are unbeaten in the league this season.

games Chelsea are unbeaten in this season. They have won five and drawn three. matches City are unbeaten in. They have never gone 15 without defeat on road in top flight.

City are the best team in Europe, maybe the best in the world. They are in another category. We have to play and to fight to be in the top four MAURIZIO SARRI,

Chelsea manager

 ?? GETTY IMAGES ?? Chelsea were unbeaten If they lose to Manchester City Both have played If Chelsea take Chelsea Bournemout­h v Liverpool, And the team who Man City Chelsea v Manchester City, Eden Hazard (left) and Raheem Sterling. Chelsea won Played straight league league home away league Drawn Man City won
GETTY IMAGES Chelsea were unbeaten If they lose to Manchester City Both have played If Chelsea take Chelsea Bournemout­h v Liverpool, And the team who Man City Chelsea v Manchester City, Eden Hazard (left) and Raheem Sterling. Chelsea won Played straight league league home away league Drawn Man City won

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