Costa ‘peps up’ Chelsea ahead of Man City clash

Liverpool’s Mane season hangs in balance

LONDON, April 4, (RTRS): Chelsea top scorer Diego Costa believes the Premier League leaders can effectively end Manchester City’s title hopes when the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

The alternative scenario, that fourth-placed City could win and help Tottenham Hotspur close the gap at the top to four points, does not bear thinking about for the Spain international.

The hosts are seven points clear of Spurs, and 11 ahead of City, who drew 2-2 at Arsenal on Sunday after twice taking the lead.

But Saturday’s surprise 2-1 home defeat to lowly Crystal Palace has revived hopes elsewhere that Chelsea could be vulnerable.

That first home defeat since September was also a wake-up call for Antonio Conte’s side, who have looked title certainties.

“Now is not the time to let ourselves down,” Costa, who has scored 17 league goals this season but only four since Christmas, told ESPN Brazil.

“We should keep our heads up and think ahead for the next game since it will be very important.

“This game against City will be a six-point affair since if we win...they will (effectively) be out of the title race while we keep the advantage.”

Both sides will be looking back to last year for comfort, with Chelsea winning 3-1 at the Etihad in December while City won 3-0 at Stamford Bridge last April against an off-form home side with very little to play for.

Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick then and was also on the scoresheet against Arsenal, with manager Pep Guardiola staying hopeful.

“We know what we have to do against Chelsea. We head back to Manchester to prepare and then back down to London,” said the Spaniard, whose side have lost only one of their last six Premier League games in London.

Chelsea hope to have wing-back Victor Moses back in action after a calf injury ruled him out at the weekend.

Spurs, still without injured striker Harry Kane, can put more pressure on Chelsea when they travel to relegation-threatened Swansea City, who have never beaten them in the Premier League and are now a point above the drop zone. Third-placed Liverpool are at home to Bournemouth while sixthplaced Arsenal, with a top four place now looking a long shot, entertain West Ham United.

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is out of Wednesday’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth with a knee injury that could sideline him for the rest of the season, manager Juergen Klopp said on Tuesday.

Mane picked up the injury in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Everton on Saturday. A prolonged absence for the Senegal international could have farreaching consequences for his team’s chances of finishing in the top four.

The 24-year-old’s departure to the African Nations Cup in January coincided with Liverpool’s worst run of results all season — the club won just one of seven games in all competitions without him.

“It’s not 100 percent clear. We have to wait a little bit. I can say for sure he won’t be available for tomorrow,” Klopp told a news conference on Tuesday. “The knee is swollen. We wait for the final assessment. It’s possible (his season could be over) but why should I say that now?”

Arsenal’s Francis Coquelin (left), kicks the ball in front of Manchester City’s David Silva during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in London

on April 2. (AP) Chelsea’s Gary Cahill, heads the ball under pressure from Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke during their English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge Stadium in London on April 1. (AP)

Liverpool will also be without skipper Jordan Henderson and midfielder Adam Lallana for the visit of Bournemouth, but forward Daniel Sturridge is back in training for the first time since the start of February.

Striker Divock Origi came off the bench to score Liverpool’s third goal against Everton, and Klopp indicated that the Belgium international could start on Wednesday. “As long as we have 11 players to start then everything is fine,” he added. “It’s good to have Divock. The season is long. He’s a very important option for us now.”

Bournemouth, who are 11th in the table, seven points above the relegation zone, beat third-placed Liverpool 4-3 in the reverse fixture in December, and Klopp said his team had learnt a valuable lesson from that defeat.

“We learned a lot. One situation changed the game. We felt too confident in a specific moment. It was our responsibility. We are responsible for all the results. You learn the hard way,” Klopp said.

“They have 34 points. They are still fighting. They have no points to waste, we have no points to waste.”

West Ham United midfielder Michail Antonio and striker Diafra Sakho are expected to feature in Wednesday’s Premier League trip to Arsenal, manager Slaven Bilic has said.

Antonio, the club’s top scorer this season with nine goals, has recovered from a hamstring injury suffered against Leicester last month, while Sakho returned to training last week after four months out with a back injury.

“Mikey (Antonio) is available for tomorrow night and we’ll decide today if he’s going to start,” Bilic told in a news conference on Tuesday.

“Diafra (Sakho) is back and when you talk to him he says he is ready. He was out for a long time, had a back operation, and looks good.

“Diafra may be on the bench tomorrow. I haven’t decided yet, but he is very, very close.”

After West Ham lost their fourth consecutive league game at Hull City on Saturday, the club’s owners felt compelled to issue a statement saying they had “100 percent faith” in the manager.

Bilic was pleased to receive the vote of confidence and reiterated that he was not worried about his future at the club.

“I don’t have to read the papers to know my relationship with the board,” the 48-year-old Croatian added. “It’s nice to hear it but I know I have the confidence of the board. When I wasn’t worried before, I’m not relieved now.”

West Ham, who are currently 14th in the league, have won four of their 15 away games this season.

Bournemouth midfielder Andrew Surman is out of Wednesday’s Premier League game at Liverpool and could miss the rest of the season, something manager Eddie Howe described as a serious blow to the tiny south coast club.

Surman, who has made 22 appearances this season, was forced off with a knee injury in Saturday’s goalless draw with local rivals Southampton.

“Andrew Surman will definitely be out and that’s a blow for us. It’s hard to say right now, but that could be his season,” Howe told reporters on Tuesday.

Bournemouth, who are 11th in the table on 34 points and unbeaten in their last four games, travel to Anfield to take on third-placed Liverpool on Wednesday.

Bournemouth beat Liverpool for the first time earlier this season, emerging as 4-3 victors after a thrilling encounter at the Vitality Stadium in December, but their last two visits to Anfield have ended in narrow 1-0 defeats.

“Liverpool will be a really tough test for us,” Howe added.

“We respect them and their manager. We’ve done okay at Anfield in recent games. The home game against Liverpool was arguably our standout game of the season so far, but it’s of no relevance now. This is a new game.”

The Liverpool match marks the start of a tough run of fixtures for Bournemouth, who host leaders Chelsea on Saturday before travelling to secondplaced Tottenham Hotspur a week later, but Howe said his team was up to the challenge.

“We want to gather as many points as we can. The challenges in our next three games are tough, but ones we have to relish. We’re in a good place at the moment. We’re also aware of how quickly things can change in football.”