09/02/2026

SPORTS MONDAY | FEB 9, 2026

30

Coventry at risk of losing C’ship lead

COVENTRY are in danger of losing their grip on first place in the Championship after being held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man Oxford yesterday. Frank Lampard’s side have won just four of their last 13 second tier matches following the stalemate at the CBS Arena. Having been 10 points clear in December, Coventry will be knocked out of pole position on Monday if second-placed Middlesbrough beat Sheffield United. Second-bottom Oxford had Will Lankshear sent off in the 77th minute, but held on for a valu able draw that leaves them four points from safety. Millwall consolidated their grip on fifth place

with a 2-0 win at playoff rivals Wrexham. Wrexham co-owner and Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds was in atten dance at the Racecourse Ground to see Max Cleworth deflect a Femi Azeez cross into his own net for Millwall’s 59th minute opener. Millwall did not manage a single shot on target until five minutes from fulltime when substitute Josh Coburn lashed home from 12 yards. The Lions moved within one point of third

place, while Wrexham remain sixth. Fourth-placed Hull’s hot streak fizzled out with a 3-2 defeat at home to playoff chasing Bristol City. Alfie Devine earned seventh-placed Preston’s first win in five league matches as they beat Portsmouth 1-0 at Deepdale. Leicester’s miserable week hit a new low as they lost 2-1 at Birmingham. The Foxes, who had six points deducted after breaching the Football League’s Profit and Sustainability rules, fell to a third straight defeat and had Bobby De Cordova-Reid sent off before halftime. Leicester could have few complaints as Ibrahim Osman and Jay Stansfield netted for Birmingham either side of Abdul Fatawu’s equal iser. The Foxes have taken just one point out of the last 15 and are only out of the relegation zone on goal difference. – AFP

6087/2026

08/02/2026 (SUN)

Gunners move closer to title

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Draw Date: 08/02/26 (Sun)

Draw No: 6034/26 Venue: WISMA GENTING, KL

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Arteta backs confident Gyokeres to hit ‘highest level’

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Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi (left) celebrates with Declan Rice after scoring the opening goal during yesterday’s Premier League match against Sunderland at the Emirates. – REUTERSPIC

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A RSENAL moved nine points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory against Sunderland, while Cole Palmer scored a first-half hat-trick as fifth-placed Chelsea won 3-1 at bottom of the table Wolves yesterday. Mikel Arteta’s side went ahead in the 42nd minute at the Emirates Stadium as Martin Zubimendi fired past Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs at his near post. Viktor Gyokeres sealed Arsenal’s second successive league win with a 66th-minute strike before the Swede netted again in stop page time. The Gunners, who haven’t won a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, are chasing their first English title in 22 years. After three successive runners-up finishes in the Premier League, including blowing sig nificant leads at the top in 2023 and 2024, the north Londoners finally look set to end their title drought. Arsenal also beat Chelsea in midweek to book a League Cup final date with Manchester City at Wembley on March 22. “We still have to win so many games to achieve what we want. I’m going to have a beautiful dinner tonight and watch a big game with City and Liverpool tomorrow,” Arteta said. Arteta said Gyokeres has raised his game to the “highest level” after the match against Sunderland. Gyokeres has struggled to match his pro lific form at Sporting Lisbon, which earned him a £64 million (RM344m) move to Arsenal. But he is Arteta’s top scorer with 13 goals in all competitions, including six in his last eight appearances. “Confidence is the magic word. When you feel confident, when you feel important, when you feel at your best, that’s when you can really take your game to the highest level,” said Arteta. “We are really behind him in every moment to try to help him, to try to support him. He is delivering, and he’s in a really good moment now. “Obviously, when you put that shirt on, there is lot of responsibility and huge expecta tion, and you need to live with that.” Third-placed Aston Villa are also nine

points adrift of the Gunners after a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. Villa took the lead as Morgan Rogers lashed into the top corner in the 22nd minute. But Brazilian teenager Rayan equalised for Bournemouth with his first top-flight goal in the 55th minute. Liam Rosenior labelled Palmer “unstop pable” after Chelsea beat Wolves yesterday. Palmer was in ice-cool form as he converted two penalties before drilling a clinical finish into the roof of the net to complete his treble before the break. The England star celebrated by covering his ears in response to recent reports he is unsettled in west London. Rosenior was delighted by Palmer’s dynamic display and predatory finishing, labelling his forward a world-class talent. “I don’t want him to change, that’s for sure,” he said. “Some of our passages of play, some of our football, was everything I wanted to see and he was a part of that. “We know what a world-class player he is. He’s played a lot of football over the last year with not much rest. When he’s at his best, he’s unstoppable. I’m delighted to be working with him.” Palmer’s hattrick moved him beyond the 50-goal mark since his move from Manchester City in 2023. West Ham improved their hopes of avoid ing relegation and pushed Burnley closer to the drop with a 2-0 win at Turf Moor. The Hammers struck first through Crysencio Summerville in the 13th minute and Valentin Castellanos bagged their second in the 26th minute. Nuno Espirto Santo’s third-bottom side are three points behind fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest, while second-bottom Burnley are 11 points from safety after 16 games without a win. Brentford dealt a huge blow to Newcastle’s hopes of qualifying for Europe with a 3-2 win at St James’ Park. Dango Ouattara’s 85th-minute winner consigned Newcastle to a fourth defeat in their last five games in all competitions, leav ing them languishing in 12th place. Everton won 2-1 at Fulham thanks to an own goal from Cottagers keeper Bernd Leno in the 83rd minute. – AFP

7

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