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Monday Evening Ticker: Man United clinch Premier League title; The FA issue statement on Suarez bite; and more

Robin van Persie of Manchester United celebrates scoring the opening goal of the game

By JUSTIN FERGUSON

Manchester United now have control of title #20 thanks to a brilliant offensive performance from their #20.

Robin van Persie netted a hat trick in the opening 33 minutes of United’s Premier League-clinching 3-0 win over Aston Villa. The win moved United sixteen points clear of rivals and defending league champions Manchester City with five matches left in the 2012-13 campaign.

The Dutch striker, who left rival Arsenal for United last August, opened the title-clinching with a goal just 83 seconds after kickoff. He doubled the Red Devils’ lead 11 minutes later on a well-struck volley from surprise central midfielder Wayne Rooney’s long ball.

Van Persie completed the hat trick when Ryan Giggs, a now 13-time league champion, elected to lay the ball off on a counter attack instead of taking a shot for himself. His 24th goal of the season moved him past Liverpool’s Luis Suarez in the race for the league’s Golden Boot, an award he won last season at Arsenal.

The striker cleared Andreas Weinmann’s goal-bound shot off the line in the second half as the visiting Villans turned up the defensive pressure and pushed hard for a goal of their own. But United goalkeeper David De Gea preserved his clean sheet with three second-half saves against a frustrated Aston Villa squad, who had legitimate offside claims on all three of van Persie’s goals.

The Premier League trophy will be awarded to Manchester United at their final home match of the season, May 12th’s clash with Swansea City.

Here are some more stories to wrap up your Monday:

FA: THREE-MATCH PUNISHMENT INSUFFICIENT FOR SUAREZ INCIDENT

Luis Suarez received a violent conduct punishment from the Football Association on Monday for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic, but the Liverpool striker will be serving more than the standard three-match suspension.

“It is alleged the conduct of Suarez constitutes violent conduct and it is the FA’s contention the standard punishment of three matches that would otherwise apply is clearly insufficient in these circumstances,” The FA said in a statement on Monday.

Suarez bit Ivanovic on the arm after being taken off the ball during Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Chelsea. The match referee and his assistants missed the incident, allowing Suarez to stay on for the remainder of the match. He later scored an equalizing goal deep into second half stoppage time.

The Uruguayan striker has until Tuesday to respond to The FA’s charge. He was fined an undisclosed amount by Liverpool early Monday.

JUVENTUS FINED FOR RACIAL ABUSE OF AC MILAN PLAYERS

Defending Serie A champions and league leaders Juventus were fined $39,000 Monday for their fans’ racial abuse of several black AC Milan players during Sunday’s 1-0 home win.

The Serie A disciplinary committee cited three different incidents of racial abuse from the fans at Juventus Stadium.

“A fine of 30,000 euros is issued to Juventus because fans, in the 26th minute of the first half, directed expressions of racial discrimination towards an opposition player,” the committee said in a statement. “In the second minute of the second half there were insulting chants directed at an opposition player not deployed on the field. Finally, between the 38th and 41st minutes of the first half, a large banner was unfurled displaying outrageous content.”

Players targeted by fans included Kevin Prince-Boateng, who famously walked off the field because of similar actions from opposing fans in a January friendly, and suspended striker Mario Balotelli.

This is the fourth time Juventus have been fined this season for their fans’ racial chanting.

QUICK KICKS

A Syrian hacker group took control of Sepp Blatter and FIFA’s World Cup Twitter accounts on Monday, sending out tweets alleging corruption related to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.  (REPORT)

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says he is certain that star winger Cristiano Ronaldo will stay at the Bernabeu. (REPORT)

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini admitted he may be in danger of losing his job should City fail to win the FA Cup next month. (REPORT)

Referee Mark Clattenburg will referee Sunday’s Chelsea-Swansea match, his first Chelsea match since he was accused of using racist language toward John Obi Mikel. (REPORT)

A Kenyan referee says he was left impotent by an attack from a head coach during a pitch invasion last September. (REPORT)

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What do you make of these reports? What are your thoughts on Manchester United’s performance this season? How long do you think the FA will suspend Suarez? See Ronaldo staying at Real Madrid?

Share your comments below.

Comments

  1. Suarez served a 7 game suspension for biting an opponent when he played at Ajax. Apparently, he learned nothing from that incident. The FA need to suspend him for 10 to 15 games this time.

    Reply
  2. “”I am the founding father of Bayern’s success and Pep will continue my work,” Van Gaal reportedly said after the Spaniard’s appointment as next season’s boss.
    That comment drew a withering response from Bayern president Uli Hoeness, who said: “Klinsmann was a bad coach, and getting the club back on track after him was not easy. Van Gaal managed that, and of course he has his place in the development of football in Munich. But his problem is not that he see himself as God but as the father of God; before the world even existed, Louis van Gaal was already here.””

    Lost in the gossipy bit about Van Gaal and Guardiola is the description of Klinsmann’s coaching.

    Reply
    • Uli Hoeness is a liar and narcissist. In fact, he fired Van Gaal for “being a bad coach” at the exact same time he sacked Klinsmann (five games left in the season).

      “He doesn’t accept anyone’s opinion, there’s no point talking to him anymore,” the former World Cup winner with West Germany said [of Manager Van Gaal].

      Or this.

      “His management style reminds me of that of Felix Magath,” said Rummenigge. “It doesn’t win you any friends.”

      Or this (after he called it a fairy tale that the players liked Van Gaal)

      “Success is one thing. But there has been no fun in this club for a long time,” Hoeness said.

      Or this.

      “[He] created problems that were totally unnecessary and that unsettled the club,” Hoeness said.

      Uli Hoeness runs coaches out and slanders them constantly until he stops for whatever reason. Then he starts on the new coach. That place is chaos for any coach. It will happen to Pep too.

      Reply
  3. So the FA is not going to ban him forever, and Liverpool is giving him a slap on the wrist. The first was their call, the second is a serious admittance by a historic club that they have no pride left, and will only ever see the goals that Suarez brings. Face it, Liverpool, you’re not a top four club anymore, but you cans still have some integrity. If you won’t expel him from your team, who will you?

    Reply
  4. This evening ticker is not the most uplifting. Suarez biting, racist language, and anything involving Blatter all make the game look pretty bad.

    Reply
  5. 3 game ban for Suarez?… how about they have animal control come and bring him back to the pound where he doesn’t play football anymore.

    Reply
    • “It is alleged the conduct of Suarez constitutes violent conduct and it is the FA’s contention the standard punishment of three matches that would otherwise apply is clearly insufficient in these circumstances,”

      I think the FA agrees with you. I know I do. This guy should either be booted from the league. of Liverpool signs a waiver saying they pay something ridiculous like a million euro to any team that Suarez acts up against in the future, whether it be biting, racist comments, or goalkeeper impersonations.

      I get being a competitor, but this guy ain’t right in the head.

      Reply
  6. The PL is so anticlimactic! Now what, wait for three and four and 17th and 18th? Enough of the ManureUnite shenanigans and thier insider refs.

    Reply
  7. Interesting. But if I were Syrian, and a hacker, I’m not sure exposing Sepp Blatter makes it to the top of my to-do list.

    Reply
  8. Van Persie scored United’s last 4 goals over 2 games. 3 of them were plainly offside. That has to be a record of some sort.

    How is that not discussed further?

    Reply
    • Because it really doesn’t matter that this point. And they were not “clearly offsides”. Everyone said the West Ham one was a difficult call (I didn’t see it so I won’t comment here) and then today’s he had probably a toe offside and I thought he was onside until I saw the freeze cam where they draw the line across the field. And come on the finish was superb. Should it have counted? No but that was a freaking difficult call especially after a volley like that. Valencia was offside but then like 4 more passes were made before it got to Van Persie. Should the have been called? Again, yes but we’re seeing this on a freeze cam with a line for reference. Refs don’t have that.

      Reply

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