Ansu gets flowing again

BARCELONA, February 4

Barcelona winger Ansu Fati burst onto the scene in September with two goals and an assist in his first three matches but the well ran dry after that.

The 17-year-old sensation only managed one goal, in a cameo appearance against Inter Milan, in the next 14 games after that. So Ansu needed to prove to his new boss, coach Quique Setien, that he is worthy of maintaining his place in the team.The forward scored twice in under two minutes in Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Levante on Sunday, one goal with each foot. At 17 years and 94 days old, he broke the previous record held by Juanmi Jimenez, who scored twice for Malaga against Real Zaragoza at 17 years and 115 days old in 2010.

Ansu has burst into form at the right time, especially as Lionel Messi, who set up both of the teenager’s strikes, is still searching to end a goal drought of his own in La Liga. The Argentine took another 10 shots against Levante, to add to the 11 he attempted against Valencia the week before, but the division’s top-scorer could not find the net.

Best defence in Europe

Real Madrid beat city rivals Atletico 1-0 on Saturday in a performance that epitomises the way they are operating under Zinedine Zidane this season.

After years of defensive inadequacy, suddenly the 13-time European champions have a backline worthy of respect, conceding just 13 league goals this season, better than any other team in the continent’s top five leagues.

It was their 11th clean sheet of the campaign and helped them open up a 13-point gap on Atletico, leaving their rivals at their lowest ebb since Diego Simeone took over in 2011.

Madrid, who finished 19 points behind title winners Barcelona last season, are a serious force again.

Liverpool’s invincible aura

London: So powerful is the aura Liverpool have built up this season that, even when not playing anywhere near their best, they are simply brushing teams aside, apparently in cruise control.

Southampton gave Juergen Klopp’s side a proper fight for most of Saturday’s clash at Anfield, yet still lost 4-0 with Mohamed Salah’s late double putting a gloss on the scoreline. Liverpool have now collected 100 points from the last 102 available and with a 22-point lead over Manchester City, a first title for 30 years is now an inevitability.

They have records to break though. They have matched City’s 20 consecutive Premier League home wins and equalled Nottingham Forest’s 42-match unbeaten top-flight streak set in 1977-78.

Lloris earns his spurs

When France World Cup winner Hugo Lloris suffered a serious elbow injury in October some Tottenham Hotspur fans believed his absence would have no great impact on the team — such was the erratic nature of the keeper’s form.

Manager Jose Mourinho did not hesitate to return a fit-again Lloris to the side, however, and in the two games he has played, both wins, he has looked much more like his old self.

Lloris was superb for Tottenham in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Manchester City, making a string of saves from Sergio Aguero and keeping out Ilkay Gundogan’s penalty. He looks refreshed and sharp which is good news for Tottenham, in their quest for a top-four finish, and France at this year’s Euros. — Reuters