LIVERPOOL: Everton took advantage of two deflections and a defensive mistake to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-1 at Goodison Park on Monday to subject the travel-weary Londoners to their eighth away defeat in as many Premier League matches this season.

Ross Barkley gave Everton the lead with a fierce shot from outside the area that deflected off the back of a defender to swerve inside the near post in the 33rd.

Kevin Mirallas then doubled the lead in the 44th with a free kick that took an even bigger deflection off the wall to wrong-foot goalkeeper Rob Green.

Steven Naismith put the result beyond doubt with a firm header in the 53rd after a failed clearance by Green initiated a quick counterattack by Everton before substitute Bobby Zamora notched a late consolation for Rangers.

Everton’s first league victory since Nov 22 lifted them above local rivals Liverpool into 10th place on 21 points while QPR, without a point away from home this season, remained 18th, four points above bottom club Leicester City.

Mancini secures first Inter win since return

MILAN: Inter Milan gave Roberto Mancini his first Serie A victory since returning as coach a month ago after goals from Mateo Kovacic and Andrea Ranocchia gave them a 2-0 victory at 10-man Chievo Verona on Monday.

The visitors were helped by an inspired first-half performance from goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and ended up comfortable winners after the Flying Donkeys had Ruben Botta sent off nine minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Inter had picked up one point in three games since Mancini returned to the club, six years after ending a successful spell during which he won three Serie A titles.

“It’s an important victory against a Chievo side which plays well,” Mancini said. “We didn’t concede, I’m satisfied it went well. The lads are putting into practice in the match what we are working on in training, that’s good.”

Mancini, who aims to end Inter’s two-year absence from the Champions League with a third-place finish this season, saw his side move up one place to 11th with 20 points but only six points behind Lazio, Sampdoria and Genoa who are joint third.

Empoli and Torino, both hovering just above the relegation zone, drew 0-0 in Monday’s other game.

Elsewhere in La Liga on Monday, a goal by Argentine midfielder Luis Farina gave Deportivo La Coruna a 1-0 win against last-place Elche, helping them rise from the relegation zone to 16th-place.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2014