ParsaKgvr/socce_report_analysis · Datasets at Hugging Face

500

Sergio Aguero marked his return from injury with a goal as Manchester City rounded off their Champions League group campaign with a 3-0 win over Marseille at the Etihad Stadium

The 32-year-old, who has been recovering from knee surgery this season and suffered a setback against Olympiakos two weeks ago, poked home from close range (77) after coming on as a second-half substitute for only his fifth appearance of the campaign

Earlier in the half, Ferran Torres had opened the scoring with his fourth Champions League goal of the season when he slid home from a deflected Riyad Mahrez pass (48) as City, who were already guaranteed top spot in Group C, swiftly put a subdued first-half showing behind them

Raheem Sterling, another second-half substitute, then rounded off the victory with a close-range finish of his own (90) after a low cross from Torres had bounced into his path off Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez

The victory was ideal preparation for Saturday's Manchester derby, with Pep Guardiola able to make nine changes from the side that faced Fulham in City's last game, handing a Champions League debut to back-up goalkeeper Zack Steffen as they made it five wins from six group games

City's much-changed side dominated possession from the outset and should have taken the lead in the eighth minute, when Fernandinho forced a turnover deep in Marseille territory and Bernardo Silva played in Mahrez

The Algerian steadied himself with only Steve Mandanda to beat, but the Marseille goalkeeper made a fine save, blocking his low, left-footed effort with an outstretched boot

City continued to pin Marseille back and went close again just four minutes later, when a wicked free-kick from Ilkay Gundogan was headed narrowly over the bar by Aymeric Laporte

It seemed only a matter of time until the hosts made the breakthrough at that point, but Marseille soon began to improve, forcing some chances of their own

Valere Germain diverted a free header wastefully wide from an excellent Dimitri Payet cross, and Payet then had a superbly-taken goal ruled out for offside after Phil Foden had lost possession in City's half

Guardiola had been forced into a change by then, with John Stones replacing the injured Eric Garcia, and the England international made a vital intervention soon after coming on when he diverted a Florian Thauvin cross out for a corner from inside City's six-yard box

Marseille looked the more likely side to score as half-time approached, with Steffen making a smart stop from Pape Gueye after the Marseille midfielder had taken a cross on his chest and fired towards goal from an acute angle, but City immediately improved following the restart

It took just three minutes for Torres to hit the opener, the Spaniard showing impressive alertness to latch onto Mahrez's deflected pass and fire the ball past Mandanda

The half-time introduction of Sterling for Gundogan allowed City to play with far greater width and Aguero then doubled the hosts' advantage just 11 minutes after he had replaced Mahrez

The Argentine had barely had a touch up until then, but in trademark fashion he was in the right place at the right time to poke the ball over the line after Nathan Ake's downward header was blocked by Mandanda following a Foden corner

Aguero will hope the goal earns him a starting spot against Manchester United at Old Trafford, but one player whose place in the side is surely not in question is Sterling, who found the net for the second successive game when he bundled home City's third

They now head into the last 16 - and to Old Trafford - on a high

Manchester City return to Premier League action against Manchester United in Saturday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford, live on from 5pm ahead of kick-off at 5

30pm

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501

Karim Benzema scored twice as Real Madrid overcame Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium to seal a Champions League last-16 spot

Group B was wide open heading into the final round of fixtures, but Benzema eased the growing tension on Zinedine Zidane with his 50th goal in the group stages of the competition from Lucas Vazquez's cross after just nine minutes

Gladbach were undone once more by the Frenchman before the interval as Benzema rose to meet Rodrygo's cross to double Real's advantage with another trademark header - and the hosts saw out the second period to cement top spot

That meant a winner in the other contest between Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk would have sent Gladbach out - but the game ended in a 0-0 draw at the San Siro, sparking wild scenes of celebration among Marco Rose's players as news filtered back to Madrid

Zidane's side finished top with 10 points while Gladbach came second with eight, pipping third-placed Shakhtar due to their better head-to-head record, while Inter came fourth with six

Real's shock defeat to Shakhtar last week threatened their record of qualifying from their group for the last 23 years but as so often in the competition that forms such a large part of their identity, they stood tall when it mattered most

But this result was never really in doubt

As early as the ninth minute, they were in front through Benzema as he was too strong for Matthias Ginter, rising to plant a header low to Yann Sommer's right and into the net

The visitors wasted a glorious chance to cancel out Benzema's opener when French winger Alassane Plea raced clear towards goal but bungled his attempted dink over Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, sending the ball wide

Gladbach had scored 16 goals in their previous five matches but were mostly blunt in attack and barely troubled Courtois, with Plea also missing the target in the second half

Madrid, meanwhile, were hungry for more goals and should have stretched their lead

Luka Modric had a strike ruled out for offside late in the first half while Benzema saw a third header saved by Sommer and then smashed a shot off the underside of the bar, while Vazquez later struck the post

Once the final whistle went, Gladbach's players huddled around a smartphone to watch the final minutes of Inter's game against Shakhtar, erupting with joy when that match also finished to send them through by the skin of their teeth

Inter Milan were knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage for the third season in a row on Wednesday after being held to a 0-0 draw at home by Shakhtar Donetsk, who were also eliminated

Lautaro Martinez rattled the crossbar in the seventh minute of the Group B match but Inter created few chances after that, despite dominating possession at a soggy San Siro, and mustered only four efforts on target

Shakhtar finished level with Monchengladbach on eight points but lost out to the Bundesliga side on their head-to-head record to finish third and will go into the Europa League instead

Inter, who could have gone through with a win, finished bottom of the group with six points after drawing three of their six games and will not even have the consolation of the second-string competition

Inter, who thumped Shakhtar 5-0 in last season's Europa League semi-finals in August, needed to win to qualify and also to see the other match, between Real Madrid and Borussia Monchengladbach, not end in a draw

Martinez nearly got the early breakthrough they needed but his shot thumped against the crossbar from Nicolo Barella's cross

After that, Inter forced a succession of corners and tried their luck from long range but gave Shakhtar's 19-year-old goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin little to do

Romelu Lukaku saw a header stopped by Trubin after the break before Shakhtar began to mount some attacks of their own

Tete, one of six Brazilian-born players in Shakhtar's starting line-up, tested Samir Handanovic with a fizzing long-range shot and Maycon sent the rebound over the bar

Trubin pushed a Christian Eriksen drive out from under the bar in stoppage time as Inter's European season came to an underwhelming conclusion

Real Madrid boss : "We played a spectacular game from the first minute to the last

We interpreted the game very well, I think it was the most complete performance of the season

"We don't just play well under pressure, we have played well in other games too but it's true that this team has this ability to come into their own when the going gets tough

"I've been a player and it's impossible to play like this all the time

We try to but sometimes it doesn't come off

I'm very happy for the players, because they are the most important members of this squad

"It was fundamental that we finished first, it's the first time that has happened since I've been coach

"Real Madrid host Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Saturday at 8pm while Borussia Monchengladbach are at home to Hertha Berlin on the same day in the Bundesliga; kick-off 2

30pm

The Champions League last-16 draw will take place at 11am on Monday, December 14 in Nyon

You will be able to follow it across Sky Sports' platforms

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502

A much-changed Chelsea side were left frustrated in front of their own supporters as Krasnodar earned a 1-1 draw in the Champions League dead rubber at Stamford Bridge

Frank Lampard's side had already been assured of top spot in Group E but former Newcastle midfielder Remy Cabella gave the Russian Premier League side the lead after 24 minutes

Chelsea responded immediately when Jorginho converted from the spot following a foul on Tammy Abraham (28) but the hosts were unable to make their territorial dominance count during a tepid second period

With Sevilla beating Rennes 3-1 in Tuesday night's other group encounter, Chelsea finish a point ahead of the Spaniards at the top, with Krasnodar in third having already guaranteed themselves a Europa League berth

Roman Abramovich watched from the stands in the reverse fixture in his native Russia as Chelsea cruised to a 4-0 win

It was the first time in 18 months that the Blues owner had attended a game due to problems with his visa and escalating tensions between the UK and Russia

He was not among the 2,000 spectators who were allowed back into Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, joining those who ended their nine-month stadium abstention last weekend, and those who braved the freezing conditions witnessed the return of Billy Gilmour and Tino Anjorin making his first senior start

Even in the absence of the hamstrung Hakim Ziyech, Lampard's makeshift side wasted little time finding their rhythm with Kai Havertz finding Gilmour 25 yards out after six minutes, but his goal-bound effort deflected wide off Abraham

Krasnodar manager Murad Musaev spoke of his determination for his players not to be intimidated by their west London encounter, and they fashioned their first chance when Tonny Vilhena collected Viktor Claesson's pass and volleyed over

Chelsea had risen briefly to the Premier League summit for the first time during Lampard's tenure following their come-from-behind victory over Leeds on Saturday - but Krasnodar continued to impose themselves as Wanderson found Claesson down the left only for his strike to bend a yard wide of Kepa Arrizabalaga's left-hand post

Lampard scoffed this week at Jurgen Klopp's claim that Chelsea are favourites to win the Premier League this term, and the Blues head coach may well point to the defending that contributed to Krasnodar's deserved opener which duly arrived on 24 minutes as evidence to the contrary

Chelsea were finally punished for standing off the Krasnodar forwards inside the box, with centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen far too tentative as Cabella cut inside and drilled the visitors in front

But Chelsea have been putting their big squad to good use this season, and they were level four minutes later when Abraham was fouled by Kaio, allowing Jorginho to slot home from the spot

It was the 10th penalty Chelsea have been awarded this term, more than any other Premier League side, but there was no disputing referee Pavel Kralovec's decision

Lampard was reluctant to make any changes at the break as he sought an improved performance, but Krasnodar continued to frustrate their opponents

Mateo Kovacic blazed over from Emerson's cross shortly after Abraham had glanced a header wide

Kepa was then forced into action to save smartly from Wanderson's low shot before a mistake from Cristian Ramirez presented Abraham with another chance but his effort was saved by the feet of Evgeni Gorodov

Havertz should have scored too, just minutes later, when played in by debutant Anjorin

But the German's sticky patch had continued here, and a heavy touch allowed Gorodov to recover

Lampard turned to Timo Werner with 15 minutes remaining, and the forward was immediately involved as he came within inches of setting up Abraham for a simple finish at the far post

It just about summed up Chelsea's night

Ultimately the Blues will move on undeterred, with immediate Premier League trips to Everton and Wolves holding far greater significance - and a last-16 Champions League tie to look forward in the new year

Chelsea boss on absence of Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi: "Both will hopefully be out for about two weeks

They had scans yesterday and it's positive, particularly with Hakim

We didn't know with Callum

Tonight I was happy

It was a tough game for us to navigate

"On Anjorin, Lampard added: "In training, he's shown since last season a real ability to step straight into this level

He showed it today, the way he moves the ball quickly and his physical attributes

He's had some fitness issues, it's a work in progress, but the more he trains with us, the better he gets

With injuries we have, in the short term he will spend more time with us

He grew into the game as it went along

"On Gilmour, Lampard said: "I'm not sure at the moment [whether Billy Gilmour will continue to develop at Chelsea or out on loan], but it's just making sure that the pathway is right

He made the pathway here for himself last season, but got injured at the wrong time

"There was a lot to like about Gilmour on his first senior start since July - and it is clear to see why Lampard is so reluctant to let him go out on loan

The 19-year-old sustained a knee injury back then against Crystal Palace, and has cut a frustrated figure in the opening months of this season as the competition for a place in Chelsea's midfield has intensified

But the teenager looked very composed and was eager to impress from the off, as two early sighters indicated

Gilmour amassed an impressive 97 touches on the ball and while he lost possession more than any of his team-mates (15), he never shirked responsibilities as Chelsea searched in vain for a winner

Chelsea travel to face Everton on Saturday in the Premier League; kick-off 8pm

The Champions League last-16 draw will take place at 11am on Monday, December 14 in Nyon

You will be able to follow it across Sky Sports' platforms

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<PAD>

503

Manchester United were dumped out of the Champions League after losing 3-2 to RB Leipzig on a disappointing night for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

United, who knew they only needed a point to qualify from Group H, fell 3-0 behind in Germany after a shambolic defensive showing with on-loan Manchester City full-back Angelino (2), Amadou Haidara (13) and Justin Kluivert (69) putting the hosts firmly in control

However, a Bruno Fernandes penalty with 10 minutes remaining sparked United into life and in the build-up, played a big part to get United back to 3-2 as his header deflected off Harry Maguire (82) and into the net

It left United with eight minutes to find an equaliser but despite a couple of hairy moments, Julian Nagelsmann's side held on to send Solskjaer's men into the Europa League

The draw for the last-32 of the Europa League will take place from midday on Monday 14 December

United started with a back five as Luke Shaw was drafted in as the third centre-half and with Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic protecting the defence, it was assumed United would be hard to break down in their bid for a point

That was not the case as Leipzig found it easy to play through the lines and work their key players into space

Angelino, allowed to leave on loan by Manchester City, got Nagelsmann's men off to a dream start by lashing home inside two minutes

Aaron Wan-Bissaka allowed him too much room while United's midfielders were too sloppy to allow the service into their roaming wing-back

Haidara added a second soon after - and yet again it was completely preventable from a United point of view

Angelino clipped a ball in from the left and somehow United were outnumbered at the back post with Shaw and Alex Telles completely out of sync with their defensive responsibilities

Haidara took full advantage of the space, firing home past a helpless David de Gea

United could easily have been 3-0 behind soon after as another diagonal ball to Angelino disrupted the visitors, only for unmarked Emil Forsberg to miss the target from close range

The ball was in the net minutes later when Willi Orban turned home after Ibrahima Konate's header came back off the post

However, the video assistant referee ruled Orban had strayed offside and United had a reprieve

A change of shape was employed after the break as Donny van de Beek came on for Telles as United reverted to a four-man defence

It triggered a response but they did not work Peter Gulacsi until 65 minutes on the clock as Fernandes struck a low drive from distance that needed clawing away

The Portugual midfielder went even closer minutes later when seeing a dipping free-kick hit the bar from 20 yards as momentum was growing within the United ranks

But, their bubble was burst a minute later and United were further behind

Maguire allowed Christopher Nkunku to bobble a cross into the danger zone and Kluivert reacting quicker to clip the ball over De Gea, who did not cover himself in glory

Going 3-0 down kicked United into fifth gear - and a potential comeback was sparked by Mason Greenwood winning a penalty after a Konate barge

Fernandes slotted home the spot-kick and United swiftly reduced the deficit further, with Pogba leaping highest to meet a corner at the far post and getting away a header that went in off Maguire and Konate

McTominay and Marcus Rashford had efforts to level it up but the final act of the game was Gulacsi's preventing Nordi Mukiele from scoring an own goal as Leipzig progressed at United's expense

"This is Manchester United

They need to be in the Champions League, not Thursday night football

"That result tonight didn't show well for Solskjaer

"If Leipzig had won 3-0 you would have come away and said 'Leipzig are the better team, they played better'

But when he changed it around, it came back to 3-2 and could have easily been 3-3

That just shows you that he got it horribly, horribly wrong at the start of the game

"No disrespect to Southampton and West Ham, sometimes you can give them a goal head-start, but you cannot give these teams in Europe a two or three-goal head-start

You are going to get caught out and they got caught out in a big game

They would have been better losing to West Ham because there are plenty of games left in the Premier League

This has gone now

"The biggest team in the world, in my opinion, are out of the Champions League

"His influence on this match in the opening 20 minutes set the tone for Leipzig's victory

Wan-Bissaka decided to give him half a yard too many and he punished him with the sweetest of strikes to open the scoring

His aggressive style continued to push United back and it was his pin-point cross that led to the second goal

Angelino has now had a hand in six goals in six Champions League appearances this season (three goals, three assists)

It's amazing to think Pep Guardiola allowed him to leave on loan, especially with Benjamin Mendy's inconsistent nature and Oleksandr Zinchenko not a natural in that position

On this showing, he's Manchester City's best attacking left full-back

: "You can't say we were good enough, we weren't

"We started really well in this group and the big defeat was in Istanbul

That's the one you look back at and think that's where we lost the points we should have had

"You cannot give a team a 3-0 lead and expect to come back

We were unlucky towards the end

I thought the effort and character was there

"We knew we had to defend crosses, we knew we had to defend balls in the box and we couldn't clear them

As a footballer you can't feel sorry for yourself

"United have a derby day to look forward to on Saturday as Manchester City visit Old Trafford, live on

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504

Manchester United’s qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League hangs in the balance after PSG won a lively encounter 3-1 as Fred was sent off

Neymar struck first for the visitors (5) in a game they couldn't afford to lose in Group H before Fred escaped with only a yellow card when pushing his head aggressively into Leandro Paredes

United equalised - fortunately - when Marcus Rashford's effort deflected off Abdou Diallo (32) and wrongfooted Keylor Navas

With the game ebbing and flowing, Antony Martial missed from six yards out and Edinson Cavani struck the crossbar with an exquisite chip but it was PSG who edged in front when Marquinhos (69) bundled home from close range

Fred, who committed four fouls in total, received his marching orders less than a minute after United fell behind for a second booking, although replays showed he did get the ball

PSG made the extra man count in the closing stages when Neymar rubberstamped the victory (90), leaving United still needing a point from their final game in RB Leipzig to qualify for the last 16

Neymar was kept quiet in the corresponding fixture between these two but was in no mood to be silenced at Old Trafford, opening the scoring inside six minutes

Thomas Tuchel's men went on a break that ended with Neymar firing home from an acute angle after reacting superbly to a blocked Kylian Mbappe strike

United were perhaps fortunate not to be further behind after the first quarter of the match as Alessandro Florenzi took aim with a strike from distance, before Neymar tried an acrobatic effort that David de Gea took care of

Frustrations were growing within the home camp and Fred looked set to be dismissed when Paredes fell to the deck clutching his face after Fred pushed his head into his

The VAR informed the referee to check the monitor but the referee only showed a yellow card after watching the replay - a decision that Fred was lucky to get away with

An equaliser didn't look like coming until Aaron Wan-Bissaka cut a ball back to Rashford, whose low strike cannoned off Danilo and flew into the PSG goal

Fred's continued to walk the tightrope when he stepped on Paredes' foot in a challenge that led to the PSG midfielder being booked

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided against withdrawing Fred at the break but United came out at full throttle and should have taken the game away from PSG

Martial was guilty of ballooning an effort into the Stretford End after being found by Rashford, having linked up superbly with Cavani

The former PSG man was showing his class and he went so close minutes later when he tried an exquisite chipped effort that left Navas stranded and came back off the bar

Bruno Fernandes cut the loose back to Martial but the strike was blocked

PSG responded when Marquinhos met a cross with a header but it clipped the crossbar and then De Gea tipped a low effort from Mitchel Bakker around the post

The game could have gone either way but it the French champions who edged ahead on 69 minutes

Ander Herrera made an impact from the bench, hitting a wayward strike that Abdou Diallo turned across for Marquinhos to steer home

An offside VAR review was conducted but Aaron Wan-Bissaka was keeping the PSG skipper onside

From the kick-off, Fred's touch let him down and he flew into a sliding challenge with Paredes that the referee deemed his final act of the night although he did get the ball with this particular one

Substitute Paul Pogba went close with an outstanding strike and Fernandes' near-post header was saved as depleted United pushed, only to be caught cold at the end as Rafinha cut back for Neymar to turn home in stoppage time

The result means the top three in Group H are all level on nine points heading into the final fixtures, with United knowing a point in Leipzig will see them reach the last 16

PSG were happy to allow Rashford to play one-on-one up against full-back Abdou Diallo with Neymar not interested in his defensive duties - it wasn't a wise move as the England international was at his silky best, especially in the second period

His chemistry with Cavani will have been a very encouraging sight for all concerned with United, perfectly exampled by their swift interchange to provide Martial with a chance that all strikers at this level should be finishing

: "It was a very good game of football which deserved fans

When you see the team sheets you think there might be goals in this game, because there's loads of attacking talent and I don't think anyone was disappointed

Chances for both teams

"With a bit more clinical finishing we could have finished the game midway in the second half

In that period they were there for the taking

"We had some big chances then, some big moments

That's the difference when you get to the big games: the clinical moments

You can say about the possession in the middle and which team dominates but games are always decided at either end

"United are back in action on Saturday with a trip to the London Stadium to play West Ham, live on Sky Sports

They then travel to Leipzig for their Champions League decider on Tuesday

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<PAD>

505

Olivier Giroud gave Frank Lampard a reminder of his qualities with four goals - including a perfect hat-trick - that helped Chelsea confirm top spot in Group E with a 4-0 win at Sevilla

Sevilla, who had only lost once to an English side at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium, fell behind inside eight minutes to a much-changed Chelsea as Kai Havertz was allowed to run 40 yards from his own half before teeing up Giroud, who beat debutant goalkeeper Alfonso Pastor with a curling finish into the top corner

Giroud made it two nine minutes into the second half, feinting to shoot with his first touch and expertly dispatching his second goal with his next

The hosts had made eight changes and rarely threatened Edouard Mendy's goal, instead falling further behind with 16 minutes to go when N'Golo Kante's excellent cross was nodded into the far corner by Giroud for a perfect hat-trick

The Frenchman, who became the first Chelsea player to score four in one game since his manager in 2010, then scored a penalty with his final touch of the game, as Chelsea secured top spot in their Champions League group in style

It would have been easy for two sides making 17 changes combined from their weekend league games to look disjointed but the game served up at an empty Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium proved nothing of the sort, with Chelsea racing into an early lead in a high-tempo start

Havertz, making his first start in over a month, picked up the ball in his own half before racing away from the Sevilla midfield and feeding Giroud on the edge of the box

The Frenchman, who has played only 47 minutes of Premier League football this season, turned onto his left and beat Pastor

Sevilla felt they could have levelled 20 minutes in when Karim Rekik got up to meet Oscar Rodriguez's free-kick before Rudiger made an important block

Rudiger shone at the other end of the pitch before half-time, too, with his bullet header from Emerson's corner cleared off the line by Vazquez

Giroud further staked his claim for a starting spot in Chelsea's league game with Leeds this weekend on as he doubled his tally nine minutes into the second period

He ended a flowing move by taking Mateo Kovacic's pass in his stride, leaving Sergi Gomez on his backside with his first touch and beating Pastor with his second

Sevilla threatened a little more after making a triple substitution to re-introduce some of their big hitters, but still never threatened Mendy, while Giroud sealed his hat-trick with help from one of Chelsea's additions from the bench

Kante, on the right of midfield, looked up before spotting the forward's run to the near post and picking him out with a perfect cross which was glanced into the far corner

Giroud again got the better of Gomez, who would ask for the forward's shirt after the game, with six minutes to go as he was hauled down in the box from another cross, before steadying himself to beat Pastor from 12 yards

That proved his final touch as Lampard brought off his veteran striker with a near-perfect Champions League night for the Chelsea manager bettered still by the late introduction of Billy Gilmour from the bench, nearly five months since his last first-team appearance due to a long-term knee injury

If Giroud doesn't start against Leeds on Saturday, you'd forgive him knocking down Frank Lampard's door asking him what more he can possibly do to impress

Because his performance against Sevilla was about as perfect as it could have been

A first Chelsea four-goal haul in a decade, and all from only five shots across the night

He took part in more aerial duels than anyone on the pitch and while he may have only won half of them, it was the Frenchman's often underrated feet which did the talking for the most-part to totally outclass a Sevilla backline who never got to grips with him

Chelsea boss told : "Four goals at this level, and the quality of the goals, individual aspects from him, team aspects - from the first one, in particular, going back-to-front - amazing solo performance from him

He deserves all the accolades

"The team performance from start to finish was great

There were moments in the first half where it was tough for us, we dealt with those moments, then our play was just brilliant

"Yeah, he does [put himself in the frame to play against Leeds]

I have to see, it's a tight turnaround, but it's four goals in a game

Not just his own performance, but when you play Oli and utilise his strengths, and still maintain threats from the sides, the speed of getting in behind or quality of play through the middle, you see a real nice balance about our attacking play

"Chelsea are live on from 7

45pm on Saturday night when they host Leeds at Stamford Bridge; kick-off at 8pm

null

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Idrissi

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<PAD>

506

Manchester City will finish top of Group C, but were held to their first-ever goalless draw in the Champions League group stages by Porto, who have also qualified for the last 16

Having made seven changes from the 5-0 thrashing of Burnley on Saturday, it took a while for Man City to find their feet at the Estadio do Dragao, not having their first shot until the 37th minute when Raheem Sterling had a shot cleared off the line by Zaidu Sanusi

They had more clear-cut chances after half-time and thought they had secured three points when Gabriel Jesus (80) poked home from yet another Agustin Marchesin save late on, but VAR ruled the goal out for a Rodri offside in the build-up

It is the second time Man City have failed to score this season - having also been held by Tottenham just over a week ago - but they did keep a fourth successive Champions League clean sheet and maintain their unbeaten European run

A point suited both teams on the night too with Pep Guardiola's side securing top spot in Group C ahead of the final games next Wednesday, while Porto have also guaranteed their place in the knockout round

It was a first half that will not live long in the memory

There were only four shots between the two sides in the opening period and it was a classic situation for Man City, dominating possession with Porto sitting deep, waiting for the counter

But it was actually City who could have scored on the break in the 22nd minute

Porto went close at one end, with Ederson scooping away a flick header from Diogo Leite, before Fernandinho set City away in a wonderful team move

Phil Foden's eventual pass for Ferran Torres was wonderful, but Marchesin was out to deny the latter with an outstretched foot

Sterling went closest for Man City in the final 15 minutes of the half

Marchesin cleared a Bernardo Silva rabona pass towards him, but Sterling could not get the ball under control

Then, some sensational defending from Chelsea loanee Malang Sarr saw him dink the ball from Sterling's path with a poke toe from behind, with the forward looking to be through on goal

The England international finally had the first shot of the half in the 37th minute

Man City recycled a cleared corner with Sterling chasing the ball down on the left flank

He darted past Otavio Monteiro before sending a low strike through a packed area, but his effort was booted off the line by the waiting Sanusi

It was a similar story in the second half, but Man City had more clear-cut openings

Both Sterling and Torres went close in the 58th minute, and it all started with a visionary pass from Foden to pick out Sterling's run

However, Marchesin came racing off his line to smother the latter's effort before the loose ball fell to Torres

However, he dallied over it and Wilson Manafa came in to nick the ball away from his path

It again took some incredible luck and goalkeeping from Marchesin to keep Man City out shortly after

Fernandinho whipped a ball across the face of goal, with Sterling waiting to hook it on

Ruben Dias was on the goal-line, but could only send it backwards as the waiting Torres' overhead shot went straight at the goalkeeper, who pushed it away at point-blank range

Marchesin was again Porto's saviour as the clock ticked past the 75-minute mark

Silva put in some superb work on the right flank, leaving Sanusi on the floor before cutting into the area, but his shot went straight at the goalkeeper

Not long after, Garcia tried his luck but again, Marchesin stopped him from close range

Man City thought they had nicked the win on the 80-minute mark

Silva floated a wonderful cross into the area, which Jesus nodded goalwards

However, Marchesin pushed it onto the crossbar and it bounced over the right side of the line for the goalkeeper

But the City striker was lurking to bundle the ball home past Marchesin's outstretched hand

However, VAR intervened with a review and noticed that Rodri - who had supplied Silva before his cross - was offside when he received the ball and the goal was ruled out

Man City continued to push for another goal in some frantic final minutes, but a point was ultimately enough for them on the night

It takes a lot to stop Man City from scoring, but Marchesin had the performance of his life on Tuesday to do just that

He made save after save as Guardiola's side hunted for goals, timing his bursts off the line to perfection at certain points

He was particularly impressive from point-blank range, denying Torres and Garcia late on, and made a total of five saves overall

Was there a little bit of luck in Porto's draw? Undoubtedly, but Marchesin was a very close second as he helped steer Porto into the last 16

Man City manager said: "Incredible congratulations to the team for this group stage

null

We played incredibly well

We didn't concede one corner or one shot on target in Europe away against Porto, who alongside Benfica, are the best team in Portugal with an incredibly physical team

"Unfortunately we couldn't score, but we created chances with set-pieces and actions and all the players were fantastic, starting with Edie (Ederson) and finishing with Phil

"We came here to finish first, we played for a win [against Porto], we deserved to win but in football, deserved or not deserved are just fake words

At the end, the results dictate everything but we played to win the game

"The shots, maybe not all on target, but we were there all the time

It's difficult with eight or nine players defending in the box, defending crosses and everything

Against Marseille, we can play with different ways or different people or whatever, which is good for us

Now we can focus 100 per cent in the Premier League

"Porto manager said: "We achieved qualification with an impressive series of games on our part

"It is our 16th time in the round of 16, more than double that of all other Portuguese teams

We carry the name of Portugal in Europe very high

"We showed good moments of defensive organisation tonight, although it was difficult to get up front as we wanted - much because of City, who react well when they lose the ball

" told : "Porto were stubborn defensively and City didn't create much until Gabriel Jesus came on

Marchesin made four or five great saves too

But it's job done for City - they can rest a few players against Marseille with an eye on that Manchester derby

"Man City will next be in action on Saturday when they welcome Fulham in the Premier League; kick-off 3pm

They play at home again next Wednesday when they welcome Marseille in their final Champions League group game; kick-off 8pm

Porto will host Tondela in the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Saturday evening before travelling to Olympiakos next week; kick-off 8pm

null

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<PAD>

507

Liverpool guaranteed their place in the last 16 of the Champions League after Andre Onana's error handed Curtis Jones the winning goal in an edgy 1-0 victory

Alisson was a surprising omission from Liverpool's starting XI as Jurgen Klopp revealed he will be out for up to two weeks with a hamstring injury

Caoimhin Kelleher - making his Champions League debut - started in goal ahead of Adrian

But it was the man at the other end who made a rookie-like error when the usually reliable Onana allowed a Neco Williams cross to loop over his head and be tapped home by Curtis Jones (58) - a goal very much made in the Liverpool academy

Jones' finish came at a time when the visitors were pummelling the Liverpool goal, with David Neres striking a post just 60 seconds before the eventual winning goal

The result guarantees Klopp's side top spot in Group D meaning their final game against FC Midtjylland will be a dead-rubber - a welcome boost for Klopp and his team's busy schedule

Surprisingly given their prestigious European histories, this was just the second meeting between these heavyweights in over 50 years with a Nicolas Tagliafico own-goal separating the two in the corresponding fixture in Amsterdam

Ajax will have taken confidence from that tight encounter and came to Anfield full of bravery in possession as they tried to play out from the back at every opportunity

Liverpool pressed intelligently early on and Jones rattled the post on five minutes after being set up by Diogo Jota from 22 yards

Klopp was looking towards the heavens minutes later when Andy Robertson required treatment on an ankle problem but he managed to run the injury off

The bright early transitions from Liverpool eased off as the half wore on with Ajax dominating possession

Noussair Mazraoui tested Kelleher from 25 yards and the goalkeeper responded with a flying save that was perfect for the family album

Ajax, full of enthusiasm but lacking a little composure in the final third, maintained their tempo after the break but former Everton man Davy Klaassen wasted a fine opening following a super Dusan Tadic cross

Liverpool were sinking deeper as the pressure grew

Antony cut in off the right wing and tested Kelleher with a low effort which he was equal to but only pushed the ball out to Neres, who smashed an effort against the outside of the post from a tight angle

Just as Liverpool looked like wilting under the pressure, Onana let them off the hook with a moment of comical goalkeeping

Williams sent a cross in from deep that Onana felt was heading out for a goal kick but Jones was alive to the situation and somehow managed to reverse a clever finish from near the by-line into the unguarded net

The goal seemed to settle Liverpool down as they managed the final stages in professional fashion

Onana redeemed himself slightly when tipping substitute Roberto Firmino's shot onto a post but the damage had already been done and Kelleher made sure his debut would be one to remember when making a point-blank save from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

Move over Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's attacking impetus came from Jones

He was the one who was making things happen from his midfield role

Ajax were given a taste of his adventure in the final third in the first five minutes as he fired two efforts on goal, the second of which came flashing back off the woodwork

His energy, intelligence, and quality were on full show for the winning goal when his gamble paid off after the horrendous lapse by Onana

"What a game he played, he's a really good player," said Klopp

The youngster is certainly taking his chance

said: "Honestly since I was at Liverpool that feels like one of the biggest Champions League nights

Without supporters in, it was the most important, most difficult, most exceptional

"With the circumstances, there hasn't been much to smile about, it's been tricky, and the boys threw themselves into the game

Robbo has a proper knock on the ankle and pushes himself through, Hendo with a sore back, Gini - I have no words for him

Curtis Jones, what a game, It's amazing, I'm really proud

"Curtis is a really good kid, a good player and I am happy to have him around

Sometimes with injuries there is always an opportunity and he has taken it

"I really think Adrian has done a fantastic job for us, he kept a lot of clean sheets, played everywhere

But now we needed the natural football playing ability of Caoimhin Kelleher

He is a good shot-stopper as well

We made that decision but you never know how they are going to cope

I am really happy with how calm he was and how good he was

", speaking on :"It was a massive mistake by the goalie but fair play to Jones - he gambled and it was a really tidy finish

They've played a good Ajax team, Liverpool

They've got quite a few injuries, they've played a lot of games, and they won

We expect them to put on a show all the time but this was a difficult game

"And that's what I like about Liverpool: when they don't play well they still win football matches

They were efficient and [Kelleher] should be very pleased

He was absolutely outstanding in everything he did

Has he made himself second choice? I would say so

He was very confident

He can put his head to the pillow tonight and think: I did well

"Liverpool are back in Premier League action on Sunday evening at Anfield against Wolves before heading to play Danish Superliga champions FC Midtjylland in their final Champions League group game

null

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<PAD>

508

Phil Foden's first-half strike was enough to secure Man City's place in the Champions League last 16, beating Olympiakos 1-0

If a 3-0 scoreline in the reverse fixture three weeks ago flattered Man City, then Wednesday's also did not tell the whole story, with the visitors dominating possession and Olympiakos having only two shots in the entire game

Man City were mostly blocked by an inspired Jose Sa in the opening period, but a well-worked team goal finish superbly by Foden broke the deadlock and ultimately won the game

Olympiakos rallied slightly towards the end with their two efforts but could not find the equaliser

It sends Man City into the knockout stages for the eighth successive year, with four wins from four group games this season as they search for their first Champions League title

Olympiakos stay third in Group C with qualification for the Europa League still within their reach

Man City dominated the first half and Rodri almost started things off with a thunderbolt inside three minutes

A sublime switch of play from John Stones picked out the returning Benjamin Mendy on the left flank

His cross was cleared by Ruben Semedo, falling to the waiting Rodri but his thunderous volley went straight at Sa

Just after, another Mendy cross was sent wide by Bernardo Silva at the near post before Foden shot well wide from range

The visitors continued to see the ball but sometimes looked disjointed in their play, however Gabriel Jesus lifted the attacking spirits with a superb effort just after the half-hour mark

It was a lovely throughball from Silva, allowing Jesus to drive into the area, but his effort was saved by an outstretched leg from the Sa

Man City eventually found the breakthrough five minutes later in a well-worked team goal

Jesus held the ball up well before slotting Raheem Sterling in down the left-hand side

The forward then played a backheel pass for the waiting Foden, who rifled an effort home with his first touch as City deservedly took the lead

Sa twice denied Sterling in the final throes of the half

The England international - handed the armband for the evening - sent an effort goalwards from just outside the area, but the Olympiakos goalkeeper leapt across to keep him out

It was a similar story in added time when Sterling curled a sensational free kick his way, but Sa flicked the fizzing effort over the crossbar

The second half saw a more cautious approach from Man City, but they still had a few sights of goal

In the 65th minute, Joao Cancelo played a neat give-and-go with Jesus, before skipping over Semedo's leg and striking, but it went straight at Sa

Not long after, Cancelo turned provider as he floated a cross towards the back post, but Foden nodded wide

The England midfielder then slotted Silva in down the right of the area, but the latter's cross could not be turned home by either Jesus or Sterling

Olympiakos were determined to make it a nervy finish though with their only two shots of the game

The first saw captain Kostas Fortounis - who was the hosts' best attacking threat throughout - fire just wide of the far post

Mady Camara then sent a cross into the area but Pape Abou Cisse could only nod behind

It was a confident performance from the young midfielder, who followed up his two international goals against Iceland a week ago with another in Greece

It was a well-taken strike too, and he should really have had another

Foden has now scored five goals in his 10 combined starts for Man City and England in 2020-21, with a further two assists

He also continues the streak of when he scores, City do not lose

Foden has now scored 10 goals for Man City in all competitions this year (excluding penalties)

Man City manager said: "Today we were much more aggressive to the goal

It is not easy when there are nine players defending

Our central defenders were outstanding - John Stones, it is not easy when you have not played for a long time

"We put our wingers closer to the striker

All of them, Bernardo, Phil, Raz [Raheem Sterling], were so aggressive

Mendy and Joao were outstanding too, [Ilkay] Gundogan and Rodri as well

"In general, the performance was of a top, top level

Unfortunately, we couldn't score a second and a third one or the game would have been completely different at the end

We came here to get to the last 16

We are there again and now we focus on the Premier League

"We made an incredible group stage

Especially our two games away; the second half against Porto and the first half against Olympiakos at home

"We will see tonight the result of Marseille and Porto

We made an incredible performance

Unfortunately, we could only score one goal, but the team is alive

"Man City host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday; kick-off 3pm

They then travel to Porto in their penultimate Champions League group game on Tuesday; kick-off 8pm

Olympiakos face Aris in the Greek Super League on Saturday before travelling to Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday; kick-off 8pm

null

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<PAD>

509

Liverpool still require one more win to reach the Champions League last 16 after they were beaten 2-0 by Atalanta at Anfield

The Serie A club were mature and methodical as they avenged the 5-0 defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this month, and were good value for their victory as Liverpool registered no shots on target during the entire match

Josip Ilicic broke the deadlock from Papu Gomez's cross on the hour-mark before Robin Gosens doubled their lead (64) as Liverpool suffered an off night

The result means the Premier League champions remain top of Group D on nine points but Ajax joined Atalanta behind them on seven points each after their 3-1 win over Midtjylland, which eliminated the Danes

Nothing that happened on the pitch at Anfield would eclipse the news which broke hours before this contest, with Diego Maradona's passing rightly set to dominate the media in the coming days, and a minute's silence was held before kick-off to honour the Argentina legend

Liverpool knew that victory would assure their place in the last 16 when the competition returns in February, but it took them 44 minutes to produce their first shot

James Milner played a free-kick short to Kostas Tsimikas, and after Rafael Toloi failed to properly clear, Mohamed Salah's right-foot effort failed to trouble Pierluigi Gollini

Atalanta were by far the more threatening as Gian Piero Gasperini watched his side play the more enterprising football, orchestrated by the evergreen Gomez

The Argentine was once defended by Maradona for a foul on Lucas Biglia during a Serie A clash which placed the-then AC Milan midfielder's presence at the 2018 World Cup in jeopardy, and his sharp turn of pace and low centre of gravity lit up a drab opening 45 minutes

Atalanta carved out the best chance as Cristian Romero found the overlapping run of Robin Gosens but his snapshot was palmed away at his near post by Alisson

There was one other noteworthy incident when Ilicic fell theatrically under a challenge from Tsimikas but referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande was unmoved

Having won their first three games without conceding a goal, Liverpool knew they had done the hard work already - but Jurgen Klopp was unimpressed, seeking to inject some much-needed urgency into his troops at the break

The Liverpool manager sent out Diogo Jota, Andrew Robertson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino to warm up within minutes of the restart having seen little improvement, but worse was to come as Atalanta duly took the lead

Inevitably, Gomez was involved as his sublime cross from the left was stabbed home from close range by Ilicic, underneath the body of Alisson

Four substitutes and four minutes later, Liverpool were 2-0 down

Another cross from Gomez was this time headed back across goal by Hateboer and Gosens was unmarked to volley in from seven yards out

This was unfamiliar territory for the six-time European champions

Indeed, it was the first time Liverpool had been two goals behind in a Champions League game at Anfield since October 2014, against Real Madrid

The hosts were playing the price for their passive display, with news of Ajax's lead over Midtjylland putting the squeeze on their advantage at the summit - but there would be no historic comeback this time

Duvan Zapata blazed a late chance of a third over but having dismantled Atalanta in Bergamo three weeks ago, this was a rude awakening for Liverpool ahead of the visit of Ajax next week

Liverpool boss told : "It was not a good game

From both teams, didn't create a lot, until they scored the goals

"A deserved defeat in a difficult game

The ref didn't whistle a lot and that makes it even more difficult, for both sides

It was unbelievably intense and you need some breaks

"When the first half is gone, you usually settle but for some players who didn't play for a while it was very intense for them

We didn't find a way in the game

"Easier to talk about a good game

We had moments but not real chances

It could happen to other teams

Thumbs up, no injuries and we go again

""The priority was the weekend against Brighton because of how strong a position Liverpool already find themselves in

Ultimately, it's about getting through the group

Liverpool ideally would like to win the group, but there's two games still to go - one at home to Ajax while they'd be expected to win the final game if it does go down to it against Midtjylland

"Klopp made the five changes tonight, and it was flat, it was disjointed

The lads who came in didn't take their opportunity

It's a reminder that Atalanta are a decent side and they responded to the defeat a few weeks ago

They didn't give Liverpool the space they did in that first game and got their rewards

"Salah was back after a couple of negative Covid tests, but he was overshadowed by the brilliant Gomez

No player produced more passes in the opposition's half than the 32-year-old (44), who enjoyed his evening back on Merseyside, providing an assist as well as playing a role in the build-up to the second

It was three years ago this week that he laid on two assists during Atalanta's 5-1 thrashing of Everton in the Europa League, and on the night when Maradona's career has been celebrated, it only seemed fitting that his countryman in a No 10 shirt would leave such an impression on the pitch

Liverpool travel to face Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League; kick-off 12

30pm

They return to Champions League action when they host Ajax on Tuesday, December 1; kick-off 8pm

null

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<PAD>

510

Bruno Fernandes scored twice and appeared to give up the chance of a hat-trick from the penalty spot as Manchester United avenged their defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir earlier this month with a convincing 4-1 win at Old Trafford

Fernandes' rocket that set United on course for victory (7) had flashbacks to Paul Scholes' strike against Barcelona in this competition at the semi-final stage back in April 2008, while his second of the evening was a tap-in after Basaksehir goalkeeper Mert Gunok flapped at a cross (19)

Marcus Rashford eventually dispatched the spot-kick he won (35) but a second half that appeared to be meandering to a close sparked into life with 15 minutes remaining when Deniz Turuc's free-kick reduced the deficit

United wobbled as Edin Visca instantly rattled the crossbar, but Basaksehir's spirited fightback ultimately fell short as Daniel James added a stoppage-time fourth from Mason Greenwood's pass (90+2)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side remain top of Champions League Group H on nine points from four games and are in control of their own destiny with Paris Saint-Germain in second on six points having defeated RB Leipzig 1-0 in Tuesday's other fixture

United face PSG at Old Trafford before a trip to RB Leipzig, and a point from those last two games will send them through to the last 16 after Christmas

United had lost three of their previous four games against Turkish opponents in European competition, including each of the last two in a row, but there were few scares on a comfortable evening that was in stark contrast to the events in Istanbul three weeks ago

The hosts, without Paul Pogba once more, might have been in front inside two minutes as Rashford drew a smart save from Gunok following a weaving run

It was an early warning sign the visitors would be in for a punishing evening, and United drew first blood with their next attack

Alex Telles' corner was flicked off the head of Edinson Cavani on his first start for his new club by Alexandru Epureanu but Fernandes was streetwise, positioning himself on the edge of the box to rifle into his shot beyond Gunok on the half volley

Five minutes later came very nearly a candidate for goal of the season

Donny Van de Beek threaded a pass into the feet of Fernandes who impudently lent the ball to Cavani with a flick around the corner before spotting the run of Rashford with the returned pass

But the England forward had moved fractionally too soon and was correctly flagged offside before finding the net

Sir Alex Ferguson smiled from the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, witnessing such enterprising football

He won his first trophy with United in 1990 - the FA Cup - in the same year that Basaksehir were formed, and the gulf in history between the two clubs was being mirrored by the two sides out on the pitch

United deservedly found a second but through fortuitous circumstances as Gunok dropped a clanger, spilling Telles' cross from the left under very little pressure for Fernandes to pounce

It was his 21st goal in his 35th appearance in United colours

The Portuguese was then handed the opportunity to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Rashford was bundled over inside the box by Boli Bolingoli following a fine ball from Victor Lindelof as referee Ovidiu Hategan first pointed to the spot and then waited for VAR to confirm the decision

It was the 30th penalty United have been awarded in 75 games since the start of last season, but Fernandes stepped aside, allowing Rashford to dispatch low and hard, capping an emphatic half from the hosts - albeit one in which Basaksehir created a couple of chances of their own

Demba Ba had been wasteful on two occasions, most notably with a header under little pressure from Harry Maguire, and David de Gea was forced into action six minutes after the restart to produce a brilliant save low down to deny Visca from range

Solskjaer sought to rest some legs on the hour-mark with James and Greenwood replacing Rashford and Fernandes ahead of the trip to face Southampton on Sunday, live on Sky Sports

Wan-Bissaka also made way, but this appeared enforced as the full-back went straight down the tunnel to receive treatment

But that was the signal for Basaksehir to break free from their apparent inferiority complex - and their improved second-half display was rewarded when Turuc surprised De Gea at his near post following Fred's foul on Ba to the left of United's penalty area

De Gea thought he had done enough to keep the ball from crossing the line but referee Hategan's watch buzzed and the goal was given

The setback unnerved United as Visca immediately sought a second with a speculative shot from range that cannoned off the bar as United went from a sprint start to staggering over the finish line before James rounded off a productive evening for the hosts

Manchester United boss told : "You saw the intensity straight away

It's a Champions League night at Old Trafford - you expect them to enjoy themselves

We created some great chances, scored some very nice goals so I'm pleased

"Donny (van de Beek) and Edinson (Cavani) are getting used to how we want them to play

Donny can play in different positions, while Edinson is a good old-fashioned number nine which we've not had for a while, and I was very happy with how Anthony (Martial) played off the left-hand side again

"When you're 3-0 up and you take your foot off the pedal a little bit, you give them something to play for, they enjoyed it more in the second half - but 4-1 winners in the Champions League, you've got to be happy

"We need one more point to go through, but of course we want to be top of the group

That's our aim, but we'll take one game at a time with PSG next

"On whether Fernandes continues to surprise him: "Not really, no

We see him everyday in training and we knew what we were going to get when we got Bruno to the team

He's a player that likes to take risks, he likes to create chances, he likes to score goals, he's a winner, he wants the team to win and he wants the team to do well

I think it shows today that he can do more than take penalties

"On Wan-Bissaka and Lindelof substitutions: "Hopefully, they'll be ready for the weekend but we're not sure

It's a back problem for Victor and Aaron had an ankle problem so there was no point risking any more swelling to it

"He was on for a hat-trick but Fernandes handed the ball over to Rashford

Here he is, explaining to : "Of course every player wants to do a hat-trick but after the game in the Premier League, I told Rashy the next one he would take

"I remembered that - and also because he's one of the top scorers in the Champions League, I thought it would be important for him there to take that confidence but it doesn't matter who takes the penalties, the most important is scoring

"Solskjaer added: "Bruno is very confident, Marcus is a very good penalty-taker as well; if Bruno feels he wants to give it to Marcus, so be it

Anthony had one against RB Leipzig so why not? They can share them around

"Solskajer named perhaps the most attacking line-up of his tenure with Cavani spearheading the side and having struggled to find a role in the early months to his United career, Van de Beek may well have found his position as part of a midfield two

The Dutchman oozed class on the ball in only his third start since arriving for £35m, completing 56 of his 69 passes, creating two chances while allowing Fred to carry out most of the defensive duties

This was him staking his claim heading into the hectic festive schedule, and with so many options in the forward positions, operating in a deeper position may be his route to more regular playing time

Manchester United travel to face Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday, live on ; kick-off 2pm

null

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511

Olivier Giroud's majestic injury-time header booked Chelsea's place in the knockout stages of the Champions League as they beat Rennes 2-1

Callum Hudson-Odoi gave Chelsea a first-half lead (21) and it looked like Frank Lampard's side would rue some wayward finishing when Serhou Guirassy headed home unmarked from a corner (85)

Both teams looked happy with a draw but Giroud - who has aired concerns over a lack of game-time at the club - came off the bench to bravely head home (90) after Timo Werner was denied

The result, helped by Sevilla's win in Krasnodar, means the Blues and the Spanish side are guaranteed to finish in the top two of Group E, ahead of their showdown on December 2

After dispatching Rennes 3-0 in the corresponding fixture at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea looked in confident mood following their recent run of results

Hudson-Odoi broke free on the right after just five minutes and put one on a plate for Werner from six yards out

However, the German somehow managed to sky the effort over the crossbar to leave his team-mates opened mouth in shock

Hudson-Odoi showed Werner how it should be done midway through the half, latching onto a brilliant bit of play from Mason Mount

The midfielder won the ball back deep inside his own half and pinged a fantastic 60-yard ball that Hudson-Odoi took in his stride and finished under the body of Alfred Gomis

Ben Chilwell was causing problems for Rennes with his aggressive runs from full-back and Mount really should have doubled the lead after a Chilwell pull-back but was denied by a superb reflex stop from Gomis

After being second best, that stop kicked Rennes into gear with Guirassy having more of an impact through the middle

James Lea Siliki had the chance to test his former team-mate Edouard Mendy when a fantastic chance dropped to him 15 yards out but his panicked effort blazed over the crossbar

Werner had the ball in the net almost instantly after the restart but his header was rightly chalked off as he strayed half a yard offside

Chelsea took their foot off the gas as the second half wore on with the French side growing in confidence and giving Mendy more to think about

The goalkeeper looked set to collect his eighth clean sheet in 10 Chelsea appearances when blocking a Gerzino Nyamsi header from a right-wing corner with 10 minutes to play

However, Chelsea's inability to mark their men consistently from set-pieces was punished when Guirassy powered home a thumping header after Thiago Silva was caught under the ball

With Krasnodar failing to pick up maximum points, Chelsea didn't need to find a winner to assure qualification but winning has become a habit for Lampard's side and Giroud popped up with a last-gasp moment of brilliance

Werner raced through on goal but couldn't find a finish past Gomis - the chance looked lost but out of nowhere Giroud rose elegantly and powerfully above his marker to bullet a difficult header into the net

A classic example of how strength in depth within a squad can add extra motivation for players like Hudson-Odoi, who has been criticised for his inconsistency in the past

Of course, it's easy to forget he's only just turned 20-years-old but when playing for a club like Chelsea, you have to learn quickly in terms of performing to a high-level on a weekly basis

Hudson-Odoi has given Lampard a selection headache after this performance where he took his goal with great class and skill and was unlucky not to grab a fantastic assist when Werner blazed over early on

Hudson-Odoi certainly has a knack for the European occasion

Since his first European appearance for Chelsea in October 2018, he has netted six goals in European competition, a haul bettered only by Giroud for the Blues in that time (12)

: "I have a problem because I've got Tammy who is playing well and obviously he did last year as well

"Oli who always contributes in that way with that professionalism

I have two players in a similar position fighting for a place

"That's a good problem

Oli will get his minutes because we have a busy schedule we play every few days

I made a few changes today because I felt he had to to get the freshness in the team

'I think the reason you see such a reaction around the goal, not only was it in the last minute but someone like Oli you see how he acts day in day out and it shows you what he means to this team

"Lampard meets his former boss Jose Mourinho on Super Sunday when Spurs visit Stamford Bridge in what could be a huge game in the Premier League title race even at this early stage of the season

null

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<PAD>

512

Manchester United's woes took a turn for the worse as Istanbul Basaksehir punished shambolic defending to inflict a 2-1 first Champions League defeat on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side

United travelled to Turkey on the back of impressive victories over Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig, but found themselves two down inside 40 minutes as strikes from Demba Ba and Edin Visca capitalised on a defensive horror show, which Solskjaer labelled "unforgivable"

Anthony Martial's instinctive header pulled one back before the break but it failed to inspire a second-half comeback, with a stunning stoppage-time goal-line clearance from Alexandru Epureanu denying United a point at the death

Newcomers Basaksehir didn't have a Champions League point or a goal to their name before kick-off but a resilient performance earned a famous and deserved first win in the tournament for the Turkish champions, as United became the first English club to lose in this season's competition on the banks of the Bosporus

United looked to be effectively carrying out their gameplan early on, with Bruno Fernandes rifling a volley wide and Luke Shaw whistling a shot past the post inside 10 minutes, but it all unravelled for Solskjaer's side in farcical circumstances before the quarter-hour mark

Basaksehir captain Visca blazed a shot over and United failed to heed the warning as a simple punt from the back released Ba in behind the visitors' non-existent backline, and the Senegal striker strode unopposed through on goal before slotting past European debutant Dean Henderson

Ba was a constant thorn in the side of Axel Tuanzebe and was incensed when the United centre-back only received a yellow for a desperate last-man challenge on the Basaksehir striker as he ran through on goal again

Just as United seemed to have steadied the ship following the early setback, their defensive frailties were exposed for a second time as Deniz Turuc picked Juan Mata's pocket, broke forward and sent a cross in that Ba brilliantly dummied for Visca to rifle in the hosts' second

But United were able to grab a lifeline before the half was over, with Martial steering a brilliant header into the far corner to halve the deficit with their first attempt on target on 43 minutes

After a performance in stark contrast to his stunning display at Paris Saint-Germain, Tuanzebe was hooked at the interval, as Scott McTominay came on to add another layer of protection in front of United's porous defence

The ease with which Basaksehir contained United's attack prompted further reinforcements from the bench, with Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood summoned, but they failed to galvanise the visitors

United nearly got out of jail when substitute Mehmet Topal diverted the ball back towards his own goal line, but Epureanu's stunning clearance ensured it was a night to savour for Baseksehir - and one to forget for Solskjaer

Man Utd boss told : "The performance wasn't good enough against a team that worked and ran

They hit us on the break a couple of times and scored two goals like you sometimes do in Europe when you don't defend well enough

"The first one we forget about the man up top and that's unforgiveable

The second one, we're not very well organised to counter-press and win the ball back when we're playing

So two tough goals to giveaway and then we didn't have enough to come back second half

"We scored from a cross, a good goal by Anthony, and then you think 45 minutes to save something from the game but second half we threw everything at it, but we couldn't break them down

"It's set us back a lot, of course it has

You get a reality check every time you play a football game here

Nothing becomes history quicker than a game of football

You don't just turn up and get three points in the Champions League

That's shown here today

"It's not easy to be positive now

Of course it isn't

When you've just lost the way we did

But these players they're good players and we have a chance on Saturday morning to get going again

"Asked in the post-match press conference if he fears for his future, Solskjaer added: "I decline to comment on such a thing

Of course, it's early on and opinions are out there all the time

You've got to stay strong

I'm employed by the club to do a job and I do that to the best of my ability with my staff

"The 35-year-old former Premier League striker rolled back the years, tormenting the United defence with a vintage performance

The Senegal international wrote his name in Istanbul Basaksehir history by scoring their first Champions League goal

The effort was reminiscent of his iconic strike against Liverpool in 2014 as he raced through on goal, only this time there was no Steven Gerrard slip, just woeful United defending

Ba's clever stepover was as good as an assist as Visca doubled the Basaksehir lead before the break, and the removal of Tuanzebe from the firing line at half-time was a testament to his fine performance

Manchester United travel to Everton in the Premier League on Saturday at 12

30pm

Istanbul Basaksehir host Genclerbirligi in the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday at 1pm

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<PAD>

513

Timo Werner scored two penalties as Chelsea made it three wins on the bounce without conceding when easing past 10-man Rennes 3-0

Taking over the spot-kick duties from Jorginho, who has missed two this season, the German flashed home both efforts from 12 yards

Dalbert was the culprit for Rennes on both occasions, tripping Werner for the first and then adjudged to have handled when he knew little about it for the second, which drew a second yellow card for the full-back after a VAR review

Chelsea played smartly with the extra man, using the full width of the pitch, and Tammy Abraham grabbed the third when finishing from a fine Reece James cross as Chelsea took control of Group E

The result means another clean sheet for Edouard Mendy, who was faultless but largely untested against his former club

It's now 540 minutes since he conceded across all competitions as Chelsea have kept five straight clean sheets for the first time since 2010

Krasnodar, Burnley and now the French side have been dispatched by an aggregate score of 10-0 in the Blues' last three games as Frank Lampard seems to be finding the right balance with his talented squad

In the first-ever meeting between the two teams, it was Chelsea that began brightly with Hakim Ziyech almost scoring for the third game running when looping a skilful volley just over the crossbar

Chelsea did grab the lead on 10 minutes when Werner tricked the unfortunate Dalbert into felling him in the box

After an embrace from Jorginho, who missed his second penalty of the season in Krasnodar, Werner coolly slotted the penalty away into the corner of the net

Benjamin Bourigeaud whipped a free-kick across the face of the Chelsea goal that Mendy was relieved to watch fly wide of the post

But it was Chelsea that carried the greater threat

Although, the penalty award for their second goal was littered with controversy

Abraham's shot ricocheted off Dalbert's legs and onto his raised arm, and initially both sides thought the issue had been waved away

But then the referee was called to the pitchside monitor, and first the official awarded the penalty, and then he harshly dismissed Dalbert for a second yellow card

Werner stepped up and rifled another perfect penalty into the top corner to make it 2-0

Lampard sent his troops out with serious intent after the break to get an early third and his players answered the call

Reece James' fine low cross begged for a near-post finish and Abraham delivered in some style, flicking home to extend the hosts' lead

Chelsea coasted home but still needed Mendy to pull off a smart save from Clement Grenier, to preserve his latest clean sheet

The arrival of Mendy looks to be a gamechanger for Lampard but don't underestimate the importance of Silva, whose leadership and ability to snuff out danger was on full show once again

Since making a hash of his debut against West Brom, Silva has now been part of five straight clean sheets across all competitions

At the age of 36, the Brazilian has eradicated any fears that perhaps his lack of pace will find him out at elite level

When you read the game as well as this guy, pace is irrelevant especially when you have a partner alongside you in Kurt Zouma who doesn't lack in that department

The trio of Mendy, Silva and Zouma are an exciting defensive unit

: "The red card and the penalty at 2-0 obviously makes it more comfortable, I think we dealt with the early parts of the second half really well

It's not always easy against 10 men, when they've had a bit of time to talk and arrange themselves

"We kept the ball moving in the early parts of the second half

So the professional elements of our game were really good today, good opposition as well

Tough game, we couldn't underrate them

We saw that with 11 v 11, they're a physical, technical team

And we won pretty well

"Chelsea host Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday at 5

30pm, live on Sky Sports

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514

Diogo Jota scored his first Liverpool hat-trick as the Reds made it three wins from three in Champions League Group D with a ruthless 5-0 thrashing of Atalanta

Jota replaced Roberto Firmino in the starting line-up and vindicated his selection with two superb first-half strikes, clipping a shot over the goalkeeper before chesting the ball down and rifling a shot in at the near post

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane added to the goal-fest with brilliant efforts early in the second half, before Jota completed his hat-trick with the visitors' fifth with just 54 minutes on the clock

The rout secured Jurgen Klopp's first victory as a manager on Italian soil and Liverpool's biggest away win in the Champions League since 2018 as they consolidated top spot and took a giant stride towards the knockout phase ahead of Atalanta's visit to Anfield in three weeks' time

It took just two minutes for Jota to register an attempt on goal as he looked to pick up from where he left off after his late winner against West Ham, but Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello was a match to his low drive

A flurry of chances saw Mane and Curtis Jones draw saves out of Sportiello, either side of Luis Muriel forcing a stop from Alisson with his legs

But the Liverpool pressure told on 16 minutes as Jota latched onto Trent Alexander-Arnold's through pass, brilliantly held off the challenge Jose Palomino and chipped a shot over the goalkeeper into the bottom corner

Liverpool nullified the threat of Atalanta's three-man attack and were a cut above their hosts as one soon became two on 33 minutes

Joe Gomez's long diagonal ball was brilliantly touched inside Hans Hateboer by Jota, who fired his second in at the near post

Mane forced Sportiello into a stunning fingertip save as Liverpool threatened to put the game to bed before the interval

The hosts reached the break without sustaining further damage, but half-time offered only temporary relief for Atalanta

Salah raced away on the counter, cut inside Hateboer and curled an unstoppable shot into the top corner within two minutes of the restart

Mane then got in on the act, chipping another stunning effort over the beleaguered Sportiello after latching onto a Salah through ball

Duvan Zapata spurned a glorious chance to get Atalanta on the board when he sent a tame header into the arms of Alisson, and two minutes later further salt was rubbed into the wounds as Jota latched onto Mane's pass, rounded the goalkeeper and showed great composure to complete his hat-trick

Zapata rattled the post, forced Alisson into two saves and had a stoppage-time effort ruled out for offside as Atalanta's bid for a consolation fell short, but the Liverpool defence - which featured Rhys Williams starting alongside Gomez - were worthy of their clean sheet and worthy winners

All eyes were on Diogo Jota against Atalanta and his response could hardly have been more emphatic

Given his chance alongside Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah while Roberto Firmino watched on from the bench, Liverpool's new signing was the standout performer

A hat-trick to demand Jurgen Klopp keeps him in the team against Manchester City

The goals were so different too

The first saw Jota show considerable strength before having the composure to steady himself and dink the ball, left-footed, beyond the goalkeeper and into the far corner

The second saw him cut inside onto his right foot before firing home with force at the near post

He sped in behind and rounded the goalkeeper for the hat-trick

It is the fourth consecutive game in which Jota has scored for Liverpool - something that he never achieved for Wolves

Perhaps more significantly, it means Jota has now scored seven goals for his new club already despite signing for the club little more than six weeks ago

That is two more goals than Firmino has scored for Liverpool in the entire calendar year

There will be those who point to the Brazilian's off-the-ball work and the space that he creates for others

No doubt that is true

But with Firmino's confidence looking dented of late, Jota's form in front of goal puts a different slant on it all

Klopp must now consider the fact that there is a price to pay for picking Firmino too - a diminished goal threat

The fact that Mane and Salah were both among the goals against Atalanta also undermines the theory that Jota's presence might hinder their own threat

On this evidence, it is not necessarily that Jota is stealing the chances that would have fallen to the wide forwards

It might be that Liverpool look even more formidable with this new-look front three

Of course, Jota's streakiness has long been a feature of his play - he averaged 1

8 goals per 90 minutes after scoring in games last season and has shown himself to be far more likely to score in the next game after scoring too

But he is flying right now and with so much at stake against City on Sunday, Klopp will surely be tempted to allow Jota to continue to soar

Liverpool travel to Manchester City on at 4

30pm - live on Sky Sports Premier League

Atalanta host Inter Milan in Serie A on Sunday at 2pm

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<PAD>

515

Manchester City maintained a perfect start to their Champions League campaign as Gabriel Jesus scored on his return in a 3-0 victory over Olympiakos at the Etihad

Ferran Torres scored in his fourth consecutive game in the competition to give Pep Guardiola's side the lead after just 12 minutes, but the contest did not evolve into the formality City's fast start had promised

Mathieu Valbuena missed a glorious chance to level 10 minutes into the second period before Jesus came off the bench to settle the contest with an unstoppable finish from a tight angle (81)

City added a third as fellow substitute Joao Cancelo's speculative drive surprised Jose Sa (90) to cap a routine win that preserves their 100 per cent record from three group stage matches ahead of facing Liverpool on Super Sunday, live on

Olympiakos remain third in Group C while Porto are three points behind City in second place after winning 3-0 against Marseille on Tuesday

Olympiakos entered the game without Kostas Fortounis through injury and with a dismal record in England having won just twice in 17 visits, but the most recent of those wins came against Arsenal in the Europa League in February

City have scored 23 goals this term - 13 fewer than they had plundered this time last year - but there's a growing feeling they are now slipping into gear after an inauspicious start

Guardiola's men are looking increasingly capable of steel as well as silk and led 1-0 at the break

The hosts went straight onto the front foot and had already threatened through Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne when Torres, starting as a lone striker, put City into a deserved lead within 12 minutes

The goal came as the Spaniard played a good one-two with De Bruyne and then calmly side-footed through the legs of Sa

Even with five changes to the side that edged Sheffield United last Saturday, City were a cut above their Greek opponents

Olympiakos were indebted to Sa as he twice smothered inviting crosses with Raheem Sterling ready to pounce on both occasions - but City's advantage at the interval was a slender one despite their dominance

Olympiakos manager Pedro Martins made a double change at the break involving Bruma, and the winger on loan from PSV Eindhoven transformed the visitors in the second period

City, by contrast, were pedestrian as their recent lack of cutting edge that has seen them score just four times in their last four Premier League games was again evident

Foden's blind pass from Ederson to John Stones as City played out from the back was pounced on by the veteran Valbuena but the 36-year-old sliced his effort wide having been surprised himself by the gift

By then, Mady Camara had already just failed to connect with Valbuena's corner but Jesus' introduction with 22 minutes remaining helped City rediscover their focal point as a second goal duly snuffed out any hopes of a shock Olympiakos revival

Inevitably, De Bryune was involved as the Belgian fed Jesus down the right of the penalty area

The returning Brazilian fashioned a yard of space and the sheer velocity of his shot took the ball away from Sa at his near post and into the roof of the net

There was still time for a third to somewhat flatter City despite their 16 attempts - a ninth in three Champions League games in contrast to their recent domestic struggles to find the net - as Cancelo collected the ball in midfield, drove forward and curled a 25-yard strike with his left foot into the corner

Manchester City boss told : "In the first half, we played really well

In the second half, we struggled for some moments but when we scored the second one it was over

"We've had a good three games, nine points

We need three more points or one more point to qualify

We have five days to recover for Liverpool and then the international break

"They had one or two chances [to equalise]

When we controlled in the way we control, we cannot finish games - we struggle with the second goal - but finally with an incredible goal from Gabriel Jesus and then from Joao Cancelo we win the game

"John Stones is back, an incredible performance - almost perfect

It's not easy when you're a long time without playing

"The forecast in the next three days says it will be sunny in Manchester

It's rare

We're going to have tomorrow off

After that on Friday and Saturday we'll prepare for the Liverpool game

But the players need a break

"Torres tormented the Olympiakos defence, dropping deep and arriving late in the box during another impressive display which included three key passes for his team-mates

Moved to the right following Jesus' arrival, the 20-year-old returned to his natural position having shown his versatility and capped another lively display with his third goal in four games - one of five shots, more than any other player

Aged 20 years and 248 days, the Spaniard is the third-youngest player in Champions League history to score in four consecutive appearances, behind Kylian Mbappé (18y 120d) and Erling Haaland (19y 107d)

Manchester City next host Liverpool live on and from 4pm on ; kick-off 4

30pm

Pep Guardiola's side continue their Champions League campaign at Olympiakos following the international break on Wednesday November 25; kick-off 5

55pm

null

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<PAD>

516

Hakim Ziyech scored his first goal for Chelsea and Edouard Mendy kept his fourth clean sheet in a row in a rampant 4-0 Champions League win over Krasnodar

Jorginho missed an early penalty for Chelsea in their bid to get their first win in Group E, but Callum Hudson-Odoi got them rolling (37), taking advantage of a howler from Krasnodar goalkeeper Matvey Safonov

The Russians came out with renewed vigour after the break but a combination of the flawless Mendy and the crossbar, which was rattled by Yuri Gazinskiy, kept Chelsea's lead intact

Timo Werner got that all-important second from the spot (76) after a controversial handball call against Aleksandr Martynovich, before Ziyech and substitute Christian Pulisic added gloss to a somewhat flattering scoreline

Krasnodar, who finished third in the Russian Premier League last season, were playing in their first-ever home match in the Champions League in what has been a meteoric rise for a club that was only founded in 2008

Chelsea were keen to take the sting out of the occasion in the early exchanges, keeping the ball efficiently but without much penetration

That changed on 14 minutes when a forceful run from Cesar Azpilicueta ended with a pass into Werner, who cleverly drew the foul of Kaio inside the area

Jorginho stepped up in his usual 'hop, skip and jump' style but scuffed the effort against the post

The Italian has now missed two of his last four penalties for Chelsea, having scored each of the first eight he took for the club

Chelsea's play remained pedestrian as it was the hosts that carried the more direct threat

Mendy looked relieved to see Tonny Vilhena's deflected strike loop inches wide of his post on 22 minutes

Chelsea did finally inject some speed into their forward play on 37 minutes, which resulted in a rather fortuitous opening goal

Kai Havertz found Hudson-Odoi inside the area but his pot-shot didn't look overly dangerous as it was straight at Safonov but the young goalkeeper allowed the tame effort to squirm through his grasp and into the net

The hosts played with much more aggression and intent in the second period and took control of the match

With Chelsea wobbling, Yuri Gazinski blasted into the turf after a corner and the resulting bounce left Mendy unable to divert at full stretch, with the ball rattling the woodwork

An equaliser looked more likely than a Chelsea second but defender Martynovich's handball gifted Frank Lampard's side a second penalty in the match with a quarter-hour to play

It was a harsh decision on the skipper, who accidentally deflected the ball off his thigh onto his slightly outstretched arm

Up stepped Werner, who blasted home emphatically to seal the Blues' win and Ziyech added a third moments later, finishing well to cap a strong full debut as the visitors finally eased their path to victory

Pulisic added a tinge of flattery to the final scoreline, slotting home at the near post to cap a fantastic result for the Londoners on a night where owner Roman Abramovich was in attendance in southern Russia

The other game in Group E saw Europa League champions Sevilla win 1-0 at home against Rennes thanks to Luuk De Jong's strike early in the second half

Chelsea have kept three clean sheets in a row in all competitions for the very first time under Lampard, also recording shutouts for the first time in successive away games under the former Chelsea midfielder

It's no fluke that it has coincided with the arrival of Mendy between the sticks - his influence on this Chelsea team has been massive

There's an air of calmness that surrounds every decision he has to make - it's a world away from the performance levels of Kepa Arrizabalaga

There were no standout moments to preserve this clean sheet but every time he was called upon, he answered the call with no fuss, making four saves

: "I was aware he [Roman Abramovich] was here

It always makes us happy

I always feel his support whether here or not

It's a nice bonus for him to be here for myself and squad

I didn't manage to see him but a couple of my staff members spoke to him

And I'm pleased we put on a good performance in his home country

Hopefully we made him happy

"Jorginho has been incredibly successful from his penalties

When you take that many there will be periods when you miss one or two

No problem with his style of taking them

Timo, I know is very capable

We have other players

We'll talk about how we move forward

"Chelsea are back in action on Saturday at 3pm with a trip to Burnley in the Premier League before hosting Rennes at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday

null

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Havertz

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Pulisic

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<PAD>

517

Barcelona put their El Clasico defeat and off-field dramas behind them with an impressive 2-0 win at Juventus in the Champions League

While Cristiano Ronaldo's positive coronavirus test meant there was no showdown between the Juventus star and his great rival Lionel Messi, the Argentina ace still delivered a masterclass and capped the victory with a late penalty after Ousmane Dembele's deflected opener

Barcelona had been beaten 3-1 at home by Real Madrid on Saturday and seen president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the entire board resign on Tuesday, but there were no signs of those distractions during a dominant display in Turin

It was a frustrating night for the second-best hosts, who saw Alvaro Morata put the ball in the net three times and be denied by an offside call on each occasion, and they had Merih Demiral sent off with 10 minutes to play for a second yellow card

The result puts Barcelona in control of Group G with two wins from two, with Juventus in second spot after Dynamo Kiev and Ferencvaros drew 2-2

Barcelona had the better of the early exchanges and hit the post just three minutes in through Antoine Griezmann

They took the lead in fortuitous circumstances, though, when Dembele latched onto a marvellous Messi pass and then saw his drive loop up off Federico Chiesa and give Wojciech Szczesny no chance

Juventus thought they had come up with an immediate response when Morata followed up a fine save from Neto to bundle the ball home, but he was offside earlier in the move

And the Spaniard was denied again in similar circumstances on the half hour, tucking in Juan Cuadrado's cross only to see the flag rightly go up against him

Jordi Alba could have doubled the visitors' advantage soon after but slashed his shot badly wide of the near post, before Messi played in Dembele for a golden opportunity

The forward dithered, though, and saw his close-range shot blocked by Szczesny

He teed up Griezmann from the rebound, but he was also denied by the former Arsenal 'keeper, who was up quickly to make a fine stop

Remarkably Morata had a third strike chalked off for offside after the break, following a long VAR check after he had thumped in Cuadrado's volley from close range

Barca youngster Pedri was denied a second Champions League goal in two games by Danilo's excellent block, and the former Man City full-back pulled off an excellent tackle to dispossess Messi just after Dejan Kuvaleski and Adrien Rabiot had fired off target at the other end

Griezmann whizzed a shot wide of the far post as Barcelona threatened for a second and their task was made easier when Demiral was sent off for a second yellow card when he left a foot in on Sergio Busquets

Juventus gave Barcelona another helping hand when Federico Bernardeschi cluelessly bundled into the back of Ansu Fati and Messi sealed it from the spot

Fati should have made it three when he strangely opted to pass with the goal at his mercy deep into stoppage time but by then Barcelona had already made their dominance count

The other game in Group G saw Ferencvaros come from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Dynamo Kiev as Franck Boli equalised in the final minute

Barcelona are away to Alaves in La Liga on Saturday, while Juventus are at Spezia in Serie A on Sunday

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518

Marcus Rashford hit a quickfire hat-trick off the bench as Manchester United swept aside RB Leipzig with a stunning 5-0 victory in the Champions League

Mason Greenwood (21) broke the deadlock in what was an even first half before Rashford, who came on in the 63rd minute, took over

The England striker, , scored twice (74, 78) in four minutes before Anthony Martial's first goal of the season (87) added a fourth from the penalty spot after the Frenchman was brought down by Marcel Sabitzer

Rashford (90+2) then rounded off United's perfect evening, completing his first senior hat-trick as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side made it back-to-back wins in Europe to go top of Group H

The 22-year-old wrote on Twitter after the game: "Can't stop smiling, I've waited a long time for that

Just wish the fans were in to experience it with me

"After what was a fairly even opening at Old Trafford, United took the lead when Greenwood beat the offside trap to pick out the far corner with a clinical finish after being released by Paul Pogba's through-ball

VAR did take a lengthy look at the decision but stuck with the onfield call as United went ahead

Despite finding themselves behind, RB Leipzig responded well to United's goal with Julian Nagelsmann's side dominating possession and looking a threat on the counter-attack

David de Gea's reflexes had to be sharp to keep out Christopher Nkunku's powerful drive, while Dayot Upamecano wanted a penalty after being shoved by Pogba, but his claims were ignored just before the half-time whistle

With only a slender lead, Solskjaer turned to his bench and it proved to be a superb decision as Rashford took full control of the game

The England forward latched onto Bruno Fernandes' through-ball before finishing comprehensively, but the offside flag went up quickly

However, VAR gave the goal the green light with Rashford starting his run in his own half

It gave United some breathing space and Rashford made the game safe four minutes later, bursting past Upamecano before finding the bottom corner again

United started to enjoy themselves as they cut through Leipzig for fun and Martial added a confidence-boosting goal from the spot after being brought down in the penalty area by Sabitzer's last-ditch tackle

Man-of-the-moment Rashford then added United's fifth to complete a stunning hat-trick, which will keep his name in the headlines a little bit longer

PSG got off the mark in the Champions League in Turkey with a 2-0 win away to Istanbul Buyuksehir thanks to Moise Kean's second-half double, although Neymar went off injured

Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was full of praise for his squad after their emphatic win over RB Leipzig

"It was a case of using the squad

We had to rest a few players and the ones who came in did brilliant

"We had to work hard for this, they really made us work hard off the ball and on the ball as well because they counter pressed

The intensity of their play was incredible"After 2-0 of course they open up, go for goals and the spaces opened up for our fresh legs out there

"It's very good to know for the players that we have a strong squad to pick from

We are very happy with the start

We have played against two very good teams, two difficult games, and we have performed fantastic

We showed our own quality and if we focus on the next job and the next job and the next job who knows how far they are going to go

We go to Istanbul next week wanting three points there as well

"More from : "Marcus Rashford came on and did well but the groundwork was there from the team, that's what you want from the subs

What a shift they put in

Leipzig are a high press, the intensity, so we had to dig deep

"We had to rest a few because the season is relentless, so we used the squad

This group is coming together

The more quality and spirit you have, the more you get the performance

"We made some changes today because of Sunday as you have to be ready for that

In the league you have a game less than other teams as well

We need to pick up points

"RB Leipzig boss: "It was a bit crazy because after they scored the first goal, we did well

The final 20 minutes were very bad

"On whether the first goal was offside: "We can defend it better, that's the more important topic for me as the manager

You can follow the deep run and then normally it's no trouble

"There will be only one name on the front and back pages of Thursday's newspapers!You just cannot keep Marcus Rashford out of the headlines

Off the pitch, an online petition launched by the 22-year-old to expand access to free school meals during school holidays has surpassed one million signatures as he continues to fight against the Government's policy,And on the pitch on Wednesday evening, he produced a scintillating game to score a brilliant hat-trick from the bench

He is only the second Manchester United player to score a hat-trick as a substitute after his manager Solskjaer did so versus Nottingham Forest in February 1999 in the Premier League

He is also just the fifth player in UEFA Champions League history to score a hat-trick as a substitute, though his 27-minute cameo is the fewest number of minutes played while netting a treble in the competition

Manchester United's victory was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 50th match as a manager in UEFA competition (incl

qualifiers), with the Norwegian overseeing 11 wins in 18 such matches for United (61%)

United have kicked off a UEFA Champions League campaign with back-to-back wins for only the second time since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club in 2013, also doing so under Jose Mourinho in 2017/18

RB Leipzig conceded more goals this evening (5) as they had across their previous seven games combined in all competitions this season (3)

Leipzig's 5-0 defeat is their heaviest loss in their short European history, while the scoreline represents Manchester United's biggest victory in the UEFA Champions League since November 2013 v Bayer Leverkusen (5-0)

Manchester United host Arsenal on Super Sunday, live on Kick-off at 4

30pm

RB Leipzig are back in action on Saturday, and face a trip to mid-table Borussia Monchengladbach; Kick-off at 5

30pm

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519

Manchester City maintained their 100 per cent start to their Champions League campaign with a dominant 3-0 win at Marseille

Summer-signing Ferran Torres gave City the lead from close range after some slack Marseille passing (18), before Oleksandr Zinchenko hit the outside of the post with a low effort

Marseille waited to up the ante in the second half, but City doubled their lead before the hosts could truly threaten, as Ilkay Gundogan swept home from 10 yards following Raheem Sterling's header across goal (76)

Sterling then turned scorer, tapping home the third from a trademark Kevin De Bruyne delivery (81), meaning City top Group C by three points following Porto's win over Olympiakos, while Marseille are bottom, and without a Champions League win in 11

Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas set his side up with a five-man defence for the first time this season, leaving Dimitri Payet on the bench, and their conservative approach was evident as they showed City too much respect in the first half

After a few early half chances, City took the lead through Torres, slotting home at close range from De Bruyne's centre after Valentin Rongier's loose pass ran across Duje Caleta-Car and into the Belgian's path on the right of the box

It was Torres' second goal in two Champions League games for City, and De Bruyne's 87th assist in all competitions for the club, 18 more than any other Premier League player since his debut in September 2015

Zinchenko came close to a second after some more sloppy Marseille defending; Leonardo Balerdi gave the ball away in the box, but the left-back's low effort from 15 yards hit the outside of Steve Mandanda's right-hand post

Florian Thauvin hit the outside of the post with a speculative long-range effort in the second half, but in truth Ederson had it covered, and that was as close as the hosts came as an intense City got their second before the French side could make for a nervy ending

Phil Foden did well on the left before lifting a cross for Sterling at the back post, and his header back across goal brushed off Torres and fell perfectly for Gundogan to convert under Mandanda

And it was soon 3-0 as the brilliant De Bruyne was found behind the defence on the right by sub Riyad Mahrez, and Sterling converted his low centre from close range

This was City's most dominant and disciplined performance of an inconsistent season so far, but Pep Guardiola's side may not have it easier in this year's competition as they chase that elusive Champions League

City boss on "We played really well, we didn't concede much, we were under control, patient, aggressive without the ball, I am so satisified for the performance, the victory, because winning away is difficult and we did it

"Kevin [De Bruyne] always plays good

There's always something special, I am so happy he's back from two weeks injured

He played relaly well again

Ruben [Dias] and Aymeric [Laporte] were good, Kyle [Walker] is in the best form since we've been together in Manchester

"We have to accept the criticism

We play every three days, when you win it's good but if you don't people want to destroy everything

But it's about the chairman and everyone else understanding

"Part of the criticism was right, but you've got to accept it

It's part of our job

It's about where we've come from in the last month, with lack of preparation, injuries and covid, but the Champions League is in a good place now

I'm sure we're going to have a good season

"City now go to Sheffield United on Saturday at 12

30pm in the Premier League, before hosting Olympiakos in the Champions League on Tuesday evening at 8pm

Marseille host Lens on Friday at 8pm in Ligue 1, and then go to Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday at 8pm

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<PAD>

520

An injury to Fabinho overshadowed Liverpool's unconvincing 2-0 Champions League win over Midtjylland, with Diogo Jota and Mo Salah on target

Jota fired into an empty net from the Reds' best move of the game - to score the club's 10,000th goal in history - 10 minutes after half-time when man-of-the-match Trent Alexander-Arnold teed up the Portuguese forward for a tap-in

That would prove to be their only shot on target until injury-time, but Liverpool had already been made to sweat before half-time when , leaving Rhys Williams the only senior defender able to replace him with half an hour played

Jurgen Klopp had left Roberto Firmino, Salah and Sadio Mane on the bench but even the introduction of the latter pair with an hour played made little improvement to their attacking play

Liverpool were nearly made to pay when substitute Evander fired just wide before Anders Dreyer went even closer late on, but the hosts added some gloss to a poor performance when Salah converted a penalty he had won himself in injury-time to keep up their perfect start to their Group D campaign

Midtjylland came into Tuesday's game having been hammered 4-0 by Atalanta in their first-ever Champions League group match a week ago, but Klopp insisted the Danish champions would give his side a run for their money - and he was not mistaken

Star-man Dreyer came close to proving his point with less than three minutes on the clock when he brought down Alexander Scholz's long ball and pulled a strong low save out of Alisson

Liverpool's changed front three looked uncomfortable as a trio and it was Alexander-Arnold who looked most likely to create an opening, with Takumi Minamino missing a low cross altogether before Joel Andersson stopped another from reaching him after a good run from the Liverpool right-back

But a match-ending injury to stand-in defender Fabinho on the half-hour mark would prove a bigger concern for the Reds, with Williams, who a year ago this week was starting in defence for Kidderminster in the National League North, his only available replacement

Perhaps more cautious to protect the inexperienced defender, Liverpool looked more solid in the last throes of the opening period, and saw Jota and Minamino nod Alexander-Arnold crosses wide before going in goalless at the break

Georginio Wijnaldum replaced Jordan Henderson as Liverpool's second change at the interval before they upped their level of intensity from the restart, and 10 minutes after half-time finally looked like the Liverpool which Klopp has developed in recent years to open the scoring

It was little surprise Alexander-Arnold was at the heart of the move, timing his run from a one-two with Xherdan Shaqiri to perfection to stay onside before squaring for a simple Jota finish

Mane and Salah were introduced five minutes later but their introduction, likely sooner than Klopp would have liked, did not have the desired effect as Midtjylland grew back into the game after the setback of the goal

With 13 minutes remaining, substitute Evander fired wide after shaking off Joe Gomez before the defender was again sluggish as Dreyer drifted past him and fired a glorious chance to level into the side-netting

Paulinho's clumsy foul on Salah from a long ball in injury-time gave Liverpool the chance to add a second goal they could barely claim they deserved in the final minute, with the Egyptian getting up to bury the spot-kick beyond Mikkel Anderson and ensure the Reds stay top of their group

Liverpool boss told : "[Fabinho's injury] is exactly the last thing we needed

What can I say? I know he felt his hamstring, that's not good, he didn't feel it that much, he said he could have played on but with no sprints any more so that doesn't help in that position obviously

We'll see, we have to do a scan and then we'll know more, but that's not good, of course

"The problem then is the challenges in the moments when you have to be really lively without the ball as well, and then you have to calm down

Tonight, in too many situations that did not happen for us

"It was a bing-bing, bing-bing game pretty much, with two goals we scored, three big chances for them, I would say

We had a couple more where we could have scored, but it never became an easy one, it was a proper fight until the end

"Sometimes it can be difficult to pick a man of the match

Not tonight

Alexander-Arnold was head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch, running the show from right-back and making both goals

He had no problems up against one of Midtjylland's dangermen Mabil, who was removed with 25 minutes to go, and was Liverpool's most creative outlet by a mile

Had Minamino and Jota had their shooting boots on more regularly, he could have had a quartet of assists, but he can rest easy after a superb double which played a major part in Liverpool's win

Next up, Liverpool host West Ham at Anfield in the Premier League on live on from 5pm; Kick-off at 5

30pm

null

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<PAD>

521

Manchester City survived an early scare in their opening Champions League encounter, coming from behind to beat Porto 3-1 in Group C

The Champions League has proven a frustrating competition for Pep Guardiola, bowing out at the quarter-final stage for three consecutive seasons and his side fell behind when Luis Díaz netted a fine individual effort (14)

City responded to the early setback within a few minutes when Sergio Aguero scored his first goal in 231 days when converting from the penalty spot (21) after Pepe fouled Raheem Sterling

The usual slickness associated with Guardiola's side wasn't there for the majority of the performance but a sublime free-kick from Ilkay Gundogan (65) and fine finish from substitute Ferran Torres (70) saw off the Portuguese champions, who have yet to win a match on English soil in 20 attempts

It wasn't an entirely positive night for Guardiola though as Fernandinho is now facing four to six weeks out of action after suffering a leg injury in stoppage time

With Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Aymeric Laporte and Benjamin Mendy all sidelined, Guardiola made two changes from the win over Arsenal with Eric Garcia getting a surprising start at centre-back despite almost leaving on Deadline Day

He replaced Nathan Ake, who was missing with a groin problem

Porto hardly had a touch of the ball in the opening 10 minutes but found themselves in front when Ruben Dias made a poor pass out from the back which was seized upon by Diaz

The City defence was unable to get close to him as he cut in from the left and the Colombian took full advantage, firing a quality effort into the far corner

Falling behind increased the intensity within the City ranks and they levelled quickly when Gundogan's run caused some last ditch defending from Porto

The German's shot struck the post but Pepe charged into Sterling as he chased the rebound, and referee Andris Treimanis pointed to the spot

There was a long wait as VAR checked for a foul by Gundogan on the goalkeeper, who received treatment, before Aguero eventually beat him from the spot

That was to be City's only real chance of the first half with Porto looking very sharp on the break

Ederson fell asleep just after the half hour, making a terrible pass towards Rodri which allowed Mateus Uribe a sight of goal but he blazed wildly over the crossbar

Kyle Walker then had to be alert to scramble a rushed Joao Cancelo clearance off City's goalline after Moussa Marega made a mockery of the City offside trap

An improvement was required in City's tempo in the second period and Gundogan set the tone with a first-time shot that turned away by Agustin Marchesin

Despite the City press forcing Porto deeper, a goal didn't look forthcoming until a moment of brilliance from Gundogan

The German was fouled on the edge of the area, and picked himself up to bend the resulting free-kick into the net

It was Gundogan's final contribution before he and Aguero were replaced by Phil Foden and Torres

The substitutes combined to add a third for City, with Foden making a big impact on the game

Torres played a clever one-two with the midfielder and the Spaniard marked his first Champions League appearance with an elite finish into the top corner

On a night where City struggled to create clear openings up against a well-drilled defence, they resorted to set-pieces in order to make their mark

With the game at 1-1 and well poised, Gundogan took the bull by the horns and delivered the game-changing moment from 22 yards

It capped a solid performance in the engine room from the German on a night where most of his teammates were well below their best

"Porto were in the game for the best part of 60 minutes

From City's point of view, it was tough; I struggled to see where the creativity was going to come from

Gundogan's free-kick allowed the players to have a bit more freedom and spirit but Torres coming on, along with Foden, gave City a bit more pace

That made the difference for City but I still think it's a worry for Pep when teams play 3-5-2 against them

": "We knew how tough it would be because Porto, alongside Benfica, is the best team in Portugal

They have a winning mentality and have to win every game

I was surprised a little bit that they played so defensively, five at the back

We struggled in the beginning and we had to be patient

We didn't lose patience like we did against Leicester, they played the same shape

Yeah, after the goal from Sergio [Aguero] we played really well

We didn't concede counter attacks, we didn't concede set pieces, we didn't allow them to run and we didn't lose the ball in positions that were dangerous

Yeah, we did it and a good start for us, really good

"City are back in action on Saturday lunchtime with a trip to West Ham in the Premier League before travelling to play Marseille in their second Champions League group game on the following Tuesday

null

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<PAD>

522

Liverpool came through their first game without Virgil van Dijk unscathed as Nicolas Tagliafico's own goal gave them a 1-0 Champions League win at Ajax

Tagliafico stumbled onto Sadio Mane's mis-hit shot to divert it beyond Andre Onana 10 minutes before half-time in what would prove the only goal of the game in an open match at the Johann Cruyff Arena

Liverpool kept a welcome clean sheet despite the absence their talismanic defender, with stand-in centre back Fabinho proving a more than adequate replacement at the back, denying Dusan Tadic on the line with an acrobatic clearance before the break

Ex-Everton midfielder Davy Klaassen nearly haunted his former rivals two minutes into the second period but was denied by the foot of the post with Adrian beaten, while the Liverpool goalkeeper also made important saves in either half from Quincy Promes

But Liverpool defended their box stoutly for the most part on a night as they successfully came through their first test without the world's second-most expensive defender in their ranks

How would Liverpool cope in Van Dijk's absence? After making a bright start in Amsterdam, things quickly became more difficult for Jurgen Klopp's makeshift backline

Fabinho announced his arrival to the Liverpool defence with two excellent early tackles in quick succession to deny Tadic and David Neres in his own box, but could do little as Tagliafico was allowed to turn and feed Ryan Gravenberch, whose low effort from 20 yards whistled past the near post

The hosts went closer on the half-hour when Klaassen was allowed space down the same flank to find Promes in the area who, after exchanging passes with David Neres, found himself one-on-one but was denied by a sharp reflex save from Adrian

Moments later he was made to regret that miss as Liverpool went ahead with more than a touch of good fortune

Having turned Perr Schuurs from a throw-in, Mane's scuffed shot was heading well wide before deflecting off an off-balance Tagliafico and beyond Onana for a farcical own goal

Ajax continued to push but were nearly caught on the break for a second when Andrew Robertson mounted a 50-yard run before finding Mohamed Salah, whose goalbound shot was blocked by Noussair Mazraoui with Onana likely beaten

But the hosts were centimetres away from going into half-time level as Tadic lofted a ball over Adrian in the closing stages, only for Fabinho to race back and produce an acrobatic clearance on the line

Two minutes after the break Ajax went close again when Klaassen rifled a first-time effort against the foot of the post from 20 yards with Adrian scrambling to reach it

Liverpool's biggest threat for most of the second period came from set-pieces, with Fabinho close to crowning a fine personal performance when his header from Robertson's corner was deflected just past his own post by Onana's clumsy punch

On the hour, Klopp opted to replace all three of Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino for Xherdan Shaqiri, Takumi Minamino and Diogo Jota, with the latter soon turning Schuurs before the defender recovered to block his strike behind

At the other end, a fast Ajax break called Adrian into a rare second-half save when Neres looked inside to Promes, who fired low at the near post with an effort the goalkeeper was more than equal to

As the need to throw the kitchen sink at Liverpool became more desperate with time ebbing away, so too did the gaps in the home defence become more apparent

The visitors had survived Ajax's increasing onslaught relatively well before coming close to doubling their advantage in the dying moments when Onana denied Wijnaldum on the break before Minamino's rebound effort was also cleared

There was still time for Ajax to come close with the final chance of the game as Adrian's unconvincing punch from a Tagliafico cross was turned goalward by Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, but he could not keep his effort down and ensured Liverpool began their Champions League campaign with maximum points

There's a long way to go to prove that Fabinho can prove an adequate stand-in for the colossal figure of Virgil van Dijk, but his performance in Amsterdam was at least a promising step in the right direction

Of the five games the Brazilian has covered at centre-back, Liverpool have kept four clean sheets

Wednesday night's owed a lot to his performance at the heart of defence, too

He showed good alertness to make two important tackles one after the other on David Neres and Quincy Promes before half-time, but his crowning moment came when clearing Dusan Tadic's effort off his own goal-line to keep their clean sheet intact

boss told : "We were good enough to win the game

That's what you need

I think both teams can play better football, it was pretty wild at moments

I think the pitch was really tricky, deep, muddy a little bit, both teams looked really exhausted pretty early

"Three days ago it looked completely different, yesterday in training too but it was the same for Ajax too

They are where we are, early in the season, that cannot be the reason really

"It's a good example for how the boys played; it was not perfect but they fought like crazy, in that situation it helped massively, but apart from that, I really liked the fresh legs when we brought them on, the medical department told me Henderson could not play 90 minutes - okay, he played 45, and did really well

"Liverpool host winless Sheffield United on Saturday, live on ; Kick-off at 8pm

Ajax are also back in action on Saturday, and face a trip to mid-table VVV; Kick-off at 3

30pm

null

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Onana

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Fabinho

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Gomez

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Jones

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Mane

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523

An unusually resolute Chelsea found chances hard to come by with Kurt Zouma providing their best effort in a 0-0 Champions League draw with Sevilla

Having conceded three against Southampton on Saturday to blow a commanding lead at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea looked far more assured defensively against their talented European visitors, but still needed the restored Edouard Mendy to be at his best to palm out Nemanja Gudelj's deflected header before the break

Chelsea managed only one shot on target in the first half but emerged resurgent from the break and could have led through Zouma's free header from a Ben Chilwell corner, but the Frenchman directed his header straight at Yassine Bounou in the Sevilla goal

Chilwell also found the goalkeeper's gloves with a header while Timo Werner - who managed only 26 touches all night - still managed to twice sting the palms of the visiting goalkeeper, before Joan Jordan came close to netting a stunning 20-yard volley from a corner, which rustled the top of the net on its way through in the game's final chance of note

Looking to finally address the defensive woes which have dogged them in the opening weeks of the season, Chelsea nearly shot themselves in the foot in the opening minutes when Thiago Silva's rash run forward left Lucas Ocampos in space to fire wide inside three minutes, before the offside flag went up against the Argentine

An early yellow card for Jorginho also left the midfielder under pressure and did not help Chelsea's hopes of controlling the midfield battle; and with Sevilla winning the fight in the middle of the park, the Blues had only two half-chances for Werner to show for their efforts before the break

The German forward fired an effort straight at Bounou midway through the opening period before scuffing a presentable effort wide with the last touch of the half - with Mendy easily the busier goalkeeper in the first 45 minutes

He showcased his quick reflexes on his return to keep out a late Zouma deflection on Gudelj's header from a free-kick, and was alert to fall on Ocampos' curling effort after Zouma had sliced a clearance into his path

Chelsea's first-half offensive performance had been so out of character it was little surprise they re-emerged from the dressing room looking to play on the front foot - and within three minutes, Zouma should have nodded them ahead when found by Chilwell's outswinger, but planted his header straight at Bounou

With Christian Pulisic now operating on the left Chelsea looked instantly more dangerous but still found clear-cut chances at a premium

Werner turned in from that flank and made Bounou dive on his low curler, before Chilwell beat Jesus Navas to head Reece James' cross straight at the goalkeeper

With Sevilla now nowhere near as dominant in possession after the break, having enjoyed 58 per cent of the ball in the opening half, their two best efforts of the second period both came from corners, with Jordan's volley whistling over the bar before De Jong's goalbound header from another was blocked by James

Chelsea saw out the final 20 minutes without major incident to get their Group E campaign off to an unbeaten start and with a welcome shutout at the back, but hoping they improve offensively on a night where for all the Blues' attacking talent, they rarely looked like having enough to earn three points

Against the impressive Lucas Ocampos, who showed his quality in last season's Europa League-winning run, Reece James stood strong and rarely found himself in trouble down Sevilla's left, so much so that the Argentine was moved over to the other flank after half-time

His performance was all the more impressive for the attacking outlet the young full-back gave his side; only Sevilla winger Suso completed as many crosses (6) as James, who also made more tackles (6) and clearances (3) than anyone else on the pitch

Chelsea boss to BT Sport: "Thiago showed his experience and qualities, Mendy had one good save to make and he made it

So I'm pleased with that side of it

"We dealt with all the things they threw at us, we had a few moments ourselves in the game, but it was cagey with two pretty good teams cancelling each other in their first game - which is understandable

We take the point and move on

"Both teams will be pretty happy

To get through that game will give us confidence

We will get better

Tonight, the clean-sheet is the big bonus

"Chelsea travel to Manchester United on Saturday live on on from 5pm; Kick-off at 5

30pm

Sevilla, currently 10th in La Liga, will look to ignite their league campaign as they host 15th-placed Eibar on Saturday at 5

30pm

null

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Mendy

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Werner

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Ziyech

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Navas

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Gomez

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Carlos

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Acuna

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Suso

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DeJong

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Jordan

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<PAD>

524

Marcus Rashford delivered again for Manchester United against Paris Saint-Germain as his late strike sealed a 2-1 win in the Champions League group stages

After scoring the decisive injury-time penalty in their Champions League last-16 comeback win two seasons ago, Rashford scored with three minutes remaining on Tuesday to reward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men with a richly deserved three points

Bruno Fernandes had given the visitors the lead (23) from the penalty spot with a retaken effort after Keylor Navas had encroached whilst saving the original effort

An unfortunate Anthony Martial own goal (55) drew an off-colour PSG level but United were the better side in Paris

They executed their tactics brilliantly to quell the threat of last year's Champions League runners-up with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe expertly marshalled by Axel Tuanzebe, who was making his first start since 2019

The defeat was PSG's first home defeat in the Champions League group stages since 2004

After a season away from the Champions League, United returned to action at the Parc des Princes, where just 19 months ago they became the first team in Champions League history to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit away from home

United looked convincing and well drilled in a 3-5-2 formation with Luke Shaw playing as part of a back three with Scott McTominay and Fred protecting their defence with great authority

Despite starting well, David de Gea had to be at his best to firstly palm away an Angel Di Maria drive before bravely denying Layvin Kurzawa from point-blank range

Martial and Rashford - playing as a front two - always looked to have the beating of the PSG defence and the Frenchman drew a foul off Abdou Diallo inside the area with a clever change of pace

Stand-in skipper Fernandes saw his penalty saved for the second successive match, but held his nerve to find the net after the VAR ordered a retake for Navas straying off his line

Although they looked below their free-flowing best, PSG and Mbappe came to the party just after half-time with a wonderful strike from the edge of the area but De Gea stood up to the challenge with a fantastic flying save

Kurzawa then saw a cross clip the bar, before the hosts fortuitously drew level

A furiously whipped in corner from Neymar was attacked by Martial but he lost his bearings in a big way, heading past a helpless De Gea

Aaron Wan-Bissaka and the brilliant Tuanzebe were in unbeatable mood despite the presence of Neymar and Mbappe as United continued to play intelligently, with Martial heading just over and Rashford flashing off target for the visitors

Solskjaer sent on Paul Pogba for the final quarter, sensing the game was there to be won

Navas then brilliantly tipped a Rashford shot wide and, after Fernandes missed the target, denied the England striker again

But Rashford had the final say

At the same end at which he scored the winning penalty on his last visit, he drilled an effort into the bottom corner with three minutes remaining to secure United a 2-1 win

This was a phenomenal performance considering the last football match this man played came against Colchester in the EFL Cup 10 months ago

That day he marked Frank Nouble, here, he was tasked with marking Neymar and Mbappe, arguably the two most dangerous forwards in world football

He had them both in his pocket

Yes, they were perhaps a little below par of their usual standard but Tuanzebe looked like he had been bossing Champions League games his whole life

Filled with pace, power and excellent positioning, the defender twice stopped a full-flowing Mbappe from charging onto his goal with strong last-ditch defensive play

Harry Maguire may struggle to get back in this team

: "It was not possible for us to win today

I don't know why we lacked rhythm and intensity, it was surprising

In the first half we were not strong enough, we did not play together enough

Then we were better after the break but it was hard not to do better considering how we played in the first half

"The game was too open, we failed to control it

"We created this midfield who were playing for the first time together, it was not easy

": "We win against a fantastic team, last time was knockout and the euphoria was different this time there are no fans, it is sterile and no-one to celebrate with

"We know that when you go away against a team like this against players like Neymar and Mbappe, we know we have to defend well

"We know that to get through you probably need 10 points, next week's game against Leipzig will be very, very important for us

"We have Chelsea and Arsenal after - we have so many games I'm happy I have so many good players to choose from

"United are back in Premier League action on Saturday with a fixture with Chelsea at 5:30pm, live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event

RB Leipzig await them next Wednesday in the Champions League while PSG play Istanbul Buyuksehir on the same evening

null

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KeylorNavas

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Mbappe

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Neymar

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Kean

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DeGea

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Tuanzebe

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Fred

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McTominay

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Martial

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Pogba

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525

Celtic's hopes of reaching the Champions League group stages were ended after they crashed to a 2-1 home defeat to Hungarian champions Ferencvaros in the second qualifying round at Celtic Park

Neil Lennon's side last reached the group stages in 2017, but they fell behind inside seven minutes on Wednesday night when David Siger's 20-yard strike found the bottom corner

Celtic dominated possession and deservedly levelled eight minutes into the second period when Ryan Christie's effort deflected in

But striker Tokmac delivered the decisive blow with a cool finish beneath Vasilis Barkas to consign the Scottish champions to their worst performance in the competition since Artmedia Bratislava knocked them out in 2005

Two seasons ago, it was AEK Athens while last campaign it was Cluj, and Celtic may now have to negotiate the third qualifying round and a play-off to reach the group stages of the Europa League

This was a good opportunity for Celtic to progress in the Champions League and this will be a bitter pill to swallow

They were without their talisman Odsonne Edouard and it showed in torrential conditions in the East End of Glasgow in the opening 45 minutes

Having routed Icelandic champions KR Reykjavik 6-0 in the opening qualifying round, this was a huge step up in class against a side unbeaten in their last seven European games on the road

Ferencvaros may previously played just two competitive matches this season, but Hungary's Green Eagles have just secured back-to-back titles under Sergei Rebrov - and his team were in front inside seven minutes

Celtic failed to clear Isael's corner and as the ball broke kindly on the edge of the box for Siger, the midfielder moved away from Scott Brown before finding the bottom corner with an unstoppable drive

Lennon, who surpassed his old manager Martin O'Neill's milestone by taking charge of Celtic in a European game for the 54th time, knew his side would need to be patient, having been surprised by their opponents' 3-4-3 formation

Chances duly fell their way as the opening period progressed but all from distance

Remarkably, Celtic had 16 shots and had 69 per cent possession but only three of those attempts were on target and all were comfortable for Denes Dibusz in the Ferencvaros goal

Mohamed Elyounoussi and Callum McGregor both saw low drives hit the side-netting while Christie's tame effort was straight into the gloves of Dibusz as an animated Lennon headed down the tunnel at the interval

Celtic started the second period with intent, with Olivier Ntcham's inviting delivery evading everyone, but within eight minutes of the restart the Hoops were deservedly level, albeit with a slice of good fortune

Greg Taylor and Elyounoussi were involved as the ball was set up for Christie, and his shot looped over Dibusz via a deflection off Adnan Kovacevic

Celtic had the chance to go ahead when Hatem Abd Elhamed's centre was met by Ntcham, but his volley struck the underside of the crossbar

It was one-way traffic as Taylor's cute pass was finished well by Elyounoussi but from a fractionally offside position

Lennon would have been delighted with the reaction from his players, but they were undone by a sucker punch in routine fashion as a long clearance surprised Elhamed, allowing Tokmac to gain a yard and finish low beyond Barkas

Celtic brought on Albian Ajeti and still had a number of chances to force the game into extra-time as Christie's low cross from the byline just failed to pick out Elyounoussi, and when Ntcham's speculative shot trundled through to Dibusz, Celtic's game was up

Just three days after Bayern Munich won last season's Champions League, Celtic are already out of the 2020/21 edition, with Lennon keeping his players in the home dressing room for some time after the final whistle

Celtic boss : "I'm devastated

It shouldn't happen

It's a poor result and we dominated the game

We had so many chances but we conceded two really poor goals

We all have to take responsibility for it

I have to take responsibility in terms of the team selection but we had more than enough chances to win the game twice over

"For the first goal, only Browny is getting out to close the shot while the second one is an individual error which we should've dealt with comfortably

"It was a basic mistake

We're making basic defensive mistakes and sometimes you can't legislate for that

We did the same against Copenhagen when we were on top

Hatem was in a decent position and all he had to do was deal with it but he doesn't

But in the final third we should've done better as well as we had so many chances to score

"The players need to buckle up

They've been OK but some of their attitudes needs to be better

I'm just detecting a bit of malaise sometimes among them and they're not as good as what they think they are

We need to analyse where we went wrong and focus on the rest of the season

"Ferencvaros boss : "We have beat one of the best teams we have faced in qualification last year and this year

They have quality players, but I think we deserved this

Most of the time we defended, but football is about scoring the goals, not about the possession of the ball

"The story of the game is that Lennon gambled with his team selection

Odsonne Edouard was injured and what a difference to the team he makes

He didn't play tonight and Lennon went with four midfielders as his front four

There was no recognised striker despite having Ajeti, Ismaila Soro and Patryk Klimala on the bench

It's a massive victory for Ferencvaros as they do not compare to Celtic in terms of their budget

This is a huge disappointment to Celtic and their supporters

It is Europa League football for them, and the gamble of not playing with a striker has not paid off for them

Celtic couldn't have asked for a better luck of the draw to get to the group stages, playing both their qualifying rounds at home

Ferencvaros were very smart, getting the early goal and then defended deeply

Celtic lacked the killer instinct inside the box and that was down to the fact they had no strikers on the pitch for around 70 minutes

It was all a bit powder-puff around the box and these games define your season

The pressure could now be on Celtic to sell one of their players - who knows, even Edouard who is already attracting interest from some of the big clubs in England

It's such a huge blow for everyone who wanted Celtic to go through tonight

Celtic host Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership at 3pm on Saturday

Lennon's men are now likely to enter a one-legged Europa League third qualifying round tie on September 24, although they could be one of two teams drawn to go straight through to the play-off round

The draw takes place on Tuesday

null

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Barkas

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Jullien

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Ajer

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Taylor

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Brown

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McGregor

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Christie

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Elyounoussi

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Dibusz

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Botka

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Kovacevic

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Blazic

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Civic

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Siger

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Kharatin

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Isael

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Tokmac

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Uzuni

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<PAD>

526

Liverpool were crowned European champions for the sixth time as goals from Mo Salah and Divock Origi gave them a 2-0 win over Tottenham in the Champions League final in Madrid

Liverpool were given a helping hand after just 22 seconds when Sadio Mane's ball brushed Moussa Sissoko's arm at close range, prompting Slovenian referee Damir Skomina to point to the spot for Salah to convert down the middle (2)

It was an otherwise turgid affair in sweltering conditions in the Spanish capital, until sub Origi, the two-goal hero in Liverpool's unforgettable semi-final win over Barcelona, struck a pinpoint low effort into the far corner from the left of the box (87)

After finishing second to Manchester City in the Premier League by just a point, Jurgen Klopp finally earned his first trophy at Liverpool in his fourth final, while Mauricio Pochettino still waits for his first piece of silverware at Spurs

After three-and-a-half weeks of intense build-up, the first flashpoint came in the first minute as Mane's chipped ball was blocked at point-blank range by Sissoko

Though the ball initially hit Sissoko's shoulder, it did then brush his arm, and a brief VAR check confirmed a penalty which seemed to split opinion elsewhere

Salah, who was forced out of last season's final against Real Madrid early on with a shoulder injury, slotted down the middle, stunning Spurs in their first European Cup final

Tottenham had more of the possession in an otherwise disjointed first half but couldn't make the final ball count, and Liverpool went closest to doubling their lead through full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson, both inches away with long-range efforts

Play opened up slightly after the break, but the first clear-cut chance didn't come until the 69th minute as substitute James Milner's low drive missed Lloris' right-hand post by a whisker following fine work from Mane

Spurs' first shot on target came in the 73rd minute as Dele Alli chipped harmlessly into Alisson's grateful hands, before the Brazilian goalkeeper did well to stop Heung-Min Son's long-range shot and sub Lucas Moura's poked effort from 12 yards

But Spurs' hopes of a leveller were dashed three minutes from time as Origi picked up a loose ball on the left of the box, finding the bottom right corner with a fine left-footed drive

The Belgian registered three goals from just three shots in the entire Champions League campaign: two for his semi-final heroics against Barcelona, and one in Madrid

A rock-solid Alisson denied a largely absent Harry Kane in stoppage time, but Liverpool got the job done for their first piece of silverware since 2012

But what a jewel to have won

Alisson Wonderland, Van Dijk imperious, and where was Harry Kane?Ron Walker provides in-depth player ratings from the Champions League final, and it doesn't make great reading for Spurs

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They said this was second prize

That it was the Premier League title that Liverpool wanted

But tell that to the supporters now celebrating this sixth European Cup win

Tell that to Jurgen Klopp after he ended his run of six defeats in finals to triumph in Europe's biggest game at the third attempt

Liverpool - Klopp's Liverpool - are the champions of Europe

It has been a long time coming but it could be just the start

Read Adam Bate's analysis on Klopp's big night above

Speaking to BT Sport after the game, hailed the victory as the best night of their professional lives

"Did you ever see a team like this, fighting with no fuel in the tank? And we have a 'keeper who makes difficult things look easy

"It is the best night of our professional lives

It took a while, it is important for our development and improvement, this little mark helps a lot, now we can carry on

The owners never put pressure on us

"Normally 20 minutes after the game I am half drunk, but now I have only had water!"Spurs boss had no regrets in starting Harry Kane ahead of Lucas Moura

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Pochettino said: "This wasn't a drama, it was a decision

For me Harry Kane, after one month and a half, he finished the game fresh

He didn't score but my decision I promise was very analytical, with all the information

I have no regrets

"As well as keeping an eye on Sky Sports News, make sure you don't miss a thing with our dedicated Transfer Centre blog

There's also the return of the Transfer Talk Podcast, the daily UK, Regional and European Paper Talk, plus features across SkySports

com and the Sky Sports App

null

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Sissoko

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Alli

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Kane

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Moura

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Dier

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Alisson

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Alexander-Arnold

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Matip

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VanDijk

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Robertson

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Fabinho

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Wijnaldum

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Henderson

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Salah

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Firmino

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Mane

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Origi

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Milner

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<PAD>

527

Ajax put one foot in the final of the Champions League with a 1-0 semi-final first-leg victory over toothless Tottenham

Slicker and sharper than their hosts, Ajax's crop of talented youngsters pinned Spurs back during an utterly dominant opening 30 minutes with Donny van de Beek (15) scoring a priceless away goal

Spurs looked short on confidence and quality in the final third without the suspended Heung-Min Son as they failed to test Andre Onana with any meaningful attempts, with just one of those hitting the target

Mauricio Pochettino's men have now scored just once in their last four matches in all competitions as Harry Kane's absence starts to become very apparent

Jan Vertonghen had to be helped from the field just before the break after suffering a nasty gash to his nose

He received treatment on the field before attempting to play on, but moments later signalled he could no longer continue and was steadied by Pochettino before being guided down the tunnel by medical officials

Ajax winger David Neres almost put the tie beyond Spurs but his low strike bounced back off the post to keep Tottenham's hopes alive ahead of the return leg

The result was another impressive away victory for Erik ten Hag's side, who are now nine games unbeaten in this season's competition, with wins at Real Madrid, Juventus and Spurs to savour

Both sets of players were welcomed to the pitch by a message across the South Stand that read, 'To Dare is To Do'

Only only one team heeded that advice and it was the visitors

Spurs stood off, with a ploy of playing on the counter, but Ajax's midfield drove their team forward and got their reward on 15 minutes

A one-touch move sliced through the Spurs defence with Van de Beek the man on the end of the final ball

Kieran Trippier was keeping the Ajax star onside and he calmly finished past Hugo Lloris from 10 yards out

Van de Beek tried to add another to his tally on the half-hour but decided to test Lloris from a tight angle instead of squaring to Dusan Tadic and his effort was dealt with by Lloris

Vertonghen had to be helped from the field just before the break due to the injury to his nose, which allowed Pochettino to bring on Moussa Sissoko and switch to a 4-4-2 formation

The Frenchman's introduction lifted Spurs, who settled into a better rhythm with Dele Alli testing Onana from 20 yards

Ajax did not have things their own way as the game ticked on but Spurs were careless in the final third

Despite their clear satisfaction with a 1-0 lead, the Dutch side almost doubled their advantage with 14 minutes remaining when Neres fired a low strike which cannoned back off the post

Only one of the 17 previous teams to lose the first leg at home in a European Cup/Champions League semi-final tie has progressed into the final

Spurs are still in the tie but a huge improvement is required

Pochettino gave a positive update on Vertonghen's condition - and insisted the club's medical staff had followed protocol

"I wasn't involved

It was the doctor's decision

I think it's so important, the rules and the protocol

Our medical staff follow the protocol

"Manchester United will be looking on enviously at this performance

The Ajax defender was near-faultless at the heart of the Ajax back-line, making a game-high eight clearances and four interceptions as Fernando Llorente and Lucas Moura were completely outplayed by Blind

In a side full of such youthful exuberance, Blind's experience is playing a key role in Ajax's remarkable run

: "We didn't create many chances

We arrived in the last third but didn't find a way to create chances

I think we felt though that we can be in the tie in that second half

We took more risks

It gave us the hope that the second leg is going to be tough for us and them

Today wasn't our best game and we cannot start the game like this

": "We have to give credit to Ajax

They came out of the blocks in the first half

They're young, energetic, exciting - lots of pace and movement

Their passing was on point and they really opened up Tottenham

Sissoko came on because Vertonghen was injured but it kick-started Spurs

He gave them some drive in midfield and they finished the stronger side

Spurs have been down several times in this competition - it's all to play for

": "What would Pochettino have learned? Not to play 3-5-2 against Ajax

As soon as they changed to a diamond, they pressed Ajax higher up the pitch

Being 1-0 down is difficult - Ajax have some incredible young players - but Pochettino will have learned some tactical lessons

And having Son back will be huge because Ajax leave big spaces in behind

"Spurs are back in action on Saturday lunchtime against Bournemouth, live on , as attention turns back to the race for a top-four spot in the Premier League

Ajax will have eight days off now to prepare for the second leg in Amsterdam

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Lloris

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Alderweireld

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Vertonghen

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Wanyama

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Rose

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Eriksen

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Alli

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Moura

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Llorente

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Sissoko

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Onana

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Veltman

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DeLigt

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Blind

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Tagliafico

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Schone

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VandeBeek

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DeJong

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Ziyech

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Tadic

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Neres

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528

Tottenham will face Liverpool in an all-English Champions League final after producing a stunning second-half comeback against Ajax to rival the Reds' miracle win over Barcelona

Just 24 hours after , Lucas Moura scored a second-half hat-trick to secure a 3-2 win in Amsterdam and send Tottenham through on away goals to the final in Madrid

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Spurs looked out of it at half-time after a towering header from Matthijs de Ligt and a curling finish from Hakim Ziyech

But Lucas stuck twice inside four minutes to level the scores early in the second half, first slotting home a brisk counter-attack before wriggling past two defenders in the box to smash in the equaliser

And the Brazilian completed his remarkable hat-trick when he scored the dramatic winner deep into stoppage time to seal another historic night in this competition, and leave Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino in tears

Spurs will now face Liverpool in their first European Cup/Champions League final on June 1

After Liverpool proved anything is possible against Barcelona, there was always a sense of belief in Tottenham even when they went behind to De Ligt's header from a corner on five minutes

The response from Mauricio Pochettino's side was bullish, and they went closest to making it 1-1 when Heung-Min Son, who was suspended for the first leg, struck the post with a shot from the left just moments after the Ajax opener

Lucas and Dele Alli also forced Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana into two good saves as the visitors continued to dominate - but a hammer blow came shortly before half-time when Dusan Tadic capitalised on a mistake from Kieran Trippier in midfield and set up Ziyech to sweep the ball above and beyond Hugo Lloris and make it 2-0

Tottenham were back out ready for the second half some time before Ajax, however, signalling that they were not giving up without a fight - and the introduction of Fernando Llorente changed the dynamic in their favour

The Spaniard was a different problem for Ajax and allowed Lucas to attack from in behind him, and Ajax were clearly rattled when a speedy counter-attack saw Alli put Lucas through to finish firmly into the bottom corner

Llorente then thought he had equalised with an effort that was saved from close range, but the ball dropped to Lucas and he found the bottom corner for a second time

Spurs then did everything in search of the winner, including moving Moussa Sissoko to right-back to be able to throw on another forward in the returning Erik Lamela, but it almost cost them when Ziyech went up the other end and struck the post late on

As stoppage time arrived, the Ajax fans and some Ajax players thought their place in the final was sealed, celebrating as Spurs forced a corner at the death

But instead of referee blowing his full-time whistle, Moura pounced on a cute Alli ball through after Llorente's knockdown and swept home to spark pandemonium in the away end of the Amsterdam Arena, with the Ajax players flat out on the floor

"Thank you, football

Those were the words of Mauricio Pochettino afterwards and everyone understood

After Liverpool turned around a three-goal deficit in 90 minutes to win their semi-final against Barcelona on Tuesday, Tottenham pulled off the feat in 45 manic minutes to leave Ajax heartbroken in Amsterdam

Spurs are in the Champions League final

"Tottenham's outrageous comeback in Amsterdam was a fitting reward for Mauricio Pochettino's five-year project, A tearful Mauricio Pochettino hailed his players as "superheroes" after they fired Tottenham into the Champions League final against all the odds

"I said before my players were heroes - now they are superheroes

The most important thing I want to say is congratulations to them - they own the football

They delivered the job

"To go to the final is close to a miracle

Nobody believed in us in the beginning of the season

But we fully deserve to win tonight and be there

"We rate the performances of the players in Amsterdam as Tottenham stunned Ajax in a thrilling game to reach the Champions League final

For the third night in a row, the footballing world were marvelling on social media at what they had witnessed

There was a mix of shock and joy across social media, and we rounded up the best of it

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A day after Liverpool's stunning turnaround against Barcelona, Spurs pulled off an incredible comeback of their own

Where do they rank?It's fair to say Pochettino enjoyed Wednesday night

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the best photographs from Tottenham's incredible comeback against Ajax at the Johan Cruyff Arena

Tim Sherwood told The Debate: "The momentum shifted

You just felt it

You just knew the goal was going to come

Lucas Moura was outstanding, he's been unbelievable in the last few weeks

"It's brilliant for the Premier League and English football because I believe we're going to see two English European finals with the Europa League as well

"It's a great advert for English football and for everybody concerned at Tottenham

"Described as a "super hero" by Mauricio Pochettino

Lucas got Spurs back into the game with two goals in 204 seconds after the break and then showed fantastic composure to slot in the winner in injury-time

The Champions League final, the 27th in its current format and 64th of Europe's elite-club competition, will take place on

Kick-off is at (BST), 9pm (CEST)

Spurs finish their Premier League season with a home game against Everton on Sunday, needing only to avoid a heavy defeat to finish in the top four

Ajax will be aiming to secure the Eredivisie title with wins against Utrecht and De Graafschap in their final two games

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529

Liverpool completed one of the greatest comebacks in football history, beating Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield and 4-3 on aggregate to reach the Champions League final

Looking to become only the third team in the competition's history to come back from three goals down after the first leg of a semi-final, Liverpool took an early lead through Divock Origi's tap in (7) to give Anfield hope, before two goals in two second-half minutes brought them level

Half-time substitute Georginio Wijnaldum first saw his low drive sneak past Marc-Andre ter Stegen (54), and the Dutchman took the roof off Anfield as his precise header from Xherdan Shaqiri's cross found the corner of Barca's net (56)

And the comeback was complete in bizarre and jaw-dropping fashion as Trent Alexander-Arnold's cheeky corner caught Barcelona off guard, allowing the unmarked Origi to turn home his second (79), having played most of this season as a bit-part player

The unprecedented and sublime comeback means Liverpool

Liverpool had a mountain to climb, but the frantic opening worked in their favour as Jordi Alba's poor header allowed Sadio Mane to feed Henderson, who drove into the area and forced a low stop from Ter Stegen, only for Origi to follow up and finish from close range

Anfield erupted as Barca's defence cracked, but they eventually settled after 15 minutes as Lionel Messi forced a good save from Alisson from 12 yards, and the Liverpool goalkeeper was again at his best to parry away Philippe Coutinho's placed effort from the left of the box

Luis Suarez, once a hero at Anfield, was soon being roundly jeered by the home fans for creating mischief among Liverpool's defence, with replays showing he may have kicked out at Andrew Robertson as the two ran beside each other

Robertson had to be replaced at half-time by Wijnaldum, after Alisson had again kept the score at 1-0 with a fine block from Jordi Alba at close range following Messi's sublime through ball

The breakneck speed continued after half-time as Ter Stegen showed fine reflexes to block Virgil van Dijk's backheeled volley from a corner, before Alisson made yet another smart save from Suarez's low drive

It began to feel like another of those European nights at Anfield as Wijnaldum doubled Liverpool's lead with a low drive from 12 yards from Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross, although Ter Stegen should have done better with the effort

And just 122 seconds after his first, Wijnaldum struck again, meeting a Shaqiri cross from the left with a fine header, but Liverpool weren't settling for extra time

While Barcelona re-organised for a corner, Alexander-Arnold drilled a quick corner into Origi's path, eight yards out, and the Belgian made no mistake, glancing into the top left corner with his right foot

Liverpool weathered the storm in the final stages, sending Anfield into a frenzy on yet another historic night for the five-time European Cup winners

Liverpool manager was almost lost for words as he tried to express his feelings after the game

He told : "The whole game

The whole performance was too much

It was overwhelming

I watched in my life so many football games but I can't remember many like this

"Winning is already difficult but winning with a clean sheet, I don't know how the boys did it

I saw James Milner crying after the game on the pitch, it means so much to all of us

There are more important things in the world but creating this kind of atmosphere is so special

"It's 10 past 10, most of your children are probably in bed but these boys are f*****g talented giants

It's unbelievable

"Fine me if you want

I'm not native so I don't have better words for it

"Liverpool stunned Barcelona but this club - and these fans - have a way of making the impossible seem possible

was at Anfield on a night when, against the odds, belief was in the air from the outset

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Speaking on The Debate after the game, former Liverpool midfielder waxed lyrical about the historic victory at Anfield, particularly given their injuries and having watched Man City take the lead in the title race just 24 hours before

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"I feel emotional, I've got goosebumps watching the celebrations

They achieved something insurmountable tonight

They lost Firmino and Salah, they were unlucky in the last game, City won last night, how they pick themselves up to produce a performance of that quality is amazing

"The initiative to get the winner from Alexander-Arnold and Origi, in such a frenetic situation

It was a team performance, helped by a wonderful crowd, a wonderful atmosphere

Every single one of them was top drawer

It was just sensational

"Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde admits his side were "rolled over" and "blown away" by Liverpool

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"They have been really strong, they played really well and they kind of us rolled us over, really

It is a terrible result for our fans and for ourselves but credit is due to Liverpool

"You're going to suffer, the fans will suffer as well

That's what it is like

We didn't expect a situation like this

At the moment we're blown away, it's terrible

"From hope, to belief, to success

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we run through the best images from Anfield on Tuesday on an unforgettable night

The Champions League final, the 27th in its current format and 64th of Europe's elite-club competition, will take place on

Kick-off is at (BST), 9pm (CEST)

The last act of The Run In will be shown live on Sky Sports on a defining final day of the Premier League season

Manchester City's trip to Brighton is live on Sky Sports Main Event from 2

30pm, while Liverpool vs Wolves at Anfield is live on Sky Sports Premier League from 2pm on Sunday, May 12

Kick-off for both games is at 3pm

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530

Lionel Messi scored twice to put Barcelona in control of their Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, winning 3-0 in the first leg at the Nou Camp

It was former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez who put the hosts ahead in the 26th minute, flicking a lovely Jordi Alba cross home home over Alisson and the 32-year-old did not hide his celebrations

Barcelona rode the wave of Liverpool pressure at the start of the second half and Messi (75) was in the right place at the right time as he slotted home after Suarez had hit the bar

But his real moment of magic came seven minutes later as he swept a sensational free-kick around the Liverpool wall and into the top corner, scoring his 600th goal for the club and putting Barcelona in pole position to reach their first Champions League final since 2015

Liverpool's team selection was perplexing, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino on the bench while James Milner, Georgino Wijnaldum, Naby Keita and Fabinho all started

When the game began, Wijnaldum took up the false nine role left vacant by Firmino with a flat midfield three as Jurgen Klopp maintained an eye on Saturday's crunch Premier League game against Newcastle, live on It was an entertaining first half, with Philippe Coutinho attempting to strike an early blow to his former side, but his 16th minute strike - which was offside - went whistling past Alisson's far post

For all the pre-match questions on Liverpool's formation, it was thrown slightly into disarray as He was replaced after 24 minutes by Jordan Henderson, and two minutes later, a familiar face came back to haunt Liverpool

A sensational cross from Jordi Alba on the left picked out the run of Suarez through the middle of the two centre-backs

He then flicked the ball over the top of Alisson with a delightful finish before celebrating his first Champions League goal of the season with a knee slide in front of the Nou Camp crowd

Liverpool should have equalised in the 35th minute when Henderson slotted a ball in behind Pique, picking out the advancing Mane

He only had the goalkeeper to beat from 15 yards, but could only send his effort flying over the crossbar

Liverpool started the second half on the front foot as they searched for the all-important away goal and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was called into action

He denied Milner twice - once with a curling effort and the second a fierce drive into his hands - and got down low to keep out a Mohamed Salah effort in between

But for all of Liverpool's possession and pressure in the second period, it was Barcelona who doubled their lead in the 75th minute

Suarez's initial effort hammered against the crossbar but Messi was waiting to roll the rebounded ball home with Alisson well off his line

It was a moment of sheer class from Messi in the 82nd minute as he netted Barcelona's third and bought up his 600th goal for the club

He lined up a free-kick from 25 yards out after a foul from Fabinho on the Argentine and he got the delivery inch-perfect as he curled the ball around the Liverpool wall and into the top corner

Liverpool gave their hosts a scare not long after, though, as Firmino raced down the field, getting a pass around Ter Stegen, but his shot was cleared off the line by Gerard Pique

Salah was waiting with a tap-in from eight yards, but he could only find the post as Barcelona saw out their victory

Could it be anyone else? Once again, Messi pulls his team towards glory and his free-kick was nothing short of masterful

It was his 600th for Barcelona - 14 years to the day since his first senior goal - and they Catalan side look unstoppable with him on the field

"He looked in the mood from the get go, at times dribbling past Liverpool players for fun, and as the visitors pressed in the second half, it was Messi who delivered the double blow, reacting quickest when Suarez's effort hit the bar before scoring a vintage free-kick

""It's OK to lose away in the Champions League as long as you score a goal, we didn't and that's a problem

That makes our life not easy

My boys gained a lot of respect again for the way they played and how they've developed

I had so much fun watching that game but we lost it

That's not fun

But I've been in this business for a long time and I have learned to accept

" "I have to say yes because I still think Barcelona will score away from home with the firepower they've got

It will be interesting to see Suarez going back to Anfield, Messi is always going to get a goal out of something like he did tonight

It's so disappointing from Liverpool's point of view because they put so much into the game

With the chances they had, you'd expect them to score at least one goal tonight

" "I'm gutted

When they came out, they looked strong, positive and I thought a goal was definitely going to come

Going back to Anfield with that one goal aggregate would have been fantastic

Losing 3-0, you would think Liverpool played badly but I would say over the 90 minutes, Liverpool were the better team and it just shows the firepower of Messi

"Barcelona travel to Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday before Tuesday's second leg at Anfield

Liverpool play Newcastle live on on Saturday evening (kick-off at 7

45pm) before their home fixture

The Champions League final, the 27th in its current format and 64th of Europe's elite-club competition, will take place on

Kick-off is at (BST), 9pm (CEST)

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531

Lionel Messi's first-half double inspired Barcelona into their first Champions League semi-final since 2015 as Manchester United were knocked out of Europe after a 3-0 loss at the Nou Camp, and 4-0 defeat on aggregate

Left bruised and bleeding from a clash with Chris Smalling in the , Messi had his payback, ending his six-year quarter-final drought with a fine low strike (16) before his second somehow squirmed under David de Gea (20)

United had started brightly before the quick-fire double with Marcus Rashford hitting the bar in the opening minute, but they could not mount an unlikely comeback at the scene of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's heroics 20 years ago, with Philippe Coutinho curling in a beauty to seal the tie (61) after the break

The result means United have suffered their heaviest-ever aggregate defeat in a two-legged European tie

Barca will discover their semi-final opponents on Wednesday when Liverpool take their 2-0 lead to Porto, while for United their focus switches to the top-four race in the Premier League, starting with a trip to Everton on

As United returned to the stadium of manager Solskjaer's last-gasp treble-winning goal in 1999, they almost got off to the perfect start as Rashford raced clear in the opening minute, only to see his toe-poked effort hit the top of the bar

Scott McTominay's touch then let him down two minutes later when seemingly through on goal, and after Barca saw a penalty decision overturned by VAR when Fred dispossessed Ivan Rakitic, the hosts took the lead in the 16th minute

Ashley Young gave the ball away at left-back and was then unable to stop Messi, who cut across the edge of the box before finishing with a fine low effort into the bottom corner for his first goal at this stage since 2013

It got worse for United just four minutes later, with Messi scoring his 24th goal against an English side when his tame effort from outside the area squeezed under De Gea

Barca were in cruise control in the second half, and Coutinho quashed any hopes of a United fightback by curling an unstoppable effort into the top corner

There was very nearly a consolation late on for Alexis Sanchez, returning off the bench for his first appearance since March 2, but the former Barcelona forward saw his header saved superbly by Marc-Andre ter Stegen

After 12 games and 50 shots without a quarter-final goal, Messi put that statistic to bed in style by capitalising on Young's poor clearance, while the Argentine can only thank De Gea for a fortunate second

As is so often the case at the Nou Camp, Messi was the difference

He left Phil Jones behind with some mesmerising skill as Barca chased a third, and like most of the home team, was happy to coast in the second half after Coutinho's strike

United are in action at Everton on before they host rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford next Wednesday in what is set to be a crucial derby as far the title and top-four battle is concerned

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532

Tottenham reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history with an exhilarating 4-4 away-goals win over Manchester City on a remarkable night at the Etihad

Raheem Sterling was denied a dramatic winner in stoppage time when Sergio Aguero was ruled offside in the build-up after a VAR check, as Fernando Llorente's unorthodox finish - which also survived a VAR check for handball - with 17 minutes remaining ensured Mauricio Pochettino's side face Ajax for a place in the final

Sterling (4, 21) and Heung-Min Son (7, 10) both scored twice during a frantic first-half which also saw Bernardo Silva immediately cancel out the South Korean's second strike (11)

Aguero then blasted home at the near post (59) to put City ahead in the tie, but Llorente's effort from Kieran Trippier's corner was awarded as Spurs ended City's hopes of a quadruple in the most extraordinary fashion

Spurs, who last reached the European Cup semi-finals in 1962 where they were defeated by Benfica, saw their first-leg advantage wiped out inside four minutes

City had won 12 matches on the trot at the Etihad, and they made the perfect start as Sterling collected Kevin De Bruyne's pass before cutting inside Trippier and finding Hugo Lloris' bottom corner

But Son showed his freshness to turn the tie back in Tottenham's favour with two goals in the blink of an eye

The South Korean benefited from a slack clearance by Aymeric Laporte in cutting out Dele Alli's through-ball to steer his first-time shot under the legs of Ederson

City had barely had the chance to compose themselves when Laporte compounded his error as Lucas Moura pounced on his heavy touch to spark a swift counter-attack and Son punished Kyle Walker for allowing him too much space to curl in his second

Immediately from kick-off, Aguero found Bernardo Silva on the right, and with Danny Rose isolated, the midfielder managed to squeeze his shot past Lloris at his near post via a deflection off the England left-back

This was already the four fastest goals at the start of any Champions League game - and City weren't finished in a frenzied first half as four goals in 11 minutes became five in 21 - meaning the hosts only needed one more goal to hold the upper hand

Their third was a thing of beauty, as Bernardo turned provider, driving at pace from midfield before finding De Bruyne on the right, and with Trippier switching off at the far post, Sterling was found exquisitely by the Belgian to finish from a tight angle

Son came close to completing his hat-trick before the interval when his left-footed shot whistled past Ederson's post from the angle, and the forward was booked moments after the restart for a foul on De Bruyne which rules him out of the first leg of the Champions League semi-final

Lloris kept out Sterling from point-blank range after David Silva's cut-back before Rose prevented Bernardo Silva from sliding in the rebound

Lloris produced an even better save to keep out De Bruyne's drive as City continued to lay siege on the Tottenham goal

After Llorente's header was kept out by Ederson, De Bruyne took control once more, taking Ilkay Gundogan's pass before gliding through the Spurs midfield and setting up Aguero for a thumping finish at Lloris' near post

Llorente would have the final say, however, as Trippier's corner was met at the front post by the Spaniard's hip, and despite referee Cuneyt Cakir checking VAR for a suspected handball, the goal stood

There was still time for more gripping, late drama as Sterling thought he had completed his hat-trick from Aguero's cross - but replays showed the Argentine had strayed offside before collecting Bernardo Silva's deflected pass as the Spurs players raised themselves from their haunches to celebrate the most breath-taking of victories in defeat

De Bruyne kept his head when all around him were losing theirs on a night that will go down as one of the craziest games in Champions League history

It has been some time since we have seen the Belgian in such rude health, with injury denying us these masterclasses on a regular basis this season as his team-mates chased records by themselves

But he was needed here, the architect of three of City's goals, and while Guardiola will suffer after seeing the Champions League slip away from his grasp again, he will take solace from his playmaker returning to his spectacular best

Tottenham and Manchester City face off domestically on Saturday, live on and Coverage starts at 11

30am with kick-off an hour later

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533

Liverpool set up a semi-final showdown with Barcelona as a clinical 4-1 victory at Porto secured a 6-1 win on aggregate in the Champions League

Jurgen Klopp's side weathered an early storm as Porto pushed for the much-needed opener at the Estadio do Dragao, but the hosts ultimately fell behind when VAR ruled Sadio Mane was onside when tapping in from Mohamed Salah's cross (26)

Salah scored after the break (65) himself before Eder Militao headed in for the hosts three minutes later, but substitute Roberto Firmino (77) and Virgil van Dijk (84) sealed a comprehensive victory as Liverpool scored with their first four shots on target

The upcoming semi-final pits Liverpool against former players Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho as they bid to reach a second-straight final, but their immediate attention turns to a trip to Cardiff City in the Premier League on

Porto had Liverpool on the backfoot early on, but failed to convert any of their chances as 13 attempts in the opening 25 minutes forced Alisson into making just four routine saves

Liverpool then went ahead when Salah picked out Mane at the back post, with the goal given after a VAR check deemed the Senegalese forward was level

That goal took the sting out of the tie, and though Yacine Brahimi brought Alisson into action once more, the hosts ended the half without a goal despite recording 15 shots

After the break, a pinpoint through ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold put Salah through on goal, and the Egyptian made no mistake when sliding it under Iker Casillas

Not deterred by the four-goal aggregate margin, the Porto fans willed their side on, and the hosts got the goal their performance deserved when Militao met Alex Telles' cross

Mane then missed an open goal when off balance after rounding Casillas, but it did not matter as Liverpool scored their third when Jordan Henderson found Firmino, with Van Dijk then rounding it off with a header after Mane flicked on James Milner's cross

The forward stayed just onside to tap in Liverpool's opener, and that was the moment this tie ended

Mane even got an assist late on when flicking it on for Van Dijk, and that rounded off a professional performance from Liverpool's No 10, who made a match-high six tackles and won 62 per cent of his 21 duels

Liverpool head to Cardiff on , by which point they could be down to second in the Premier League if Manchester City beat Tottenham on Saturday, also live on

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534

Ajax reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 22 years after coming from behind to beat Juventus 2-1 at the Allianz Stadium, to prevail 3-2 on aggregate

Cristiano Ronaldo headed in his 126th goal in the competition after 28 minutes before Donny van de Beek levelled six minutes later, with both goals allowed to stand following VAR review

Juventus were forced to replace Paulo Dybala with Moise Kean at the start of the second half, but it was Ajax who seized control as Matthijs de Ligt rose to power home Lasse Schone's corner, leaving Juventus needing two goals in the final 23 minutes

Ajax had the chance to kill the contest but Hakim Ziyech's shot was ruled out for offside

However, Erik ten Hag's side were good value for their victory - and will face either Manchester City or Tottenham for a place in the final

The Dutch giants won the third of their four European Cups when they defeated Juventus in 1973 with a side that boasted Johan Cruyff in Belgrade, but on a night when Ajax underlined their credentials as winners of this year's competition, De Ligt provided another demonstration of his immense promise

As a side, Ajax - who were 250/1 outsiders to lift the trophy in Madrid back in September - brought the perfect game plan to nullify their opponents, with Hakim Ziyech, Dusan Tadic and David Neres providing a constant outlet on the counter-attack

But it was Juventus who took the lead against the run of play as Miralem Pjanic's corner was headed in by Ronaldo

Referee Clement Turpin consulted his VAR officials after Joel Veltman fell inside the box, but it was his own team-mate De Ligt who was the perpetrator

The goal did nothing to change Ajax's mentality, largely as they knew they needed to score at the start of the night, and they duly levelled as Van de Beek controlled Ziyech's shot before sliding his effort beyond Wojciech Szczesny

Referee Turpin again checked - to see if the Ajax midfielder was offside - but there had been no infringement

Juventus were visibly rattled by the setback, and not even Massimiliano Allegri's half-time team talk could turn the tide as Ziyech's shot was brilliantly saved by Szczesny eight minutes into the second half after Neres had found him in space on the counter-attack

Kean was found by Ronaldo on the hour-mark, but the young forward was unable to test Andre Onana with his shot - and it would prove a costly miss as Ajax made their dominance count

De Ligt had been imperious in keeping Ronaldo subdued, and the 19-year-old then rose to meet Schone's cross to head in Ajax's second, sparking wild scenes of celebration among the 2,000 travelling supporters, buoyant after witnessing another complete performance from this brave, young Dutch side

It takes something special to stop Ronaldo in his search for a fourth straight Champions League honour, but the serial winner came up against the Dutch wall on Tuesday

De Ligt's stock continues to rise, and it is easy to see why Barcelona are keen to add him to the signing of Frenkie de Jong this summer

This was his first Champions League goal, but he may never score a more important one, as he produced a superb header to cap a majestic display

Juventus host Fiorentina on Saturday hoping to wrap up the Serie A title while Ajax travel to face Groningen on the same day in the Eredivisie

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535

Ajax missed the chance to take a first-leg lead in their Champions League quarter-final with Juventus, drawing 1-1 at the Johan Cruyff Arena despite dominating the Serie A leaders

Having shocked Real Madrid in the last-16, Ajax showed it was no fluke with a high-octane, high-pressing and high-quality performance

They were easily the better side before half-time only to fall behind to Cristiano Ronaldo's 45th-minute header, his 125th Champions League goal

But they responded inside 30 seconds of the second half when David Neres caught Joao Cancelo in possession and raced into the area, before firing a powerful low effort into the far corner

With time running out Champions League debutant Jurgen Ekkelenkamp forced Wojciech Szczesny into a full-length save, while Douglas Costa rattled the post at the other end, but the tie ended finely balanced ahead of the return leg at the Allianz Stadium next Tuesday

The scoreline did not tell the full story in Amsterdam, and Ajax may be left to rue failing to turn their dominance into further goals when they visit Turin, where Juventus have lost only four times in Europe in the last 15 years

The visitors were well aware of the growing reputation of Erik ten Hag's side to press, harry and punish, and they looked to extinguish their youthful exuberance from the off with Federico Bernadeschi firing just over inside the opening minute

But soon Ajax were into full flow, pinning their Italian opponents back and restricting their often devastating counter-attacking style, with Cristiano Ronaldo a passenger for much of the opening period

Instead, the hosts came into their own with Donny van de Beek inches away from finding the far corner on the turn after letting the ball run across him

But on the stroke of half-time, Ronaldo showed the ruthless touch he has possessed for so many years as Juventus enjoyed a rare counter-attack

He set Cancelo away on the right and the full-back raced forward, before looking up and spotting a late run from the forward, who was totally unmarked to head past Andre Onana for the opener

Ajax's response was rapid, with less than 30 seconds of the second half on the clock before they pulled themselves level

The hosts kept possession from kick-off, eventually playing it back to Onana whose long pass was intercepted by Cancelo

But his heavy touch allowed Neres to rob him and he outpaced the defender, before turning inside and firing powerfully into the far corner

Ajax's high-intensity pressing continued as they overloaded attacking areas, but their final ball was not quite cute enough to create any more clear-cut chances

Substitute Ekkelenkamp almost enjoyed a perfect European debut five days after his 19th birthday but was denied by Szczesny on the turn, before Costa nearly broke Ajax hearts when rattling the post after beating Joel Veltman with a wonderful piece of skill

But Ajax were forced to settle for a first-leg draw as they showed once again their capability to mix it with Europe's best clubs on the biggest stage of them all

null

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Onana

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DeLigt

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DeJong

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Ziyech

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VandenBeek

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Neres

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Tadic

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Ekkelenkamp

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Szczesny

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Cancelo

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Bonucci

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Rugani

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AlexSandro

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Bentancur

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Pjanic

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Matuidi

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Bernardeschi

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Mandzukic

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Ronaldo

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DouglasCosta

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Dybala

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<PAD>

536

Luke Shaw's first-half own goal handed Barcelona the advantage as Manchester United suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford

The United left-back gave Barca a deserved lead on 12 minutes when he deflected Luis Suarez's header into his own net, with the goal confirmed following a VAR review

United responded well to the early setback, halting Barca's dominance on the ball, but their cause was undermined by a toothless attacking display which failed to yield a single shot on target in the Champions League for the first time since 2005

Having overcome a two-goal deficit to knock out Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16, United need to produce another heroic comeback to progress to the semi-finals when they travel to the Nou Camp on April 16

Marcus Rashford's fiercely-struck free-kick flashed wide inside four minutes but Barca were dominant in possession and it was not long before their precise passing unlocked the United defence

Lionel Messi gathered Sergio Busquet's ball over the top and cleverly crossed to the back post for Suarez, whose header deflected in off Shaw

The goal was initially ruled out for offside but the relief inside Old Trafford was short-lived as a brief consultation with VAR found no infringement and the goal was allowed to stand

United prevented Barca from building momentum after their opener, pressing their opponents high, and the hosts had claims for a penalty rightly rejected when Scott McTominay went to ground under a challenge from Gerard Pique on the half hour

Another incisive Barcelona move nearly yielded a second goal on 36 minutes, but David de Gea produced a fine save with his feet to deny Philippe Coutinho after he was released in behind by Suarez

United should have drawn level four minutes before half-time when Rashford's cross from the right found Diogo Dalot unmarked at the back post, but the Portuguese got caught in two minds and sent an aimless header across the face of the exposed Barca goal

United lacked the clinical edge in front of goal and Rashford sliced horribly wide after goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen's punched clearance landed at the striker's feet within six minutes of the restart

After Suarez rifled a shot into the side-netting, Ernesto Valverde introduced Arturo Vidal and Sergi Roberto, and the latter nearly had an immediate impact as his mazy run into the area was halted just as he prepared to pull the trigger by a vital challenge from Shaw

Barca upped the tempo in search of a potentially crucial second, but United prevented further damage, living to fight another day ahead of next Tuesday's return leg in Catalonia

"Going to the Nou Camp is going to be a challenge

It would be a greater achievement [than the comeback against PSG]

With the history of Barcelona, they are not used to losing at home, but we can do it, no doubt about it

We know we can carry a goal threat

Whoever is playing up front, we have to provide a bit more ammunition for them

" "It was a great header from Luis [Suarez]

He was fighting for every cause

He was getting stuck into the defenders, trying to work really hard

We suffered, they caused us problems in the second half, but we are happy overall with the result

"Looked a class act back at Old Trafford

Showed great pace early in the first half to prevent Rashford to racing through on goal and produced a number of important tackles - notably one on substitute Anthony Martial - with the clock ticking down

United travel to Barcelona on Tuesday for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final (8pm BST)

Before that, United host West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday (5

30pm), while Barca look to edge closer to the La Liga title away at Huesca on the same day (3

15pm)

null

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DeGea

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Young

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Smalling

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Shaw

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Dalot

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McTominay

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Fred

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Pogba

False

Lukaku

False

Rashford

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Martial

False

TerStegen

True

Semedo

True

Pique

True

Lenglet

False

Alba

True

Busquets

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Rakitic

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Arthur

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Suarez

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Coutinho

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Messi

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Vidal

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SRoberto

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<PAD>

537

Liverpool put one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League with a 2-0 first-leg victory over Porto in the quarter-finals

Goals from Naby Keita (5) and Roberto Firmino (25) put Jurgen Klopp's men in a dominant position in the tie ahead of the second leg on April 17

However, Porto striker Moussa Marega showed enough with his play to keep hopes alive of a Porto recovery, while Mohamed Salah escaped a red card for a dangerous-looking tackle on Danilo late on - a decision that survived a VAR review

Klopp will be happy his side - who strolled through the second half - seemingly did not have to expend too much energy ahead of their key Premier League clash with Chelsea on

In a break from the pressures of an emotional and nervy title race, Liverpool found their stride early in front of an expectant Anfield

James Milner sprung Sadio Mane into action down the left and he found Firmino, who shifted one back for Keita to strike home via a deflection

Having gone nearly a year without a goal, Keita now has two goals in a week

Salah spurned a glorious one-on-one with Iker Casillas before Firmino showed him how it should be done on 26 minutes

Jordan Henderson threaded the eye of a needle with a clever ball in behind for Trent Alexander-Arnold and the full-back sent one across goal which was tapped home by the Brazilian

Firmino has now been directly involved in 12 goals in his 11 Champions League games at Anfield for Liverpool

Porto threatened in behind Alexander-Arnold and he survived a VAR review on a handball after a bit of a mix up with Alisson

Mane thought he had scored the third just after half-time but VAR upheld the assistant referee's decision to flag him offside

From that moment Liverpool took their foot off the gas and survived a couple of late scares

Marega had already tested Alisson with a low drive before blazing a good opening from a tight angle into the side netting

And, Salah recklessly left a boot on the shin of Danilo but despite a VAR review, the officials decided there was no malicious intent

The theory of 'when Firmino plays well, Liverpool play well' was relevant here as the Brazilian was at his imperious best when his team needed him

His clever movement and pass set up Keita for the opener while he was on hand to put the Reds in full control of the tie by knocking home the second

Since the start of last season, only Cristiano Ronaldo (24) has been directly involved in more goals in the Champions League than Firmino (13 goals, 8 assists)

He's a master of his craft playing as the central striker

"We deserved the win 100 per cent and we scored two wonderful goals

"Overall it was a really good performance

These two legs are like a normal game

The first half is played and now we have a bit longer than 15 minutes to prepare for the second half

"There is still a lot to do and we know that

The atmosphere in Porto will be really tough for us but this is a result we wanted before the game, now we have it and we have to work with it

"Liverpool now host Chelsea in a big clash as they look to keep their hopes of a first league title since 1990 on track

The second leg of this tie takes place at Estádio do Dragão on Wednesday night, at 8pm

null

<PAD>

Alisson

True

Alexander-Arnold

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Lovren

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VanDijk

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Milner

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Fabinho

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Henderson

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Keita

True

Firmino

True

Salah

True

Mane

False

Origi

False

Casillas

False

Maxi

False

Felipe

False

Militão

False

AlexTelles

False

Corona

True

Danilo

False

Óliver

False

Otávio

True

Marega

True

Soares

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Brahimi

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Costa

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<PAD>

538

Heung-Min Son's late strike gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over Manchester City in their Champions League quarter-final first leg, after Sergio Aguero had missed a first-half penalty

Manchester City were awarded a spot kick 11 minutes in after a VAR review as Raheem Sterling's shot hit the arm of Danny Rose, but Hugo Lloris guessed correctly to save Aguero's effort

There was concern for Spurs as by Fabian Delph before the hour mark, but the hosts got their goal as Son kept the ball in at the right byline, found a yard on Delph and struck left-footed under Ederson inside the box (78)

Spurs now take a narrow advantage into the second leg at the Etihad a week on Wednesday, looking to reach their first European Cup semi-final since 1962, while City must come from behind to keep their quadruple hopes alive

There was controversy early on as Rose blocked Sterling's effort inside the box, and despite being just four yards away from the City man when the effort was struck, referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot after a VAR review

Aguero, back in the side for Gabriel Jesus, chose to go right, but Lloris saved for the third time in 2019 to keep the scores level

That save seemed to jolt Spurs as they marginally had the better of the remainder of the half, going closest through Kane as he found himself free 12 yards out and forced Ederson into a decent save

With a huge second leg and vital top-four battle to come for Spurs, they were dealt a blow when Kane was taken off with an ankle injury as he went in hard on Delph, who inadvertently caught his ankle, the same left ankle which kept him out for six weeks at the beginning of the year

His manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted after the game that Kane could be out for the rest of the season

Towards the end of a second half lacking in chances, Spurs got their goal through Son, who just stayed onside from Christian Eriksen's pass and showed great balance to keep the ball in play at the byline

Moving onto his left foot, the man who scored the first goal at Spurs' new stadium on its opening night last week found the back of the net again through Ederson from 10 yards to send the home crowd into a frenzy

City were flat throughout and failed to find a leveller and vital away goal late on, as Spurs made it two from two in their new stadium

Two games

Two handballs

One penalty given

One not

Tuesday night saw VAR bring confusion to the Champions League again, but what exactly are the rules?Spurs' win didn't stop Pochettino letting loose on the system, fearing: "We are going to see a different sport, not the football we grow up watching

"We run through the incidents, the reaction, the social media interpretations and the rules…Asked after the 1-0 win whether he feels Kane could miss the rest of the season, Mauricio Pochettino said: "Yes

We need to check tomorrow but it looks the same, a similar issue

"I'm very sad, very disappointed, and it's going to be tough for the rest of the season

"Stuart Pearce and Danny Murphy reacted to Spurs' injury blow on , Spurs' most effective player in the final third, finding a few half-chances in the first half and taking the goal superbly

Spotted a weak link in Delph and took full advantage after showing fine balance to keep the ball in play

Spurs' big-game player

: "Still, a lot of work to do, still Man City is the favourite to win the Champions League

Of course it is going to be tough

In one week it will be a completely different game

But the win gives us the belief, we are going to be there and fight a lot

": "It leaves us in this situation in the second leg, but sometimes 1-0 can be better than 0-0 because you know exactly what you have to do

"At 0-0, you think about whether to attacking or defend, but we know we have to score goals

We'll be analysing the result, but right now I feel good about how we played - we controlled the game and maybe next week it will work

"Tottenham now host Huddersfield on Saturday at 12

30pm, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 11

30am, while City are at Crystal Palace on Super Sunday at 2

05pm on Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage from 1pm

The second leg of this tie takes place at the Etihad on Wednesday, April 17, at 8pm

null

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Lloris

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Trippier

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Alderweireld

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Vertonghen

True

Rose

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Sissoko

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Winks

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Eriksen

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Alli

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Son

True

Kane

False

Moura

True

Ederson

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Walker

False

Laporte

False

Otamendi

False

Delph

False

Fernandinho

False

Gundogan

False

DavidSilva

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Mahrez

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Sterling

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Aguero

False

Jesus

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<PAD>

539

Sadio Mane scored twice as Liverpool advanced into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over a toothless Bayern Munich in the second leg of their last-16 tie

Following a goalless draw in the first leg at Anfield, Mane put Liverpool ahead with a brilliantly-taken goal in the 26th minute at the Allianz Arena

Bayern hit back late in the first half when Serge Gnabry's cross was deflected in by Joel Matip but Van Dijk headed in from a corner in the 69th minute and Mane scored a late third to end Bayern's hopes

Liverpool join Premier League rivals Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham in the quarter-finals, with

It is the first time that four English teams are in the quarter-finals since 2008/09

Liverpool had lost their previous four away games in the Champions League, but they produced a controlled performance to overcome Bayern, who managed only two shots on target, both in the first half

While Jurgen Klopp's side were not at their fluent best throughout, they never looked too troubled and next turn their attentions back to their Premier League title challenge on Sunday as they face Fulham, live on After a cagey opening, in which Jordan Henderson went off with an ankle injury, Liverpool took the lead thanks to a fantastic goal from Mane

Mane expertly controlled a long pass, swivelled around Manuel Neuer on the edge of the area and then finished with a chipped shot into the far corner

The home fans urged Bayern to respond, but the hosts lacked a cutting edge in attack

It was a surprise when they equalised in the 39th minute, with Gnabry getting behind Andy Robertson down the right side and putting in a cross that Matip turned into his own net

Chances remained at a premium in a scrappy second half

Neuer saved a shot from Mohamed Salah and Gnabry slid a cross through the six-yard box that was just ahead of Robert Lewandowski

Otherwise neither team really threatened until Van Dijk rose highest at a corner and headed into the net to put Liverpool ahead again

The goal deflated Bayern and they never looked like getting back into the tie even before Mane finished from Salah's cross in the 84th minute

Liverpool comfortably held out in the closing stages, although Robertson was booked in injury-time and will now miss the first leg of the quarter-final

With two goals in Munich, Mane has now scored more away goals in the European Cup/Champions League than any other player

His first goal to give Liverpool the advantage in the tie was superb as he controlled a long pass and finished into the far corner

He didn't get many other openings, but made sure of victory with his second goal

"Scoring three here is really difficult, that's massive, and a big step for us

We will see what we can do with it, but it's a fantastic sign

I love it

We set a mark for LFC with this wonderful club that we really are back on the landscape of top international football

"We all think that's where this club belongs and tonight we proved it at least a bit

I am really happy about the result and the fact we are through

""What did the result say? It says they want to progress - they don't want to give it up to go for the Premier League title

"If City made a statement last night against Schalke, this was a massive statement against a side going for the title

Maybe Bayern aren't the team that they were but this was a top-class performance

Sadio Mane is in a rich vein of form

He was brilliant

Liverpool travel to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, live on

They then face Tottenham after the international break on Sunday, March 31, live on

The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals takes place on Friday

null

<PAD>

Neuer

False

Rafinha

False

Sule

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Hummels

False

Alaba

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Thiago

False

Martinez

False

Ribery

False

Rodriguez

False

Gnabry

False

Lewandowski

False

Coman

False

Goretzka

False

Sanches

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Alisson

False

Alexander-Arnold

True

Matip

True

VanDijk

True

Robertson

True

Milner

True

Wijnaldum

True

Henderson

False

Mane

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Firmino

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Salah

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Fabinho

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Lallana

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Origi

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<PAD>

540

Lionel Messi scored twice and assisted two as Barcelona eased into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 5-1 win over Lyon (5-1 on aggregate)

Messi converted from the spot (18) before Philippe Coutinho tapped in Barcelona's second just after the half-hour mark (31) to send Barcelona into a comfortable lead

Lucas Tousart pulled one back from close range to give the visitors a glimmer of hope (58) after the break, but a second goal from Messi and a further two from Gerard Pique and Ousmane Dembele - both assisted by the Argentine - sent Barcelona through

The La Liga champions will be joined by four English clubs in the Champions League quarter-final/semi-final draw which Messi fired Barcelona's first warning shot in the sixth minute with a trademark curled strike aiming for the top corner, but Anthony Lopes acrobatically parried away

Ten minutes later and Barcelona took the lead after former Manchester City and Sunderland defender Jason Denayer clumsily slid into Luis Suarez in the box

After a minute-long VAR delay, Messi stepped up and cooly delivered a panenka spot-kick down the middle

With Barcelona dominating possession, and Lyon's back five getting picked apart after Moussa Dembele went close for the visitors with a deflected strike, the hosts made it two through Coutinho

The former Liverpool forward tapped home after Suarez casually skipped by Fernando Marcal

And in the 33rd minute, Lopes came off in tears for Mathieu Gorgelin after suffering an earlier head injury

Lyon pulled back a surprise consolation in the 58th minute when Tousart volleyed in from close range, but any signs of a comeback were cancelled out when Messi grabbed a second 20 minutes later as his finish, following a rapid counter-attack, squirmed past the backup goalkeeper

With Lyon electing to finish the game with four forwards on the pitch, Barcelona grabbed another two goals in the final 10 minutes as the visitors' backline was cut open

Gerard Pique slid in to tap home at the far post after Messi drove at the heart of Lyon's defence, seven minutes before Dembele was the grateful recipient of a Messi pass to convert Barcelona's fifth and cap off a ruthless display

The night after Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid, Messi responded with a scintillating performance of his own against a Lyon side who had no clue on how to contain the formidable forward

Not only was his penalty the epitome of composure, but he was instrumental in killing off any sign of a Lyon fightback with a second goal of his own before twice driving through the centre of Lyon's fragile defence to assist for his team-mates

Barcelona travel to Real Betis in La Liga on Sunday evening

Lyon, meanwhile, host Montpellier on the same day in the afternoon

null

<PAD>

TerStegen

True

Roberto

False

Pique

True

Lenglet

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Alba

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Arthur

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Busquets

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Rakitic

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Coutinho

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Messi

True

Suarez

True

ODembele

True

Vidal

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Lopes

True

Dubois

False

Denayer

False

Marcelo

False

Marcal

False

Mendy

False

Tousart

False

Fekir

False

Ndombele

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Depay

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MDembele

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Gorgelin

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Traore

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Cornet

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<PAD>

541

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Juventus stunned Atletico Madrid 3-0 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate

, Juventus thought they had halved the deficit within four minutes when Giorgio Chiellini turned the ball in from a corner, but his effort was ruled out by VAR

But Ronaldo - who had only scored one Champions League goal all season coming into the game - gave them hope when he headed in Federico Bernadeschi's cross with 27 minutes gone, and pulled Juve level three minutes after the break from another wide delivery

With extra-time looming, Bernadeschi was nudged over by Angel Correa inside the Atletico box and referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed straight to the spot, from which Ronaldo showed nerves of steel to send Jan Oblak the wrong way and fire Juventus into the quarter-finals

Juventus had needed to attack their visitors, who had kept five clean sheets in a row coming into the game, to stand any hope of qualifying and went at them straight from the first whistle

Chiellini had the ball in the back of the net after four minutes when Ronaldo challenged Oblak from a corner, but after a VAR review the referee ruled the ball had been kicked out of the goalkeepers hand and gave a free-kick

The hosts constantly got the ball wide and terrorised Atletico full-backs Santiago Arias and Juanfran, but it was Bernadeschi's untracked run into the middle which put them ahead on the night

He crossed from deep for Ronaldo at the far post, who beat Juanfran in the air and powered beyond Wojciech Szczesny

Ronaldo missed a free header before the break but it took him less than three minutes of the second half to pull the hosts level on aggregate when he turned Joao Cancelo's cross towards the near post - a stunning save from Oblak could not prevent the ball crossing the line

The onus suddenly shifted onto Atletico to attack, something they had given precious little thought to all game, but they had already wasted their only chance of the first half when an unmarked Alvaro Morata headed over from six yards

Juventus huffed and puffed and looked like they were starting to run out of ideas themselves, especially following a reshuffle when Spinazzola was withdrawn with 25 minutes to go, but an inexplicable push in the back from substitute Correa on Bernardeschi gave them the perfect chance to seal a momentous comeback four minutes from time

Ronaldo stepped up to score his 25th goal in 32 games against Atletico - who have now been knocked out of the Champions League by the team he has been playing for in five of the last six seasons

"This was why Juventus brought me here, to help do things that they have never done before

This is the mentality you need to win in the Champions League

"Juventus travel to Genoa on Sunday at 11

30am, looking to extend their current 18-point lead at the top of Serie A

Atletico are playing catch-up in La Liga, and visit Athletic Bilbao on Saturday at 5

30pm as they look to close the gap to leaders Barcelona to three points

The draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League is on Friday -

null

<PAD>

Szczesny

True

Cancelo

True

Chiellini

True

Bonucci

False

Spinazzola

True

Can

False

Matuidi

True

Pjanic

True

Bernadeschi

True

Mandzukic

False

Ronaldo

True

Dybala

False

Kean

False

Oblak

False

Arias

False

Godin

False

Gimenez

False

Juanfran

False

Lemar

False

Saul

False

Rodri

False

Koke

False

Griezmann

False

Morata

False

Correa

False

<PAD>

542

Manchester City cruised into the Champions League quarter-finals as an emphatic 7-0 second-leg victory over Schalke saw them progress 10-2 on aggregate

Sergio Aguero atoned for missing an early sitter with two first-half goals - the first of which was a Panenka penalty - before Leroy Sane put the tie beyond his former club with City's third before the interval

Sane then turned provider, setting up Raheem Sterling for a clinical fourth - his sixth goal in his last three appearances - Bernardo Silva for a fifth and Phil Foden for a sixth - his first goal in European football

Gabriel Jesus completed the rout with City's seventh to cap a perfect night for Pep Guardiola's side, who await their fate in Friday's quarter-final and semi-final draw

Schalke were positive in the opening exchanges without threatening City, who should have taken the lead inside 14 minutes

Kyle Walker's defence-splitting pass released Sterling who put a goal on a plate for Aguero, but he clipped the outside of the post from three years

Aguero made amends on 35 minutes with an audacious chipped penalty after Jeffrey Bruma was adjudged to have impeded Bernardo Silva in the area

One quickly became two as Ilkay Gundogan's lofted pass released Sterling again, who picked out Aguero in the area and he wriggled clear of three Schalke defenders before firing through Ralf Fahrmann's legs

The floodgates opened three minutes before the break

Oleksandr Zinchenko's superb pass played Sane into acres of space and the German clinically added a third to leave Schalke needing four goals

VAR correctly denied Sane a second on 56 minutes, but City had their fourth seconds later as the German this time evaded the offside trap and crossed for Sterling, who found the back of the net with a devastating first-time finish

With Schalke out on their feet it was only a matter of time before City pulled further away, Bernardo Silva getting in on the act on 71 minutes, stroking home from Sane's cutback

Foden came off the bench and took just 14 minutes to get on the scoresheet, taking Sane's through pass in his stride before rounding the goalkeeper

And Jesus put the icing on the cake, beating Fahrmann at his near post to seal City's procession to the quarter-finals

: "No wonder Guardiola took him off after 63 minutes once the tie was won

He knows that he needs to protect Aguero if City are to maintain this improbable push on four fronts

The No 10 has shouldered the burden so well in recent weeks

"If there is a concern it's that Aguero is being pushed to his limit

He has now played 999 minutes of football since January 20

That's a 52-day period in which he has had to play 13 times and been pressed into midweek action six times

It's been a big ask

"Sane holds a special place in the hearts of everyone associated with Schalke but they won't want to see him anytime soon after such a devastating attacking display

He registered a goal and three assists, and it could have been had it not been for the odd VAR call

With Sane in such unplayable form, it begs the question how he's not utilised by Guardiola on a more consistent basis

City travel to Swansea in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday (5

20pm GMT)

Schalke, meanwhile, host RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on Saturday (2

30pm GMT)

null

<PAD>

Ederson

True

Walker

True

Danilo

True

Laporte

True

Zinchenko

True

Gundogan

True

Silva

True

Sterling

True

Sane

True

Bernardo

True

Aguero

True

Delph

False

Jesus

True

Foden

True

Fahrmann

False

Bruma

False

Stambouli

False

Sane

False

Oczipka

False

Serdar

False

McKennie

False

Konoplyanka

False

Bentaleb

False

Burgstaller

False

Embolo

False

Skrzybski

False

Mendyl

False

Teuchert

False

<PAD>

543

Porto advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in dramatic fashion after beating Roma 3-1 in the second leg of their last-16 tie to advance 4-3 on aggregate

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Porto edged ahead on away goals when Tiquinho scored in the 26th minute

Daniele de Rossi replied from the penalty spot before half-time, only for Moussa Marega to level the tie in the 52nd minute

Eden Dzeko spurned two fantastic chances to snatch victory in extra-time before Alex Telles scored a 116th-minute penalty following a Video Assistant Referee intervention

It is the first time that Porto have advanced from a two-legged tie in the Champions League after losing the first leg since 1986-87, and they join Manchester United, Tottenham and Ajax in the last eight

Porto made a fast start as Jesus Corona volleyed over the bar from 20 yards out and then Telles fired into the side-netting from inside the box

The hosts took the lead in the 26th minute when they won the ball in Roma half and quickly broke, with Moussa Marega playing across the six-yard box for Tiquinho to tap in from close range

But Roma levelled when Eder Militao tripped Diego Perotti in the box and De Rossi converted the penalty

Porto pressed after half-time and, after Tiquinho headed over from 10 yards out, the hosts made it 2-1 when Jesus Corona crossed to the back post for Marega to score from close range

Porto controlled the game in the second half but struggled to fashion any more clear openings

Substitute Yacine Brahimi saw a volley saved while Dzeko dragged wide at the other end

Roma looked to be tiring, but Dzeko spurned the best chances in extra-time, blazing over the bar from an excellent position and then chipping over Iker Casillas, only for Pepe to slide and clear off the line

Porto scored the winner shortly afterwards as Alessandro Florenzi was penalised for a tug on Fernando's shirt in the box

The decision was reviewed by VAR and, after the referee pointed to the spot, Telles stepped up and converted to send Porto into the last eight

The powerful striker produced a brilliant all-round display, hustling and harrying the Roma defence and chasing the ball around the pitch to help his team

As other players appeared to be running out of steam, Marega kept going and played a key role in Porto's victory

The draw for the quarter-finals takes place on Friday, March 15

Porto travel to Feirense Sunday, March 10 while Roma host Empoli on Monday, March 11

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<PAD>

544

Marcus Rashford's VAR-awarded stoppage-time penalty fired Manchester United into the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals after a sensational 3-1 victory (3-3 on agg) stunned Paris Saint-Germain

Presnel Kimpembe was penalised for handball in the final minute as referee Damir Skomina ruled he had blocked Diogo Dalot's shot with his arm, and Rashford held his nerve to hammer his first penalty for the club home to seal one of the most remarkable European results in United's history

Romelu Lukaku's first-half double gave United hope of overturning PSG's two-goal first-leg lead but they looked set to narrowly miss out as Juan Bernat's strike in between the Belgian's efforts had Ligue 1 champions in front on aggregate and in control

But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's injury-plagued side - which featured youngsters Mason Greenwood and Tahith Chong in the closing stages - roared back in the most dramatic fashion to become the first side in Champions League history to win a tie after losing the first leg at home by two or more goals

United got off to a start Solskjaer could have only dreamed of as Lukaku intercepted Thilo Kehrer's backpass and rounded Gianluigi Buffon to put the visitors ahead inside two minutes

That kicked PSG into life and they nearly found an instant response, Angel di Maria flashing a low ball into the area which narrowly evaded Kylian Mbappe

But Mbappe turned provider on 12 minutes, drilling the ball to the back post where Bernat converted from close range after bursting away from the stationary Eric Bailly

PSG continued to target stand-in full-back Bailly, exploiting space in behind the Ivorian as Di Maria found Bernat and his piledriver stung the palms of David de Gea

But hosts' dominance was undone on the half hour as they gifted United a second, the wet conditions playing their part as Rashford's dipping 25-yard strike was spilled by Buffon into the path of Lukaku, who needed no invitation to double his tally

PSG were denied a sensational second on 56 minutes that would have put the tie beyond United, Di Maria's lob over De Gea chalked off after VAR confirmed the Argentine was offside when receiving Mbappe's audacious backheeled through pass that nutmegged Chris Smalling

Smalling diverted a Dani Alves pass into the path of Mbappe on 83 minutes but De Gea stuck out a strong arm as the Frenchman tried to round him

Bernat then tried to convert the rebound, but the post came to United's rescue

Then came the drama

Dalot's hopeful shot from 25 yards looked to have been deflected behind for a corner off Kimpembe - who scored PSG's opener in the first leg - until referee Skomina was advised to refer to VAR

After a lengthy consultation, he pointed to the spot and Rashford thundered his spot-kick past Buffon to complete the most remarkable turnaround in recent Champions League history

If you have an opponent who is clearly better than you, then OK, you have something to analyse

If it was a league game you can wipe your mouth and go

But today it is horrible, and we didn't deserve to go out over 180 minutes

It's a big disappointment

" "We always believed

The plan wasn't about having the ball and out playing them, if you give this team too much space and time they can hurt you

You saw a couple of times in the first half when we missed out defensive shape

The plan was to be in the game with five minutes to go and it worked

"The victory simply would not have been possible without Lukaku's opportunism

He pounced on Kehrer's poor backpass to put United into an early lead and then reacted fastest to punish Buffon's howler

After struggling at the start Solskjaer's tenure, this performance saw Lukaku further silence his critics as he scored more than one goal in three consecutive games for the first time in his career

United travel to Arsenal on Renault Super Sunday, live on (4

15pm GMT)

PSG are not back in Ligue 1 action until Tuesday, when they travel to Dijon (6pm GMT)

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Chong

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Greenwood

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<PAD>

545

Harry Kane's second-half winner settled Tottenham as they beat Dortmund 1-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate in their Champions League last-16 second leg in Germany

Hugo Lloris kept Dortmund out in the first half with fine saves from Marco Reus, Julian Weigl and Mario Gotze as the hosts went gung-ho, while Heung-Min Son poked wide having gone through on goal during a rare Tottenham attack

But Kane's vital away goal flattened Dortmund, producing a fine finish having been played through on goal by Moussa Sissoko (49), and with it becoming Spurs' all-time top European scorer

The result means Spurs reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2011, with the draw for the last eight on March 15

Dortmund dominated the ball in the first half, registering 70 per cent possession, but could not find a way through Spurs as Lloris came to the rescue on more than one occasion

Jan Vertonghen made a fantastic last-ditch tackle to deny Reus, but Reus did then manage to get a shot off on goal, forcing Lloris into a sharp save after deflecting off Davinson Sanchez

Son spurned a rare Spurs opportunity after being played through one-on-one by Christian Eriksen, poking wide after a suspected push in the back by Marius Wolf, before another onslaught on Spurs' goal at the other end saw Lloris make two quickfire stops

First, the Frenchman saved on the line from Julian Weigl's header, before keeping out Mario Gotze's curling effort from inside the box with a fine one-handed stop

But Kane became Spurs' all-time top European scorer after the break, overtaking Jermain Defoe with his 24th in trademark style as he curled a fine finish around Roman Burki from 18 yards after Sissoko's through ball cut open a snoozing Dortmund back line

Soon-to-be Chelsea midfielder Christian Pulisic headed over in space with 15 minutes remaining, and Lloris earned a deserved clean sheet with a fine low save from Paco Alcacer's drive

Lloris has been under the microscope again of late after the mix-up which led to Chelsea's second in their 2-0 defeat last Wednesday, but his contribution ensured Spurs crucially went into half-time level

He made seven saves in total, five of which were more than your routine stop, on a night where Mauricio Pochettino's masterplan still depended on a fine goalkeeping performance

: "To move to the next level or the last level is not only to show a professional display like we did, we need to do more, to be in different positions

Of course it's so important to be in the quarter-finals but in the end you need to show more to be on the next level and to stay there

"Mauricio Pochettino's team is growing not stagnating, writes Adam Bate

This Harry Potter-themed team sheet - including Alcacer as No 9 3/4 - made us all chuckle before kick-off

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Tottenham now go to Southampton on Saturday in the Premier League at 3pm, while Dortmund host Stuttgart, also on Saturday

The first legs of the Champions League quarter-finals will be played on April 9 and 10

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<PAD>

546

Ajax produced one of the greatest Champions League comebacks as an historic 4-1 victory at the Bernabeu dumped holders Real Madrid out 5-3 on aggregate

With Real leading 2-1 from the first leg, Ajax travelled to Madrid needing to score at least two goals to reach their first quarter-final in 16 years - they achieved that inside 18 minutes as Hakim Ziyech and David Neres put the visitors in control

A sumptuous third from Dusan Tadic (62) was allowed to stand after a VAR review and, though Marco Asensio sparked hopes of a late Real rally, they were extinguished 18 minutes from time as Lasse Schone's audacious free-kick from an impossible angle looped over Thibaut Courtois

Real's fourth consecutive home defeat, their biggest in European competition, marks the end of an era at the Bernabeu after four Champions League wins in the last five seasons, while it could have huge ramifications on the future of manager Santiago Solari

Remarkably, Real could have put the tie out of Ajax's reach inside four minutes, Raphael Varane cannoning a header against the angle of post and bar from a fine Lucas Vazquez cross

But they paid the price for that miss, the visitors taking just three minutes to take advantage of their reprieve

Tadic picked Sergio Reguilon's pocket, raced into the area and shifted the ball into the path of Ziyech, whose well-placed shot flashed past Courtois into the bottom corner

And, on 18 minutes, Ajax were in dreamland

Tadic was the architect again, pirouetting his way through the Madrid defence before playing Neres into space in the area from where he rounded Courtois to double Ajax's lead

Real's hopes of staging a comeback were dented by the loss of Vazquez and Vinicius Jr to injury in the space of three first-half minutes, Gareth Bale and Marco Asensio came on and the Welshman nearly grabbed Real a lifeline, but his near-post shot hit the woodwork three minutes before the break

Real and Ajax readily exchanged blows in a pulsating start to the second half before the inspirational Tadic stamped his mark on the game, rifling a thunderous drive into the top corner at the end of the flowing counter, the goal allowed to stand after a lengthy VAR review ruled that full-back Noussair Mazraoui had kept the ball in play

Asensio then swept home from Reguilon's cross to leave Real with 20 minutes to score the two more goals they needed to progress

But their faint hopes of a comeback lasted less than two minutes as Schone's free-kick from far on the left flank outwitted Courtois on its way into the top corner

Frustration then got the better of Real as defender Nacho was shown two yellow cards and then a red to compound a miserable evening for the dethroned champions of Europe, while Ajax rejoiced in their first knockout win in the competition in 22 years

"The season is difficult, but we are here to show our heart and character in difficult moments

Easy moments are easy for everyone, you can climb up and surf them, but difficult moments you have to show bravery

" "This was pretty close to perfection

Over the two matches we definitely deserve to progress to the next round

"Real resume their La Liga campaign away at Real Valladolid on Sunday (7

45pm GMT) while Ajax travel to Fortuna Sittard in the Eredivisie on the same day (3

45pm GMT)

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Benzema

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Onana

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Mazraoui

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DeLigt

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VandeBeek

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Schone

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DeJong

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<PAD>

547

Jurgen Klopp failed to get one over on former foe Bayern Munich as Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie at Anfield

Liverpool, whose makeshift defence looked shaky early on, spurned a host of chances in the first half to break the deadlock, with Sadio Mane the biggest culprit, unable to find the target from two efforts in quick succession

After the break, Liverpool retreated into their half much more

Bayern created openings of their own, with former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry firing their best effort over just before the hour mark

The match, in truth, petered out, with Liverpool perhaps with one eye on the clash with Manchester United, live on Sky Sports

However, Liverpool held on to that vital clean sheet ahead of the return leg in Munich in three weeks' time, as Klopp failed to gain some form of revenge for his Borussia Dortmund side's 2013 Champions League final defeat at the hands of Bayern

Liverpool started well, with Mohamed Salah picked out by a perfect lofted pass from Jordan Henderson, but the team's top goalscorer failed to really test Manuel Neuer in the away goal

Then Liverpool got out of jail after Gnabry skipped past his man all too easily before firing a low cross into the middle, Joel Matip tried to clear, but instead diverted the ball towards his own goal, only for Alisson to block

Liverpool continued to look shaky with Kinglsey Coman then hammering the ball into the side netting after Alisson had put Matip in trouble with a poor pass

Bayern then failed to clear their lines themselves, with Trent Alexander-Arnold crossing for Salah, who could only head wide at the back post

The chance of the half fell to Sadio Mane in the 32nd minute after Niklas Sule had charged down Naby Keita's strike, but Mane could only scuff wide with the goal at his mercy, before then acrobatically firing wide from another good position

The pace of the game slowed somewhat after the break, with chances less plentiful

Gnabry actually had the first meaningful strike of the half just before the hour mark, but his effort drifted over the top

Klopp switched it up and introduced James Milner and Divock Origi but it was Mane who had their last chance to snatch all three points, with his header saved smartly by Neuer late on

The Liverpool skipper covered every blade of grass for the cause, and helped wrestle control from a very talented Bayern midfield

His pass early on for Salah was right out of the top drawer, but it was his ability to win possession - no Liverpool player won the ball back more - and disrupt the Bayern backline that earns him the award

Up next for Liverpool is the mouthwatering clash with United at Old Trafford on Sunday, live on Sky Sports

Bayern welcome Hertha Berlin to Bavaria on Saturday

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Alisson

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Robertson

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Matip

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Henderson

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Keita

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Firmino

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Milner

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Neuer

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Sule

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Thiago

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Martinez

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Rodriguez

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Gnabry

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Coman

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Lewandowski

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<PAD>

548

Late goals from Jose Maria Gimenez and Diego Godin saw Atletico Madrid beat Juventus 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday

The match had appeared to be heading for a goalless draw at the Wanda Metropolitano, before Atleti defenders Gimenez (78) and Godin (83) gave Diego Simeone's side a huge advantage heading into the second leg in Turin on March 12

That will come as a big relief to the home team, who had earlier seen substitute Alvaro Morata's 70th-minute header ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee for a push on Giorgio Chiellini

Cristiano Ronaldo, with only one goal in his last eight Champions League games, tested Jan Oblak with an early long-range free kick which the Atletico goalkeeper did well to tip over

It was Atleti, though, who thought they had the best chance to open the scoring before half-time when referee Felix Zwayer decided that Mattia De Sciglio had tripped Diego Costa just inside the box

However, after consultation with the VAR, the correct decision was made with the Juve right-back having clearly caught Costa just outside the area, with Wojciech Szczesny then turning Antoine Griezmann's free-kick behind

Then was more VAR controversy after the break as Atleti thought they had finally made the breakthrough when Morata powered home Filipe Luis' inviting cross from the left

But after being directed to check the 'goal' on the touchline monitor, the German official decided the former Juventus striker had pushed Chiellini in the back just prior to scoring

Atleti's frustrations did not last long, however, as minutes later they opened the scoring after a bit of ping ball in the visitors' defence following a left-wing corner, with the ball dropping invitingly at the feet of Gimenez, who found the net from close range

The hosts soon doubled their lead, taking a firm grip on the tie in the process, as Griezmann's free-kick fell to Godin six yards from goal, although the Uruguayan's shot still took a big deflection off Ronaldo on its way into the net

The Uruguay centre back has not enjoyed the best of seasons in the Spanish capital, compared to his normal high standards

However, on the evidence of this display, the central defender is back to his domineering best

And as well as controlling the attacking threat of Ronaldo and Co, the 31-year-old also popped up with a crucial late goal - his first since October 2014 - that gives his side a great chance of progressing to the quarter-finals of Europe's premier club competition

Atletico host Villarreal in La Liga, while Juve travel to Bolonga in Serie A, with both games taking place on Sunday afternoon

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Thomas

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Griezmann

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Costa

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Correa

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Lemar

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Szczesny

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DeSciglio

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Chiellini

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Bonucci

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Sandro

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Pjanic

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Matuidi

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Bentancur

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Dybala

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Mandzukic

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Ronaldo

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Cancelo

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Can

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Bernardeschi

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<PAD>

549

Raheem Sterling's last-minute goal gave 10-man Manchester City the advantage with a stunning 3-2 comeback win at Schalke in the Champions League last-16 first leg

It looked like business as usual when Sergio Aguero slotted City ahead after 18 minutes, albeit in comical circumstances after a lazy pass from goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann was cut out by David Silva and squared to the striker

But Nicolas Otamendi's booking for a handball in his own box - which was only given after referral to VAR - started off a frantic last hour in Gelsenkirchen, with Nabil Bentaleb firing home the resultant penalty before scoring again from the spot before half-time when Fernandinho bundled over Salif Sane

Otamendi was given his marching orders with 20 minutes to play when he took down Guido Burgstaller but, with City offering little going forward, Leroy Sane's stunning 25-yard free-kick against his boyhood club pulled them level with five minutes left

There was still time for more drama, though, and Sterling shrugged off Bastian Oczipka's challenge before firing past Fahrmann in the final minute to put City in full control of their last-16 tie ahead of the return leg at the Etihad on March 12

Schalke's formation suggested they had set out to defend, and they set about soaking up Manchester City's early pressure before conceding the opener

Daniel Caligiuri cut out a long ball forward and played it back to Fahrmann, but the goalkeeper's 15-yard pass to Salif Sane was so half-hearted, David Silva had time to nip in behind the defender and give Aguero a simple finish into an empty net

From there, City appeared to enter cruise control, with loose passes creeping in and their sharpness waning, but Schalke's equaliser came as a surprise

Referee Carlos del Cerro Grande initially gave a corner when a Caligiuri shot cannoned behind off Otamendi, but after a review by the VAR official - and the referee's on-field monitor broken - the City defender was booked for handball and a spot-kick given, which Bentaleb confidently dispatched

Bentaleb was given the chance to double his tally after Fernandinho inexplicably bundled Salif Sane over in the area on the stroke of half-time, and his second penalty of the night was fired equally confidently beyond Ederson

City re-emerged with renewed vigour after half-time but with Schalke desperate to hold what they had, they found routes through difficult to carve out

Their hopes of a comeback were further dashed when Otamendi needlessly clattered into substitute Burgstaller and was dismissed with 22 minutes to go

But fellow replacement Leroy Sane, who played 57 times for Schalke before moving to the Etihad in 2016, gave them the lifeline they needed when he stepped up to curl a wonderful free-kick into the far corner with five minutes to go

City had barely finished celebrating that goal before they found themselves in front, as Sterling bore down on goal and with Fahrmann failing to cover his far post, slotted the ball beyond him to give Pep Guardiola's side an unlikely victory

In addition to his two goals, Bentaleb was also Schalke's most impressive performer in midfield, completing more passes (42) than any other player on his team to get them going forward while also making as many interceptions (two) as anyone else for Schalke

Manchester City have the little matter of the Carabao Cup final to contend with, live on (from 3

30pm) and (from 4pm) this Sunday

Schalke travel to 11th-placed Mainz on Saturday, looking to move up the Bundesliga, where they currently sit fifth bottom

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<PAD>

Fahrmann

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Sane

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McKennie

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Uth

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Mendyl

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Walker

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Otamendi

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<PAD>

550

Martin Terrier went closest as Lyon's fine performance earned a 0-0 draw with Barcelona in the Champions League last-16 first leg

Barcelona had the majority of the chances but had Marc-Andre ter Stegen to thank for keeping the scores level at half-time when he leapt to his right to deflect Terrier's 25-yard drive onto the bar

Luis Suarez's Champions League duck continued as he missed a glorious chance to score from Jordi Alba's pull-back after half-time, and Lionel Messi missed two opportunities from free-kicks just outside the area

Overall, the visitors could muster only five shots on target across the 90 minutes as Lyon claimed a clean sheet which could prove vital when they travel to the Nou Camp for the return leg next month

Barcelona looked like they had laid down a marker when Houssem Aouar was booked for hauling down Messi just outside the box inside three minutes, but the Argentine's free-kick was unusually tame and floated well over

But Lyon gave as good as they got before half-time and produced the two best chances of the half, first when Aouar's fizzing low effort was kept out by Ter Stegen's dive, before the goalkeeper produced true heroics to get fingertips to Terrier's dipping shot from 25 yards

At the other end, Ousmane Dembele saw plenty of the ball but did little with it, apart from one moment of brilliance when he turned Leo Dubois inside and out before turning the ball onto his left foot and forced a smart save from Anthony Lopes

After the break Barcelona ramped up the pressure, and enjoyed 70 per cent of possession while still doing little with it

They should have taken the lead when Alba cut the ball back from the left to Suarez, but he was already slipping before his first-time shot whistled beyond the near post

Lyon could manage only a single shot in the second 45 minutes but as the clock ticked towards full-time they began to settle for the stalemate, and produced a superb defensive performance to deny Barcelona an away goal

The visitors' frustrations were summed up in added time when Messi was brought down by Ferland Mendy just outside the area, only to smack his free-kick into the wall before his effort from the rebound was also blocked, leaving the second leg of this tie, on March 13, very much in the balance

Dubois had the unenviable job of dealing with first Ousmane Dembele and often Lionel Messi, with the forward drifting around the Lyon defence

But he barely put a foot wrong all night, made five clearances and won the ball back six times on the night

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Lopes

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Depay

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Dembele

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Cornet

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TerStegen

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Lenglet

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Alba

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Messi

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Dembele

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<PAD>

551

Real Madrid edged past Ajax 2-1 with the help of VAR, which was used for the first time in the Champions League to disallow a goal for the hosts

Second-half goals from Karim Benzema (60) and Marco Asensio (87) either side of Hakim Ziyech's effort (75) hand Madrid a big advantage heading to the second leg at the Bernabeu

However, Ajax thought they scored the all-important opening goal in the first half but Nicolas Tagliafico's header was ruled out by VAR due to a marginal offside call on Dusan Tadic, who was obstructing Thibaut Courtois

Ajax were taking part in the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in 13 years and equipped themselves brilliantly for large periods

Tadic came within inches of giving his side the lead on 26 minutes but his swerving effort from 20 yards came crashing back off the post

Courtois was called into action minutes later to block away a Ziyech chance after some incisive build-up play from Ajax

Then came the historic use of VAR

Ajax's players wheeled away in celebration as Tagliafico reacted quickest to a fumble by Courtois

With the players all set to restart, the referee held the play to speak with the VAR officials

They instructed him to take a look at the incident on the pitch-side monitor and he eventually ruled out the goal with Tadic marginally offside as he slightly obstructed Courtois

Real awoke from their slumber on the hour mark as Vinicius chased a ball over the top and stayed cool to find Benzema, who swept home a powerful finish into the top corner

Ajax responded with 15 minutes remaining with Ziyech finished off a low cross from the left

A draw would have kept Ajax's hopes alive in the second leg, however, substitute Asensio capped an impressive showing from the bench to finish off a flowing move down the right

Southampton fans may raise an eyebrow at this considering the level of player on show but the Serbian was a constant threat playing as a lone striker

His movement to drift into space in front and behind Sergio Ramos laid the platform for Ajax to play their expansive attacking game that deserved more reward than they got

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DeJong

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Schone

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Ziyech

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Neres

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Tadic

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Dolberg

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Ramos

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Nacho

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Reguilón

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Modric

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Bale

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Benzema

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Diaz

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552

Tottenham produced a scintillating second-half performance to beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at Wembley

Heung-Min Son scored for the fourth game in a row to put Spurs ahead in the 47th minute

Jan Vertonghen then volleyed in from Serge Aurier's cross in the 83rd minute before substitute Fernando Llorente headed in from a corner (86)

Dortmund looked shell-shocked and now have a mountain to climb in the return leg on March 5

The Bundesliga leaders had looked the brighter side in the first half but they could not match Spurs when they raised their level after half-time

Son's goal - his ninth in 11 games against Dortmund - set the tone for a dominant finish from Mauricio Pochettino's side that has put them on the brink of the last eight for the first time since 2011

Such a one-sided result in favour of Tottenham looked unlikely early in the game as Dortmund started positively

Spurs did see an eighth-minute shot from Lucas Moura whistle just past the post, but they were fortunate not to fall behind when Juan Foyth lost the ball in his own box and Christian Pulisic failed to beat Lloris at the near post

The lively Jadon Sancho asked questions of Tottenham's defence, but Dortmund could not find the final pass

Thomas Delaney's shot from outside the box was palmed out by Hugo Lloris before Spurs started to threaten as Christian Eriksen fired over and then Roman Burki saved with an outstretched leg from Son

Dortmund went close to breaking the deadlock late in the first half but Lloris produced a brilliant diving save to claw away a header from Dan-Axel Zagadou on the line

Spurs looked a team transformed after half-time as they attacked with more vigour and intensity

Son opened the scoring in the 47th minute when he volleyed in from Vertonghen's cross, before Vertonghen fired over after a driving run and then Eriksen shot at Burki

Dortmund were pinned back inside their own half and Spurs added to their lead late in the game

Vertonghen finished from Aurier's excellent cross before Llorente headed in from a corner to put Spurs in firm control of the tie

The defender scored and assisted in the same game for only the second time in his Tottenham career

He pushed forward more in the second half which allowed Spurs to sustain attacks and also meant Sancho was not as effective

Tottenham's next match is at Burnley on Saturday, January 23, live on

They then face Chelsea (Wednesday, February 27) and Arsenal (Saturday, March 2) before the return leg against Dortmund on Tuesday, March 5

null

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Lloris

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Aurier

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Alderweireld

True

Sanchez

True

Foyth

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Vertonghen

True

Winks

True

Sissoko

True

Eriksen

True

Lucas

True

Son

True

Llorente

False

Burki

False

Hakimi

False

Zagadou

False

Toprak

False

Diallo

False

Witsel

False

Delaney

False

Dahoud

False

Sancho

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Pulisic

False

Gotze

False

Schmelzer

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Guerreiro

False

Larsen

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<PAD>

553

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lost for the first time as Manchester United caretaker manager as Paris Saint-Germain ran out 2-0 winners in the Champions League last-16 first leg at Old Trafford, with Paul Pogba sent off late on

After a heated first half, the visitors were clinical with two quick-fire goals; first Presnel Kimpembe turned home at the far post from an Angel Di Maria corner (53), before Kylian Mbappe finished off from another Di Maria assist (60), giving United a huge task to overcome

It would have been more but for some fine goalkeeping from David de Gea, but matters were made worse when Pogba was dismissed late on for a second yellow card, meaning he will miss the second leg

United registered just one shot on target as Solskjaer was defeated having gone unbeaten in his first 11 games, meaning an uphill task in the second leg at Parc des Princes on Wednesday, March 6

There were five yellow cards in a fiery first 45 minutes as both sides cancelled each other out, but the best of the chances did fall to the visitors

Former United midfielder Di Maria curled wide from range early on, before Mbappe slid in to poke wide under pressure from De Gea after being played through on goal by Julian Draxler

On a yellow card, Young then nudged Di Maria out of play and into the railings at Old Trafford, prompting anger from the PSG players, but Italian referee Daniele Orsato kept his second yellow card in his pocket on this occasion

Solskjaer's plans were impacted when , introducing on Juan Mata and Alexis Sanchez, while De Gea was at his best to turn away Mbappe's header moments before PSG's opener

Getting on the end of a Di Maria corner, Kimpembe lost Nemanja Matic at the back post before side-footing into the back of the net from close range

A minute later, Dani Alves' effort deflected off Pogba and inches wide with De Gea rooted, but PSG did get their second as they broke up with the pitch with Di Maria on the left, squaring for Mbappe to simply slot home after beating Eric Bailly to the ball

It should have been three but for De Gea's clawed save from Mbappe when the Frenchman went through one-on-one again, and the goalkeeper once more kept the score down, beating away Juan Bernat's fierce angled shot

And there was a late flashpoint as Pogba was sent off for a second booking from card-happy Orsato, who showed 10 yellows overall, meaning United will miss a key man for the second leg in three weeks' time

The Brazilian was a huge part of PSG's defensive solidity on Tuesday, keeping United's pacey attacking threat to a minimum

He made 10 clearances, more than the entire United team put together, and his 90 per cent passing accuracy kept mistakes to a minimum as PSG built from the back

Manchester United now go to Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday night, while Ligue 1 leaders PSG are at St Etienne on Sunday evening

The second leg of this tie will be played in Paris on Wednesday, March 6

null

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DeGea

True

Young

False

Bailly

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Lindelof

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Shaw

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Pogba

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Matic

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Herrera

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Lingard

False

Rashford

False

Martial

False

Alexis

False

Mata

False

Buffon

True

Kehrer

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ThiagoSilva

True

Kimpembe

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Bernat

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Marquinhos

True

Veratti

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Alves

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Draxler

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DiMaria

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Mbappe

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Maksimovic

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<PAD>

554

CSKA Moscow completed a remarkable double over Real Madrid but their 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu proved in vain as they crashed out of Europe

Goals from Fedor Chalov and Georgi Schennikov had Real two down at half-time in a Champions League home game for the first time since 2000

Arnor Sigurdsson then confirmed Madrid's heaviest home defeat in Europe with CSKA's third on 73 minutes

But CSKA's hopes of qualifying for the Europa League were dashed by Viktoria Plzen, who beat Roma 2-1 to finish third behind the Italians and Group G winners Real

With Madrid already qualified as group winners, Santi Solari picked an inexperienced side as Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde and Javi Sanchez made their first Champions League starts

Vinicius Junior was lively in the opening exchanges at the sparsely-populated Bernabeu, while a more familiar name, Marco Asensio, was Real's main threat

Asensio clipped the top of the bar on 24 minutes and drew Igor Akinfeev into a fingertip save five minutes later as Real applied pressure on the CSKA goal

Karim Benzema saw a low drive from a corner blocked by Rodrigo Becao on the half hour, but it was not long before Asensio was back in the thick of it as the Spaniard played a one-two with Benzema and fired a shot straight at Akinfeev

But Real were stunned on 37 minutes when Sigurdsson offloaded the ball to Chalov on the edge of the area, and the striker caressed a sumptuous effort into the far corner past Thibaut Courtois

It took just five minutes for CSKA to double their lead as Schennikov arrived late on the scene to convert a rebound after Mario Fernandes had drawn Courtois into action

With Bayern Munich the last side to hold a two-goal advantage at half-time at the Bernabeu 18 years ago, Solari turned to Gareth Bale to salvage the situation

But with the exception of a chance for Asensio on 55 minutes, which the forward took an age to take before being blocked, Real created very little in front of an increasingly hostile home crowd

And things took a turn for the worse 17 minutes from time when Sigurdsson slotted a precise shot through bodies into the bottom corner to wrap up a stunning victory for the Russian champions

The centre-forward set CSKA on their way to a famous victory with a well-taken opener and played a key role in their second at the Bernabeu

CSKA didn't get the result they ultimately wanted, but Chalov will be the toast of Moscow

Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano in La Liga at 5

30pm on Saturday before travelling to the UAE for the FIFA Club World Cup

null

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Courtois

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Odriozola

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Vallejo

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ViniciusJr

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Asensio

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Benzema

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Kroos

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Bale

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Akinfeev

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Nababkin

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Becao

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Magnusson

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Schennikov

True

Vlasic

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Bistrovic

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Oblyakov

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Chalov

True

Sigurdsson

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<PAD>

555

Manchester City sealed top spot in Group F after coming from behind to beat Hoffenheim 2-1, with Leroy Sane scoring twice

Needing just a point to guarantee going through as group winners, City seemed to be suffering a hangover from their defeat at Chelsea on Saturday and fell behind to an Andrej Kramaric penalty (16)

However, Sane struck a stunning free-kick to level it up (45+1) before finishing a flowing counter-attack (61) after a clever pass by Raheem Sterling, who played 90 minutes just four days after suffering alleged racist abuse at Stamford Bridge

The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League will be on December 17 in Nyon and City will face one of Atletico Madrid, Roma, Schalke or Ajax

Hoffenheim had to win to have any chance of qualifying in a Europa League spot and they were in front on 16 minutes

Aymeric Laporte bundled over Benjamin Hubner which allowed former Leicester City striker Kramaric to slide home from the spot

City struggled to find their rhythm from open play but looked dangerous from set-pieces as Gabriel Jesus hit the post and Nicolas Otamendi smacked the woodwork with a glancing header

Just as it looked like City were out of ideas before the break, the equaliser came via the boot of Sane, who curled a majestic effort from 30 yards into the top corner

City improved after the break as the visitors began to tire

Sane squandered an amazing three-on-one chance after passing to Bernardo Silva rather than shooting

The winner did come when Sane combined with Sterling and was more ruthless with this finish

Phil Foden played 90 minutes and nearly capped a brilliant second-half performance with a left-foot volley that was tipped over the crossbar by Oliver Baumann

You get the feeling that Sane is starting to hit top gear with his performance levels

He was a constant threat down the left, linking expertly with Sterling and Foden

His opening goal was a thing of beauty and he should have helped himself to more than just the double he managed

This kid could be one of the world's best in a few years

Manchester City are back in action on Saturday lunchtime against Everton, a game live on and

null

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Ederson

True

Laporte

False

Stones

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Otamendi

False

Zinchenko

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Gundogan

False

Foden

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Sane

True

Bernardo

True

Sterling

True

Jesus

False

Walker

False

Delph

False

Kompany

False

Baumann

True

Geiger

False

Nuhu

True

Hübner

False

Kaderabek

True

Grillitsch

False

Bittencourt

False

Schulz

False

Brenet

False

Kramaric

True

Joelinton

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Nelson

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Amiri

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Belfodli

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<PAD>

556

Lucas Moura scored five minutes from time as Tottenham drew 1-1 with Barcelona to match Inter Milan's result and qualify for the Champions League last 16

Spurs were heading for the Champions League exit door after Ousmane Dembele's opener (7) for Barca - who rested Lionel Messi - and Inter Milan's equaliser against PSV Eindhoven

However, Spurs, who needed to match Inter's result to qualify, created ample opportunities and finally took one when Moura prodded home Harry Kane's cross (85), moments after Philippe Coutinho had struck the post for a second time

All eyes were on the final stages of Inter's game but that match ended 1-1 and Mauricio Pochettino's side qualify for the knockout stages despite taking just one point from their first three games in Group B

Messi, Gerard Pique, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets were all rested by Ernesto Valverde as Barcelona had already topped the group with a game to spare

Kyle Walker-Peters was handed a Champions League debut for Tottenham with Kieran Trippier and Serge Aurier both injured, and he was given a harsh lesson inside seven minutes

Dembele took advantage of a poor touch by the young full-back and Spurs were exposed

The Frenchman accelerated past Walker-Peters, before selling Harry Winks a lovely dummy, and rolled home from close range

Barcelona's defensive unit looked shaky but Spurs did not possess the quality to find the killer final ball, while at the other end, just before the break, Coutinho whipped a clever effort off the inside of the post

Jasper Cillessen was a busy man in the second period, starting with Christian Eriksen forcing him into a stunning low save on 49 minutes

In Italy, Mauro Icardi drew Inter Milan level and the news must have filtered through to the Spurs players who increased their intensity

Substitute Moura had a header somehow clawed to safety by Cillessen on 75 minutes, which was Spurs' sixth shot on target

With Spurs pressing on - and Messi now on the field from the bench - Coutinho danced into the box and had another effort which came back off the post

Just 90 seconds later, Spurs got the decisive leveller

Kane pulled out to the left and provided the final ball that had been lacking for the previous 85 minutes

His cross was turned home by Moura, who did not know whether to celebrate wildly or to get the ball to try and force a winner

Danny Rose blazed a glorious late chance over the bar but it mattered little as PSV held on in the San Siro and Spurs booked their place in the last 16 in dramatic fashion

Pochettino deserves huge credit as he set up his team in a way that caused Barcelona all sort of problems, especially down the left through the England international, who gave a timely reminder of his talents both offensively and defensively

It was down Rose's flank where the all-important goal came from

Tottenham return to Premier League action on Saturday as Burnley visit Wembley, while Barcelona play Levante in La Liga on Sunday

null

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Cillessen

True

Semedo

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Vermaelen

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Lenglet

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Miranda

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Arthur

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Rakitic

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Alena

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Dembele

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Munir

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Coutinho

False

Messi

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Busquets

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DenisSuarez

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Lloris

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Walker-Peters

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Alderweireld

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Vertonghen

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Rose

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Winks

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Sissoko

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Eriksen

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Dele

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Son

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Kane

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Moura

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Lamela

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<PAD>

557

Manchester United blew the chance to finish top of Champions League Group H as they produced a dire display in a 2-1 defeat to Valencia

With Juventus suffering a surprise 2-1 loss to Young Boys, United would have topped the group if they had won at the Mestalla

But that never looked likely from the moment Carlos Soler struck for the hosts after 17 minutes

Phil Jones' dreadful own goal early in the second half put Valencia further ahead and United could only pull a goal back in the 87th minute through Marcus Rashford

By then it was too late and United will look to put the result and performance behind them as they turn their attentions to facing Liverpool on Sunday, live on

Perhaps with one eye on the trip to Anfield - and not expecting Juventus to slip up against Young Boys - United made eight changes for their final group game

Valencia are 15th in La Liga but were far more threatening in the first half and took the lead in the 17th minute when Soler finished with a low shot across goal

United's first opening fell to Juan Mata in the 27th minute but he saw a shot deflected behind

Paul Pogba produced a glaring miss from close range after Marouane Fellaini headed goalwards, but his blushes were spared by the offside flag, which went up incorrectly

As Young Boys took the lead against Juventus in the other Group H match, Valencia should have added to their advantage

On-loan Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi missed a free header from in front of goal before Soler saw an effort blocked

The second goal arrived in the 47th minute when Jones slid and knocked a through ball past goalkeeper Sergio Romero from the edge of his own box

It took United until the 72nd minute to have their first shot on target, but Rashford's 25-yard effort was comfortable for goalkeeper Jaume Domenech

The visitors did manage to apply pressure late in the game but their only reward was a header from Rashford in the 87th minute

Former Real Madrid and QPR midfielder Parejo played a key role in Valencia's win

He helped controlled proceedings with his composed passing and regularly found spaces around United's disjointed midfield

Manchester United travel to Liverpool on Sunday, live on

Then they go to Cardiff on December 22

The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League takes place on December 17

null

<PAD>

558

Liverpool advanced to the last 16 of the Champions League with a tense 1-0 win over Napoli at Anfield

Mohamed Salah scored the only goal of the game in the 34th minute, finishing past David Ospina from a tight angle

Needing to win to qualify, Liverpool spurned a host of chances to add to their lead, with Sadio Mane missing two glorious opportunities from close range

That allowed Napoli to stay alive and only a crucial point-blank injury-time save from Alisson prevented Arkadiusz Milik from scoring and knocking Liverpool out of the Champions League

The result sees Jurgen Klopp's side finish second in Group C behind Paris Saint-Germain, who won 4-1 against Red Star Belgrade

Both Liverpool and PSG will now look forward to the last-16 draw on December 17, having come through one of the more difficult groups in this season's competition

In truth, Liverpool's night should have been more comfortable than it was in the final 20 minutes, given the number of chances they created

They were the better side throughout, with Salah and James Milner spurning early openings either side of Marek Hamsik shooting over from the edge of the box

The opening goal arrived in the 34th minute when Salah shimmied past Kalidou Koulibaly and then finished past Ospina, who was caught creeping out of his goal in expectation of a cross rather than a shot

Salah shot wide at the start of the second half after breaking into the box before Roberto Firmino headed at Ospina

It looked only a matter of time before Liverpool scored again as Milner curled wide and then Salah took the ball around Ospina, only to be denied by a flying save from the goalkeeper

As the clock ticked down, and with Napoli only needing to score once to advance, the atmosphere grew more tense

Mane was denied from close range by Ospina before Jose Callejon spurned Napoli's best opening when he shot over at the back post

Mane then missed a superb chance, firing wide from an excellent position in front of goal

That kept Napoli in the game and only a superb save from Alisson in injury-time prevented Milik from snatching a draw for the visitors that would have seen them advance at Liverpool's expense

Alisson's save at the end was crucial, but Robertson produced a brilliant all-round display

He was full of running, bursting down the left side and putting in several good crosses, and also played a key role in keeping Napoli's forwards quiet for most of the night

Liverpool host Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday before a trip to Wolves on Friday, December 21

Both games are live on

The draw for the last 16 will be on December 17 in Nyon, Switzerland

null

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Alisson

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Alexander-Arnold

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Matip

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Milner

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Mane

False

Salah

True

Fimino

False

Keita

False

Fabinho

False

Lovren

False

Ospina

False

Maksimovic

False

Albiol

False

Koulibaly

False

Rui

False

Callejon

False

Allan

False

Hamsik

False

Fabian

False

Mertens

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Insigne

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Ghoulam

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Zielinski

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Milik

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<PAD>

559

Atletico Madrid secured qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Thierry Henry's Monaco

Atletico took the lead after just two minutes as a Koke (2) effort from outside the box took a heavy deflection off Jemerson

Diego Simeone's side doubled their lead when Angel Correa squared for Antoine Griezmann (24) who slotted home from six yards

Monaco improved in the second half especially after the introduction of Radamel Falcao, who almost scored with his first touch against his former club

Falcao later had a golden opportunity to pull one back after the referee awarded Monaco a penalty following a handball by Stefan Savic

Savic was shown a second yellow, but Falcao shot wide to the dismay of his manager

Defeat means that Monaco will now finish bottom of group A, missing out on a Europa League spot

Atletico must hope Borussia Dortmund fail to win one of their remaining games in order for them to finish top of the group, while winning their final game against Club Brugge too

Monaco got off to a nightmare start as a Koke effort from 25 yards found the net thanks to a large deflection off the back of Jemerson that left Diego Benaglio no chance

Atletico were at their imperious best as they toyed with an inexperienced Monaco side for most of the first half

Savic conducted the Atletico orchestra from midfield, with Koke and Correa tormenting Monaco's full-backs

They were rewarded for their dominance when Correa found space down the left-hand side after a Jemerson slip

Correa found Griezmann in space six yards out and the Frenchman duly dispatched the hosts' second

The early introduction of Falcao, who immediately registered Monaco's first shot on target after a smart touch inside the box, roused both sets of fans, with Atletico supporters fondly remembering his time at the club

He was presented with a glorious opportunity to notch against Atletico and bring Monaco back into the game when the referee awarded a penalty after a handball by Savic

Savic was given his marching orders with a second yellow, but Falcao sent his penalty wide

Atletico Madrid travel to Girona on Sunday, while their final group stage clash is against Club Brugge

Monaco host third-placed Montpellier on Saturday in Ligue 1, and their final Champions League group sees a visit from Borussia Dortmund

null

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Oblak

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Arias

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Savic

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Partey

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Correa

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Griezmann

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Vitolo

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Kalinic

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Saul

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Benaglio

True

Biancone

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Badiashile

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Jemerson

False

Raggi

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Grandsir

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Massengo

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Tielemans

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Chadli

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Golovin

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Sylla

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Falcao

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Diop

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<PAD>

560

Barcelona wrapped up top spot in Champions League Group B with a Lionel Messi-inspired 2-1 victory over PSV in Eindhoven

Messi fired Barca ahead with his stunning sixth goal of the campaign on the hour before cleverly picking out Gerard Pique for their second on 70 minutes

PSV needed to win to keep their faint Europa League hopes alive and struck the woodwork on three occasions in the first half, but Luuk de Jong's consolation came too late as the Dutch champions crashed out of Europe

The victory sees Barcelona finish as group winners in the Champions League for the 12th successive season and the 20th time overall

PSV knew it was win or bust if they were to remain in Europe in the New Year, and they did everything but score in the first half

After drawing Marc-Andre ter Stegen into a low save on four minutes, Gaston Pereiro pounced on a loose Ivan Rakitic pass on the quarter-hour and came within inches of punishing the Barcelona midfielder as he cannoned a drive against the post

Pereiro should have fired PSV into the lead midway through the half when De Jong knocked the ball into his path and he skipped away from Pique in the area, but he fired over from yards

Barca grew into the game as the half drew to a close as Arturo Vidal saw two efforts cleared off the line from successive corners, but PSV went even closer on the stroke of half-time as De Jong glanced a header onto the crossbar and Denzel Dumfries fired a follow-up against the post

But PSV were made to pay for a catalogue of misses by another mesmeric Messi effort

After initiating an attack and receiving the ball back from Ousmane Dembele, the Argentine weaved away from four defenders before rifling an unstoppable near-post drive past Jeroen Zoet with minimal backlift

Messi then helped put the game beyond PSV, shaping to shoot for goal from a free-kick before picking out Pique, who diverted the ball beyond Zoet from 12 yards

PSV pushed and pushed for a goal and finally broke Barca's resolve when De Jong powered a header home from Angelino's left-wing cross on 82 minutes, but an equaliser eluded them on a night that ultimately belonged to Messi

Who else? The little maestro took his time to stamp his mark on the game but when he did, it was worth the wait

Messi was the sole catalyst for Barcelona's victory in a game they probably should have lost

He was far from his mesmeric best but the poise and precision with which he took his goal was nothing short of sublime

PSV travel to Feyenoord in the Eredivisie at 1

30pm on Sunday, while Barcelona host Villarreal in La Liga at 5

30pm

null

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Zoet

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Angelino

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Pereiro

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Bergwijn

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DeJong

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Romero

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Malen

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Gutierrez

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TerStegen

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Semedo

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Pique

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Lenglet

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Alba

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Sergio

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Vidal

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Dembele

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Coutinho

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Messi

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DSuarez

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Malcom

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<PAD>

561

Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by PSG in their penultimate Champions League game to leave their hopes of reaching the knockout stages in the balance

It took 13 minutes for PSG to take the lead at the Parc des Princes as Juan Bernat swept home at the near post before Neymar (37) slotted home after Edinson Cavani's flick was saved by Alisson

James Milner (45+1) pulled a goal back for Liverpool just before the break after the visitors were given a penalty when Angel Di Maria fouled Sadio Mane in the area

But neither side could find another goal in the second half and Group C will go down to the final matchday in two weeks' time, with Liverpool needing to beat Napoli 1-0 or by two clear goals to make it into the knockout rounds

Alisson made a leaping save from a curling Di Maria effort in the sixth minute, but could not keep out PSG seven minutes later

Kylian Mbappe's cross into the area was initially headed away by Virgil van Dijk, but the rebound fell to Bernat, who took a few strides before slotting home into the bottom corner

The Liverpool goalkeeper was kept busy and made another fine save just after the half an hour mark

Neymar slipped Mbappe in down the left-hand side, before the Frenchman crossed into the box for the incoming Cavani

But Alisson read the situation well and came out to collect the ball ahead of the striker

But PSG doubled their lead in the 37th minute with a spellbinding breakaway

Neymar and Mbappe played a wonderful give and go as the Brazilian sped down the field before playing in his team-mate on the left

Mbappe once again cut the ball into the area for Cavani - whose attempt to backheel the ball home was saved by Alisson - but Neymar was waiting to tap the ball home through the legs of Andrew Robertson

Liverpool came roaring back into the game on the stroke of half-time when they were awarded a penalty after Di Maria launched into a tackle on Mane in the area

Although referee Szymon Marciniak initially awarded a corner, he was correctly overruled by his assistants - much to the annoyance of the PSG players - and Milner stepped up to hammer home past Gianluigi Buffon and halve the deficit

PSG thought they had got a third within three minutes of the restart, but Marquinhos had his effort disallowed for offside

Di Maria whipped a free kick in front of the wall, which the Brazilian poked home with an outstretched foot, but the linesman correctly had his flag raisedThe second half lacked the chances seen in the opening 45 minutes but PSG saw the better efforts in front of goal and Alisson made another good save in the 70th minute

Neymar delivered a corner and it was Marquinhos again who rose highest to meet it, but his bullet header was pushed away by the goalkeeper with Mbappe unable to net the rebound

There were jubilant scenes from the PSG players and staff at full-time and some unwanted history for Liverpool, who have lost all three of their away group games in the Champions League for the first time

It was a superb performance from the Brazilian, who put in a shift at both ends

Despite the attacking prowess on the field, he had the two best PSG chances in the second half but also did a good job in keeping Liverpool mostly quiet at the other end

Indeed, in the 87th minute, as PSG strode towards victory, he helped countryman Thiago Silva see a ball out in front of Mohamed Salah, with a huge roar and chest bump with the PSG captain afterwards

It epitomised the job he had done throughout and he had a big hand in the result

PSG travel to Bordeaux in Ligue 1 on Sunday and play their final Champions League match away to Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday 11 December

It's a huge game for Liverpool on Sunday as they host city rivals Everton, live on Sky Sports from 4pm

Their next Champions League game will be at home to Napoli on December 11

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562

Tottenham kept their Champions League campaign alive thanks to Christian Eriksen’s winner as they beat Inter Milan 1-0 at Wembley

After defeats in the reverse fixture in Italy and at home to Barcelona, this was a win or bust situation for the north Londoners and they left it late on a nervy night when substitute Eriksen slammed home with 10 minutes remaining

The result means that Spurs, who go to already qualified Barcelona in the final Group B game, need to match or better Inter's result against PSV to qualify

On what in theory should be Tottenham's last Champions League game at Wembley before they move into their new ground at White Hart Lane, Spurs controlled proceedings early on

Erik Lamela and Dele Alli were finding space in the pocket but their long-range finishing was off target

Lucas Moura should have curled Spurs in front on the half hour after a wonderful dummy from Alli but Samir Handanovic dealt comfortably with his effort from 15 yards

It's over two years since Harry Winks found the net but he went close just before the break with a sweet looping strike that bounced back off the crossbar

Spurs lost their momentum after the break and did not regain until Eriksen was summoned from the bench

His first touch almost helped opened the scoring but Jan Vertonghen somehow headed wide from four yards out

Ivan Perisic was then denied from close range by Hugo Lloris before Eriksen took centre stage with the clock ticking down

Moussa Sissoko did the damage down the right wing, bulldozing his way through two challenges and kept his head to find Alli, who set up Eriksen to fire home with his left foot into the roof of the net

The Sissoko story continues to dominate the agenda at Spurs - he's gone from zero to hero within a few months

From barely being able to control the ball at times during his Spurs career, he looks a powerful asset these days and was key to everything his team did at Wembley

The match-winning moment finished by Eriksen was all about Sissoko's clever drive and impressive vision

The big games are coming thick and fast for Spurs, who have a trip to Arsenal next up on Super Sunday - in one of three pulsating derby games on Sky Sports on 'Derby Day'

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563

Mario Mandzukic's tap-in was enough to send Juventus into the last 16 of the Champions League with a 1-0 win against Valencia

Tuesday night's hosts went into the game knowing a point would see them through to the knockout stages and although the performance was not the most polished, they did their job

After a goalless first half - which saw Mouctar Diakhaby go close with a header just before half-time in the pick of Valencia's chances - Mandzukic slotted home a Cristiano Ronaldo cross to see Juventus into the next round

Juventus are currently two points clear at the top of Group H ahead of Manchester United - - with the Old Trafford result knocking Valencia out of the competition

After a few snapshot efforts early on from Ronaldo, Juventus had the first real chance of the game on the 15-minute mark

Joao Cancelo put a wonderful cross in, but Daniel Wass tracked Mandzukic well towards the back post with the Juventus forward's header going straight into the hands of Neto

Eight minutes later, and Ronaldo nearly turned Alex Sandro's cross home, but he was put off target by Geoffrey Kondogbia as the ball went behind

Not long after, Valencia went close with Goncalo Guedes' cross headed away by Giorgio Chiellini before Wass' shot from range went whipping through the area

Valencia's best chance of the game came on the stroke of half-time as Diakhaby headed a Valencia corner towards goal at the near post, but Wojciech Szczesny was there to make a superb reaction save to see the ball away

Juventus took the lead in the 59th minute

Ronaldo left Gabriel Paulista in his wake as he burst down the left-hand side of the box, getting the extra yard on the defender, with Mandzukic waiting to tap home his cross at point-blank range

Two minutes later, Valencia thought they had scored the equaliser

Daniel Parejo delivered a free kick which found the back of the net via the arm of Diakhaby

Juventus called for the handball and Scottish referee Willie Collum agreed, disallowing the goal and booking the Valencia defender

Juventus should have had a second, but were denied by some brilliant Neto saves

He saved twice after the hour mark, keeping out a Mandzukic effort and a curling Paolo Dybala shot, before leaping to catch Ronaldo's bullet header from Dybala's corner

Juventus could not find another, although it was not needed as they booked their spot in the last 16 of the Champions League for the fifth successive season

It is, admittedly, strange to choose a goalkeeper and one on the losing side, but Valencia could have been beaten by a lot more - especially in the second half - if it wasn't for their goalkeeper, who showed great confidence

Neto, returning to his former side, showed them what they are missing, making some superb, leaping saves to keep out the talent of Juventus and showed strong hands when the balls came straight at him

Although Valencia were knocked out, he should be patted on the back by his team-mates for helping them avoid a thrashing

Juventus travel to Fiorentina in Serie A on Saturday and their next Champions League outing will be to Young Boys on Wednesday December 12

Valencia will go to the Bernabeu to take on Real Madrid this weekend and will next be in European action on December 12 when they welcome Manchester United

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564

Manchester City secured qualification to the Champions League last 16 with a game remaining following an entertaining 2-2 draw at Lyon on Tuesday

After missing several first-half chances, Maxwel Cornet finally got his goal 10 minutes into the second half, seeing a curling shot deflect off Oleksandr Zinchenko and in, but Aymeric Laporte levelled seven minutes later with a close-range header

Cornet then restored Lyon's lead late on (81) but Sergio Aguero leapt superbly to nod home a Riyad Mahrez corner two minutes later to secure City's passage to the last 16

The result means City can secure top spot in Group F if they avoid defeat against Hoffenheim at the Etihad on matchday six

The hosts had the better of an action-packed yet goalless first half, and should have been ahead through former Manchester United forward Memphis Depay, the ball coming off his studs after Cornet had laid it on a plate for him six yards out

Cornet himself then should have scored before the half-hour mark, struggling to get his feet right while completely unmarked from Ferland Mendy's left-wing deliveryAnd City were lucky to go into the break level as Cornet hit the woodwork late on, seeing his scissor-kick volley bounce up off the ground and come off Ederson's left-hand post

It was 1-0 on 55 minutes, however, as Cornet collected Depay's centre on the edge, cut onto his left foot, and saw a fine effort nick off Zinchenko and over Ederson into the far corner

City reacted well as Aguero's header forced Anthony Lopes into a fine save from point-blank range, but he could not keep out Laporte's header from similar range after David Silva had flicked on Raheem Sterling's free-kick cross

Leroy Sane then saw a shot from the left of the box almost creep over the line from Lopes' fumble, but it was 2-1 with nine minutes remaining as Cornet slotted under Ederson from the left of the box after being fed in the box by Depay again

City answered back yet again, however, as Aguero rose brilliantly above the Lyon defence to glance a Mahrez corner into the far post two minutes later

Shakhtar scored a dramatic late winner at Hoffenheim to win 3-2, meaning Lyon must now wait until matchday six to qualify for the last 16

City now host Bournemouth on Saturday in the Premier League at 3pm, while their final Champions League group-stage clash comes at home to Hoffenheim on December 12

Lyon are at Lille on Saturday in Ligue 1, and their final Champions League group stage game is at Shakhtar, also on December 12

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565

Marouane Fellaini's stoppage-time strike booked Manchester United's place in the Champions League knockout phase with a 1-0 victory over Young Boys

Fellaini's 91st-minute winner - United's first home goal in this season's Champions League - prompted an outburst from Jose Mourinho, who launched a drinks bottle holder into the ground as emotions got the better of him at the end of a frustrating night at Old Trafford

Mourinho's side had looked set to waste a gilt-edged opportunity to qualify for the last 16 as a resolute Young Boys came within seconds of holding United to a second goalless draw in three days, after Saturday's stalemate with Crystal Palace

The hosts were also thankful for a stunning David de Gea save as the Spaniard clawed the ball from off the goal line after Ulisses Garcia's shot deflected towards the bottom corner

But the victory sees them qualify for the last-16 with a game to spare at the expense of Valencia, who drop into the Europa League after defeat at Group H leaders Juventus

The Old Trafford faithful were made to endure another monotonous first half, with United registering just a single attempt on target in the opening 45 minutes

Things could have been different had Marcus Rashford found the target after being played through on goal inside five minutes, but the England international's lofted effort nestled on the roof of the Young Boys goal

Fred whistled a shot over on six minutes before a neat exchanged played Rashford into space in the area, and he drew David von Ballmoos into a low save

Chances were few and far between for United but Young Boys staked a late claim for the lead on the stroke of half-time as Djibril Sow's backheel went wide at the near post

Young Boys emerged without injured captain Steve von Bergen after the interval but United failed to capitalise on the defensive change

Fellaini missed an open goal after the ball fell to him on 56 minutes before Jesse Lingard fired an effort straight at Von Ballmoos after the hour

Mourinho brought on Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku on 64 minutes but upping the ante in attack nearly cost United, as a Garcia effort took a couple of deflections and looked set to find the bottom corner until De Gea brilliantly clawed the ball from off the goal line

Lukaku and Sow missed chances at both ends before Fellaini snatched victory at the death, controlling a long diagonal from Luke Shaw before firing the ball into the bottom corner through the legs of a defender to spark wild celebrations, in the United dug-out at least

The Belgian and De Gea were the only United players to do anything of note throughout a tough watch

Fellaini surprised many with his effectiveness in advanced positions, particularly in the first half, and showed great composure to take his goal as he bailed Mourinho out yet again

United travel to St

Mary's for a tea-time kick-off with Southampton on Saturday, while Young Boys make the trip to title rivals FC Basel on Sunday at 6pm

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<PAD>

566

Karim Benzema scored twice as Real Madrid swept Viktoria Plzen aside with a 5-0 win in the Champions League on Wednesday

After a sluggish opening 20 minutes from the current title holders, Benzema slotted home his first - his 200th goal for Real Madrid - before Casemiro had a free header three minutes later

The Frenchman nabbed his second in the 37th minute as he also nodded home with Gareth Bale - who set up the previous goal - firing home to make it 4-0 before half-time

Toni Kroos (67) rounded off the scoring with a wonderful curling effort to put Real Madrid at the top of Group G on goal difference after Roma's 2-1 win against CSKA Moscow earlier in the evening

Viktoria Plzen exit the competition after the defeat, currently bottom of the group with one point

Viktoria Plzen started well but could not capitalise on their pressure as Real Madrid opened the scoring in the 20th minute

It was a wonderful run into the box from Benzema - getting past Roman Prochazka and Radim Reznik - before slotting home through the legs of Ales Hruska

It was quick second from the visitors, who added another three minutes later

Some poor defending from Plzen saw Kroos' corner nodded home by Casemiro, who got away from his marker for a free header

Benzema scored his second in the 37th minute with more sloppy aerial defending from Plzen

Kroos took a corner short to Dani Ceballos at the top of the area

His diagonal cross was then headed back across the face of goal by Bale before Benzema finished it off by nodding home at close range

Bale got his own name on the scoresheet not long after with a wonderful finish

Ceballos put another cross into the area from the left-hand side, which took the slightest of nicks off the head of Benzema

But the ball landed at the feet of Bale, who fired home on the angle to make it 4-0 to Real at half-time

The second half was a more even affair, but Real Madrid got their fifth in the 67th minute

It was a superb run from 18-year-old Vinicius Junior, who glided into the Plzen area before laying the ball off to Kroos on the right

The German then beautifully curled home into the top far corner to add to his two assists for the evening

Real Madrid had two further chances in added time to add a sixth, but Lucas Vazquez's goal was ruled out for offside - incorrectly - before Bale's superb curling effort from the top of the area pinged off the crossbar

The German playmaker was superb at the Doosan Arena

He set up the opening two goals with some wonderful deliveries, before scoring the goal of the evening in the second half with a delightful curling finish

It was not just his goal contributions that were important though

He dominated the midfield, pulling the strings and keeping Viktoria Plzen at bay - although this was not the most difficult task

Kroos may sometimes get overshadowed by Luka Modric, but he shone brightly on Wednesday

Real Madrid are on the road again in La Liga this weekend, travelling to Celta Vigo on Sunday, with their next Champions League fixture away to Roma on November 27

Plzen will also play on Sunday when they host FK Pribram in the Czech First League and will also travel to CSKA Moscow in their next European fixture on November 27

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567

Two late goals gave Manchester United a memorable 2-1 comeback victory over Juventus in the Champions League group stage

Former United forward Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus to put the hosts in front, hitting a superbly-timed volley past David de Gea (65) from inside the box following Leonardo Bonucci's ball

But Juan Mata equalised for United with four minutes remaining with a fine dipping free-kick from 20 yards, before former Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba helped bundle the ball over the line via Alex Sandro for an own goal in the 90th minute

The result means United's knockout qualification hopes are in their own hands, sitting second in Group H with seven points, two behind leaders Juventus and two above Valencia

United looked solid for the first half an hour as neither side created a clear-cut chance, but the first opportunity fell to Juventus as Juan Cuadrado's cross from the right of the box deflected off Nemanja Matic, forcing De Gea into a sharp save

A minute later, Ronaldo's fine cut back from the right fell to Sami Khedira, but he hooked his right-footed effort from 12 yards against the outside of the post with De Gea stranded

After the break, Anthony Martial struck just wide with a curling effort from 20 yards, while at the other end Juventus hit the woodwork again through Paulo Dybala's shot just inside the box in space

He had been quiet up to this point, but Ronaldo became centre of attention on 65 minutes, collecting a deep Bonucci ball over his shoulder and volleying brilliantly past De Gea from 12 yards

Ronaldo, who spent six years at Old Trafford, did not hold back in his celebrations, but did wave in respect to the United fans after scoring

Dybala nearly added a second, denied by De Gea's outstretched hand, and Cuadrado fluffed his chance to wrap up the game from 12 yards, blazing over after Ronaldo's unselfish centre

However, out of nowhere, United fought back for the three points, equalising as Mata hit a fine free-kick over the wall after Wojciech Szczesny had taken a step to the opposite side

They got their winner in the 90th minute from Ashley Young's wicked free-kick cross, causing mayhem at the far post as Pogba's touch came off Sandro and over the line

Jose Mourinho celebrated at full time by cupping his ears to the Juventus crowd, which upset some of the home players, before being ushered off the pitch

Alongside Chris Smalling, Lindelof put in a fine showing to keep Juventus at bay for the majority of the game making a team-high eight clearances and losing the ball only four times, less than any of the starting XI

United now go to rivals Manchester City on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League at 4

30pm, and face Young Boys at Old Trafford next up in the Champions League on November 27

Juventus host Valencia on the same night

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568

Liverpool's Champions League hopes were left in a precarious position after a 2-0 defeat at Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday

Milan Pavkov marked his first Champions League start with two goals inside 29 minutes - his first in European football - to condemn Jurgen Klopp's side to a third-successive away defeat in the competition for the very first time

Daniel Sturridge missed a gilt-edged chance to fire the visitors into an early lead and Andrew Robertson and Mohamed Salah saw efforts strike the woodwork in the second half, but Pavkov's double sealed Red Star their first win of the campaign, and first ever in the Champions League proper

The result, paired with Napoli's 1-1 draw with PSG, leaves Liverpool second in Group C with six points

They are below leaders Napoli on their head-to-head record and a point above PSG, while Red Star are fourth with four points

Red Star boss Vladan Milojevic ramped up the importance of the game not only to his side but the Serbian nation ahead of kick-off

It was clear that message resonated with his players

Only the domineering physical presence of Virgil van Dijk prevented Red Star, buoyed by a partisan home crowd, from applying relentless pressure in a testing opening spell for the visitors

Marko Marin and Red Star captain Vudajin Savic were able to get shots away on Alisson's goal before the quarter-hour mark, yet for all of their dominance, the first clear chance fell to Liverpool

Sadio Mane's cutback was helped on by Adam Lallana to Sturridge at the back post, but the forward, restored to the starting line-up, failed to vindicate his selection as he blazed over from six yards

Liverpool were made to pay for that miss within five minutes as the unmarked Pavkov rose high to power a header past Alisson and Red Star into the lead

Pavkov's first goal in European football was quickly followed by his second

After James Milner relinquished possession, the striker fended off Georginio Wijnaldum before unleashing a crisp 25-yard drive that flashed through fingertips of Alisson after a miscalculated dive

Lallana saw a header deflect wide on 33 minutes and, five minutes into the second half, Mane should have halved the deficit with a toe-poke that was blocked by Savic

Robertson saw a cross deflect onto the Red Star crossbar on 56 minutes before Salah's instinctive volley clipped the outside of the post as Liverpool pushed for a route back into the game

Salah was denied from an acute angle by goalkeeper Milan Borjan before Van Dijk saw a header land of the Red Star goal, but Liverpool's comeback never gathered real momentum on another disappointing foreign outing

With Van Dijk in imperious form in the opening exchanges, Pavkov looked to have his work cut out

But having broken the deadlock, and his duck in European football, with a bullet header, the big front man put the game beyond Liverpool with a special strike

Red Star's first win the Champions League since its inception will live long in the memory, thanks in no uncertain terms to the performance of Pavkov

Liverpool host bottom-of-the-table Fulham at Anfield on Sunday (midday) in their final Premier League game before the international break

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<PAD>

569

Barcelona qualified for the Champions League knockout stages despite Mauro Icardi's late strike handing Inter Milan a 1-1 draw at the San Siro on Tuesday

Needing a victory to confirm their passage to the last 16 as group winners, Malcom gave Ernesto Valverde's side, who were still without the injured Lionel Messi, the lead minutes after coming on as a substitute (83)

But Inter captain Icardi capitalised on some poor defending from Barca to equalise just four minutes later (87), leaving the visitors waiting to secure top spot in Group B

Barcelona, who were unbeaten in their last 11 group stage games in the Champions League going into the match, started in confident fashion as Inter needed Samir Handanovic to keep out Ousmane Dembele's powerful effort in the second minute

The visitors dominated possession with Inter always looking to counter and they almost broke the deadlock when Ivan Perisic's low cross picked out Kwadwo Asamoah, but the defender failed to hit the target from close range

Barca were looking the more likely side to break the deadlock though and they should have been in front in the 31st minute

Inter failed to clear Dembele's corner and Gerard Pique kept the ball alive, knocking it down to Luis Suarez, who sliced wide from a tight angle

Philippe Coutinho then forced an excellent save from Handanovic, who also kept out a first-time effort from Suarez to keep the scores level at the break

Barcelona continued to dominate after the break and Handanovic made his best save just before the hour mark, blocking Ivan Rakitic's goalbound shot, but he was blameless for Malcom's opener

The Brazilian has not featured much for Barca since signing from Bordeaux in the summer but he made an instant impact after replacing Dembele, controlling a pass from Coutinho before powering the ball under the diving Handanovic for his first goal for the club

Barca were on their way to a first win in Italy since November 2011, which would also have seen them seal top spot in the group, but Icardi had the final say with his ninth goal of the season

Despite the late leveller, Barca could still celebrate qualifying for the knockout stage for a 15th consecutive season and they will clinch top spot in the group if they win away at PSV Eindhoven next time out

Inter are unbeaten in their four home games against Barcelona in the Champions League, drawing three of those fixtures (W1)

Barcelona have only lost one of their previous 15 games in the Champions League (W9 D5), however, four of the six games they failed to win in this run came against Italian opposition

Malcom is the first player to score on his Champions League debut for Barcelona since Cristian Tello, who netted twice v Bayer Leverkusen in March 2012

Inter Milan played out just their second draw in their last 21 Champions League games (W10 L9), with their previous one coming against Trabzonspor in November 2011

Each of Inter's three goals at the San Siro in the Champions League this season have been scored in the 85th minute or later, with Icardi netting two of those

Icardi will get plenty of plaudits for his late equaliser but Handanovic is the man Inter really have to thank for their point

He was called on time after time to repel Barca, producing stunning saves to keep out Suarez, Coutinho and Dembele

He was finally beaten by Malcom in the 83rd minute but Icardi popped up to ensure the Slovenia international deservedly did not end up on the losing side

Inter Milan are back in Serie A action at the weekend, taking on Atalanta at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia on Sunday (11

30am)

In Europe, they face a crucial trip to Wembley to play Tottenham on November 28 (8pm)

Barcelona are also back in league action on Sunday, taking on Real Betis at the Nou Camp at 3

15pm

In the Champions League, they face a trip to PSV on November 28 (8pm)

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<PAD>

570

Barcelona closed in qualification for the Champions League last 16 after goals from Rafinha and Jordi Alba handed the hosts a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan

Rafinha gave Barcelona the lead in the 32nd minute, meeting a fine Luis Suarez cross to hand Ernesto Valverde's side the initiative

Inter did have half-chances to score, with their best opportunities landing to substitute Matteo Politano, but the Serie A side rarely threatened Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the Barca goal, before Alba wrapped the game up eight minutes from time

The result means Barcelona go three points ahead of second-placed Inter in Group B with three games of the group stages left to play

Barcelona began quietly and showed some signs of early nerves

Ivan Perisic fired a warning shot from range in the third minute as he tried to capitalise on a poor clearance from Ter Stegen

On the quarter-hour mark, Perisic drilled a dangerous cross into the path of Mauro Icardi, but he couldn't make sufficient contact to turn the ball into the net

After that, Barcelona steadily grew in confidence and Clement Lenglet was denied a goal when his powerful header from a corner was blocked by the thigh of Samir Handanovic

As Barcelona continued to move through the gears they took the lead through Rafinha

The Brazilian winger, who was chosen to take Lionel Messi's place on the right flank, received Suarez's perfectly executed pass in the box and side-footed the ball home to the delight of Barcelona's talismanic forward in the stands

Politano, who was widely tipped to start the match, came on in the second half for Antonio Candreva and he energised the Inter attack

His deceptive cross into the box headed goalbound and it required Ter Stegen to claw the ball away with Perisic ready to pounce

The Sassuolo loanee came close again moments later, but he blazed his close-range effort over the bar following a sloppy giveaway from Arthur

Even though Inter rallied back, Barcelona responded positively with Suarez and Lenglet both forcing Handanovic into a string of fine saves before Philippe Coutinho rattled the woodwork in the 69th minute

And with Barcelona continuing to apply the pressure, they found their winning goal through Jordi Alba seven minutes from time as Ivan Rakitic's incisive pass was latched onto by the Spanish full-back, who slotted home to complete their convincing victory without Messi

Suarez was a constant problem for Inter's two centre backs Miranda and Milan Skriniar

When Barcelona were facing some early pressure in the second half, he alleviated it by his clever running into the channels alongside his hold-up play

His performance arguably deserved a goal but he picked up a worthy assist for Rafinha's opener in the first half

null

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TerStegen

True

Roberto

True

Pique

True

Lenglet

True

Alba

True

Busquets

True

Rakitic

True

Arthur

True

Rafinha

True

Coutinho

True

Suarez

True

Semedo

False

Vidal

False

ElHaddadi

False

Handanovic

True

D’Ambrosio

False

Skriniar

False

Miranda

False

Asamoah

False

Brozovic

False

Vecino

False

Candreva

False

Valero

False

Perisic

False

Icardi

False

Politano

True

Balde

False

Martinez

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<PAD>

571

Hugo Lloris' red card proved costly as Luuk de Jong's late equaliser denied Tottenham in a 2-2 Champions League draw at PSV Eindhoven

Harry Kane looked to have secured his side a first Group B win of the season with his second-half header, but goalkeeper Lloris was dismissed for a 78th-minute foul on Hirving Lozano and De Jong smashed home an equaliser three minutes before full time

Earlier, Lozano pounced on Toby Alderweireld's 29th minute mistake to give the home side the lead, but Lucas Moura equalised 10 minutes later after Davinson Sanchez had controversially had a goal ruled out for offside

The late drama means Spurs, who had lost their opening two matches to Inter Milan and Barcelona, remain third in Group B, with qualification for the knockout stages hanging by a thread with just one point on the board

PSV also started the match without a point, but after Kane had looped an early header onto Jeroen Zoet's crossbar, Lozano gave them the lead when he capitalised on a mistake by last man Alderweireld

The Tottenham defender conceded possession 30 yards from goal, allowing the PSV forward to drive into the area and shoot

Alderweireld did well to get back and make a recovery tackle, but his efforts only helped the ball loop over Lloris and into the net

Sanchez thought he'd equalised five minutes later when he rifled the ball home after Zoet pushed away Alderweireld's header, but he was denied by the linesman's flag as Kane - standing several yards away from the ball and out of the goalkeeper's vision - was penalised for standing in an offside position

However, the equaliser arrived five minutes after that as Eriksen slipped in Kieran Trippier to pull the ball back for Lucas, whose shot deflected off Nick Viergever and in

Gaston Pereiro hit the bar as the first half drew to a close, but Spurs had the lead within nine minutes of the restart

Heung-Min Son created space for Eriksen to cross from the left and Kane headed down into the turf and beyond Zoet to put Tottenham within reach of victory

Substitute Erik Lamela rattled the bar in the 73rd minute, but the game turned on its head five minutes later when Lloris raced out of his area and took down the rampaging Lozano to earn a straight red card

Michel Vorm came off the bench and did well to keep out De Jong's free-kick at full stretch, but the PSV striker had the final say when he lashed home from close range three minutes from time after a free-kick caused chaos in the Tottenham penalty area

That late goal means Mauricio Pochettino may now need maximum points from the remaining three games - at home to PSV and Inter Milan before a final-day trip to Barcelona - if Spurs are to reach the last 16 of the Champions League for a second straight season

It was ultimately a disappointing night for Spurs, but for much of the second half it looked as though they were on course to pick up their first win of the campaign

Full-back Trippier had helped to put them in that position with thrusting runs down the right wing throughout, one of which led to an assist for Lucas Moura's equaliser

He has now produced an assist in four of his last five Champions League games and was a constant threat with his set-piece delivery throughout

If VAR had been involved there is a real chance Sanchez's first-half effort would not have been ruled out for offside

Kane was standing in an offside position when the defender rifled into the back of the net from a corner, but he was near the far post as the ball fizzed several yards in front of him to the near post

It's hard to justify the claim that he was interfering with play and, if given the chance for a review, the officials may have awarded the goal

The two teams meet again in the Champions League at Wembley Stadium on November 6

Before that Spurs host Manchester City in the Premier League live on Monday Night Football, while PSV go to Groningen on Saturday evening in the Eredivisie

null

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Zoet

True

Dumfries

False

Schwaab

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Viergever

False

Angelino

True

Rosario

True

Hendrix

True

Pereiro

True

Malen

True

DeJong

True

Lozano

True

Lloris

False

Trippier

True

Alderweireld

False

Sanchez

True

Davies

False

Dier

False

Dembele

False

Eriksen

True

Lucas

True

Son

False

Kane

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Lamela

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Winks

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Vorm

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<PAD>

572

Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Champions League with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade at Anfield

Roberto Firmino opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Salah netted on the stroke half-time

Salah then scored his 50th Liverpool goal from the penalty spot before Sadio Mane rounded off the scoring, having also seen a penalty saved

The win sees Jurgen Klopp's side move top of Group C, a point ahead of Napoli, who followed up their victory over Liverpool with a 2-2 draw against Paris Saint-Germain

Liverpool have laboured at times in recent weeks, only scoring three goals in their last five games, but eased to victory against Red Star as Salah, Mane and Firmino scored in the same game for the first time this season

Having lost 6-1 against Paris Saint-Germain in their last outing, Red Star looked to press Liverpool early and might have taken the lead in the 17th minute when Srdjan Babic volleyed over from 10 yards out from a corner

However, that was a rare opening for the visitors and Liverpool, who had already seen Salah denied by Milan Borjan, took the lead in the 20th minute

Shaqiri's perfectly-weighted pass split the defence and Andy Robertson crossed into the middle for Firmino to finish

Liverpool added to their advantage late in the half as Shaqiri showed fantastic vision to play into the path of Salah and he finished past the goalkeeper

Salah scored his 50th Liverpool goal from 65 matches shortly after half-time, smashing a penalty down the middle after Vladimir Stojkovic had been harshly penalised for a foul on Mane

The hosts looked in cruise control but Mane missed a chance to extend the lead when he saw a penalty saved and then scuffed the rebound, following a handball against El Fardou Ben Nabouhane

However, Mane ended his seven-game scoring drought when he finished in the 80th minute from Daniel Sturridge's pass, and Adam Lallana and Mane both spurned chances for a fifth

If Shaqiri can regularly repeat this kind of performance then the £13m paid for him in the summer will be a bargain

He was instrumental in the first goal - winning the ball back and then playing through for Robertson - and his touch to set up Salah for the second was superb

He also played a fine pass over the top earlier in the game that Salah probably should have scored from

Liverpool host Cardiff in the Premier League on Saturday before a trip to Arsenal on Saturday, November 3

They travel to Red Star Belgrade in the return fixture on Tuesday, November 6

null

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Alisson

False

VanDijk

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Gomez

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Robertson

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Alexander-Arnold

True

Fabinho

True

Wijnaldum

True

Shaqiri

True

Firmino

True

Mane

True

Salah

True

Lallana

False

Moreno

False

Sturridge

False

Borjan

False

Degenek

False

Babic

False

Stojkovic

False

Gobeljic

False

Jovicic

False

Krsticic

False

Ebecilio

False

Srnic

False

Nabouhane

False

Boakye

False

Causic

False

Jovancic

False

Simic

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<PAD>

573

Harry Kane kept Tottenham's hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds of the Champions League alive as they beat PSV 2-1 at Wembley

Spurs needed a result on Tuesday evening to keep them in the hunt for the next round, but were dealt a blow early on when Luuk de Jong scored after 61 seconds

But Tottenham pressed hard for their equaliser and were rewarded in the 78th minute as Kane swept home before nodding in the winner 11 minutes later, with his effort taking a deflection off Trent Sainsbury on the way through

Tottenham remain third in Group B with four points after Inter and Barcelona drew 1-1, while PSV remain bottom with just one point

PSV took the lead inside two minutes and it was captain De Jong with the goal

Gaston Pereiro delivered a corner and after getting away from Dele Alli, the PSV striker rose highest to nod home Paolo Gazzaniga

But Tottenham responded well, and forced PSV into a goalmouth clearance not long after

Christian Eriksen delivered a free-kick, which an unmarked Davinson Sanchez nodded towards the back post

Alli was there to flick it towards goal but his effort was headed away by Jorrit Hendrix on the line

Jeroen Zoet had little to do in the opening 20 minutes, but was soon called into action as Lucas Moura burst down the field before a sliding tackle from Nick Viergever tried to stop him

But the loose ball was once again Moura's, with his shot blocked by the body of the goalkeeper before PSV got the ball clear

The Netherlands international made a superb double save in the 28th minute as Alli's great cross found Eriksen, but what looked to be a simple tap-in was saved by the legs of Zoet

The rebound fell to Alli but again, the goalkeeper was there to push the ball away

Tottenham continued to press for an equaliser in the second half, but had fewer clear-cut chances

Indeed, it was PSV who went close in the 58th minute as Pereiro headed a corner towards goal, but Gazzaniga leapt to keep it out

Spurs deservedly got their equaliser with 12 minutes to play

Kane collected a long pass in the area and played a neat one-two with substitute Fernando Llorente before sweeping home past Zoet

The Tottenham captain helped force the winner in the 89th minute to give Spurs a vital three points in their Champions League campaign

He nodded a Ben Davies cross towards goal, with the ball taking a deflection off the elbow of Sainsbury on the way through to beat Zoet and give the hosts the victory

The Brazilian played just over an hour, but he was certainly impressive

He showed a brilliant work rate to chase down balls that looked like lost causes and his run towards goal in 23rd minute from the halfway line was nothing short of sublime

There were boos from the home fans when Erik Lamela came on to replace him, but with a congested fixture list, it can be understood as more performances like that from Moura will certainly be helping Spurs on all fronts

It's a relatively short trip for Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday as they travel to Crystal Palace for a 5

30pm kick off

PSV are also playing away in the Eredivisie, going to De Graafschap on Saturday

null

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Gazzaniga

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Aurier

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Alderweireld

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Sanchez

True

Davies

True

Winks

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Eriksen

True

Alli

True

Moura

True

Son

True

Kane

True

Lamela

False

Llorente

False

Trippier

False

Zoet

True

Dumfries

True

Schwaab

False

Viergever

True

Angelino

False

Rosario

False

Hendrix

False

Pereiro

True

Bergwijn

False

DeJong

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Lozano

False

Malen

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<PAD>

574

Cristiano Ronaldo helped provide the winner on his return to Manchester United as Juventus cruised to a 1-0 Champions League win at Old Trafford

Ronaldo had an immediate impact against his former club to silence the masses, firing a cross into the middle which eventually fell for Paulo Dybala to net his fifth goal of the season with just 17 minutes on the clock

From then on in, it looked like there was only going to be one winner, as Juventus dominated possession and created the better openings, only to be kept at bay by David de Gea in the United goal

Paul Pogba did almost snatch an unlikely point for United late on against his former club, but his fierce strike came out off the post

A first Champions League defeat of the season leaves United's hopes of winning Group H hanging by a thread with Juventus way out in front with three wins from three so far, but Valencia's draw at Young Boys earlier on Wednesday means United remain second, two points clear of Valencia in third

United again arrived late to the stadium, with the players having only 50 minutes before kick-off to prepare, and the hosts looked well off the pace early on as Juventus dominated possession

Soon enough they had edged in front, with a familiar face coming back to haunt his former employer

Ronaldo pulled wide to the right wing, fired a fierce low cross into the middle, Chris Smalling failed to clear at the near post and Dybala was on hand to stroke home the loose ball

United just could not get a foothold in the game, and had De Gea to thank for preventing Juventus extending their lead - he made smart stops denying Joao Cancelo, Ronaldo and Blaise Matuidi

United offered very little as an attacking force, mustering just one shot at goal in the entire first half

Juventus continued in the ascendancy in the second period, and again were denied by De Gea with the Spain international's reflex stop to deny Ronaldo from the edge of the box right out of the top drawer

United started to commit more bodies forward, but they could not break down the resolute Serie A champions, who drew on all their experience to frustrate United

Pogba's late effort came out of nowhere, and would have been harsh on Juventus

But luck was not on United's side as the Frenchman's drilled effort came out of the inside of the post, hit the back of Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and rolled wide

United slipped to their fourth home defeat in their last 13 games at Old Trafford in all competitions - as many as in their previous 81 home matches

It is no secret that Dybala possesses considerable ability, but when it really matters, against fellow European heavyweights, he often fails to produce the goods

At Old Trafford, however, the Argentina international was a menace, having more shots than anyone else on the pitch

He linked up brilliantly with Ronaldo and took his goal with the confidence of a man comfortable on the grandest of stages

United are at home again on Sunday, as they take on Everton, live on Sky Sports

Juventus travel to Empoli on Saturday

null

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DeGea

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Young

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Lindelof

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Smalling

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Shaw

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Matic

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Mata

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Pogba

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Rashford

False

Lukaku

False

Martial

False

NoneSzczesny

False

Cancelo

True

Bonucci

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Chiellini

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AlexSandro

True

Matuidi

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Bentancur

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Pjanic

False

Dybala

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Cuadrado

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Ronaldo

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Barzagli

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Berardeschi

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<PAD>

575

Gabriel Jesus hit a first senior hat-trick as Manchester City took a giant stride towards the Champions League knockout stages with a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening

Pep Guardiola's side were dominant from the first whistle, taking the lead in the 13th minute through David Silva and they were gifted a second following Viktor Kassai's decision to award them a dubious penalty midway through the first-half

The Hungarian referee pointed to the spot thinking Mykola Matvyenko tripped Raheem Sterling but the England forward actually kicked the ground before going down

Jesus (25) took full advantage, converting from the spot to send the hosts into the break with a two-goal advantage

The goals continued to come in the second half through Sterling, a second penalty from Jesus and Riyad Mahrez before Jesus rounded off City's biggest European win by completing his hat-trick

Despite the victory, City, who are in pole position to top group F with two games remaining, will have to wait to confirm their place in the last 16 following Lyon's 2-2 draw with 10-man Hoffenheim

City, who hit six past Southampton last Sunday, were quickly out of the blocks again, taking the lead after 13 minutes when Mahrez pulled back for David Silva to turn home from close range

Their second then came in comical circumstances as Sterling lost his footing kicking the ground in the penalty area after being played through by Fernandinho

Kassai had no hesitation pointing to the spot but within seconds replays were showing the extent of his error with Guardiola also appearing to tell the fourth official about the mistake

Jesus, who was in need of a goal, accepted the gift, stepping up to score his third of the season

City added to their tally early in the second half as Sterling continued his fine form, shrugging off the challenge of two defenders before curling into the top corner from the edge of the area

City had two further penalty appeals turned down as Sterling and David Silva went down under challenges but Kassai had no alternative other than to point to the spot again 18 minutes from time

David Silva was clearly felled by Taras Stepanenko and Jesus fired into the top corner to become the first player to score two penalties in a Champions League game for an English club since Wayne Rooney did so for Manchester United against Otelul Galati in October 2011

Mahrez added another six minutes from time when he chested down substitute Ilkay Gundogan's pass and blasted past Pyatov and Jesus rounded off the scoring by lofting the ball over the goalkeeper for his third

This 6-0 victory ended a run of three consecutive Champions League defeats for Manchester City at the Etihad, and was their biggest ever win in any European competition in their history

City have scored 6+ goals in back-to-back games in all competitions for the first time since November 1987 when they followed up a 10-1 league win over Huddersfield Town with a 6-2 win over Plymouth in the Full Members Cup

David Silva has scored three goals in the 2018-19 Champions League, his best ever tally in a single season in the competition

He has scored in three successive Champions League games for the first time

Jesus is the first player to score two penalties in a Champions League game for an English club since Wayne Rooney did so for Manchester United against Otelul Galati in October 2011

Jesus is aloso the third player to score a Champions League hat-trick for Manchester City after Alvaro Negredo and Sergio Aguero (x2)

Finally, Mahrez has had a hand in seven goals his six starts at home in the Champions League (three goals, four assists)

Jesus came into the match with a lack of game time and struggling for confidence

The Brazilian had scored just twice and before the game against Shakhtar so his hat-trick was just what the doctor ordered

He dispatched both his penalties emphatically before completing his hat-trick with a brilliant lofted finish

It was a sign his confidence had returned and that's good news for Guardiola and City with the many challenges they have ahead, starting with the Manchester derby on Saturday

Up next for Manchester City is the small matter of a Manchester derby against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium, which is live on (4

30pm)

Their next Champions League fixture is a trip to Lyon on Tuesday November 27 (8pm)

Shakhtar Donetsk travel to Vorskla on Sunday (5

30pm) in the Ukrainian Premier League

Their next match in the Champions League is against German side Hoffenheim at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena on Tuesday November 27 (8pm)

null

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Ederson

True

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Zinchenko

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Fernandinho

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DavidSilva

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Mahrez

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BernardoSilva

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Sterling

True

Jesus

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Danilo

False

Gundogan

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Delph

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Pyatov

False

Matviyenko

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Kryvtsov

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Rakitskiy

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Ismaily

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Stepanenko

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Maicon

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Taison

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Kovalenko

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Bolbat

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Moraes

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Kayode

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Lourenco

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WellingtonNem

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<PAD>

576

Real Madrid turned in an unconvincing performance as they scraped past Czech outfit Viktoria Plzen with a 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday evening

Karim Benzema opened the scoring after just 11 minutes when he headed home Lucas Vazquez's dinked cross to settle the hosts' nerves, but David Limbersky and Patrik Hrosovsky spurned chances to equalise before the half-time whistle

Within 10 minutes of the restart, Marcelo had clipped an effort over Plzen 'keeper Ales Hruska to double the home advantage, but Hrosovsky set up a tense finale when he pulled a goal back with 11 minutes to play

The result sees Los Blancos retain Group G top spot, but the performance failed to ease any pressure on manager Julen Lopetegui, ahead of Sunday afternoon's El Clasico meeting with Barcelona

From the off there was an evident desire from the hosts to react and put their recent adversity to bed, and within five minutes they almost had their wish as Sergio Ramos directed a Toni Kroos corner onto the post

Real suffered an early scare, though

Roman Hubnik's speculative pass drifted beyond makeshift right-back Vazquez and Milan Petrzela forced Keylor Navas into a low save, before driving the rebound into the side netting

Within a matter of seconds, Vazquez floated a cross to the far post and Benzema was on hand to place a header past Hruska, a goal that moved him fourth on the list of all-time Champions League goalscorers

The goal seemed to set the tone, yet the Plzen threat would not abate

Limbersky dinked wide from close range and Hrosovsky passed up a golden chance when his poor connection on a cross from the right prevented him from volleying past Navas

Lopetegui - who is reportedly on the verge of losing his job after 13 games - replaced Isco with debutant Federico Valverde after the break and the 20-year-old introduced himself by feeding Gareth Bale, who set up Marcelo to dink the second from close range

The goal, arguably, should have taken the wind of out Plzen's sails, but moments after Vazquez headed Marco Asensio's cross wide, Hrosovsky calmly tucked his effort beyond Navas into the bottom right corner

But for some robust defending from Nacho, Michal Krmencik could have equalised for the visitors and although uncertainty remains, Real held on to claim all three points

The veteran left-back turned in an impressive performance at the Bernabeu on Tuesday, clearly not overawed by Plzen's opposition

His overlapping runs put makeshift Real right-back Vasquez to the test on numerous occasions and the 35-year-old almost capped his performance in the Spanish capital with a goal, though he clipped his effort across the face of Navas' goal in the first half

Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last 27 group stage games at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League (W24 D3), in a run dating back to November 2009

Viktoria Plzen have lost seven of their eight away games in the Champions League (W1), shipping at least two goals in each defeat

Real Madrid have beaten more different opponents than any other team in Champions League history, with Viktoria Plzen being the 57th side they have won against in the competition

Real Madrid striker Benzema is now the outright fourth top scorer in Champions League history (57), overtaking Ruud Van Nistelrooy (56) with this evening's opener

Benzema became the third player to score in 14 consecutive Champions League campaigns, following Raúl and Lionel Messi

null

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Navas

False

Vazquez

False

Nacho

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Ramos

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Marcelo

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Modric

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Casemiro

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Kroos

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Bale

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Isco

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Benzema

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Valverde

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Asensio

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Hruska

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Reznik

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Hejda

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Hubnik

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Limbersky

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Hrosovsky

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Prochazka

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Havel

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Cermak

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Petrzela

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Krmencik

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Horava

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<PAD>

577

David Silva and Bernardo Silva both scored as Manchester City eased to a 3-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday

David Silva volleyed in the opener after 30 minutes and Aymeric Laporte headed in from a corner shortly afterwards

Bernardo Silva rounded off the scoring when he made it 3-0 in the 70th minute, less than 90 seconds after coming off the bench to replace Kevin De Bruyne, who was making his first start of the season

The win moves City top of Group F after Hoffenheim scored late to snatch a 3-3 draw against Lyon

While far tougher tests will lie ahead for City, this was an impressive response to Pep Guardiola's pre-match remarks that his side still lack "something special" to win the Champions League

City were dominant in the first half and should have scored before David Silva broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark

Gabriel Jesus was denied by goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov while Riyad Mahrez shot wide and then saw a goal-bound effort blocked by Yaroslav Rakitskiy

David Silva smacked the post from Mahrez's cross before eventually rewarding City's constant pressure by drilling a low volley past Pyatov in the 30th minute

Laporte headed in from a corner five minutes later, and City finished with 14 shots in the first half

The visitors eased off slightly after the break but still had chances as David Silva saw a shot blocked and Mahrez twice went close

Ederson was called into action for the first time in the 51st minute to push away an effort from Ismaily, but City added a third when substitute Bernardo Silva drove through the middle and finished with a low shot that went in off the post

Raheem Sterling almost added a fourth late in the game as he crashed a shot against the bar

John Stones was excellent at right-back and Aymeric Laporte was strong in the middle, but David Silva's control of the game, particularly in the first half, was superb

City's captain was typically reliable on the ball, efficient in possession and produced a composed finish to break the deadlock

Manchester City face a crunch clash against Tottenham on on October 29 before hosting Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Thursday, November 1

They host Shakhtar in the return fixture on Wednesday, November 7

null

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Pyatov

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Matviienko

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Kryvtsov

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Rakitskiy

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Ismaily

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Maycon

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Stepanenko

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WellingtonNem

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Kovalenko

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Fernando

False

Moraes

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Bolbat

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Dentinho

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Patrick

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Ederson

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Laporte

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Mendy

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Stones

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Otamendi

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Fernandinho

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DeBruyne

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Mahrez

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Sterling

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Jesus

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<PAD>

578

Lorenzo Insigne scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Napoli stunned Liverpool with 1-0 victory in the Champions League group stages

Insigne struck in the final minute of normal time, converting Jose Callejon's inch-perfect cross on the stretch to spark wild celebrations at the Stadio San Paolo

After Dries Mertens struck the crossbar, it was no more than Carlo Ancelotti's team deserved, having dominated the second half against a below-par Liverpool side, The victory lifts Napoli above Liverpool into top spot in Group C, which is now wide open following Paris Saint-Germain's 6-1 thrashing of Red Star Belgrade earlier on Wednesday

Jurgen Klopp's team, having seen a credible point snatched from their grasp, have just four days to dust themselves down for Sunday's showdown with Manchester City - live onLiverpool's performance was symptomatic of a side that - with a victory already on the board - did not need to win, and an uneventful first half littered with possession errors unfolded

Keita's loose back pass on 11 minutes was pounced upon by Napoli and switched to Insigne, but he flashed a left-footed effort wide of Alisson's post

Liverpool then lost Keita to injury on 18 minutes, his replacement Jordan Henderson tried to inject some vigour in midfield but Napoli withstood the brief revival

The visitors had Alisson to thank on 33 minutes as he parried Arkadiusz Milik's shot on the swivel and gathered at the second attempt before the rebound was converted

Napoli upped the ante in the second half with the addition of substitute Mertens

After Callejon saw a volley cleared off the line by Gomez, the Belgium international crashed an effort off the underside of the Liverpool bar

With a point in sight, Liverpool's attacking presence steadily diminished as they failed to register a shot on target through the duration of the game

That strategy backfired in the final minute as Napoli made their pressure tell

Callejon raced in behind the advanced Andrew Robertson and beat Alisson with a low cross which was poked home by Insigne, leaving Liverpool with no chance to respond

"We interpreted the game really well

We were able to keep possession

Overall it was a very good approach from the team, there was a perfect balance to avoid the attack and managed their strong strikers up front

It gives a lot of character to the team and it's great we kept the same mentality from the start to the end

It gives great self-confidence to the players

" "No attempts on target, I don't remember when that happened last time

I think we had a big part of that because we can play much better

No shot on target is not enough

They had a good game, we didn't, that's what they deserved the three points

"A constant thorn in Liverpool's side, Napoli's local hero Insigne got his just rewards for a display of sheer persistence

The diminutive forward registered a game-high five efforts on goal and, had it not been for Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, he would have secured a much-needed victory sooner than he did

Liverpool resume their Premier League campaign with a mouth-watering Renault Super Sunday clash against champions Manchester City - live on

Napoli host Sassuolo in Serie A on Sunday

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579

Manchester City got their first victory of the Champions League campaign as David Silva's late goal handed them a 2-1 win away to Hoffenheim in Group F

Tuesday evening's game was topped and tailed by goals, with Ishak Belfodil scoring inside a minute to put the hosts ahead at the Rhein-Neckar Arena before Sergio Aguero (8) levelled things up not long after

Man City should have been awarded a penalty in the 74th minute after goalkeeper Oliver Baumann took down Leroy Sane in the area, before David Silva (87) slotted home to seal the win for the visitors

Pep Guardiola's side move up to second in Group F ahead of Lyon v Shakhtar Donetsk at 8pm, while Hoffenheim are bottom

The hosts went ahead 44 seconds after kicking off their first ever home Champions League fixture

Kerem Demirbay slotted the ball through for Belfodil in the area and the striker swept home past Ederson to send the Rhein-Neckar Arena into raptures

But their enthusiam was curbed seven minutes later as Aguero equalised

It was a sublime ball from David Silva as he played Leroy Sane in, and the German decided against going for goal himself as he cut the ball back for Aguero

The Argentine then found space before scoring from inside the six-yard box

Man City were quickly on the hunt for a second goal and could have taken the lead in the 16th minute

They broke down the field at speed with Raheem Sterling getting himself into the box with only Baumann to beat, but the ball came off his heel before going wide

The Hoffenheim captain made another superb, leaping save in the 35th minute as Aguero sent a marvellous, curling effort his way

Four minutes later, and Ederson was in action at the other end as Belfodil took advantage of a poor back pass from Aymeric Laporte to burst into the area, but the Man City goalkeeper got down low to deny him a second of the game

The second half was a cagier affair with fewer chances, but City should have been awarded a penalty in the 74th minute

Sane collected a long ball and when in the area, had his feet swept from beneath him by Baumann, but no spot-kick was given

But they grabbed a winner with three minutes of normal time to play

Bernardo Silva delivered a superb cross into the area that Stefan Posch failed to deal with, allowing David Silva to nip in and claim the winner

It was not just his well-taken goal that sees David Silva earn the man-of-the-match award, as he pulled the strings throughout in what was a tough encounter for City

He played the initial ball that set up the opening goal with a sublime pass for Sane, and continued to see his team-mates forward with wonderful passes

The finishing may have been lacking, but he continues to show his importance to Man City this season

UEFA announced last week that they would start using VAR in the Champions League next season and there was one big decision that would have benefited - the penalty that was not given

There are not too many ways to dress it up as it was a clear foul from Baumann on Sane

The referee and his team would have surely seen their decision overturned if VAR was available

Hoffenheim will take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Sunday, and will next be in Champions League action on Tuesday 23 October when they travel to Lyon

It is a huge game for Man City on Sunday - live on Sky Sports - as they travel to Liverpool in the Premier League

Their next Champions League outing is also on October 23 when they travel to Shakhtar Donetsk

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580

Barcelona dented Tottenham's Champions League hopes as they triumphed 4-2 in a pulsating Wembley encounter that was lit up by Lionel Messi on Wednesday

The Argentine scored twice, played a major role in Barca's other goals and hit the post twice as Tottenham slipped to back-to-back defeats in Group B

Philippe Coutinho set the tempo for a breathtaking spectacle by scoring after 95 seconds, following some horrendous decision making by the returning Hugo Lloris, before Ivan Rakitic doubled the lead with a spectacular half-volley (28)

Messi should have wrapped the game up but hit the same post twice in three minutes and this opened the door for Harry Kane (52) to hit back for Spurs

Messi quickly restored the two-goal lead (56) but Erik Lamela (66) set up a grandstand finish that almost led to an equaliser, but Messi had the last laugh in the 90th minute, wrapping up the points with his fifth Champions League goal of this campaign already

Barcelona scared the life out of the Spurs midfield from the first whistle

Victor Wanyama and Harry Winks were hounded out of possession and Messi provided the magic

He bent a clever ball in behind Kieran Trippier for Jordi Alba that triggered Lloris to recklessly scamper from his line despite having no chance of getting there first

The goalkeeper's error opened the space up for Alba to slide the ball to Coutinho, who fired home from 18 yards into an unguarded net

Yet more nervy midfield play paved the way for Barca to rip through Spurs again on 25 minutes

Messi was the instigator, curling a ball over the top that Coutinho just about kept in play

His flick found Rakitic and the midfielder controlled a sensational half-volley into the net from 20 yards that left the hosts with a mountain to climb

Luis Suarez fired wide from a tight angle minutes later before Spurs, who did look dangerous when in Barcelona's third, had a Heung-Min Son goal ruled out after a Trippier handball was spotted in the build-up

Messi took up a more central role after the break, feasting on the space afforded to him by Wanyama

His sensational control and dribbling ability created two wonderful chances for himself - amazingly, both ended with him hitting the base of the left post

Spurs were holding on but got a lifeline when Kane made space for himself down the left edge of the box and curled a clinical strike into the far corner

But Messi burst the bubble on 56 minutes

Alba got free down the left wing and cut a ball across goal which was beautifully dummied by Suarez and Messi swept home into the same bottom corner he had been aiming for minutes earlier

Spurs - led by Kane's constant pressing in attack - kept pushing on despite the threat of Suarez and Messi on the counter-attack

After surviving a few scares, it was the hosts that got the next goal

Kane did the donkey work down the right and fed Lamela, whose effort deflected off Clement Lenglet, wrong-footed Marc-Andre ter Stegen and looped miraculously into the net

Spurs came on strong but Lucas Moura and Kane were denied by some last-ditch Barca defending

Wembley sensed a dramatic leveller but Messi had the final say, scoring from close range after Suarez had picked him out

The maestro put on a majestic showing, full of flair, power and grace

Even the Tottenham fans were applauding him at times

Every attack Barcelona conjured up was instigated by Messi - he finished two of them himself and if we're being slightly critical, he should have at least bagged himself a hat-trick after becoming very fond of the Wembley post

We'll forgive him

Quite simply, he's from another planet

Tottenham are back at Wembley in the Premier League on Saturday for a 3pm kick-off against Neil Warnock's Cardiff City

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<PAD>

581

Manchester United made it four home games without a win with a lacklustre 0-0 draw with Valencia in the Champions League that keeps the spotlight on Jose Mourinho

The United boss will have been looking for a response from his players after back-to-back defeats against Derby and West Ham but they rarely threatened and did not significantly test visiting goalkeeper Neto until the closing stages

Marcus Rashford provided their only spark and clipped the crossbar with a free-kick but it was a similar tale of a lack of intensity in forward areas for United as the Spanish side - who are 14th in La Liga - controlled large parts of the game

United are now without a win at Old Trafford in all competitions since the opening day of the season against Leicester

The United squad were caught in heavy traffic around Old Trafford pre-match, which led to kick-off being delayed by five minutes

It seemed to affect their intensity as they struggled to put Valencia under any pressure, apart from a couple of searing runs from Rashford

The visitors looked threatening down the left but despite creating some positive openings, the final ball provided by Goncalo Guedes was lacking in quality as David de Gea was not severely tested

It took United 71 minutes to work the opposition goalkeeper when Romelu Lukaku sent a left-footed effort that was pushed away by Neto

That chance triggered a mini-wave of pressure in the latter stages

Anthony Martial won a free-kick down the left edge of the box and Rashford hit a swerving effort that looped over Neto but clipped the bar

A winning goal never really looked like coming though

United have now won just two of their last 14 matches against Spanish clubs and although they remain in a strong position to qualify from Group H, the same short-term problems with Mourinho's style remain

The England international looked fresh after his spell on the sidelines through suspension

He was United's most potent weapon off the left wing with his direct running which at times sparked a rather bored home faithful into some sort of excitement

His effort in the closing stages that clipped the crossbar was a brilliant attempt that would have given him the goal his performance deserved

United are back at Old Trafford on Saturday evening for a Premier League fixture against Newcastle

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582

Paul Pogba scored twice as Man Utd got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start with a 3-0 victory at Young Boys

After a tetchy opening on the artificial turf in Bern, United took the lead through Pogba's superb left-footed strike into the top corner from 20 yards (35), before the Frenchman slotted a second from the penalty spot (44)

Anthony Martial made it 3-0 via a devastating United break, seeing his shot deflect into the net from Pogba's assist (66)

The result means United have won their last three games, all away from home, following their stuttering start to the season under Jose Mourinho

Young Boys started the first half brighter, coming close on several occasions; Guillaume Hoarau glanced a header just wide, while David de Gea was forced to make saves from both Mohamed Camara and Christian Faassnacht's long-range efforts

But the visitors went ahead against the run of play as Pogba, having used Fred as a wall, found a yard on his left foot before flashing a beauty into the top left corner for his first Champions League goal for United

And he made it two from the spot with a minute of the first half remaining, slotting into the top right corner after Kevin Mbabu was harshly adjudged to have handled Luke Shaw's cross

United managed the game well after the break, and broke forward to make it 3-0 midway through the half through Martial

Receiving Pogba's unselfish pass as Young Boys kept men forward, the forward saw his close-range effort fortuitously deflect off Camara and past David von Ballmoos for his first goal of the season

Young Boys should have at least grabbed a consolation as Camara hit the outside of the post from point-blank range from a corner, but United held on for a clean sheet in Bern

Admittedly, he has off-days

He also has days where he is unplayable

This was one of the latter

Pogba's superb opener was pivotal, with United under pressure and looking most likely to concede before the Frenchman struck a beauty into the only place he could

It was inch perfect

His all-round play was dominant, too

Pogba constantly picked the right pass, not trying anything too flashy, even when United were in total control

Pogba made more passes in the opponent's half (40) than any player, with 90 per cent accuracy, and also won possession 11 times, a game-high

Man Utd now face Wolves on Saturday in the Premier League at Old Trafford at 3pm, while their next Champions League clash comes at home to Valencia on October 2

Young Boys face Juventus in Turin on the same night

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583

Manchester City paid the price for an error-strewn first-half display as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Lyon in their Champions League opener

The Premier League champions lacked intensity and fell behind when Maxwel Cornet finished in the 26th minute

Nabil Fekir, who came close to joining Liverpool in the summer, made it 2-0 when he seized on a defensive mistake and fired in from 20 yards before half-time

City dominated possession in the second half but only managed to pull one goal back in the 67th minute through Bernardo Silva

Pep Guardiola, who was watching from the stands due to a touchline ban, cut a frustrated figure as his side laboured, particularly in the first half

They did go close as Fernandinho blazed over from the penalty spot and Aymeric Laporte headed against the post, but too many passes went astray and the defence looked susceptible to Lyon's pace on the counter

It was a City mistake that led to the opener as the ball was given away in midfield, Fekir broke down the left and Cornet finished well after Delph made a mess of his attempted clearance

The goal did not serve as a wake-up call for City and they fell further behind in the 43rd minute when Fernandinho lost the ball in defence and Fekir fired in a brilliant shot from 20 yards out

City managed to up the tempo slightly in the second half but could have conceded again on the hour mark as Memphis Depay's shot was tipped onto the post by Ederson

Bernardo Silva gave the hosts a lifeline when he swept a shot into the bottom corner from substitute Leroy Sane's pass

However, despite pressing in the closing stages, City could not grab an equaliser, with Sergio Aguero shooting at Anthony Lopes and then seeing a late effort tipped wide

The 21-year-old produced an excellent display

He finished well for the opening goal, making the most of Delph's mistake, and was then mostly found at the other end of the pitch as he put in a solid defensive shift

City will be looking for a response when they travel to Cardiff in the Premier League on Saturday before facing Oxford United in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday

Lyon host Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday

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584

Two late goals flattened Tottenham as Inter Milan came from a goal down to win their Champions League Group B opener 2-1 at the San Siro

Spurs were ahead early in the second half after Christian Eriksen's deflected volley had looped in (53), only for Mauro Icardi to hit a sensational volley to level things up (86)

And as Inter piled on the pressure late on, Matias Vecino nodded home a stoppage-time winner as Inter returned to Europe's top table with a dramatic win

The result means Tottenham's mini-rot goes on, as they suffer their third straight defeat for the first time under Mauricio Pochettino

Spurs looked nervy early on as Inter players and fans were energised by a first Champions League appearance since 2011, but the best chance of the first half did fall to the visitors

Picking up Eriksen's superb lofted ball into the box, Harry Kane's first touch was perfect, but his second pushed him wide and out of play as he looked to round goalkeeper Samir Handanovic from 10 yards

But Eriksen put Spurs ahead eight minutes after the break, seeing a long-range effort beaten away by Handanovic before his return half-volley looped over the goalkeeper via a deflection off Miranda

Erik Lamela tested Handanovic on three occasions after the opener, but the Slovenian stopper was equal to them as Spurs looked more comfortable heading into the final stages

Substitute Lucas Moura caused problems, and Kane held the ball up well for the visitors, but they were stunned by Icardi's sensational leveller with four minutes remaining

Running onto Kwadwo Asamoah's cut-back from the left, Icardi struck a first-time volley into the bottom left corner from 25 yards on his Champions League debut

Inter pressed in the final stages, and got their winner in the 92nd minute through Vecino, heading home from six yards after Stefan de Vrij had nodded his own header back across goal from a corner

"The debate (about whether or not Kane needs a rest) won't stop until he starts scoring

He had one really good opportunity

"He took a great first touch and could have dinked it over the 'keeper but he opted to go round him, lost his balance and the ball got stuck under his feet

He'll have been disappointed

I think a fully fit, confident Harry Kane would have taken that chance

"Though he may have done better with Eriksen's opener, Handanovic made three vital stops from Lamela in the second half to keep the hosts in the game

He made five stops overall, and was dominant aerially as Tottenham looked for a two-goal cushion

Tottenham now go to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday at 5

30pm, while Inter are at Sampdoria in Serie A at 7

30pm on Saturday night

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585

Goals from Gareth Bale, Isco and a stunning late strike from Mariano sealed a 3-0 win for Real Madrid against Roma in their Champions League opener

The scoreline did not fully reflect the dominance of the reigning champions, who had a number of chances to add to their tally

Isco broke the deadlock in the 45th minute as he brilliantly curled home from a free-kick

Bale doubled the tally 13 minutes into the second half as he swept home from a long Luka Modric pass before Mariano (90+2) rifled home a superb effort into the bottom far corner to seal the victory on his second debut for the club

Roma offered very little in return and Real go top of Group G on goal difference after Viktoria Plzen beat CSKA Moscow 2-1 in the group's other fixture on Wednesday

Real Madrid had two great chances in the opening ten minutes

Toni Kroos played a delightful ball over the top for Bale - who controlled well - before firing a half-volley just wide

The Welshman was involved again not long after as Isco's effort was palmed away by Roma goalkeeper Robin Olsen before Bale's attempt to net the rebound was nicked off target by the leg of Daniele De Rossi

The hosts continued to see good efforts come and go with Olsen making a string of good saves around the 37th minute

The best came after a Real Madrid corner as he forced Sergio Ramos' header over the bar with his fingertips

But Real got their opener on the stroke of half-time

After a foul from De Rossi on Isco inside the 'D', the Spaniard lined the free-kick up for himself before lifting it majestically over the wall and into the back of the net, with goalkeeper Olsen static on the other side of the goal

One of Roma's best chances of the game came within minutes of the restart as Cengiz Under made a wonderful run into the space, getting past Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane before striking, but he forced a good save from Keylor Navas

Not long after, Real hit the crossbar as Bale struck from 10 yards, but it pinged off the woodwork

But the forward made the breakthrough in the 58th minute with a well-taken goal

Modric showed great vision to pick out the run of Bale, who latched onto the pass before beating Kostas Manolas to emphatically sweep home

Although he had few saves to make, Navas did well when called upon, and denied Roma a goal back in the 63rd minute

Uncharacteristically, Casemiro gave the ball away in the middle of the park before Aleksandar Kolarov let fly from the top of the area, forcing a low save from the Real goalkeeper

But Mariano rounded off the victory in some style after coming on for his second Real debut after his return to the club from Lyon in the summer

Marcelo pulled away from his marker before slotting the ball into the path of the 25-year-old, who took the ball around Manolas before curling a great effort into the far corner

Bale is really stepping up in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, and has now been directly involved in 19 goals in 23 starts in Champions League group stage games (12 goals, 7 assists)

It was not just his strike that he took well, the Welshman had a number of other chances throughout the game and could really have had a hat-trick

He continues to link up well with Modric and Karim Benzema, and gave just a glimpse of what is to come from him this season

Real Madrid are next in action against Espanyol at the Bernabeu on Saturday in La Liga and will travel to CSKA Moscow in their next Champions League game on Tuesday 2 October

Roma travel to Bologna in Serie A on Sunday and welcome Viktoria Plzen to the Stadio Olimpico in the Champions League also on October 2

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586

Lionel Messi netted a hat-trick as Barcelona eased to a 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in their opening Champions League group game

The Barca captain opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a wonderful free-kick - his eighth scored in 2018 - before Ousmane Dembele (75) struck in a similar curling fashion in the second half

Messi then tapped home from close range two minutes later, although Samuel Umtiti was sent off after receiving a second yellow card not long after following a forceful challenge on Hirving Lozano

The Argentine completed his treble with a sweeping effort in the 88th minute to seal an impressive first victory of the campaign in Group B

It took around 10 minutes for the game to find its feet as Philippe Coutinho picked out Luis Suarez on the right before receiving the ball back from the Uruguayan, but he put the resulting header just over the crossbar

Not long after, PSV had their best chance of the half but Steven Bergwijn's curling effort just went past the upright

Barcelona kept probing and could have opened the scoring in the 21st minute

A wonderful ball from Messi picked out Suarez towards the left of the area, but his shot from a tight angle could only hammer into the side of the net

The spellbinding Messi did break the deadlock just after the half-hour mark

Dembele was fouled just outside the 'D' by Nick Viergever to win a free-kick, which Messi brilliantly curled over the wall with his left foot and into the top corner

Barcelona continued to see the better chances despite a slightly-improved attacking display from PSV in the second half

Coutinho tested Jeroen Zoet in the 58th minute, but after rounding Denzel Dumfries, his effort was pushed away by the leaping goalkeeper

Coutinho then set up Suarez 10 minutes later but the latter's chipped effort could only dink onto the crossbar

The hosts doubled their lead in the 75th minute with another sublime goal, this time from Dembele

After receiving the ball, he dragged it back on the turn to get away from his markers before striding towards the top of the area and hitting a wonderful, curling effort into the bottom corner

Messi added his second two minutes later as Ivan Rakitic chipped the ball over the top of the PSV defence to pick out the run of the Barcelona captain

He hit home with his first touch at close range, leaving Zoet with no chance to keep it out

Another 120 seconds and Barcelona went down to 10 men after a poor foul from Umtiti

As Lozano raced down the field, the Frenchman body-checked his opponent with real force and was shown a second yellow card

He will miss the trip to Wembley to face Tottenham on Wednesday October 3

Messi rounded off his hat-trick in the 88th minute and made more history in the process

Suarez dinked the ball into his path down the right of the area, before he slotted home on an angle to nab his eighth Champions League treble - a record in the competition

He just gets better

It was a tremendous performance from Messi and he claimed his record-breaking hat-trick with some wonderful finishes

His opening free-kick was a thing of real beauty

He also became the second player in Champions League history to score in 14 consecutive seasons, after Raul Gonzalez, and there is no sign of him stopping in the coming years

Barcelona welcome local rivals Girona on Sunday in La Liga, and will next be in Champions League action on Wednesday October 3 when they play away at Tottenham

PSV face another tough test in the Eredivisie on Sunday when they play second-placed Ajax, while they will be playing Inter in their next Champions League game on October 3

null

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<PAD>

587

Roberto Firmino came off the bench and scored a dramatic late winner as Liverpool beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 in their Champions League opener on Tuesday

Daniel Sturridge, making his first Champions League start in over six years, headed Liverpool into the lead after 30 minutes at Anfield

James Milner made it 2-0 from the penalty spot shortly afterwards, only for Thomas Meunier to reply before half-time and Kylian Mbappe to level in the 83rd minute after a subdued second half

However, Firmino, who did not start due to an eye injury suffered against Tottenham on Saturday, ensured Liverpool started their Group C campaign with a win as he fired in a low shot in injury-time

It was probably no more than Liverpool deserved, having largely controlled the game and created enough chances to finish off a below-par PSG before Mbappe's late equaliser

Liverpool were particularly impressive in the early stages when - as they did so many times on their way to the Champions League final last season - they started on the front foot

Alphonse Areola kept out shots from Virgil van Dijk and Milner while Joe Gomez headed over from a corner

PSG managed to see off the early barrage and went close themselves as Neymar shot at Alisson and Edinson Cavani was unable to finish from the rebound

The deadlock was broken after half an hour as Robertson curled in a brilliant first-time cross for Sturridge to head home from eight yards out

Mbappe fired over from a low corner played to the penalty spot before Liverpool scored a second, Milner slotting a penalty into the bottom corner after Juan Bernat tripped Georginio Wijnaldum

But PSG hit back before the break as Meunier finished with a well-struck volley into the bottom corner

That did not spark a comeback from PSG in the second half as they produced a drab performance with very little involvement from Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani

Liverpool had chances to make it 3-1 as Mohamed Salah had a goal ruled out for a foul on Areola, Sturridge failed to finish a header and Salah scuffed wide

The misses looked like they would be costly when Salah's poor pass out of defence was seized upon by Neymar and Mbappe finished clinically with PSG's first shot in the second half

However, after Trent Alexander-Arnold's free-kick hit the outside of the post, Firmino snatched victory when he drilled a low shot across goal and into the far corner

Milner was again excellent for Liverpool, but so too was Wijnaldum, who bossed the midfield, playing in a key role both defensively and offensively

He had the best passing accuracy of any player for the home side and appears to have raised his game this season with the added competition in midfield

Liverpool host Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday before facing Chelsea in the third round of the Carabao Cup next Wednesday, live on

The two sides then meet again in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, September 29

PSG travel to Rennes at the weekend in Ligue 1 before hosting Stade De Reims in midweek

null

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Alisson

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Gomez

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Henderson

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Mane

False

Salah

False

Sturridge

True

Shaqiri

False

Firmino

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Fabinho

False

Areola

False

Silva

False

Kimpembe

False

Meunier

False

Bernat

False

Marquinhos

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DiMaria

False

Rabiot

False

Mbappe

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Cavani

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Neymar

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Draxler

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<PAD>

588

Celtic have been knocked out of the Champions League after slipping to a 2-1 defeat to AEK Athens on Tuesday night, losing the third-round qualifying tie 3-2 on aggregate

Celtic fell behind inside six minutes when Rodrigo Galo strode into the box and side-footed Niklas Hult's cut-back beyond Craig Gordon

The opener changed little, but a bigger thorn in their side was a second from Marko Livaja after half-time, when the Croatian nodded in Vasilios Lampropoulos' flick-on from a free-kick five minutes into the second half

Substitute Scott Sinclair's header, his first touch, gave Celtic hope with 12 minutes to go, but they only once threatened an equaliser, when defender Jozo Simunovic's back-heel flashed wide in the fifth minute of added time

As a result, Celtic drop into the Europa League, where they will face Lithuanian outfit Suduva or Spartaks Jurmala of Latvia in the qualifying play-off round

Rodgers' worst possible fears were realised with six minutes on the clock, when Mikael Lustig failed to cut out Hult's cross and Galo drifted into the box unmarked to open the scoring from 12 yards

The response would have pleased the Celtic boss though, and Leigh Griffiths wasted a fine chance to level, but side-footed beyond the far post

Jack Hendry headed over moments before the interval, but five minutes after it AEK gave Celtic a lesson in finishing when Livaja was left a simple finish from Lampropoulos' header back across goal from a free-kick

With time quickly running out, substitute Sinclair was given space to adjust and head Kieran Tierney's cross in at the near post, sparking renewed belief in the away side

But AEK's stout defence rarely looked like being breached, and only Simunovic's injury-time miss ever troubled them

The big defender was a colossus at the back, sliding in to block what looked like a simple tap-in after half-time and heading and kicking anything he could get close to

Added to that, he earned an assist for Livaja's second-half goal - had Celtic had a defender like him in their back-line, they might be celebrating instead

Celtic are back to the bread and butter of the Scottish League Cup, and travel to Partick Thistle on Saturday at 12

30pm

null

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Oikonomou

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True

Hult

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Alef

False

Simoes

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Galo

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Klondaridis

False

Bakasetas

False

Livaja

True

Mantalos

False

Gordon

False

Lustig

False

Simunovic

False

Hendry

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Tierney

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Ntcham

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Forrest

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McGregor

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<PAD>

589

Celtic reached the third qualifying round of the Champions League after a goalless second-leg draw secured a 3-1 aggregate win over Rosenborg

Needing to score at least twice to advance, the Norwegian side enjoyed the better of the first half and Craig Gordon made a sharp save to tip over a header from Marius Lundemo

But Celtic were much improved after the break and, after Odsonne Edouard went close to breaking the deadlock, they managed to see out the draw without too much trouble

The Scottish Premiership champions will next face Greek champions AEK Athens, with the first leg at Celtic Park on August 8

AEK might provide a sterner test than Rosenborg, who had plenty of possession but lacked a cutting edge and were unable to convert any of the openings they created in the first half

Celtic looked content to defend their first-leg advantage but were under pressure as Gordon spilled a cross and then Alexander Soderlund volleyed wide from the penalty spot

Soderlund missed another chance when he failed to connect with a header from inside the six-yard box

Tore Reginiussen shot narrowly wide and Gordon then reacted sharply to tip over a header from Lundemo as Celtic were forced back inside their own half

But the visitors kept the ball better after half-time and that took the sting out of the game and restricted Rosenborg's chances

Edouard went close for Celtic early in the second half when he skipped past two players, cut inside in the box and fired a shot across goal and just wide

The lively Birger Meling curled an effort past the post for Rosenborg but Gordon was otherwise rarely tested, aside from having to push away a powerful strike from Jonathan Levi

Rosenborg did have the ball in the net in the 87th minute but the goal was ruled out for a foul on Gordon by Nicklas Bendtner

Having scored in the first leg, Meling was again impressive for Rosenborg

The left-back made a few crucial interventions in defence and also regularly pushed forward to link up with the attack

He went close to scoring in the second half with a shot that curled narrowly wide

Celtic start the defence of their Scottish Premiership title with a home match against Livingston on Saturday

Celtic play AEK Athens in the Champions League third qualifying round, with the first leg at home on August 8 and the return leg a week later

null

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Hansen

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Trondsen

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Bendtner

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Soderlund

False

Helland

False

Levi

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Botheim

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Vilhjalmsson

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Gordon

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Gamboa

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Hendry

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Ajer

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Tierney

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Brown

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Sinclair

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Edouard

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Rogic

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Lustig

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Christie

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<PAD>

590

Newcastle need just one win to secure a return to the Champions League group stage for the first time in 20 years after claiming a 4-1 victory over a lacklustre Brighton at St James' Park

The Magpies are now four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool with just two games to play, meaning they will finish in the top four if they beat Leicester on Monday - live on - or Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on May 28

Eddie Howe's side were utterly dominant in the first half and thoroughly deserved their two-goal lead thanks to Deniz Undav's own goal and Dan Burn's header

Undav made up for his error by halving the deficit early in the second half, but late goals from Callum Wilson and Bruno Guimaraes handed Brighton their second heavy defeat in their last three matches and all but ended their hopes of a top-four finish

Brighton’s stunning 3-0 win at Arsenal on Sunday came on the back of a surprise 5-1 thrashing at home by Everton and, combined with Newcastle taking just one point from their past two matches, it meant the meeting of the two European hopefuls was hard to call before kick-off

But Newcastle made a mockery of those suggestions throughout a highly-impressive opening 45 minutes during which they continually prevented Brighton from playing out from their own half

The hosts saw Lewis Dunk clear the ball of his own line and block a Joelinton shot over the bar before they eventually took the lead, Undav glancing Kieran Trippier’s corner into his own goal

Burn went close from another Trippier corner before finding the net in first-half stoppage time, rising highest to guide a header into the bottom corner for his first Newcastle goal in the Premier League against his former club

Miguel Almiron should have put the game to bed but saw his volley saved by Jason Steele, only for Billy Gilmour to pick out Undav moments later, with Newcastle leaving a gaping hole in their defence which the striker gratefully took advantage of to halve the deficit

Julio Enciso then went close with a header as the nerves started to build around St James’ Park, but Wilson hit Brighton with a sucker punch as the second half headed towards added time, beating the offside trap to burst clear and score past Steele at his near post

The striker then set up Guimaraes for another just moments later and could have made it five as Brighton’s defence fell apart, only for Steele to come out on top

While Newcastle are now within touching distance of the Champions League, Brighton will turn their attention to qualifying for the Europa League, with the Seagulls sixth, one point above Tottenham and holding a game in hand

Speaking to after the game, Howe hailed his players for the "relentless" way in which they pressed Brighton, saying: "I thought we were outstanding

I feel that's very much us at our best in that first half

We were relentless with what we did and full credit to the players for what they gave physically

"It's very difficult to maintain that for the full game

When Brighton scored, we were mature with what he had to do during that period before we got the late goals

"I thought we were fantastic in the details and the distances

We won the ball back so many times and we were just frustrated [in the first half] we hadn't scored from open play

"We were reliant with set-plays, but as first halves go, we were delighted by half-time

The players adapted really well and we were patient

"The crowd helped us get over the line and the third goal was crucial

"Howe also reserved praise for Wilson, whose 18 Premier League goals make him Newcastle's highest scorer in a Premier League season since Alan Shearer 19 years ago

"He's been incredible and I feel that his performance was right up there with one of the best I've seen him play, purely from a tactical perspective," Howe added

"He has to lead the press and the one we bounce off initially

He kept going right until the end and his goalscoring record is excellent

"I'm delighted for him, he's a huge player for us and a big presence in the dressing room

"Roberto De Zerbi bemoaned Brighton's lengthy injury list but admitted Newcastle deserved their win - and deserve to qualify for the Champions League

"We deserved to lose the game," he told

"I don't want to make any excuses

We didn't play well in the first half so we deserved to lose the game

"We conceded two goals from two set pieces but we didn't play well

We didn't stay in the best conditions, we have a lot of injuries, but we have the possibility to win on Sunday

"We knew it would be a tough game but we're strong and we'll prepare the next game in the best way

"We suffered physically against Newcastle and there were many players who didn't play in the last period, but I don't need to say anything because we knew it would be difficult

"We have to forget this day and prepare the next game [against Southampton]

It is a very important match in front of our fans

"Newcastle deserve to qualify for the Champions League

" have two more Premier League games to play this season and are back on on when they host next week; kick-off 8pm

Their final game of the season will be at on Sunday May 28; kick-off 4

30pm

play three more games before the end of the campaign

They host relegated on Sunday - kick-off 2pm - before hosting on Wednesday, live on ; kick-off 8pm

Brighton's final game of the season sees them travel to on Sunday May 28; kick-off 4

30pm

null

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Wilson

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Isak

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Anderson

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Steele

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Dunk

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VanHecke

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Estupinan

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Gross

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Gilmour

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Buonanotte

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Welbeck

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Mitoma

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Undav

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Ferguson

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Enciso

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MacAllister

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Offiah

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<PAD>

591

Brentford took advantage of a much-changed West Ham side to claim a comfortable 2-0 home win that guarantees them a top-half Premier League finish

The Bees, who were missing star striker Ivan Toney due to a minor hamstring issue, scored twice in the first half through Bryan Mbeumo (20) and Yoane Wissa (43)

Thomas Frank's side had 24 shots against West Ham, who made nine changes with one eye on Thursday's Europa League Conference semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands

One of those changes was Danny Ings and he was denied a second-half goal by VAR for a handball in the build-up to his close-range header that would have given West Ham a route back into the game

It was a decision that Irons boss David Moyes later labelled "very strange"

The Hammers are all but safe in the Premier League as they sit six points above the drop zone, although a win in west London would have mathematically secured their safety

Brentford, meanwhile, have now won all four Premier League meetings against the Irons in a victory that moves them up to ninth above west London rivals Fulham

The team news at the Gtech Community Stadium showed West Ham's priorities clearly lay elsewhere with David Moyes putting out a makeshift team ahead of Thursday night's trip to AZ Alkmaar

But it was one of the two players that kept their place from the first-leg win over AZ that allowed Brentford to open the scoring in the 20th minute

Defender Nayef Aguerd's sloppy pass was intercepted by Mikkel Damsgaard, with the ball eventually falling to Mathias Jensen, who teed up Mbeumo to fire low under Lukasz Fabianski

The Hammers goalkeeper may have been at fault for the opener but he made up for it as he denied Wissa twice, with the second save coming amid a chaotic goalmouth scramble that ended with Ben Mee seeing his smashed shot deflected behind

Wissa, however, did get the better of Fabianski in the 43rd minute

A Jensen long throw was flicked on by Mee for Wissa to head in for his sixth goal of the season

Further chances followed in the second-half for Brentford to finish the game off but Wissa, Mbeumo and Damsgaard all missed

Moyes sent on Declan Rice and Said Benrahma with half an hour left and the latter nearly kick-started a Hammers comeback

The ex-Brentford player's cross crashed off the woodwork into Manuel Lanzini's path and he clipped a ball into Ings who headed in

But the goal was disallowed by VAR as substitute Divin Mubama was adjudged to have handled after the ball rebounded onto his arm off the post

"Very strange

The Premier League have come out and called it deliberate handball

I think we need a bit of explanation on that

"The first thing I would say about it is, it is inconclusive

If anything I think it hits his shoulder, right on his collarbone

"If it's a handball that leads to a goal we all know that rule, but I certainly don't see deliberate

If anything he might be protecting himself from going into the post

I'm amazed it was chalked off

"But, let's be fair, if this was the first one we were talking about in recent games I would say it can happen, but we're now talking about three of these [after being denied penalties for handballs against Liverpool and Manchester United in recent weeks]

"It's getting regular

It really is

I don't want to get in trouble but we've had three real ones that could have altered things, and if you said we've had our fair share, I'm saying I don't think we have

"On the defeat: "I didn't enjoy the performance

I thought we were soft, easy to play against

It was so poor

"We did some work on defending long throws, but you wouldn't have thought it watching that today

I'm so disappointed the players didn't deal with it

""I was asked before the season about that, and without sounding too smart we tried to analyse things, looked at the players, the other teams, our performances, our culture, and we thought why shouldn't we be able to do well in our second season?"Now we are 100 per cent in the top 10, which is a brilliant achievement

"On Toney's hamstring injury, Frank added: "We'll assess him during the week and, hopefully, he's going to be available for Tottenham

That's what we're working towards

" now face two of the 'Big Six' in their final games of the season, travelling to next Saturday lunchtime before hosting on the final day of the season on May 28

's attention turns to the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final away at on Thursday night, before they host next Sunday, live on with kick-off at 1

30pm

The Hammers' final league game of the season is away at on May 28

null

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Johnson

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Rice

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Benrahma

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<PAD>

592

Nottingham Forest restored their three-point gap above the relegation zone after producing a spirited display to draw 2-2 at Chelsea

Awoniyi had put Forest ahead at the break with a header (13) after an error by returning Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy before the hosts came out firing in the second half and Raheem Sterling scored twice (51, 58) to give his side the lead

Chelsea's advantage only lasted four minutes, though, as Awoniyi popped up in the box to score his second header of the game (62) and restore parity after some slack defending by Frank Lampard's side from a long throw-in

Forest held on under a late Chelsea charge to claim a rare away draw and what could be a vital point in the relegation battle heading into their final two games of the season against Arsenal and Crystal Palace

Chelsea, meanwhile, remain in no man's land and seven points from the top half as they long for the season to end

After seeing Leeds close the gap on them to two points with a draw at Newcastle, Forest set up to counter Chelsea as the hosts produced a limp first-half display despite dominating the possession

There was an early sign of the visitors' threat from set-pieces as Felipe headed just wide from Renan Lodi's front-post corner

Lodi then produced a wonderful delivery for Awoniyi which tempted Mendy off his line but the goalkeeper was beaten to the ball by the Forest striker, who headed into an empty net to give the visitors a perfect start after 13 minutes

Chelsea's best chance came when an early diagonal into Sterling nearly caught out Forest skipper Joe Worrall only for the returning defender to recover and produce a goal-saving block in the box to prevent the forward from levelling

Other than that, the Blues were poor and failed to break down Forest's low block and to make matters worse they lost Mateo Kovacic to injury toward the end of the half

After an abject first-half performance saw them booed off by some at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were transformed after the break although still vulnerable at set-pieces

Forest nearly made it 2-0 from a corner against the run of play but Moussa Niakhate could not get a foot on the ball at the back post

Chelsea then took the lead with two quickfire Sterling goals

The first had a shade of fortune as his shot deflected off Ryan Yates on the floor into the roof of the net after Trevoh Chalobah's cut-back

Sterling then made Felipe look silly before cutting in on his right to give Chelsea the lead having gone eight games without a goal previously

Forest looked in danger of caving in as Stamford Bridge got behind a resurgent Chelsea but they were bailed out by a long throw-in which was only half cleared allowing Orel Mangal to lump the ball back into the danger zone where Awoniyi was on hand to head home

Lodi unleashed a fearsome effort with his left foot that was a whisker from putting Forest back in front but after that, it was all Chelsea in the closing stages

Forest, though, shut up shop and kept Chelsea at bay for the final 20 minutes to claim just their seventh point on the road in the league this season to the delight of the travelling fans who were jubilant at full-time as they serenaded the team

said"I wouldn't say it was a cracking result

There's a mix of some disappointed guys in the dressing room and I like that because although we worked hard for what we got it could have been more

"It was a mixed feeling because although we know we gave everything, stuck to the plan and showed good resilience when going 2-1 down

"The game had been going exactly as we wanted it to go, so to turn it quickly to 2-1 and then get something out of the game is a positive

"We've scored more goals in this phase than any other phase but it feels like we are giving goals so much easier than how we are scoring them

They were good finishes from the Chelsea boys but we could have done a bit better there

"I know the away form is the away form

I talk openly about it because that's who we are as a group

I've never had to question the resilience, desire and attitude

"Sometimes we could do with a bit of belief, concentration and confidence away from home so that's why we've had what we've had

I don't think many would have backed us to get anything today

It's a point that could be valuable

"On set-pieces and long throws, he added: "I think we have scored three goals from long throws

Until Chelsea made their changes we had a height advantage

"The throw-in has become really useful to us because we've scored from it and created a few chances

It's not just about throwing the ball in there, it is a strategy

Just pleased we got the goal

"There has to be a technique to the throw because if the opponent gets the first contact you want it to be tough to head away

We've seen the success Brentford have had from it

""One hundred per cent a point gained

You have to weigh it up before the game

Their away record has been atrocious and Chelsea won their last game

"For Forest to go 2-1 down and draw 2-2, it's a massive, massive point

A thoroughly-deserved one and a massive one at the same time

"Awoniyi, who scored the two goals, was a threat

He held the ball up well

I saw him the other week playing away from home and he was taken off, he didn't do well

Now he looks a handful, he's holding it up and playing it simple and scored two goals

They were simple

"With him playing like that with a couple of games left, I'd be quite shocked if Forest went down from here

To come back with that away record is very, very good

"I think it's going to be hard for the others to catch them

Leicester are virtually going to have to win two out of their three games

It's a hard one

That point was huge for Forest

They need four out of their last six points

"They go into next week's game against Arsenal with a couple of good recent results against them at home

It will be a hard game for Arsenal

If Forest play like this on the counter-attack, they could pick them apart and cause problems

Arsenal will cause major problems down the other end

"I think Forest will stay up

Leeds have to win one out of their last two games at least and I'm not sure Leicester can win two out of their three

" said: "We did struggle at set-pieces

The long loopy throw is a difficult one to defend against

We've seen them score goals from that in recent games when it's been important for them

"They're a bigger team than us, then it was always going to be a threat

But we have to deal with it

"On starting Mendy over Kepa Arrizabalaga, he added: "We've got two good goalkeepers

Kepa has been playing really well but in this situation it was no problem to give Mendy a chance

"On Sterling's goals after a tough run, he added: "Important for him

Small gains, small steps forward

Raheem is a player that has the credit in the bank that he is a regular goalscorer in the Premier League and for his country

"I am very happy for him and It is what we need

Raheem has done it and he produced it again

We need to be killers in the top end of the pitch

Raheem's proven to be that and we don't have enough of that

"Raheem Sterling has looked a shell of his former self in his first season at Chelsea

Ahead of Saturday's visit of Nottingham Forest, the 28-year-old had gone 11 league games without a goal

By his own reckoning this has been one of the lowest ebbs of an otherwise glittering career

However, after getting a shade of luck for his opener against Forest something seemed to click for the England international

The doubts seeped away, and Sterling began playing with freedom

If sitting Felipe was not enough for his second goal, Sterling picked out the corner perfectly through a sea of Forest defenders to deliver a timely reminder of what he is all about ahead of the arrival of a new manager at Stamford Bridge

Whatever shape this next evolution of Chelsea takes, Sterling must be accommodated

Taiwo Awoniyi is finding goalscoring form at the perfect time for Nottingham Forest

Having spent four months out injured, the Forest striker "hit the ground running" on his return to the team, according to head coach Steve Cooper

But now, after seven games without scoring before Monday's thriller against Southampton, Awoniyi is turning good performances into goals

Forest played to his strengths at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they bombarded Chelsea with early crosses and, as Frank Lampard described them, "loopy long throws"

For both goals Awoniyi was ready and waiting in the perfect spot to capitalise

The 25-year-old has four goals in his last two games, becoming the first player to score back-to-back doubles for Forest since 1995

The last man to do that was Bryan Roy, who scored twice in three games running

How Forest could do with Awoniyi recreating such a run against title-chasing Arsenal next Saturday, live on

Having an in-form striker could be the difference in the relegation battle

now face two quickfire trips to Manchester as they visit next Sunday, live on ; kick-off 4pm - before going to Old Trafford to face four days later

The Blues host on the final day of the campaign

's final home game of their first season back sees them host title challengers next Saturday, live on with kick-off at 5

30pm

Steve Cooper's side then go to on the final day on May 28

May 21: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4pmMay 25: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live onMay 28: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pmMay 20: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 5

30pmMay 28: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pm

<PAD>

Mendy

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Silva

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Badiashile

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Hall

False

Gallagher

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Fernandez

True

Kovacic

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Madueke

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Felix

False

Sterling

True

Loftus-Cheek

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Ziyech

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Havertz

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Navas

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Aurier

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Worrall

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Felipe

False

Niakhate

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Lodi

True

Gibbs-White

True

Yates

True

Mangala

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Danilo

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Awoniyi

True

Johnson

False

Kouayte

False

<PAD>

593

Aston Villa boosted their chances of European football with a 2-1 home win over sixth-placed Tottenham to move level on points with them

Jacob Ramsey's eighth-minute finish and Douglas Luiz's second-half free-kick (72) lifted Unai Emery's side up to seventh, which is set to be a Europa Conference League place

Tottenham endured a miserable first half at Villa Park as they failed to have a shot, had only one touch in the opposition box and registered an expected goals of zero

Ryan Mason's side did, however, come close to equalising in the second half before Luiz's set-piece strike as Emiliano Martinez denied Harry Kane, while substitute Dejan Kulusevski curled an effort just wide of the post

But Kane scored a 90th-minute penalty to set up a nervy finish at Villa Park with Heung-Min Son having a last-minute goal ruled out for offside

Villa eventually managed to hold on to dent Spurs' hopes of playing European football next season as they remain sixth and are only ahead of Villa on goal difference, with both sides having two games left, while eighth-placed Brighton have three games in hand on the pair

Tottenham have had a habit of conceding early goals in recent games and that continued at Villa Park as Ramsey swept home first time from Leon Bailey's cross to give the home side an eighth-minute lead

The visitors failed to react as they produced a woeful first-half performance that was met by boos at half-time by the away fans, who had not seen their side have an attempt at goal in the opening 45 minutes

Villa, meanwhile, should have been further ahead going into the break

Fraser Forster denied Bailey in the 32nd minute with a fine one-handed save after the winger hit a low first-time shot from Ollie Watkins' cross

Two minutes before half-time, Emiliano Buendia hit the woodwork after curling an effort from Ramsey's pass

Normal service resumed early in the second half as Forster saved from Buendia, but the visitors were nearly gifted an equaliser moments later

Luiz was robbed near his own box as the ball rolled into Kane's path only for the striker to fire straight at Martinez from just inside the area

Kane's chance sparked Spurs into life as Kulusevski curled just inches wide of the far post in the 65th minute

But seven minutes later Villa made it 2-0 as Luiz curled in a free-kick from 25 yards out beyond Forster, who would have been disappointed with his one-handed effort

Spurs were then given the chance of an unlikely comeback when the visitors were awarded a late penalty after Martinez brought down Kane following a lengthy VAR check

The Tottenham captain hammered in for his 27th Premier League goal of the season but it was too late despite Son having a 95th-minute goal disallowed for offside

Acting head coach denied managerless Tottenham are drifting as they now face a real fight for European football

He said in his post-match press conference: "The outside world is the outside world

When you are consistent andstrong inside that transfers outside

It is a difficult moment but everyone is pulling together

"The environment you try to set within is the most important thing

"To go a goal down so early again, it's happened too many times this season

We need to be better

It's a very disappointing day

"I felt we were more of a threat in the second half and their 'keeper has pulled off an outstanding save at 1-0 which could have changed the flow of the game

"We understand we have two important games and it's still in our hands, what we want to achieve, we need to learn and try to be better

"We've come here against a good side and you have to understand you have to suffer as a team and then the game changes, like we saw in the second half, but you can't get to that point being a goal down

" head coach admitted he did not think qualifying for European football was achievable when he replaced Steven Gerrard in October

He said in his post-match press conference: "No, it was a process but I told the players if we can have chances to go there we are going to try to get it

If we didn't get it, it's not a fail

It's a process

"We played with a high level in the first half and kept our identity

We deserved more in the first half, maybe

Keeping focus in 90 minutes is not easy and we were playing a very good team

"In the second half they played better but at the end we deserved to win

We want to connect with our supporters, get the energy and give them our energy and this is the sixth win in a row here

"I was very, very happy in the first half

We need to be consistent but today we played very well and the players are showing their commitment

"Up next for is a crucial game in their quest for Europe as they face fellow contenders Liverpool at Anfield next Saturday, kick-off 3pm

Unai Emery's side then host on the final day of the season

will also get a better understanding of which European competition they will be in after their next game against next Saturday, kick-off 12

30pm

Spurs then visit on the final day of the season on May 28

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594

Leicester's relegation fears deepened as Curtis Jones starred in Liverpool's convincing 3-0 win at the King Power Stadium on Jones struck twice inside four minutes (33, 36) as Jurgen Klopp's side wrestled control of the contest and Leicester threatened another first-half collapse, seven days on from their 5-3 defeat at Fulham

Trent Alexander-Arnold was teed up by Mohamed Salah at a free-kick on the edge of Leicester's penalty area for a brilliant third (71)

With a hat-trick of assists for the first time in his Premier League career, Salah ought to have added a fourth as he bent a shot wide with only Daniel Iversen standing in his way

Leicester reportedly cancelled their end-of-season awards night this week in acknowledgement of the severity of their situation

It is now one win in 14 games for the Foxes, who remain marooned in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety

Liverpool move to within a point of Manchester United in fourth place having played a game more than their rivals

On Jones, Jamie Carragher said: "We're seeing the best of him right now

He's been a revelation in this attacking midfield role

"Leicester boss Dean Smith challenged his players to carry the psychological burden of their relegation battle - and the hosts carved open the game's first chance on a trademark swift transition which nearly exposed Liverpool's high line

James Maddison threaded an exquisite first-time pass for Harvey Barnes to gallop into the final third and slip through Jamie Vardy, but Alisson closed down the angle and smothered the shot

Sitting two points from safety with three games remaining, the Foxes - who welcomed Jonny Evans for the first time in a starting capacity since October - were desperate for victory, but they were undone with Liverpool's first meaningful attack

From Alisson's deep clearance, Timothy Castagne played Luiz Diaz onside before Wout Faes allowed the ball to drop over his shoulder

Jordan Henderson picked out Mohamed Salah, and from his cross Jones arrived at the far post to convert

"When Liverpool are at their very best, they cause mayhem," Gary Neville said at the interval

"It was a classic Klopp goal and a classic Liverpool goal

"Leeds' 2-2 draw with Newcastle on Saturday added extra pressure on the 2016 champions and dropped them to second bottom in the Premier League - and they crumbled to concede a quickfire second

It was another marginal offside call as Salah laid on Cody Gakpo's threaded ball to tee up Jones to swivel and fire beyond Iversen

"He's in the form of his life at the moment," Carragher added on Jones

"There was the thought that maybe it wasn't happening for him at times this season, but he's in the best form of his career

"Smith, who replaced Brendan Rodgers until the end of the season last month, called on his players to keep their heads, but Gakpo might have added a third before half-time when he shot straight at Iversen

Leicester have collected 13 points from losing positions in 2023 - more than any other side

They needed a swift response after the restart but Alisson denied Barnes with a fingertip save

Smith gambled as Patson Daka and Tete replaced Barnes and Wilfred Ndidi - but the visitors retained the greater threat

Midway through the second period, Salah cut inside Luke Thomas and curled a shot that was batted away by Iversen

Liverpool weren't content with their night's work - in particular Alexander-Arnold

Leicester were unhappy with referee Craig Pawson with the awarding of a free-kick for a challenge by Evans on Henderson

But after Salah rolled the ball with his studs, Alexander-Arnold curled an exquisite strike high into top corner to compound Leicester's misery

Salah missed a glorious chance when put through by Gakpo but the Egyptian inexplicably shot wide

He could afford to smile

The Leicester fans who headed for the exits long before the final whistle certainly could not

Two years to the day since watching their side lift the FA Cup, they find themselves in the relegation zone with two games remaining

Jurgen Klopp has spoken bullishly about how his Liverpool side can close the gap to Manchester City next season

Here was further evidence to back up those claims

Wild inconsistencies in results - beating Manchester United 7-0 and Bournemouth 9-0 but losing to struggling Leeds, their only home defeat of the season - had left the Reds 20 points adrift of the Premier League leaders going into the weekend

It has been more common for the two to push each other all the way to the final day of the season, Liverpool twice coming second by just a point, and despite their most recent troubles Klopp expects normal service to be resumed when the new campaign kicks off in August

Liverpool arrived in the Midlands on a six-match winning run, their best sequence for more than a year

Their return to form has given a glimpse of the level the side used to - and Klopp believes will again - play at

Alexander-Arnold stole the show here during Liverpool's last win at Leicester- scoring one and laying on two assists over three years ago in a 4-0 win

That result - when Leicester were second in the table back in December 2019 - was viewed as being the moment when Klopp truly believed a first Premier League title was within reach

The Reds boss has spoken regularly in recent weeks about using the end to the campaign as a platform for next season, and the nature of Jones' double was vintage Liverpool

A ruthless swotting aside of their opponents

Leicester never recovered

"We concede an awful goal from our point of view

We wanted to play in their half and make their centre-backs run back to goal but one ball beats our back four and then they score another soon after

Then you're chasing a game against a supremely talented team

"Goals change games

Two goals that are marginally onside

We wanted to make a game of it in the second half, we did at times, but the third goal kills the game

It's never a free-kick

Really disappointed

"It is a group of really good footballers but we came up against a team that overran us physically today

It's pretty simple

We need to win our next game

It will be tough at St James' Park

It would be nice to take the lead for once

" "Sensational first goal

Top second goal

We should have scored immediately after

Third goal, what a wonderful routine

Love it

Good win, super important for us

That win, I think we are guaranteed Europa League next season

Tonight I'm really happy

"That's the best free-kick routine we have

We should have scored three like that

Now we can take it direct or roll it both sides, so it makes it more likely we score from these situations

We have to use it more often

"I think they [European rivals] would have preferred we lose tonight

I would in their shoes

I don't think it's likely but if they slip, we have to be there

Will they slip? I don't know

Will we win both games? I don't know

"This was Jones' ninth successive Premier League start - his longest run in the Liverpool team

The midfielder has only started eight of his previous 55 league matches

Injuries to Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita and Arthur Melo has enabled the local lad to stake his claim to a regular berth, and he continues to grab his chance with both hands

A third of Jones' Premier League goals came before half-time in this game

It is now three goals in four matches for the rising 22-year-old after notching as many in his previous 57 appearances

Alan Smith said: "Jones doesn't make the headlines too many times, but he deserves to with his two beautifully-taken goals

It got Liverpool rolling and they never looked back

"With Alexander-Arnold also on target, this was a win born and made in Liverpool

host Aston Villa on Saturday, kick-off at 3pm, before travelling to lowly on the final day of the season

have anotherencounter to look forward to when they travel to next week, live on , before hosting on the final day of the season on May 28

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Barnes

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Daka

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Thomas

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Tete

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Alisson

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Robertson

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595

Eberechi Eze scored a superb double as Crystal Palace clinched a dominant 2-0 win over Bournemouth but the Cherries were left fuming that Joachim Andersen's punch on Jefferson Lerma, which left the midfielder with a broken nose, went unpunished by VAR

The in-form Eze opened the scoring from close range at Selhurst Park after a fine piece of skill from Wilfried Zaha (39), then added a stunning second after collecting Michael Olise's cross-field pass, cutting inside, and finding the top corner from outside the box (58)

The goals took the midfielder's tally to 10 in the Premier League this season, six of which have come in his last seven games, and ensured Palace moved level on points with 11th-placed Chelsea, the only downside being a hamstring injury to Zaha, who may have now played his last game for the club with his contract expiring this summer

Bournemouth, meanwhile, offered practically nothing as an attacking force, failing to even register a shot on target, but head coach Gary O'Neil said he will seek answers from refereeing chief Howard Webb over why Palace defender Andersen was not punished after his apparent punch on Lerma in the first half

"Jefferson Lerma's broken his nose from it," he said afterwards

"It looked like a fairly clear punch in the face to me on the footage

I spoke to the on-field ref and I understand them not spotting it

There are a lot of bodies and things moving fast

"But the fact that we got the usual check complete from VAR when it's one going against us was a surprise

It was a significant blow to Jeff's face with a closed fist, by the look of it, so disappointed that something wasn't done

"I speak to Howard Webb most Sundays at the moment

I'll speak to him tomorrow, because I feel like this one is an important one

"The defeat means Bournemouth are still not mathematically safe from the drop, despite being eight points above the relegation zone in 14th

Palace looked the more threatening side from the start, with Olise in particular causing problems

After curling an early effort a few yards wide, he produced a delightful cross which an unmarked Zaha somehow failed to convert from only three yards out, mistiming his shot and failing to make a proper connection

The VAR flashpoint followed when Lerma went to ground in the Bournemouth box after Andersen's hand appeared to make contact with his face, but a lengthy check ruled in favour of the Palace defender, much to the frustration of Lerma, who continued to play despite the blow

Palace's opening goal arrived soon afterwards and it was beautifully worked, a slick passing move ending with Zaha spinning away from his marker superbly and producing a cut-back which was flicked on to Eze by Jordan Ayew, the 24-year-old finishing emphatically

Zaha, well-shackled by makeshift right-back Chris Mepham in the early stages, had come alive by that point and almost added a second soon afterwards, collecting Andersen's stunning cross-field pass and firing a wicked effort just wide of Neto's left-hand post

Bournemouth could barely get out of their own half and the game continued in the same way after the break, with Will Hughes, excellent in midfield, drawing a parry from Neto with a well-struck shot from the edge of the box following a corner

Zaha was then forced off, replaced by Odsonne Edouard, after appearing to injure his hamstring, but his withdrawal did not seem to affect Palace's performance as they continued to pin Bournemouth back and create chances

Olise was at the heart of most of it and it was his brilliant pass, drilled from one flank to the other, which set up the second goal

After controlling it, Eze darted inside, past two Bournemouth defenders, and crashed an unstoppable finish past Neto

Palace continued to dominate for what remained of the game, with Bournemouth never threatening to get back into it as the hosts, inspired by Eze, celebrated their fifth win in eight Premier League matches under the returning Roy Hodgson

"I'm concerned for him as well

We don't have that many injuries at the moment, so we do have players, but I would have liked to have him with me for the last two games as well

"At the moment, I can't tell you whether that's going to happen or not because he has to go for a scan

"But there's always a concern with hamstring injuries that it's going to take some time

A week is not impossible with a guy like Wilf, because he's got fantastic powers of recovery, but I can't tell you how long it's going to take before the scan

""I don't agree with that

I thought his first-half performance was fantastic

I think the crowd saw the real Wilf Zaha, at his best today

Not only in terms of his attacking but in terms of his defending and his leadership

"It's a pity that it might only be 45 minutes rather than three times 90 minutes, but I don't think it should be suggested that that will dent in any way what he has done for the club

"Anyway, I have no idea what Wilf is going to do

I really don't

I hope, as a Crystal Palace fan, that he will be here next season as well

""We were really poor today

I think we dropped below our level for the first time in a while

"Thirty-nine points is a good tally but it's a good lesson for everybody involved that if we're not desperate, and we're not at 120 per cent, like we have been recently, fighting for every single ball and every point, then you get well beaten

"It was probably one of our worst displays

"We didn't cause them any issues

I told my players the loss feels terrible

Now we need to use this to make sure the next two don't feel like this

"As recently a few weeks ago, this game had the look of a relegation showdown for Crystal Palace

Instead, they came into it long safe from the drop, their progress continuing with a win which puts them level on points with 11th-placed Chelsea

If they are now dreaming of bigger things, then it is largely thanks to Eberechi Eze

The 24-year-old has been outstanding of late and came into the game having scored four in six

Now it is six in seven

What is most impressive is that he is doing this from a midfield berth, rather than as one of Hodgson's front three

He has responsibilities beyond scoring and creating but it is there, in and around the opposition box, that he really comes to life

His opener showed his goalscoring instincts as he met Wilfried Zaha's cut-back, via a flick from Jordan Ayew, with space to beat Neto

His second showed his penchant for the spectacular

Technique, drive, execution

It was all there

Neto had no chance of stopping his rasping shot and Bournemouth's defenders could do little to stop him from getting into the position, either

Eze was too quick and too sharp

A top-half finish is beyond Palace but with their final two games coming against Fulham and Nottingham Forest, they could yet finish above Chelsea

Beyond that, Eze should have them setting their sights higher

go to next Saturday in their final away game of the season, kick-off 3pm

The Eagles then host t on the final day

host in their final home game of the season next Saturday at 3pm

Gary O'Neil's side end their campaign with a trip to

null

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<PAD>

596

Leicester's hopes of avoiding relegation were handed a damaging blow against Fulham as Willian inspired the hosts to a memorable 5-3 win at Craven Cottage

Dean Smith's side only sit above the relegation zone on goal difference and could find themselves as low as 19th by Monday night, with Everton and Nottingham Forest - two of the sides below them in the Premier League - still to play

Leicester now face a daunting task to save themselves from a stunning drop into the Championship, with Liverpool and Newcastle next up before a game against West Ham on the final day

Taking points in west London felt imperative for the Foxes but those hopes seemed over by half-time thanks to Willian's free-kick, plus goals from Carlos Vinicius and Tom Cairney

The visitors' defence continued to disintegrate after the interval, with Cairney adding a second, but Harvey Barnes pulled one back before Jamie Vardy saw a penalty saved by Bernd Leno

Willian then bent in a glorious fifth but the hosts lost their way, handing Leicester another spot-kick that James Maddison converted before a dreadful Shane Duffy header presented Barnes with the chance to sweep in his second

It was too little too late for Leicester though, while Fulham close the gap on rivals Brentford - who are one place above them in ninth - to just two points

The tone was set for another Leicester defeat in the 10th minute, when Willian’s whipped free-kick from the left touchline flew uninterrupted into the far corner

There was no anticipation or resistance as the ball deceived every Foxes defender - just an acceptance of their fate

That theme continued throughout a shambolic first half, with Vinicius striding through a gaping hole in the Leicester defence to slide in Fulham’s second, before Cairney bent in his first after Wout Faes’ weak clearance

Leicester were lucky to only be 3-0 down at half-time, with Daniel Iversen producing two saves to deny Harrison Reed, while the visitors’ only chance saw Leno push Vardy’s shot wide after Antonee Robinson gave the ball away

Leicester briefly looked more competent immediately after half-time, with Leno required to tip away Barnes’ shot, but their defence then went AWOL again, allowing Cairney all the time he needed to slot in his second after Kenny Tete charged down the right wing

Barnes did get on the scoresheet with a deflected strike shortly after and the fightback looked on when Leno brought down Vardy in the area, but the goalkeeper kept out the striker’s tame effort

Willian re-established the four-goal margin with the pick of the eight strikes, a bending effort from 25 yards, but Leicester’s dismal performance appeared to lull Fulham into complacency and they surrendered two goals to bring about a tense final period of the game

Maddison sparked the nerves when he made amends for his penalty miss at Everton last week by winning and converting a spot-kick, and Duffy then came off the bench to hand Barnes his second on a plate when his headed pass deceived Leno and left an open goal

Fortunately for Fulham, they regained their composure in time to put an end to Leicester’s hopes - and leave their opponents in the unenviable position of likely needing to take points off Champions League hopefuls Liverpool and Newcastle in their next two games

Smith insisted after the game that he has seen enough from Leicester since his appointment last month to believe they can stay up, but admitted their capitulation in the capital was unexpected

"The game was lost in the first half," said the Leicester boss

"I’m disappointed because I didn’t see that coming

We’ve had a good week in training so I expected a far better performance

"It was far too easy to get into our box and create chances

"We were quite happy to get in at half-time

I was certainly very worried in the first half

That’s the first time I’ve seen it with these players and I hope I don’t see that again

I’m sure I won’t

"It wasn’t a lack of fight - we just didn’t get close enough to them

"I’ve signs they’re good enough but you can’t keep conceding goals like we do

We’ve conceded some poor goals as well, where I don’t think the opposition have had to work particularly hard to score

That’s what has to stop

"Leicester somehow shipped 23 shots and an expected goals total of 3

09 against Everton, the Premier League’s lowest scores, in their most recent game, but their defensive display at Fulham was even more concerning

The Foxes allowed their hosts to score five goals from an expected total of just 1

42, with Smith conceding after the game his team failed to get close to Fulham’s players in attacking areas

There was a sense of everything that Fulham touched turning to gold in the final third, with Willian twice striking from outside the box, including from a free-kick that was meant as a cross

But the positioning of Leicester’s defenders for many of the Fulham goals was damning, particularly for Vinicius’ strike, when Caglar Soyuncu and Faes left a gap as wide as the nearby River Thames for the striker to wander into

The defensive issues date back to before Smith’s time in charge and the manager has not been granted much time in which to fix them - but he must find a way if Leicester are to survive

They are the only remaining side in a major European league not to keep a clean sheet since the World Cup - a record that is asking for relegation

Marco Silva was delighted with Fulham’s performance and believed his side should have claimed an even more convincing win, saying: “Clearly we were the best team on the pitch and we should have won this game much more comfortably

“Great moments of football, great goals and we started really intensely

I was really pleased to see the way the players expressed themselves on the pitch

“The goals we conceded were unnecessary

They are moments where we have to be much more consistent

In some moments around our box we have to be more calm

“But the performance was so good - even great, I would say

”Willian’s return to London last summer raised a few eyebrows - and not in a good way

After leaving Chelsea for Arsenal three years ago, the winger looked a busted flush during his solitary season at the Emirates and quickly returned to Brazil with Corinthians

But Willian’s homecoming turned sour, prompting him to seek out another Premier League spell with Fulham following their return to the top flight

Remarkably, the 34-year-old looks back to his best after two fallow years and ran the game from his position on the left wing as Fulham dismantled Leicester

Scoring two goals from an expected goals total of 0

1 is some achievement and, while he will struggle to claim he meant to score his first, Willian’s second was an example of the quality he exudes when he’s in full flight

His renaissance during the autumn of his career has been just one of a number of impressive feats during Fulham’s commendable first season back in the big time

final three games of the season see them head to on Saturday May 13, kick-off 3pm, before they host and then finish at

Leicester also have three games left to stay in the Premier League

They are visited by on Monday Night Football and then travel to

Their final match could be crucial against fellow strugglers at the King Power Stadium

May 13: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pmMay 20: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pmMay 28: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pmMay 15: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on May 22: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pmMay 28: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pm

<PAD>

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Vinicius

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Lukic

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Iversen

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Castagne

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Kristiansen

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Tielemans

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Praet

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Maddison

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Vardy

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Barnes

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Tete

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Ndidi

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Daka

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Dewsbury-Hall

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Thomas

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<PAD>

597

Leeds earned what could be a precious point in their battle against the drop with a 2-2 draw against Newcastle in a tale of three penalties

A key moment came with Leeds a goal up, courtesy of Luke Ayling, as Patrick Bamford spurned a golden opportunity from the penalty spot, and less than two minutes later Newcastle were awarded a penalty of their own which was scored by Callum Wilson

Newcastle were awarded a second penalty when Junior Firpo inexplicably handled inside his own area and Wilson stroked home again to put the Magpies ahead

That could have knocked the stuffing out of Leeds, but Rasmus Kristensen's deflected strike earned Sam Allardyce a point in his first home game in charge

In what was a frantic and action-packed game, Firpo was sent off late on for a professional foul and a fan was taken away by stewards for confronting Eddie Howe in the Newcastle technical area as the clock ticked down

"That was a real surprise," Howe told "I was concentrating on the game

It was the last thing you think could happen

"Leeds later confirmed an arrest had made and a lifetime ban issued

Leeds remain in the drop zone with just two games remaining to save their season - away at West Ham before hosting Tottenham on the final day

Newcastle, who play Brighton on Thursday - live on Sky Sports, still have their top-four hopes in their own hands and remain third

Leeds played with energy and verve in the early stages and the Elland Road crowd responded, creating a hostile atmosphere

The roof came off on seven minutes

After Jack Harrison's trickery set Bamford free down the left, his cross was headed by Rodrigo which drew a save out of Nick Pope

But he only clawed it to Ayling, who converted the rebound

Leeds were flying and had a huge chance to double their lead but Bamford's penalty was saved by Pope after Joelinton had hauled down Firpo

Just two minutes later Newcastle won a penalty of their own

Referee Simon Hooper pointed straight to the spot after Max Wober's reckless challenge on Alexander Isak and Wilson duly converted his 16th league goal of the season

Miguel Almiron then curled a left-footed shot inches wide just before half-time, but clear-cut chances were few and far between for the Toon against a much-improved Leeds defence

Wilson threatened again soon after the restart when his volley was deflected for a corner and Fabian Schar's header was cleared off the goal-line by Rodrigo

The pressure was growing and Firpo crumbled under it

VAR sent referee Hooper to the pitchside monitor after Firpo's handball from Joe Willock's deep cross, and, after the official had pointed to the spot for the third time in the match, Wilson stayed cool to put Newcastle ahead

But, out of nowhere, Leeds showed incredible resilience and levelled

Newcastle only half-cleared substitute Willy Gnonto's corner and Kristensen crashed home a 25-yard shot via a deflection off Kieran Trippier to haul the home side level

Firpo's afternoon then went from bad to worse when he was sent off for a professional foul after his challenge on substitute Anthony Gordon just outside the area

In the hustle and bustle of the free-kick, a fan leapt from the crowd to confront Newcastle boss Howe before being hauled away

It was an ugly end to a beautifully entertaining match

"I'm struggling to make sense of it all

"It was their first attack, we started well

The first attack they get they score

We hadn't created clear-cut chances

I thought we played well at times today without hitting our best form and we were rushed around the box

The character to come back is a huge positive

"The way Wilson took his two penalties was outstanding

The second one is the most difficult, there are a lot of mind games and lot of time to take the penalty

""Very, very satisfied with what they've done and how they applied themselves

There are lots of areas where we say room for improvement, but we didn't get dispirited even though we made life extremely difficult for ourselves

We missed a penalty then conceded two but scored to save 2-2

"Our defending was magnificent today

When you consider where Newcastle are and we played Manchester City last week, we are moving in the right direction now

We pleased the crowd, they helped us in the game and kept going with us

It's a shame we weren't more professional at the right time as that would have been a win for us otherwise

"We have to stick with it and do as much as we can to save our position in the Premier League

That is everyone concerned with Leeds

That is everyone who works at the training ground and everyone in the stadium, it's imperative we stay in this league

"I'm disappointed it's only a draw

It could have easily been a win for us

It's our fault we didn't win

I have been talking about staying on your feet all week

I don't like it when they ignore me, so they will get told off

If we stayed on our feet, we would have won

"May 21: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 1

30pmMay 28: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pmMay 18: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7

30pmMay 22: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pmMay 28: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pm continue their bid for Premier League survival as they travel to next Sunday, live on ; kick-off 1

30pm

Allardyce's side then host at Elland Road on the final day of the season

, meanwhile, will be hoping to secure a top-four finish by winning their next two games, both of which are at home - live on

Eddie Howe's side hoston Thursday night, kick-off 7

30pm, before welcoming to St James' Park for on May 22

The Magpies end their season with a trip to Chelsea on May 28

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598

Everton injected life into their Premier League survival bid as a first-half blitz at high-flying Brighton secured a shock 5-1 victory on the south coast

Having won just once in their previous 11 league games, the visitors needed just 33 seconds to break the deadlock through Abdoulaye Doucoure's close-range finish

The excellent Doucoure doubled Everton's lead with a controlled volley from Dwight McNeil's 29th-minute cross before Jason Steele miscalculated a cutback from the former Burnley winger to divert the ball into his own net in the 35th minute

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi made four changes at the interval and the hosts hit the woodwork on two occasions before McNeil deservedly capped a fine performance with a goal of his own to sucker-punch the Seagulls in the 76th minute

Alexis Mac Allister was on hand to score a consolation for the hosts after Kaoru Mitoma's initial effort rebounded back off the post

With virtually the final kick, McNeil was unleashed by Amadou Onana with his angled finish high into the roof of the net completing a stunning away performance

The result moves Everton from 19th up to 16th in the table ahead of Nottingham Forest's home clash with Southampton later on Monday, two points outside of the relegation zone

"No, I'm not sure [I saw it coming] myself in terms of the scoreline," said Everton boss Sean Dyche

"But I saw the performance because I saw it at Leicester

"The scoreline is a big one, for any team particularly on the road

There's been a lot of noise over the past couple of years about Everton's away form but we've been improving the mentality

"A couple have got away from us but there have been stronger performances away from home, committed performances

Tonight paid us back after a very good performance at Leicester

"Brighton remain in seventh place - the Europa Conference League spot - a point above Aston Villa in eighth with two games in hand, but this result checked dreams of gatecrashing the Champions League equation

Long after the final whistle, the 4,000 travelling supporters were unmoved, almost in shock at what they had witnessed

This has been a long and wretched season, a repeat of 12 months ago, but without the talisman Richarlison, they had looked doomed

Until now

A first win on the road since early October at Southampton has breathed spirit back into the Blues

Everton scored five goals in a Premier League away game for the first time since December 2018 - a 5-1 win at Dyche's Burnley - with this also their biggest margin of victory on the road since then

Writing in his programme notes, De Zerbi alluded to how fatigue would be "inevitable" during Brighton's hectic backlog of fixtures

But it is far easier to handle tiredness when the team is winning, and certainly in the manner the roof came off the Amex Stadium four days ago courtesy of Mac Allister's 99th-minute winner against Manchester United

A 99 on the south coast; it must be holiday season

Brighton are readying their passports, but this was a thoroughly unexpected roadblock

On Monday, they were presented with a very different challenge in keeping their European aspirations on track

This was their third successive home game, having dismantled Wolves 6-0 at the end of last month - but they fell behind inside 33 seconds

Lewis Dunk was rolled with ease by Dominic Calvert-Lewin before the striker picked out Doucoure for a close-range finish, his shot shovelled beyond Steele

Everton had only scored 12 away league goals, but Doucoure doubled his account on 29 minutes to cap a fine counter-attack

Calvert-Lewin was again involved as he combined with McNeil down the left channel, and the winger's deep cross was volleyed past Steele by the rampant Doucoure

Six minutes later, it was 3-0 as the ball bounced off the back of Steele's leg and in for an own goal from McNeil's cross

Jordan Pickford had not been tested in spite of Brighton's possessional dominance, and Everton might have extended their lead on the stroke of half-time when James Garner's shot was brilliantly blocked by Dunk

De Zerbi made a quadruple change at the break as Levi Colwill, Solly March, Julio Enciso and Evan Ferguson were all summoned

Brighton immediately responded as March shot straight at Pickford

Ferguson then rose - albeit judged from an offside position - to force England's No 1 into a superb one-handed save onto the post

It would have gone to VAR

Yerry Mina, on his first appearance under Dyche January and first start since January, blocked heroically from March's curling shot

Ferguson's next attempt was tipped over by Pickford via the crossbar, with the ensuing set-piece flicked onto the woodwork by Mac Allister

Everton's goal was leading a charmed life but Brighton were undone once more on the counter as Iwobi found the underlapping run of McNeil following a poor attempted pass by March

As McNeil rounded Steele to tap in on the line, March had pulled up holding his hamstring

De Zerbi said afterwards: "I don't know

We are in a very tough period with regards injuries, but I don't want to speak about this because anyway we are ready, and we could still win games

Solly didn't play in the first XI for a problem

"Brighton would immediately respond through Mac Allister, but it was fitting that McNeil would have the final say with the pick of the bunch, gliding onto Onana's pass before unleashing an unerring strike, postage stamp, beyond Steele

"Of course, we can lose the game

We can lose against Everton

I was disappointed with the first half because it showed we're not ready yet to compete for the big target

It's not easy because playing the last period, three games in a week is difficult if you're not used to playing so many games

"But if we want to improve and fix our target higher, we have not forgotten the victory against Manchester United

"With big teams, the biggest quality is to forget when you win

You have to be ready to play every game, every day and today we arrived at the stadium late

In the second half [in other words, they didn't get started]

"Sunday we will show our quality and we'll be back playing in our style

You will see the true Brighton

Against Manchester United and today, we saw two different teams

The problem is mentality

"I hope we can remember this date for a long time because today we can improve a lot

We can improve in football what you did in the past

It is not important, it doesn't count [towards the future]

"We are Brighton - we have won against Manchester United, against Arsenal [in the Carabao Cup] and against Chelsea, not because there is a top coach or players

It is because we have courage, energy and passion

I'm sure we will show this again and for a long time

""When you get your tactics right, everyone lauds you

When you get it wrong, it might still be the right tactics but the players haven't performed

They have tonight, they've taken it on

"We've done some work with them, they were very open-minded to it and they've gone and delivered it

That's really pleasing as that's the whole point of coaching and the whole point of managing

The players deserve a lot of credit as they've taken it on with aplomb

"People will be out there thinking there is life in this team

We've never lost sight of that

The work ethic, the commitment to the cause, the connectivity of the group is really important as I've always felt there is quality

"But talking about it doesn't win you a game

We were frustrated not to win at Leicester, but we got the reward of carrying on the right mentality tonight against a team that has been rightly applauded for their performances this season

"I told the lads that this is only a step

I said that after Arsenal

I made it clear

We made another step, but there's three more big steps we've got to take

"With seven goals and three assists, Dwight McNeil is enjoying his best Premier League season for goal involvements (10), with Monday the first time he's both scored and assisted in a league game for Everton

On McNeil, Dyche said: "His nemesis is sometimes coming deep and short and we want him to carry the ball

Sometimes he goes inside with the ball but I want him to keep driving

His two finishes were terrific

You have to build confidence with some players

"By the end, Everton had scored five from an xG of 2

24 compared to Brighton's 2

81

De Zerbi's men could only take one of their five big chances while Everton scored from all four of theirs, in addition to Steele's unfortunate own goal

No one saw this coming

In a season of shocks and surprises, this may well have been the greatest

Everton's poor away form has been well-documented while Brighton's performance against Manchester United four days earlier pointed towards a banker home win

But Dyche, who enjoyed a 3-0 win as Burnley manager here in February of last year, enjoyed his return to the Amex Stadium

From the first whistle, his side had a good shape and carried out his game plan to perfection

The travelling fans will sing long into the night, believing that this, coupled with Leicester's defeat at Fulham, has opened the door to another great escape

Doucoure's knack of arriving late in the box was deadly, capitalising on Brighton's slack passing and sluggishness in tracking back

The visitors had to be compact and were reliant on Pickford's heroics at times during a one-sided second half

This was a spectacular off day for Brighton, who have been such a joy to watch this term and deserve their ticket to Europe

But this will now be a test of their character as their rivals apply scoreboard pressure ahead of their next attempt at playing catch up at Arsenal and then Newcastle

Brighton face two daunting away trips in their next two matches

First, they head to Arsenal on Sunday May 14, kick-off 4

30pm, live on Sky Sports, before travelling to Newcastle on May 18

Everton now have just three games left to secure Premier League survival

They host Manchester City on Sunday at 2pm, live on Sky Sports, before visiting Wolves and then finishing at home against Bournemouth

May 14: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pm, live on May 18: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 7

30pmMay 21: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pmMay 24: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on May 28: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pmMay 14: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on May 20: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pmMay 28: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pm

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599

Nottingham Forest moved out of the relegation zone and left Southampton on the brink with a thrilling 4-3 win at the City Ground

Under pressure following Everton's shock win, Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice in the first half and though Carlos Alcaraz pulled one back, Morgan Gibbs-White looked to have ended any hope of a comeback when his penalty restored Forest's two-goal lead

Instead, the drama continued into the second half when substitute Lyanco's header pulled one back

But with Southampton pushing for an equaliser, Danilo converted after a delightful flick from Gibbs-White

James Ward-Prowse's penalty was too little, too late

The result moves Steve Cooper's side above Everton, Leicester and Leeds into 16th position on 33 points, three points above the drop zone

Ruben Selles' Southampton are now eight points from safety with only three games to play, their fate all but sealed

It was a nervous start by Nottingham Forest who needed a fine block from Felipe to keep out Che Adams early on but the game changed with the opening goal, a lightning quick counter-attack that took advantage of the blistering pace of Brennan Johnson

The forward raced onto Danilo's pass and squared the ball for Awoniyi to finish first time past goalkeeper Alex McCarthy

It was the Nigeria international's first goal for the club since January but he had a second within minutes as Southampton looked ready to implode

Danilo was involved again, forcing the ball through as it popped up nicely for Awoniyi to ram home on the turn

The City Ground was rocking at that point with any tension inside the stadium gone, but a reminder of their fragility moments later put it back in the balance

A loose pass from the otherwise magnificent Gibbs-White was seized upon and Stuart Armstrong centred the ball for Alcaraz to slot into the net

With Saints desperate for victory, they were ready to throw everything at Forest

A draw was of little use

Unfortunately for them, they could not keep the back door closed

Johnson continued to enjoy the space in behind and won a penalty when Ainsley Maitland-Niles caught him while trying to clear

Gibbs-White put the penalty down the middle and the crowd rejoiced

If Forest fans were hoping for a nerveless second half, those dreams were dashed when Brazilian defender Lyanco headed in James Ward-Prowse's corner

But Gibbs-White's clever touch at the other end laid the ball on for Danilo and appeared to settle the match

Not this match

Felipe had a goal disallowed for offside

Sam Surridge clipped Romeo Lavia inside the box and Ward-Prowse reduced the deficit to one goal once more in stoppage time

Forest were hanging on beyond the 100-minute mark but they did it

The game summed up Southampton's season - plenty of promise, encouraging signs - but this Premier League can be cruel and their defensive vulnerability was exposed

Forest had more steel and more subtlety in key moments

It could yet keep them up

"The most important thing was the win," Cooper told

"A rollercoaster of a game

Not really the time to pick the bones out of it

Just felt that we showed some really good attacking moments, particularly the goals that we scored, our fast breaks, we showed some quality

"We recovered from mistakes as well

It was a night when I felt there would be mistakes in the game and we definitely at times did not cover ourselves in glory with the goals we conceded

But we very much stuck together and that is what got us over the line

"Forest are now three points clear of the relegation zone

They may already have enough points

Alternatively, even another win might not be enough

Cooper prefers to concentrate on his own team with three games remaining

"It could be one, two or three more points

But let us just focus on ourselves

We can only influence what we can influence and that is our performances and results

Everything else will take care of itself

I think in the end you will end up where you deserve

""We came here with a clear and solid plan how to do it and I thought we dominated the first part of the game," Selles told

"In three minutes, we gave two goals away

It is hard to come back into the game but the boys gave everything they have with the goal and then the second one

We were close to coming back

It was just not enough today

"We were ready to come, ready to perform, but for one reason or another, some details went against us, details from ourselves

That is painful because by just correcting those things we could be in a much better position

"Selles has now gone 10 without a win in charge of this young Southampton team after winning two of his first three matches

He took over in trying circumstances but was unwilling to make excuses with relegation now appearing imminent

"The challenge was there for us

I think we had enough games to just change the situation and get more points to get out of the relegation so let us not make excuses

I thought that I would be able to win more matches for Southampton

"Nottingham Forest's survival mission heads to Chelsea on Saturday May 13

Kick-off 3pm

They then host Arsenal before ending at Crystal Palace

Southampton face Fulham at home on Saturday at 3pm before finishing their season with a trip to Brighton and then a visit from Liverpool

May 13: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pmMay 20: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 5

30pmMay 28: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pmMay 13: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pmMay 21: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pmMay 28: (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4

30pm

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