Soccer

KONTASTINOS Mavropanos was forced off with an injury after attempting a tackle with his head during West Ham’s 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa.New West Ham boss Graham Potter lost three players to injury as his first game in charge of the Hammers ended in defeat.Konstantinos Mavropanos was forced off with an injury against Aston VillaCredit: GettyMavropanos tried to tackle using his headCredit: GettyMavropanos threw himself at the ballCredit: itvHis head hit straight into Rogers’ kneeCredit: itvThe defender was left on the floor after the collisionCredit: itvMavropanos, 27, threw everything he had at Morgan Rogers in an effort to try and stop the Villa man extending the home side’s lead in the second half.But while throwing himself at the ball, Mavropanos smashed his head into the side of Rogers’ knee, leaving him in agony on the pitch.The Greek centre-back couldn’t continue after the nasty knock and was subsequently substituted and replaced by 18-year-old Luis Guilherme.Fans thought that Mavropanos’ efforts were remarkably similar to former Manchester United star Phil Jones, who had been known to put his body on the line in the past.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSOn social media, one wrote: “Mavropanos thinking he’s Phil Jones for a brief moment, but lacking the master skillset”.While another added: “Mavropanos has gone full ‘Phil Jones’ there. Not surprisingly he’s injured.”Mavropanos wasn’t the only West Ham man to leave the pitch with injury either.Graham Potter confirmed that both Crysensio Summerville and Niclas Fullkrug also picked up injuries during the game.Most read in FootballPhil Jones famously made a tackle with his head in the pastCredit: Getty Images – GettyFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe new Hammers boss explained how losing the pair had an impact on their ability to play their game.He said: “Obviously losing Summerville and losing Fullkrug had an influence on the attacking part of our game.Where it went wrong for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham”And then there was more pressure than anything, rather than big chances.”Adding: “We had to adjust without them. So that affected out attacking play a little bit.”And then Aston Villa just pushed us back a bit and we ended up a little bit too deep, deeper than we wanted.”And then with the ball, we couldn’t sustain enough attacks to be able to relieve some pressure”.Aston Villa turned round a 1-0 deficit to advance to the FA Cup fourth round thanks to goals from Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers.Graham Potter explained that injuries hampered his side’s chances of winning the tieCredit: Rex More

CONNOR O’BRIEN fondly remembers the day he was a starry-eyed little kid who met his Liverpool idols outside a hotel in Accrington.And pride of place at his Lancashire home is a framed photo of himself as a small boy, wearing the team’s away strip and tracksuit top, flanked by club legends Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.Accrington star Connor O’Brien is set to take on Liverpool this SaturdayO’Brien had his picture taken with Anfield legends Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard as a kidCredit: SuppliedYou wonder if they advised him: “If you don’t drink milk, you’ll only be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley!” just like Ian Rush was said to have advised two young Liverpool fans in a famous 1980s TV ad.Fast forward to 2025 and not only is O’Brien very  happy to play for his home-town club but on Saturday the right-back is set to turn out against his Kop heroes at Anfield.And the 20-year-old said: “Dad put me in a Liverpool kit before I could stand, so this is a dream come true.“I was excited when I got the chance to meet all the players as a kid when they were staying at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel here in Accrington ahead of a game against Burnley.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS“Dad found out they were staying, so we drove up and the entire squad were having their pre-match walk around the  grounds.“Rafa Benitez was manager and dad asked him if we could get some photos with the players. His assistant, Sammy Lee, put his arm around me and took me to meet the team.“We got pictures with half the squad — and the one we have framed at home is me with Gerrard and Carragher.“I sadly wasn’t able to get one with  Fernando Torres because he was injured. But it was a day I’ll never forget.”Most read in FA CupBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSO’Brien is a boyhood Liverpool and Stanley fanCredit: RexSaturday, whatever the outcome, will surely trump that memorable childhood moment.O’Brien — born and bred in Accrington — has always yearned to tread the Anfield turf and since his first visit to the iconic stadium, there has been one scenario playing through his head.Mo Salah calls out Jamie Carragher after Liverpool legend urged him to ‘take a leaf out of Virgil van Dijk’s book’He said: “The main thing is the fans singing You’ll Never Walk Alone.”Everybody dreams about walking out and listening to it.“So knowing I’m going to be there as a player and hear it, that’s what I’m so excited about.“That song makes you dream. I’ve always felt it gives you extra motivation. You go home thinking about that song and how you want to be playing at Anfield.”O’BRIEN’S SUSPENSION SCAREBut O’Brien has been sweating over Christmas and New Year because his ambition of facing his idols was almost dashed by a three-match ban.He picked that up for an incident in a League Two game against Salford last month.The defender was caught on camera kicking out at opponent Kelly N’Mai off the ball — an incident missed by the officials — and he was retrospectively suspended by the FA for violent conduct.Then Stanley’s Boxing Day game at Tranmere was postponed because of fog and last Saturday’s trip to Colchester was also in doubt owing to freezing temperatures before the referee gave the match the go-ahead — much to O’Brien’s relief.He said: “There were four games to go before the Liverpool match, so when Tranmere was called off it only needed one more postponement for my suspension to carry into the FA Cup match.“I was praying Colchester would go ahead but was sweating because there was a strong rumour it was going to be called off.“It’s a huge lesson learnt. It was a silly mistake to do what I did and not something I want to repeat.”BREAKING THROUGHO’Brien has been with Accrington since the age of eight and captained the club’s Under-18s in the FA Youth Cup.Last season he broke into Stanley’s first team as well as being capped by Republic of Ireland Under-21s.The defender is also a childhood supporter of  Stanley as a local boy and used to watch from the terraces — listing his two favourite moments as Matty Pearson’s extra-time winner to knock then-Premier League Burnley out of the League Cup in 2016 and the promotion to League One in 2018.He said: “I was there all in my all-blue Accrington tracksuit and ran on to the pitch to celebrate.”Regarding his ‘other’ team, O’Brien rates Liverpool’s Champions League triumph in 2019, when they beat Tottenham in the final, and their Premier League success in 2020 as his two standout moments.His all-time idol is Gerrard because he was a leader who would either “smash one in from 20 yards” when the team was losing or “would smash someone in the tackle before going on a powerful run”.Now, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk are his two favourite players in the current line-up.If either of those two feature, he will be trying everything to nab one of their shirts at the end — although he knows he will have to be quick with the whole Stanley team keen, too.’WE WANT TO SEE VAN DIJK, SALAH AND ALL THEIR STARS’Asked who he would most like to face, he laughed:  “Whoever is their worst player!“Please don’t give me Luis Diaz, though.“Seriously, we want them to play their strongest team. We want to see Van Dijk, Salah and all their stars.“This was the tie we wanted when the draw was made. To be involved in a match at Anfield between the two clubs I love is unreal.”ARN-BELIEVABLEO’Brien has been bowled over by the job Arne Slot has done since replacing Jurgen Klopp as boss in the summer.He said: “I was one of the rare ones in our fanbase. I felt we needed that fresh start — a rebuild.“I didn’t know too much about Slot but, wow, he’s impressive.”The League Two minnows are a whopping 86 places below the Premier League leaders in the English football pecking order.But O’Brien has a prediction.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe said: “I reckon Liverpool will win the treble — not the Quad, obviously, because Accrington can knock them out of the FA Cup!“We’re not going there to roll over, we’re aiming to win. Why not dream?”O’Brien is hoping to make an impact at Anfield More

MORGAN ROGERS ended Graham Potter’s hopes of a magical return to football management.The Aston Villa forward completed an impressive comeback after sub Amadou Onana had equalised five minutes earlier.Morgan Rogers shares his joy at completing a turnaround winCredit: GettyRogers pounced for the Villa winner on 76 minutesCredit: PAGraham Potter had a frustrating eveningCredit: GettyBut there was controversy about Onana’s goal – it came from a corner which should never have been given as it did not hit a West Ham players.Hammers’ players were at ref Tim Robinson who waved away their protests.Villa used the goal as a springboard to complete a third round victory.But it had all looked so different for new Hammers boss Potter after Lucas Paqueta had opened the scoring after nine minutes.READ MORE FOOTBALLWith Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on ITV 2 – and the ex-Brighton boss doing the business on ITV1 it looked like there was wizardy all round.But Villa had other ideas – and after an hour when the FA Cup looked low on their agenda his season, they conjured up a rousing finish on a night when they celebrated the 150th anniversary of their first game.They wore a one-off, commemorative all-black shirt – their original look before adopting the now familiar strip.But it was never going to be a claret and blue derby as West Ham chose white shirts.Most read in FA CupFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAs opposed to the Harry Potter film, this was definitely a black and white movie – and Villa finished with flying colours, albeit with a stroke of luck courtesy of the officials.They also avoided an unwanted record.Where it went wrong for Julen Lopetegui at West HamThey went into the game knowing failure to win meant they would match the longest run of home defeats – non-league excepted –  in FA Cup history, with Rotherham having seven losses in a row between 2002 and 2007.That included defeats to Stevenage and Peterborough United.For a while, it looked like that would happen – but Potte’s new side could not see the game out.He clearly has work to do and the Hammers’ early product suggested they can be a more adventurous side.Potter returned after a 21-month absence from management – against the side who sent him packing from Chelsea.His last match there was a 2-0 home defeat to Villa.The fact that his first game in charge of West Ham was Villa away meant he had come full circle.But he was clearly keen for a new start, applauding the travelling fans as he emerged from the tunnel – and clapping every positive move from his new side.And Hammers showed their intentions inside 50 seconds when Paqueta went close from 20 yards out.Amadou Onana is mobbed after his match-turning equaliserCredit: RexLucas Paqueta drilled an early opener for West HamCredit: GettyBut it did not take long for Potter’s men to make their mark.They took the lead when a ball from the halfway line from Mohammed Kudus found Crysencio Summerville on the right.He picked out Pacqueta whose perfectly placed shot well-placed shot found the net for the Brazilian’s first goal in a month.Both sides then saw key players forced off injured.Niclas Fullkrug limped off to be replaced by ex-Villa striker Danny IngsVilla then lost Ross Barkley after 23 minutes and he was replaced by Onana.The game settled after that but a low Kudus shot was saved by Robin Olsen – in for the injured Emi Martinez.Villa offered little before the break, perhaps a hectic January schedule was on their minds.Unai Emery’s men face two Champions League games against Monaco and Celtic – as well as key Premier League matches.But that did not stop Hammers fans reminding Villa they won the Europa Conference League a year before Emery’s bid ended at the semi-final stage.They sang: “Champions League, you’re having a laugh”.For while, they could enjoy themselves instead of seeing their team ship goals against the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.That was beforte Villa finally found their form,.Star midfielder Paqueta celebrates his breakthrough goalCredit: GettyUnai Emery’s side threatened at the start of the second half, but with no cutting edge.Too many of their important players were having an off-night – with mis-placed passes hindering their attempts to get back on level terms.But Villa began to step it up and Ian Maatsen’s shot flew towards goal as keeper Lukasz Fabianski was forced into a rare save with 22 minutes left.That lifted Villa and they levelled the tie through Onana after 70 minutes.Again Maatsen was involved and this time, Fabianski could not hold on to the Dutchman’s shot.The ball fell at the feet of Ollie Watkins – but it was Onana who poked the ball home from close range.Paqueta went down after getting tangled up with Ezri Konsa – but ref Robinson saw nothing wrong with that either as Hammers’ players pointed the error in awarding a corner in the first place.Suddenly Villa were in charge – and they took the lead after 76 minutes.Watkins broke clear on the left and found Rogers with a pinpoint cross that Villa forward tucked away for his of the seventh goal of the season.This was rampant stuff from Villa now and sub Jacob Ramsey shook the woodwork from 18 yards out.READ MORE SUN STORIES More