Carabao Cup

Subterms

    More stories

    • 200 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Hilarious moment Mikel Arteta ‘fines’ journalist during press conference as brutal discipline rules apply to everyone

      by

      ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta jokingly threatened to fine a reporter for being late to his post-match press conference.The Spaniard was in good spirits as he addressed the media following Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Preston North End on Wednesday.Mikel Arteta jokingly threatened to fine a reporter during a press conferenceCredit: XOne reporter appeared to ask a question about young midfielder Ethan Nwaneri, seemingly unaware Arteta had already spoken about him.The Arsenal boss quickly jumped in to joke: “You are late! We already talked about him!”That’s a fine for you!”Gabriel Jesus ended a 25-game goal drought to put the Gunners 1-0 up against Preston at Deepdale.Read More in FootballNwaneri then fired a stunning shot into the top-left corner to extend the advantage.And Kai Havertz sealed the win with a bullet header after coming off the bench in the second half.Discussing Nwaneri’s impressive performance at full-time, Arteta said: “He’s a big talent, he’s got the right attitude, he’s got the right players and context around him and we need to make sure that we put brick by brick in the right order but we have some player here.”He’s going to really dictate how fast that’s going to go but I’m really happy with him.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSArsenal ratings vs PrestonARSENAL cruised through their Carabao Cup tie at Preston.The Gunners won 3-0 to set up a home tie against Crystal Palace in the next round.Sun Sport’s Sam Dymond reveals who has done enough to feature in the quarter final – and who might be a bit worried.Tommy Setford – 6A clean sheet on debut for the teenager. After a quiet first half, he looked nervous when put under pressure by Preston’s forward.Jurrien Timber – 7Really looking the part in the Arsenal defence after injury. His crosses caused chaos before being replaced at half-timeWilliam Saliba – 7Settled back into the side after suspension, and was rarely troubled on a night where he continually swept up possession.Jakub Kiwior – 8Partnered Saliba admirably in defence, but showed his attacking worth by providing two assists.Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7A solid display before his removal on the hour, perhaps with one eye on the weekend.Jorginho – 7Kept things moving in midfield, and even showed off some sublime skill when the opportunity arose.Mikel Merino – 7A much more confident performance from the Spaniard following his goal on Sunday. Combined well with Martinelli and Nwaneri during the opening 45 minutes.Ethan Nwaneri – 9Serenaded by the Arsenal fans as ‘one of their own’, this talented teenager once again excited Gooners everywhere.The scorer of one sublime strike, he came so close to bagging a second goal too.Raheem Sterling – 7The Carabao Cup king did everything but score. Perhaps let down by his decision making, he’s looking more at home at Arsenal than he ever did at Chelsea.Gabriel Jesus – 8Constantly alive to the ball inside the box, he was rewarded with a first goal since January to get the scoring underway.Gabriel Martinelli – 8Often Arsenal’s biggest attacking threat with his direct running and ability to beat defenders. Replaced after taking a couple of heavy knocks.SubsThomas Partey – 6Replaced Timber at the break and once again did the job asked of him with few complaints.Kai Havertz – 8Scored a superb header shortly after his arrival as a half-time sub, and was an imposing figure in both penalty areas.Bukayo Saka – 6More minutes in the legs for the Arsenal star as he continues the recovery from his hamstring injury.Myles Lewis-Skelly – 6Misplaced a couple of passes after his introduction, but fits in well among the first-team squad.Ayden Heaven – 6Offered a glimpse of genuine pace as he made his senior debut for the final ten minutes.”So much personality there, he wants every ball, he wants to make things happen.”Outside and around he’s still a bit quiet as usual, he’s 17 years old, very respectful, his work ethic is tremendous and he loves what he does, you can tell that.”Arsenal Dominates Preston: Player RatingsArsenal next face Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday.The Gunners currently sit third in the table, behind Liverpool and Manchester City. More

    • 213 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Arsenal face fixture chaos with ‘no obvious date’ to play crunch Carabao Cup quarter-final vs Crystal Palace

      by

      ARSENAL are facing a nightmare fixture pile up in December after being drawn against Crystal Palace in the League Cup.Mikel Arteta’s side progressed into the quarter-finals of the competition after beating Preston 3-0 on Wednesday.Arsenal have been left with a huge fixture headache in DecemberCredit: GettyThey are due to host Crystal Palace in the League Cup quarter-final but the two day turnaround for Palace could mean the game changes dateCredit: RexHowever, that is set to cause club chiefs a huge headache due to a major scheduling issue involving them and the women’s team.The Emirates tie against Crystal Palace is due to be played on either Tuesday 17 or Wednesday 18 in December.It came with Palace being due to play Brighton on Monday, December 16, though this fixture has since been moved to Sunday at 2pm with Bournemouth v West Ham now filling the Monday evening slot.Holding the clash on Wednesday is not possible due to Arsenal Women facing Bayern Munich in the Champions League at the Emirates.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLLogically this would leave Thursday as the obvious solution.However, the two-day turnaround is far from ideal, with Palace due to host Arsenal on Saturday, December 21 in the evening clash, also leaving Friday out of the question.It would be possible to host the Palace game on Wednesday, December 18 if the women’s game could be moved.Arsenal Women play all of their European home games and eight of their 11 home games in the Women’s Super League at the Emirates, with tickets for the Bayern game on sale since September 28.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBut Boreham Wood’s Meadow Park, where the women’s team used to play their home games, does not meet Uefa stadium regulations.However, one possible solution could be Arsenal agreeing to a stunning VENUE SWAP with Palace. ‘Watching Arsenal is like watching Netflix… you always have to wait for the next season’, says Man Utd legendThere has been a precedent in the League Cup this season to move fixtures to another stadium.Newcastle’s third round fixture with Wimbledon was switched from Plough Lane to St. James’ Park after floods caused a sinkhole to form in the middle of the pitch.Manchester City faced a similar problem to Arsenal earlier this season when they faced Watford in the third round.They were due to meet on the Wednesday, but local rivals Manchester United were already playing at home that night and the two teams can’t play at the same time.Pep Guardiola’s side were offered the chance to play away at Vicarage Road or switch dates to Tuesday or Thursday, which left them with less of a turnaround for either the League Cup game or Prem clash.They ultimately opted to play on the Tuesday just 48 hours after their 2-2 draw with Arsenal, and emerged with a 2-1 win over Watford at the Etihad.Speaking of the dilemma at the time, Guardiola said: “I prefer to play at home than go to London because this way our fans can watch this lovely, adorable team at home.“That’s why I decided to play on Tuesday. If we had said Thursday we wouldn’t have time to recover to go to Newcastle.“Hopefully we can select two teams and be fit and have no injuries but everyone knows the schedule will be tight this season.”On fixture congestion, he had previously said: “The week is seven days. We cannot create eight days a week or nine days a week.”It means the EFL could, based on precedent, offer Arteta’s side the chance to swap the venue of the League Cup clash from the Emirates to Selhurst Park to allow it to then be played on Wednesday and give Arsenal appropriate rest days between their league games.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe ultimate decision over the date of the game is in the hands of the EFL.It is understood the organisation are currently consulting all the relevant stakeholders on the timings and broadcast arrangements for each of the four quarter-finals.A Wednesday clash is not possible due to Arsenal women playing at the Emirates in the Champions LeagueCredit: AlamyArsenal ratings vs PrestonARSENAL cruised through their Carabao Cup tie at Preston.The Gunners won 3-0 to set up a home tie against Crystal Palace in the next round.Sun Sport’s Sam Dymond reveals who has done enough to feature in the quarter final – and who might be a bit worried.Tommy Setford – 6A clean sheet on debut for the teenager. After a quiet first half, he looked nervous when put under pressure by Preston’s forward.Jurrien Timber – 7Really looking the part in the Arsenal defence after injury. His crosses caused chaos before being replaced at half-timeWilliam Saliba – 7Settled back into the side after suspension, and was rarely troubled on a night where he continually swept up possession.Jakub Kiwior – 8Partnered Saliba admirably in defence, but showed his attacking worth by providing two assists.Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7A solid display before his removal on the hour, perhaps with one eye on the weekend.Jorginho – 7Kept things moving in midfield, and even showed off some sublime skill when the opportunity arose.Mikel Merino – 7A much more confident performance from the Spaniard following his goal on Sunday. Combined well with Martinelli and Nwaneri during the opening 45 minutes.Ethan Nwaneri – 9Serenaded by the Arsenal fans as ‘one of their own’, this talented teenager once again excited Gooners everywhere.The scorer of one sublime strike, he came so close to bagging a second goal too.Raheem Sterling – 7The Carabao Cup king did everything but score. Perhaps let down by his decision making, he’s looking more at home at Arsenal than he ever did at Chelsea.Gabriel Jesus – 8Constantly alive to the ball inside the box, he was rewarded with a first goal since January to get the scoring underway.Gabriel Martinelli – 8Often Arsenal’s biggest attacking threat with his direct running and ability to beat defenders. Replaced after taking a couple of heavy knocks.SubsThomas Partey – 6Replaced Timber at the break and once again did the job asked of him with few complaints.Kai Havertz – 8Scored a superb header shortly after his arrival as a half-time sub, and was an imposing figure in both penalty areas.Bukayo Saka – 6More minutes in the legs for the Arsenal star as he continues the recovery from his hamstring injury.Myles Lewis-Skelly – 6Misplaced a couple of passes after his introduction, but fits in well among the first-team squad.Ayden Heaven – 6Offered a glimpse of genuine pace as he made his senior debut for the final ten minutes. More

    • 250 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Ruud van Nistelrooy took just 59 minutes to break Ten Hag record after replacing him as Man Utd interim boss

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy needed less than an hour to best former manager Erik ten Hag on his debut at the helm.Van Nistelrooy, 48, took over at the United hotseat on a temporary basis following Sunday’s 2-1 loss at West Ham under Ten Hag which extended the club’s worst ever Premier League start.Manchester United interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy beat an Erik ten Hag recordCredit: GettyMan Utd scored five goals against a Premier League side under Van Nistelrooy, something Ten Hag never managedCredit: GettyThe club legend oversaw the Red Devils’ Carabao Cup clash with Leicester in the Round of 16 at Old Trafford on Wednesday and led them to an impressive 5-2 win.The former striker saw his team score four goals in the first half with a brace by Casemiro and strikes by Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes.Goals by the Foxes’ Bilal El Khannouss and Conor Coady sealed an entertaining six-goal spectacular in the first half before both teams slowed down in the second half.That was when Fernandes completed his brace in the 59th minute before Van Nistelrooy took his foot off the gas.Read More on Man UtdThat means that in his first game in charge of Man Utd, the ex-PSV Eindhoven boss has already beaten a Ten Hag feat by netting five goals against a Premier League side.Ten Hag’s biggest win was last month’s 7-0 triumph over League One outfit Barnsley in the third round of the Carabao Cup.The Dutch tactician’s biggest win before that was a 4-1 victory against Chelsea and Real Betis last year in the Premier League and Europa League respectively.United looked much better in just one match under Van Nistelrooy, who hinted he wants to stay and work under incoming new boss Ruben Amorim.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHe told Sky Sports: “I came here as an assistant to help the club. Now in this role, I’m helping as long as needed.”I’m here to help and serve and give my everything for the club in any capacity with so many people here around me that want the best for the club and that will never change.”Erik ten Hag and Ruud van Nistelrooy caught in heated conversation during Man Utd’s draw at Villa Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim is expected to replace Ten Hag on a full-time basis.The Portuguese tactician, though, may not assume duties until after next month’s international break, meaning his first match could take place at Ipswich on November 24.And Van Nistelrooy’s future at the club is currently uncertain as United appear to be trying to also sign Amorim’s coaching staff at Sporting.Those are assistant coaches Adelio Candido, Carlos Fernandes and Emanuel Ferro as well as goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital and sports scientist Paulo Barreira. More

    • 250 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Pep Guardiola admits Man City were ‘HUNGOVER’ for FA Cup final loss against Man Utd following Premier League title bash

      by

      PEP GUARDIOLA has admitted that his Manchester City stars were “hungover” during their FA Cup final defeat last season.The City boss, 53, was speaking after his side were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Tottenham last night.Pep Guardiola spoke after his side’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham last nightCredit: GettyMan City won the Prem title on the final day of last seasonCredit: GettyJack Grealish and Co subsequently went out to celebrateCredit: SplashMan Utd beat Man City in the FA Cup final the following weekendCredit: APThe 2-1 defeat was City’s first loss of the season, which was pointed out to Guardiola after the game.Their last defeat had come at Wembley in last season’s FA Cup final, in which they were beaten 2-1 by Manchester United.Referencing that match last night, Guardiola said: “This is the news, not that we lose, but how long it has been since we lose.”Of course, with the FA Cup final we were a little bit hungover, but it is good news.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Wembley showpiece had come just a week after City had clinched the Premier League title on the final day of the season.City stars let their hair down after pipping Arsenal to the post, with the likes of Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland leading the celebrations.After lifting the Premier League trophy, City stars and their partners headed to plush Manchester bar and restaurant Fenix to continue their revelry.The following weekend at Wembley they looked sluggish, with goals by Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo giving Man Utd a 2-0 half-time lead.Most read in FA CupBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSGuardiola comforts Phil Foden after the FA Cup finalCredit: ReutersCity stars were left disappointed at WembleyCredit: ReutersJeremy Doku did pull one back for City late on, but Guardiola’s men were unable to conjure an equaliser.The cup final win largely contributed to Erik ten Hag clinging on to his job as Man Utd boss at the time.Jack Grealish is helped out of bar at 5am as Man City’s wild celebrations continue into the night after record titleHe had appeared all but certain to get the sack after his side finished a dismal eighth.But following the cup final victory the Dutchman was given a reprieve by United’s Ineos chiefs.After another summer at the helm, Ten Hag was unable to change United’s league fortunes.He was finally sacked on Monday following last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at West Ham, with United 14th in the table after nine games.Ruud van Nistelrooy has been placed in caretaker charge, with Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim primed to take over.City, meanwhile, are facing an injury crisis – having lost Manuel Akanji in last night’s warm-up and Savinho during the match.After the game, Guardiola confessed: “We have 13 players, we are in real difficulties.”The guys that play, they finish most of them with problems and we’ll see how they recover.READ MORE SUN STORIES”I think we are in trouble, because in nine years we’ve never been in the situation with so many injuries.”The players make a step forward, more together than ever, and we will try to do this week in this short time of recovery.” More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Carabao Cup draw LIVE: Tottenham facing Man Utd in huge clash, Arsenal meeting Crystal Palace in quarter-final – updates

      by

      THE draw for the Carabao Cup quarter-finals has concluded – and there has been some cracking ties.Tottenham will face Man Utd at home in the pick of the draw, while Arsenal face Crystal Palace at the Emirates.Newcastle take on Brentford and Southampton host Liverpool with the all-Premier League draw complete.FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSFollow all the action with our live blog below…Special NwanArsenal wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri lit up the Carabao Cup yet again last night with a wondergoal at Preston.Cutting inside from the left and then curling into the top corner, Nwaneri added to his two strikes against Bolton in the previous round.Credit: PACopy linkCopiedQuarter-final draw in fullTottenham will be taking on Man Utd at home in the pick of the draw.While Arsenal are hosting Crystal Palace in a huge London derby at the Emirates.Tottenham vs Manchester UnitedArsenal vs Crystal PalaceNewcastle vs BrentfordSouthampton vs LiverpoolCopy linkCopiedReminder of the fourth-round resultsSome huge shocks in the fourth round saw Premier League champions Man City crash out to Tottenham after Spurs beat the Cityzens 2-1.Crystal Palace also beat Aston Villa away 2-1 from home in a huge result for Oliver Glasner.Here are the fourth-round results in full:Southampton 3-2 StokeBrentford 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday (5-4 pens)Brighton 2-3 LiverpoolNewcastle 2-0 ChelseaMan Utd 5-2 LeicesterPreston 0-3 ArsenalAston Villa 1-2 Crystal PalaceTottenham 2-1 Man CityCopy linkCopiedWhen will Carabao Cup quarter-final matches be played?Carabao Cup quarter-final ties will be played in the week commencing Monday, December 16.Fixtures will likely be on Tuesday, December 17 and Wednesday, December 18.Credit: Rex FeaturesCopy linkCopiedTottenham host Manchester United in the quarter-finalsSpurs overcame the Blue side of Manchester in the fourth-round and they will face the Red side in the last-8.Tottenham vs Manchester United is certainly the standout tie from tonight’s draw.Another highlight is Arsenal taking on London rivals Crystal Palace in a blockbuster clash at the Emirates.Copy linkCopiedCarabao Cup quarter-final ties in FULLTottenham vs Manchester UnitedArsenal vs Crystal PalaceNewcastle vs BrentfordSouthampton vs LiverpoolCopy linkCopiedSouthampton vs LiverpoolCopy linkCopiedNewcastle vs BrentfordCopy linkCopiedArsenal vs Crystal PalaceCopy linkCopiedTottenham vs Manchester UnitedCopy linkCopiedHere we go!The draw for the Carabao Cup quarter-final is underway!Copy linkCopiedDraw detailsSky Sports host Mark Chapman will present tonight’s quarter-final draw.Former England and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp will pick out the all-important balls alongside ex-England and Manchester City forward Izzy Christiansen.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopiedAll eyes on the drawTonight’s Carabao Cup quarter-final draw is expected to begin at approximately 10.40pm GMT.SunSport will bring you all the ties in full as they come in.Credit: RexCopy linkCopiedRecap of fourth-round resultsSome standout results from the fourth round include Tottenham’s 2-1 win over Man City and Newcastle dumping out Chelsea with a 2-0 triumph.Crystal Palace stunned Aston Villa in the Midlands, with the Eagles running out 2-1 winners.Here are the fourth-round results in full:Southampton 3-2 StokeBrentford 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday (5-4 pens)Brighton 2-3 LiverpoolNewcastle 2-0 ChelseaMan Utd 5-2 LeicesterPreston 0-3 Arsenal Aston Villa 1-2 Crystal PalaceTottenham 2-1 Man CityCredit: AlamyCopy linkCopiedBall numbers CONFIRMEDTottenham are the final side to secure their spot in the hat for tonight’s Carabao Cup quarter-final draw.Spurs claimed a mammoth 2-1 win over Manchester City in the capital.The draw is set to begin at around 10.40pm GMT.1 Brentford2 Southampton3 Crystal Palace4 Liverpool5 Manchester United6 Newcastle United7 Arsenal8 Tottenham HotspurCopy linkCopiedSpurs edging closer to quarter-final spotTottenham are less than 10 minutes away from massive win over Premier League champions Manchester City.Spurs lead Pep Guardiola’s men 2-1 after goals from Timo Werner and Pape Sarr.Credit: AlamyCopy linkCopiedBall numbers reminderHere is a reminder of those all-important ball numbers following the conclusion of fourth-round ties:1 Brentford2 Southampton3 Crystal Palace4 Liverpool5 Manchester United6 Newcastle United7 Arsenal8 Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester CityCopy linkCopiedToon get revengeNewcastle have secured their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Chelsea.The Blues beat the Magpies 2-1 in the Premier League just three days ago, but tonight the Geordies got revenge.Elsewhere, Man Utd cruised through with a 5-2 win over Leicester, while Crystal Palace stunned Aston Villa.Brighton 2-3 Liverpool (FT)Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea (FT)Man Utd 5-2 Leicester (FT)Preston 0-3 Arsenal (FT)Aston Villa 1-2 Crystal Palace (FT)Tottenham 2-1 Man CityCopy linkCopiedArsenal in the hatArsenal have beaten Preston 3-0 in a dominant night’s work at Deepdale.Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring with his first goal since January.Before a wondergoal from Ethan Nwaneri and a stunning header from substitute Kai Havertz.Number 7 in the draw confirmed!Credit: GettyCopy linkCopiedFestive quarter-final datesThe Carabao Cup quarter-final ties will be played in the week commencing Monday, December 16.Fixtures will likely be on Tuesday, December 17 and Wednesday, December 18.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopiedReds into the hatLiverpool are the first side from tonight’s fourth-round matches to secure their spot in the draw.The defending champions beat Brighton 3-2 in a thrilling clash on the Seaside.Liverpool will be ball number 8 in the draw later.Here are the latest scores from around the grounds:Brighton 2-3 Liverpool (FT)Newcastle 2-0 ChelseaMan Utd 5-2 LeicesterPreston 0-3 ArsenalAston Villa 1-2 Crystal PalaceTottenham 2-1 Man City Copy linkCopiedLiverpool closing in on quarter-finalsLiverpool are minutes away from the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.The current champions will be hoping to avoid any late drama as they lead Brighton 3-2 on the South Coast.Manchester United and Arsenal both look to be heading for the last-8 too, while Chelsea are on the verge of being knocked out in Newcastle.Brighton 2-3 LiverpoolNewcastle 2-0 ChelseaMan Utd 5-2 LeicesterPreston 0-3 ArsenalAston Villa 1-2 Crystal PalaceTottenham 2-1 Man City (HT)Copy linkCopiedCarabao Cup draw ball numbersAnother reminder of those all-important ball numbers for the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw tonight.The big draw is expected at approx 10.20pm tonight following Spurs vs Man City.1 Brentford2 Southampton3 Aston Villa or Crystal Palace4 Brighton & Hove Albion or Liverpool5 Manchester United or Leicester City6 Newcastle United or Chelsea7 Preston North End or Arsenal8 Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester CityCredit: GettyCopy linkCopiedBru the dayBruno Fernandes has bagged his second of the night to make it Man Utd 5-2 Leicester.The Red Devils are cruising towards the quarter-finals after a superb showing from Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men.Here are the latest scores from around the grounds:Brighton 1-2 LiverpoolNewcastle 2-0 Chelsea Man Utd 5-2 Leicester Preston 0-3 ArsenalAston Villa 1-2 Crystal Palace Tottenham 2-1 Man City (HT)Copy linkCopiedHav some more of thatAnd Kai Havertz has scored Arsenal’s third with a stunning header at Preston!The Gunners are closing in on a spot in the quarter-final draw tonight.Lovely ball from Jakub Kiwior and the game now appears out of Preston’s reach.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopied More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Carabao Cup quarter-final draw sees Man Utd handed horror tie at City conquerors Tottenham as Arsenal get Palace

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED have been handed a horror Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Tottenham.The Red Devils will travel to North London after cruising past Leicester in the last 16.The draw for the Carabao Cup quarters has been madeCredit: PASpurs beat United’s rivals Man City 2-1 at home this evening.And they will be hoping to inflict more misery on Manchester when United pay a visit.Elsewhere, Arsenal will host Crystal Palace after easing past Preston.Palace defeated Aston Villa in the Midlands but face another tough trip away from home.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIn the third tie, Newcastle have been rewarded for beating Chelsea with a home clash against Brentford.The Bees sealed their place in the last eight with a penalty win over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday.Finally, Southampton will take on Liverpool after beating Stoke 3-2 yesterday.But Arne Slot’s Reds continue to look strong and slipped past Brighton 3-2 this evening.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe draw was made on Wednesday night following a six-game epic on Sky Sports, with Jamie Redknapp and Izzy Christiansen drawing the balls alongside host Mark Chapman.But there will be a lengthy wait until the quarters are played.Incredible before and after video shows AFC Wimbledon’s progress fixing huge sinkhole after Carabao Cup clash postponedThe full draw for the Carabao Cup quartersTies to be played week commencing Monday December 16:Tottenham vs Manchester UnitedArsenal vs Crystal PalaceNewcastle vs BrentfordSouthampton vs LiverpoolThe matches will not take place until the week commencing Monday December 16.The winners of the quarters will then progress to the semis, with the first of two legs to be played on the week commencing Monday January 6.And as for the holy grail, the final will take place at Wembley on March 16 — nearly a month later than last season’s match between Liverpool and Chelsea. More

    • 288 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Tottenham 2 Man City 1: Spurs miss chances but cling on to reach Cup quarters as they target first trophy in 17 years

      by

      WHAT’S Catalan for ‘down to the bare bones’?The old adage of former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp seems very fitting for Pep Guardiola now after his Manchester City side suffered more blows in this lost battle of the walking wounded.CARABAO CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW LIVETimo Werner broke the deadlock for Ange Postecoglou’s menCredit: RexIt is Werner’s first goal of the season after a number of missed chancesCredit: RexPape Matar Sarr made it two for the hosts with an accurate long-range strikeCredit: RexSarr superbly curled his shot into the bottom cornerCredit: RexSarr was impressive as Spurs ground out the win over Manchester CitySpurs had to absorb a lot of pressure particularly in the second halfDejan Kulusevski received the Player of the Match awardSavinho became the latest casualty as the Brazilian was forced off on a stretcher, leaving Guardiola with just ELEVEN fit outfield first-team players.Manuel Akanji also picked up a problem in the warm-up, joining Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, Jeremy Doku, Oscar Bobb and Ballon D’Or winner Rodri on the treatment table.No wonder Guardiola, who had asked for a “good performance, but no more injuries please” ahead of the game, did not want to waste energy on this competition.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLNow he will not have to as Tottenham earned a statement win thanks to Timo Werner ending his 12-game goal drought this term and a Pape Sarr stunner.But it came at a cost for Ange Postecoglou’s men as they lost both Werner and Micky van de Ven to hamstring injuries, either side of a Matheus Nunes strike.At least the hope of a first trophy in 16 years was kept alive for Spurs – as was Postecoglou’s promise of always winning silverware in his second season.City dominated the ball in the opening exchanges but it was Spurs who took an early lead thanks to Werner’s uncharacteristically clinical finish.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSMatheus Nunes pulled one back for Manchester City before half-timeCredit: ReutersAnge Postecoglou’s pledge of a trophy in his second season received a big shot in the armCredit: PAA clever flick from Brennan Johnson had set Dejan Kulusevski away down the right and when the Swede fired a ball across the box, Werner struck it first time past a helpless Stefan Ortega. The smile on his face, and those of his team-mates, showed the relief after such a long stint without scoring.Man City star Savinho talks about his rise to football stardom In contrast Van de Ven looked to be in tears as he was subbed off soon after after damaging his hamstring in a sliding challenge on Savinho.Spurs shook off the blow and managed to double their lead midway through the half thanks to Sarr’s fantastic finish.It came from a smart short corner when Kulusevski exchanged passes with Werner and laid it back to Sarr who curled it home from the edge of the area.The Malian was nicknamed Roberto Carlos as a kid on account of his long-range strikes.This was more placement than power – but an effort Brazilian legend Carlos would have been proud of.Guardiola had made six changes to his side, and though it still possessed plenty of quality, it was struggling to conjure up its usual creativity.The only negative for Spurs was Micky van de Ven went off injuredCredit: AlamyErling Haaland had been left on the bench with Phil Foden reprising his false nine role from the seasons prior to the Norwegian goal machine’s arrival.As the first half wore on, England man Foden became more involved.He was inches away from tapping home Nunes’ ball across the box and then hooked a difficult, but manageable, for him anyway, volley over the bar.Spurs were dropping deeper and ceding more and more possession, just hoping to get to the break with their two-goal lead intact.Yet they could not hold out as in the fourth minute of stoppage time, livewire Savinho crossed for the equally-impressive Nunes to fire in at the far post. Game on.Postecoglou was left shaking his head but it was fair cop, as the Aussie might say, given how his side had gone into their shells. The Spurs chief responded by taking off Sarr for Yves Bissouma at the break, while Mateo Kovacic was sent on for the disappointing Gundogan.Postecoglou’s side had a flurry of chances to restore their two-goal cushion early after the break.Pep Guardiola’s men were dumped out of the Carabao CupCredit: GettyFirst, lightning almost struck twice as Werner came so close to netting again when sent racing through by Dominic Solanke, but his left-footed strike shaded the wrong side of the post.It was then Kulusevski’s turn to be sent haring into the box but his effort was turned away by Ortega, who had earlier denied Johnson too, before Werner then blasted over.Foden’s night was done before the hour but instead of Haaland, it was Bernardo Silva sent into action.Seconds after the sub had been made, Savinho went down with what looked like a right ankle issue, seemingly after an innocuous challenge with Destiny Udogie.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt was so bad that the Brazilian had to come off on a stretcher, being replaced by rookie Jacob Wright.Spurs were then hit by more injury woe as Werner pulled up with a hamstring issue but managed to hold out for the victory – helped massively by Bissouma’s goal-line clearance from Nico O’Reilly late on. More

    • 200 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Preston 0-3 Arsenal LIVE RESULT: Gunners cruise into Carabao Cup quarter-final as Ethan Nwaneri scores wondergoal

      by

      Arsenal have beaten Preston 3-0 after a dominant night’s work at Deepdale.Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring against the Championship side with his first goal since January.Before a wondergoal from Ethan Nwaneri and a stunning header from substitute Kai Havertz.The Gunners now march on into the all-important quarter-final draw tonight.Preston XI: Woodman, Kesler-Hayden, Whatmough, Lindsay, Hughes, Ledson, Thordarson, Bowler, Holmes, Okkels, GreenwoodArsenal XI: Setford, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Merino, Sterling, Jesus, MartinelliFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSFollow ALL the reaction from Deepdale with our live blog below…That’s all from DeepdaleIt’s been a good night for Arsenal – and not a refereeing controversy in sight.Whether normal service will be resumed on that front when the Gunners go to Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime remains to be seen, but for now the North Londoners can savour a professional performance at Preston and a place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.Thanks for joining us, and goodnight.Copy linkCopiedEagles await in quarter-finalsThe draw for the Carabao Cup quarter-finals has just taken place, and the Gunners have been handed a home tie against Crystal Palace by Jamie Redknapp and Izzy Christiansen.The London derby will take place at the Emirates during the week commencing December 16th.Tottenham v Man UtdArsenal v Crystal PalaceNewcastle v BrentfordSouthampton v LiverpoolCopy linkCopiedArteta praises teenage star NwaneriMikel Arteta admitted that Arsenal have a big talent on their hands in Ethan Nwaneri, but reiterated that his development needs to be managed correctly for him to reach his potential.The 17-year-old capped a wonderful performance at Preston with a brilliant goal, but the Gunners boss revealed that it was no surprise to those that watch him day in and day out.He did it yesterday in training so we’re getting used to it! He’s a big talent and he’s got the right attitude. He’s got the right players around him. We need to make sure that we develop him – brick by brick – with the right tempo in the right order – but we have some player there.Mikel Arteta on Ethan NwaneriCopy linkCopiedMatch stats from DeepdaleThe Gunners dominated the game, and that’s borne out by the numbers.Copy linkCopiedFrom Martin Blackburn at DeepdaleVery straightforward for the Gunners – who won comfortably and should really have scored more.Gabriel Jesus will be delighted to end his 274 day goal drought – but he was upstaged by teen starlet Ethan Nwaneri. He scored a beauty and could have had more – what a talent he looks.Copy linkCopiedFull time – Preston 0-3 ArsenalJob done for the Gunners.A first goal in ten months for Gabriel Jesus, a wonder goal by wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri, and a clean sheet on debut for 18-year-old goalkeeper Tommy Setford.What more could Mikel Arteta ask for? A home draw in the quarter-final, perhaps. It won’t be long until he finds out if that request is answer…Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal90+3. That’s even better defending from Potts to deny Sterling!Somehow the Preston sub gets back to turn over a shot from right underneath the crossbar with an incredible sliding lunge.That deserves so much more, but it is going to be the last act of a 3-0 defeat.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal90. A Sterling run and shot is expertly defended by Potts, and that’s the cue for the fourth official to indicate three minutes of stoppage time.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal88. Havertz steers in a fourth after great work from Jesus but once again the officials cut the celebrations short.Jesus is the one penalised, adjudged to have run the ball out of the play as he burst to the byline before cutting back for the German.Oh no. This is going to mean three days of freeze frame images and tweets about Gary Neville.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal85. Emil Riis almost gives the home fans something to cheer before the journey home.The substitute gets on the end of a delivery into the box, but is unable to direct it goalwards.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal83. The fourth North End player booked this evening is Mads Frokjaer-Jensen.It’s difficult to know whether he has been cautioned for the unnecessary trip, or for screaming in referee Peter Bankes’ face after the decision.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal80. Nwaneri is withdrawn with ten minutes remaining, and goes off to a fabulous reception from the travelling fans.On for his senior debut is Ayden Heaven.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal77. Nwaneri’s stylish left foot fires another shot on to the top of the crossbar.The 17-year-old has been the standout performer at Deepdale tonight.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal75. Preston are pushing for a consolation with quarter of an hour remaining.Suddenly, Tommy Setford is having to work hard for a clean sheet on debut.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal73. Stefan Thordarson is shown a yellow card for a cynical slide on Kai Havertz as the German brought play out of the Arsenal defensive third. Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal71. The game appears to be opening up as it enters the final 20 minutes.That can’t be good news for the Championship club, unless they feel it’s better to lose 5-1 than 3-0.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal69. Nwaneri has the ball in the back of the net, but the whistle had long gone beforehand to rule the goal out.Let’s hope this disallowed goal doesn’t prompt a week of conspiracy theories on social media.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal67. Arsenal want more.Havertz almost nabs his second header of the night, but this time it’s kept out by fine reactions from Woodman.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal65. How has that stayed out? Sterling does brilliantly to break the lines and slip in Jesus on the left.The striker comes back on to his right foot and strikes at goal, a shot that is palmed out by Woodman.Following it back in is Sterling, whose effort on the rebound is also stopped by the keeper, who then combines with a grounded defender to stop it being bundled in. Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal63. This is the last thing you want to see if you’re a Preston player: Bukayo Saka stripped and ready to enter the action.The forward eventually replaces Gabriel Martinelli with Myles Lewis-Skelly also on for Oleksandr Zinchenko.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal61. Frokjaer-Jensen has the opportunity to make an immediate impact, but drags a shot wide after being sent through on goal.In any case, the Dane is flagged offside before he can contemplate a terrible miss any further.Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-3 Arsenal59. Paul Heckingbottom responds to that third goal by making a triple change.The Preston boss sends on Danish pair Mads Frokjaer-Jensen and Emil Riis, as well as Brad Potts.Off go Sam Greenwood, Josh Bowler and Kaine Kesler-Hayden.Copy linkCopiedGOAL! – Preston 0-3 Arsenal57. Kai Havertz makes it three!The half-time substitute adds himself to the scoresheet with a textbook header, planting Jakub Kiwior’s left-wing cross into the top corner of Freddie Woodman’s goal.Arsenal are heading for the quarter-finals – and who would bet against them?Copy linkCopiedHavertz header!Copy linkCopiedPreston 0-2 Arsenal57. Andrew Hughes goes into the book for wiping out Gabriel Jesus.The left-back becomes the second Preston defender to be cautioned after bodychecking the forward as he moved to reach a one-two with Nwaneri.Copy linkCopied More