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    What is Jurgen Klopp’s salary at Liverpool?

    JURGEN Klopp has announced his decision to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.Following the news of his departure, we take a look at the football manager’s salary at Liverpool, his sporting career, and what he has said about his exit.
    Jurgen Klopp pictured applauding fans at a match between Fulham and LiverpoolCredit: Getty
    What is Jurgen Klopp’s salary at Liverpool?
    In November 2023, The Sun revealed the ultimate football managers rich list – and it included Jurgen Klopp.
    According to reports, his contract at Anfield was said to be worth around £15million-per-year.
    It has also been reported that in 2021, Klopp earned £6.7million from advertising deals.
    How long has Jurgen Klopp been Liverpool manager and why is he leaving?
    In January 2024, it was reported that Jurgen Klopp is sensationally set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
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    The football manager took over at Anfield back in October 2015 – but has now decided to call time on career with Liverpool.
    Klopp explained his decision to step down in an emotional interview, with the football manager revealing that he is running out of energy and cannot continue in the job year after year.
    He informed Liverpool’s owners of his intention to quit in November.
    What other teams has Jurgen Klopp managed?
    Aside from his stint at Liverpool, Klopp has managed a number of other clubs.
    Most read in Football
    He has also managed and played for FSV Mainz 05, and later managed Borussia Dortmund from 2008 to 2015.
    What has Jurgen Klopp said about leaving Liverpool?
    Klopp confirmed his departure in an emotional statement on the club’s website, which read: “I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it.
    “I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff.
    ”I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.
    “It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now.
    ”I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.Jurgen Klopp
    “After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth – and that is the truth.”
    He continued: “I told the club already in November. I have to explain a little bit that maybe the job I do people see from the outside, I’m on the touchline and in training sessions and stuff like this, but the majority of all the things happen around these kind of things.
    “That means a season starts and you plan pretty much the next season already.
    “When we sat there together talking about potential signings, the next summer camp and can we go wherever, the thought came up, ‘I am not sure I am here then anymore’ and I was surprised myself by that. I obviously start thinking about it.
    “It didn’t start [then], but of course last season was kind of a super-difficult season and there were moments when at other clubs probably the decision would have been, ‘Come on, thank you very much for everything but probably we should split here, or end it here.’ That didn’t happen here, obviously.
    “For me it was super, super, super-important that I can help to bring this team back onto the rails. It was all I was thinking about.
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    “When I realised pretty early that happened, it’s a really good team with massive potential and a super age group, super characters and all that, then I could start thinking about myself again and that was the outcome.
    “It is not what I want to [do], it is just what I think is 100 per cent right.” More

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    Dan Azeez: A look inside the boxer’s life, boxing record and net worth

    DAN Azeez is a British undefeated light-heavyweight boxer.He’s fighting Joshua Buatsi on February 3, 2024 in a postponed eliminator for the WBA world title — here we take a look at his life, career and net worth.
    Dan Azeez looks on during his victory over Matthew Tinker at Wembley Arena on March 26, 2022Credit: Getty
    Who is Dan Azeez?
    Light-heavyweight ace Dan Azeez is one of the UK’s most in-form fighters and is currently undefeated as a professional.
    It is an incredible turnaround for the former removals man and accountant — he has a masters degree in finance — who was knocked out within 30 seconds of his debut amateur bout.
    In the 2013 fight — undertaken while he was a student at Colchester University — he shared the Harlow stage with Lawrence Okolie, who was also making his bow.
    Azeez danced into the ring full of bravado and was knocked spark out inside a minute.
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    At the Royal Resistance gym in Kidbrooke, he revealed: “I swear, I walked across the ring and I was knocked out, chinned clean.
    “I only got into boxing by watching the likes of Roy Jones Jr and David Haye and they had that flashy style built on reflexes and speed.
    “I don’t know what I was thinking but I was dancing around in the changing room before, the most confident I have ever been for any fight — pro or amateur.
    I was in the changing room with Okolie and he was so confident, so I tapped into that, but then my opponent just whacked in a hook that sent me flying. I will never forget it.”
    Dan’s nickname used to be ‘Disease’ — which he was not a fan of — but he now goes by ‘Super Dan’.
    Most read in Boxing
    Azeez laughed to SunSport: “I used to cry about that nickname [Disease], I will never forget it. A substitute teacher called me it once and she really laughed.
    “I remember sitting there thinking ‘you’re in on the act too? I really don’t stand a chance’.
    “Thankfully the name vanished after secondary school because I hated it, it really hurt me.
    “It was made so much worse because it was a supply teacher who I really fancied as well so all the other kids burst out laughing as well.
    “I knew then my chances with her were shot — not that they were ever that strong when I am eight years old in her Maths class.
    “I wonder if she watches me now and remembers I was hot for her?”
    Azeez is the first 12st 7lbs fighter from Britain to secure every domestic title, including Southern Area, English, British and Commonwealth titles.
    He is also the current holder of the European light-heavyweight belt.
    What age and height is Dan Azeez?
    Azeez was born and raised in Lewisham, south London on August 30, 1989.
    At the time of writing, he is 34 years old.
    Dan is five-foot-ten (178cm) and has a reach of 70.1 inches (178cm).
    What is Dan Azeez’s boxing record?
    Dan’s record stands at 20-0-0.
    This means he has won all 20 of his professional bouts, with no losses or draws.
    He has won 13 of his fights via knockout, giving him a knockout ratio of 65%.
    Speaking about his upcoming fight with longtime friend and sparring partner Joshua Buatsi — which had to be postponed due to Dan picking up a strain in his back — Azeez has voiced his objections over the aspersions cast on him by Buatsi, in relation to the injury being fabricated.
    He told Sky Sports: “I didn’t really like the narrative but it is what it is. What can you do?
    “Even sometimes just the stuff Josh even says: ‘You know, I don’t know, I’m not sure’.
    “Why am I going to make up an injury?
    “It’s either you don’t believe it or you do. I thought you would at least know my character a bit better than that.”
    What is Dan Azeez’s net worth?
    Dan’s net worth has not been widely reported.
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    CelebsAgeWiki is the only outlet with an estimate of his wealth.
    The online publication has quite a wide range for its prediction, calculating that Azeez’s net worth is somewhere between $1million USD (£786,000) and £5million USD (£3.9million). More

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    Why is Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool?

    JURGEN Klopp has been one of Liverpool’s most beloved and successful managers of recent years.The German has announced he’s stepping down at the end of the 2023/24 season — here we take a look at why.
    Jurgen Klopp celebrating after winning the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on May 14, 2022Credit: PA
    Why is Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool?
    The news broke that Jurgen Klopp will step down as Liverpool manager on January 26, 2024.
    He explained his reason for leaving is that he is running out of energy and cannot continue in the demanding job for years on end.
    Klopp opened up about his decision to leave his role in an emotional interview, during which he shared his love for the club, the fans and the city.
    He said: “I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it — or at least try to explain it.
    READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
    “I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff.
    “I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.
    “It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.
    “After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth — and that is the truth.”
    Most read in Football
    Klopp informed Liverpool’s owners of his intention to quit last summer.
    What has Jurgen Klopp won at Liverpool?
    Klopp took over at Anfield in October 2015.
    In a successful spell at the club, Jurgen has guided Liverpool to the Premier League (2019/20), Champions League (2018/19), UEFA Super Cup (2019/20), FIFA Club World Cup (2019/20), League Cup (2021/22) and FA Cup (2021/22).
    He is the only Liverpool manager to win six different major trophies.
    The Reds are also currently top of the Prem table.
    Who could replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool?
    Some of the managers in the running to replace Jurgen at Anfield are: More

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    Joshua Buatsi: A look inside the boxer’s life, boxing record and net worth

    JOSHUA Buatsi is a British-Ghanaian undefeated light-heavyweight boxer.Here we look at his life, career and net worth.
    Joshua Buatsi is the current WBA international light-heavyweight championCredit: The Sun
    Who is Joshua Buatsi?
    Joshua Buatsi was born in Accra, Ghana — before his family moved to Thornton Heath, south London, where he grew up.
    He studied at Edenham High School, and then completed a degree at St Mary’s University, Twickenham in business management and sports science, graduating with a 2:1.
    Buatsi started boxing at the age of fifteen at the South Norwood and Victory boxing club, located in an old church hall near Croydon.
    The knockout artist, who is nicknamed “Just Business”, became an English national champion and won a European bronze medal before representing Great Britain at the Rio Olympics in 2016 — where he also picked up a bronze medal.
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    Joshua has gone on to have a successful professional career, holding the WBA international light-heavyweight title, and is undefeated so far.
    He is often referred to as somewhat of an anomaly in the world of boxing, as unlike a great many of his peers he avoids trash talking and is considered to be good natured.
    His former promoter Eddie Hearn described him as “the nicest, most dangerous man you can meet”.
    Buatsi told Al Jazeera: “They speak about me outside the ring in terms of ‘he’s a nice guy, he’s polite’.
    Most read in Boxing
    “It’s just when I get in the ring, it’s no time to be nice, my coach always says to me, ‘nice guys finish last.’”
    And Joshua has said that a boxing legend taught him to respect his opponents.
    He told SunSport: “As Mike Tyson said, ‘not everyone you fight is your enemy and not everyone that helps you is your friend’.
    Life is hard for everyone for all different reasons, just because we are boxers it doesn’t mean we should make it any harder for each other.
    “We are not born boxers and we are not boxers until the day we die.
    “I have nothing personal with any of these guys and — until we sign a contract and get in that ring for 12 rounds of trying to take each others’ heads off — I like to be cool with everyone.”
    Buatsi left Hearn’s Matchroom stable when it left Sky Sports and jumped ship to streaming app DAZN in 2021.
    Joshua was furious when Hearn claimed he had ducked a £1million world title shot against Russian champion Dmitry Bivol, leading him to return to Sky Sports and their promoters BOXXER.
    Buatsi fumed: “Matchroom promised me a world title shot over and over again; ‘Beat Ricards Bolotniks (August ‘21) and you’ll get it’. Then it was: ‘Beat Craig Richards (May ‘22) and you’ll get it’.
    “But there were always excuses about writing to the WBA and then it never happened.
    “I wanted to avoid this topic too but Eddie came out and said I turned down the Bivol fight for £1million.
    “But we had a conversation in confidence that he went public with but he only publicised half of the sentence.
    “He left out all the caveats they wanted included; the contract extensions and extra fights with Matchroom.
    “I took those unmentioned extras as two or three more years on DAZN, two more three years of no publicity and nobody seeing my fights.
    “I thought I might win a world title on a channel that hardly anybody has access to, let alone watches.
    “So when Eddie comes out and just says ‘he turned down a world title offer and £1m’ that is not the truth.
    “There was a lot more to that offer but he just doesn’t want to tell the public, he just wants to shape their minds.
    “It’s unfortunate because most of the public believes what Eddie says but if you were to track and trace everything Eddie says everyday, you would go mad!
    “The story changes so frequently that people need to look a bit deeper.
    “If you just pick up and notice the pattern of this guy you cannot believe everything he says.”
    What age and height is Joshua Buatsi?
    Buatsi was born on March 14, 1993.
    At the time of writing, he is 30 years old.
    Joshua is six-foot-two (188cm) and has a reach of 74.5 inches (189cm).
    What is Joshua Buatsi’s boxing record?
    Buatsi’s boxing record stands at 17-0-0.
    This means he has won all 17 of his professional bouts, with no losses or draws.
    He has won 13 of his fights by knockout, giving him a knockout ratio of 76.5%.
    Buatsi is shaping for a busy 2024, with his fight against Dan Azeez — a postponed eliminator for the WBA world title — scheduled for February 3.
    And an all British dust-up with Anthony Yarde is also on the cards later in the year.
    Buatsi told SunSport: “Stormzy had like a birthday party. We were both invited and we were talking and that’s when we mentioned it as well. 
    “The only thing about that was I think a couple of days later I see an interview where his energy was a bit different.
    “And I was thinking, ‘That’s mad. Because when I was with you a couple of days ago you wasn’t saying any of that. You was talking normal.’
    “But again, he’s saying what he’s supposed to say, so hopefully it can happen…”
    What is Joshua Buatsi’s net worth?
    Reports of Joshua’s net worth vary, but not too dramatically.
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    At the bottom and of the scale, a number of outlets put it at around $1.5million USD (£1.2million).
    Whereas at the top end multiple publications estimate his fortune at roughly $5million (£3.9million). More

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    FA Cup fifth round draw: Stream FREE, TV channel, ball numbers as Newport County eye shock win against Man Utd

    THERE’S nothing quite like a FA Cup draw to get the heart racing – But teams need to make it into the fifth round hat first.Ilkay Gundogan’s double inspired Manchester City to lifting last year’s trophy at the expense of noisy neighbours Manchester United.
    Ilkay Gundogan fired Man City to an FA Cup final winCredit: The Times
    But the Treble winners have been handed an early test of their defence with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur looming.
    One of Chelsea or Aston Villa is set to exit the competition with the two Prem giants facing each other at Stamford Bridge.
    But Newport County will be hoping to provide the story of the round as they host serial winners Manchester United.
    When is the FA Cup fifth round draw?

    The FA Cup fifth round draw will take place on Sunday, January 28.
    It is scheduled to get underway from around 2pm GMT, ahead of Liverpool’s match against Norwich.
    Seema Jaswal has been selected to present while former Chelsea and Liverpool star Glen Johnson will be making the draw.

    Read more on FA Cup
    How can I watch the draw for FREE?

    The FA Cup draw will be broadcast LIVE on ITV 1 in the UK.
    This is a free-to-air channel only for valid TV license holders.
    Fans also have the option to stream the entire draw through ITV X.
    Alternatively, SunSport will have coverage of the whole draw as each tie gets announced through our live blog.

    What are the ball numbers?
    There are FOUR all-Premier League affairs including the big one between Tottenham and Manchester City.
    The ball numbers for the draw can be found below:
    1 Watford or Southampton2 Blackburn Rovers or Wrexham3 AFC Bournemouth or Swansea City4 West Bromwich Albion or Wolverhampton Wanderers5 Bristol City or Nottingham Forest6 Leicester City or Birmingham City7 Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry City8 Chelsea or Aston Villa9 Ipswich Town or Maidstone United10 Liverpool or Norwich City11 Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester City12 Leeds United or Plymouth Argyle13 Everton or Luton Town14 Newport County or Manchester United15 Sheffield United or Brighton & Hove Albion16 Fulham or Newcastle United
    Most read in FA Cup
    When will the FA Cup fifth round ties take place?
    The FA Cup fifth round matches will take place during the week commencing Monday, February 26.
    A prize fund offering £225,000 will be given to the winning clubs of that round. More

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    Chelsea vs Aston Villa: Blues host Emery’s high flyers in tasty FA Cup fourth round clash – team news, kick-off time

    CHELSEA are set for another intense cup clash shortly after punching their ticket to the Carabao Cup Final.Now the Blues are gearing up for Friday’s fourth-round FA Cup tie against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
    Chelsea made it to the Carabao Cup Final after dominating MiddlesbroughCredit: Rex
    Aston Villa have been enjoying a successful run in the Premier League and Europa Conference LeagueCredit: Alamy
    The West Londoners enjoyed a much-needed boost on Tuesday after an emphatic 6-1 victory over Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi-finals at home.
    Mauricio Pochettino’s strugglers are undergoing a turbulent campaign that has seen them tumble to ninth place but will still have the chance of winning a trophy at Wembley on February 25.
    Villa, on the other hand, are fourth in the Premier League table and will like their chances against Chelsea amid a successful run in the English top flight and the Europa Conference League.
    The Villans haven’t won a piece of silverware since the League Cup in 1996 but hope their barren run will come to an end amid a stunning campaign under manager Unai Emery.

    Team News
    Chelsea will be back in action less than 72 hours after their victory over Middlesbrough but manager Mauricio Pochettino isn’t dealing with any fresh injury concerns amid his injury crisis.
    However, Christopher Nkunku (hip), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Marc Cucurella (ankle), Robert Sanchez (knee), Wesley Fofana (ACL), Romeo Lavia (thigh) and Reece James (thigh) are still sidelined.
    Nicolas Jackson is also still on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal.
    But Malo Gusto may be back in action after missing the Carabao Cup semi-final due to a knock.
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    Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, on the other hand, will be without Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings who are still dealing with a knee injury.
    Lucas Digne is also still nursing a thigh issue that should keep him out of contention, while Bertrand Traore has linked up with Burkina Faso at Afcon.
    However, Pau Torres, Jacob Ramsey and Robin Olsen could return to Emery’s squad.
    Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery don’t have any fresh injury concernsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    What is their form like?
    Chelsea made it to the fourth round after dumping out Preston with a comfortable 4-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
    And of course the Blues made it to the Carabao Cup Final after another triumph over Middlesbrough.
    The West Londoners have been on a roll despite this season’s woes as they won three out of four of their last games across all competitions, losing once to Boro at the Riverside Stadium.
    Aston Villa, on the other hand, made it to the Round of 32 in the competition with a 1-0 victory at Middlesbrough.
    After winning a record 15 consecutive matches at home against Arsenal, Villa’s run came to an end against Sheffield United last month with a 1-1 draw.
    However, Unai Emery’s men have still won three out of seven matches that followed after the victory over the Gunners, but lost once to Manchester United.
    Chelsea star Cole Palmer has amassed seven goals and three assists in his last 10 matches
    Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins has registered 14 goals and 10 assists in 29 appearances
    Ones to watch
    Chelsea star Cole Palmer is making the most of his increased opportunities at Stamford Bridge after leaving Manchester City in the summer.
    Palmer has amassed a staggering seven goals and three assists in his last 10 matches across all competitions.
    However, the Blues will have to keep an eye on Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins who’s been in red-hot form this season.
    Watkins has registered a whopping total of 14 goals and 10 assists in 29 appearances.
    What has been said?
    Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino insists “people need to believe” in his players after they reached the Carabao Cup Final.
    Pochettino told Sky Sports: “Sometimes we can think about the history of Chelsea and the missing players. We are young and we need to grow. These types of games are a good experience for young players and it is about now growing and it will help us to compete.
    “We are building a very good team. The mentality is good. We have plenty but we need time. It is a new project. We are building a team and sometimes it is normal to play worse.
    “We played well and we didn’t win but now it will be a big boost for us. People need to believe and trust in us and we go to the final with the chance of winning the first trophy of the season.”
    Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, on the other hand, will be expecting more from his players after a drab 0-0 draw at Everton.
    Emery told Sky Sports: “We are frustrated because we had chances to score, but football is like that. You can control the game as you want but it’s not enough sometimes and today was not enough.
    “We are not happy with one point only, we are happy because this is the way and we increased our level before playing like that. We played a good personality today.
    “I am happy because we are getting stronger in our ideal style and feeling comfortable and confident in playing in the way we are continually creating. The point is not enough, we have to accept it.
    “But how we play, how we worked and how we showed our capacity on the pitch, this is the way. Now we get some rest days, we deserve. It. But I want to show and transmit to the players, this is the way.”
    When is Chelsea vs Aston Villa?

    Chelsea’s clash with Aston Villa will take place on Friday, January 26.
    The game will be played at Stamford Bridge.
    Chelsea vs Aston Villa will kick off at 7.45pm GMT.

    Is Chelsea vs Aston Villa on TV?

    Unfortunately, Chelsea’s clash with Aston Villa hasn’t been selected for TV despite the Friday night fixture.
    Tottenham’s clash with Manchester City will be shown on terrestrial TV instead.

    Team news
    Chelsea have an extensive injury list which includes Christopher Nkunku, Lesley Ugochukwu, Marc Cucurealla and Romelo Lavia.
    Reece James and Wesley Fofana are also both still out of action with knee and hamstring injuries respectively.
    One positive for Chelsea is the return of Ben Chilwell, who was brilliant in the Blues’ 6-1 win over Middlesbrough.
    Emilio Buendía and Tyrone Minos continue to recover from their ACL injuries, while Lucas Digne is also still out.
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    Odds

    Chelsea – 11/10
    Draw – 12/5
    Villa – 23/10
    Both teams to score YES – 3/5

    *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication. More

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    Fulham vs Liverpool: Cottagers looking to overturn deficit against Klopp’s side in crucial Carabao Cup semi – team news

    LIVERPOOL will be hoping to seal their spot in the Carabao Cup final when they face Fulham on Wednesday night.The Reds take on the Cottagers in the second leg of the semi-finals after winning 2-1 at Anfield.
    Liverpool won the first leg at Anfield 2-1Credit: Getty
    Willian opened the scoring before Liverpool fought back to winCredit: Alamy
    Despite losing, Marco Silva’s men performed brilliantly in the reverse fixture.
    Willian netted the opener in the match, and the visitors created some great chances to extend their lead.
    Jurgen Klopp had to rely on a quick-fire double from Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo to grab victory.
    The result means that Liverpool only have a one-goal advantage heading into the clash at Craven Cottage.
    READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
    Fulham will aim to put in a similar performance as they aim to reach their first final since 2010, when they were beaten by Atletico Madrid in the Europa League.
    The club has never won a major honour despite reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup six times.
    They were beaten in the final in 1975 as they lost 2-0 to West Ham.
    Liverpool last won the League Cup in 2022 after overcoming Chelsea via a penalty shootout.
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    The Reds have won the competition on nine different occasions.
    The victors will face either Chelsea or Middlesborough in the final at Wembley.
    The Championship side won their first leg 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium thanks to a goal from Hayden Hackney.
    What is their form like?
    Fulham have only played one game since the defeat at Anfield.
    The London side lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the Premier League on January 13.
    Before the first leg, Fulham won back-to-back games against Arsenal in the league and Rotherham in the FA Cup.
    Liverpool are unbeaten since the Europa League defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise on December 14.
    They won their most recent match in the league against Bournemouth 4-0.
    Team news
    Fulham have just one injury to worry about in Adama Traore, who is still recovering from a hamstring strain.
    But the Cottagers will be without Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey too, as they are on Africa Cup of Nations duty.
    Mohamed Salah is unavailable for Liverpool because of Afcon and an injury which could see him miss a month of action.
    The game also comes too soon for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has a knee injury.
    Wataru Endo is also out of the game as he is on Asian Cup duty with Japan.
    Who will be the star men?

    The match could be decided through the battle in midfield.
    Fulham’s key man will be Joao Palhinha. The Portuguese star has been linked with a big-money exit from the club due to his performances for the club.
    The midfielder will be tasked with trying to stop Liverpool’s impressive midfield.
    For the Reds, Curtis Jones could be key in breaking through the Fulham midfield.
    The Englishman scored in the first leg, thanks to a deflection by looked a constant threat throughout.
    He has been brilliant throughout the competition having scored three goals in four appearances.
    Should he get on top of the game then he could control the tempo and help Liverpool into the final.

    What have the managers said?
    Marco Silva is aiming to lead Fulham to their first final in 14 years.
    He said: “My ambition is to always play cup competitions and go further.
    “The first game in the Carabao Cup was poor last season.
    “It was an important moment for us to talk about the approach in the future.
    “It’s going to be 90 minutes of us fighting for what we want. Fighting to play at Wembley.”
    Marco Silva wants to get Fulham to the finalCredit: Alamy
    Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has claimed that the competition has helped develop the team.
    He said: “I said before that playing finals is one of the most important things for a team to develop. Winning them!
    “Playing a semi-final in January is great in the season [and] being able to reach Wembley, one of the most iconic stadiums in the world, is unbelievable.
    “All of these things have an impact on development. It creates a squad as well.
    “I said it two years ago when we play all four competitions until the end, it creates for players a constant opportunity that maybe they are not playing now, but in two weeks they know they are going to play so they train in a different way, so that’s really important.
    “I like a lot if we play every three days, the more games we play the better because it means everybody will be involved.
    “You are reaching finals and that means development [and] more difficult games means more development.
    “It’s important and it gives opportunity. We would not have seen all these players, these young ones, if you don’t play in four competitions.”
    Pep Lijnders has hailed the Carabao Cup for allowing opportunities for playersCredit: Getty
    SunSport prediction
    Fulham 1 Liverpool 3
    When is Fulham vs Liverpool?

    Liverpool’s visit to Fulham will take place on Wednesday, January 24.
    The match will be held at Craven Cottage.
    Fulham vs Liverpool will kick off at 8pm GMT.
    The winner will play Chelsea or Middlesbrough in the final.

    What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

    Liverpool’s clash with Fulham in the Carabao Cup will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.
    You can live stream the action from the Sky Go or NOW TV apps, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.

    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Odds

    Fulham – 16/5
    Draw – 14/5
    Liverpool – 4/5
    Fulham to qualify – 11/2
    Liverpool to qualify – 1/10

    *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication. More

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    Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou preview: AJ takes on former UFC champion in Saudi – UK start time, live stream, PPV

    ANTHONY JOSHUA will take on Francis Ngannou in another huge Saudi clash later this year. The bout will be a ten-round boxing match, with the former two-time heavyweight champion and the ex-UFC champ colliding in what’s another big coup for Saudi dealmaker Turki Al-Sheikh.

    Anthony Joshua beat Otto Wallin last time outCredit: REUTERS
    AJ recently overcame tricky southpaw Otto Wallin on another blockbuster bill in the Middle East at the end of last year.
    Before last month’s epic card, Joshua was expected to fight long-term rival Deontay Wilder after his meeting with the Swede.
    But any hopes of a deal went up in smoke after the Bronze Bomber was on the end of a shock defeat to Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia.
    Ngannou raised many eyebrows in the world of boxing following his stunning debut against Tyson Fury in October 2023.
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    Many thought the UFC legend got the better of the Gypsy King on the night, dropping him in the third round before losing a split decision in controversial fashion.
    When is Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou?

    Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou will take place on Friday, March 8, 2024.
    The crossover clash will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
    Expect the ring-walks to get going from around 11pm GMT.

    What TV channel is Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou on and can it be live streamed?

    Joshua vs Ngannou will likely be shown live on DAZN PPV and TNT Sports Box Office in the UK just like the Day of Reckoning card was in December.
    You can live stream all the action from the DAZN and TNT Sports Box Office apps, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
    A price for the PPV has yet to be confirmed.

    Joshua vs Ngannou full card
    Among the fights taking place on the Joshua-Ngannou undercard is Zhilei Zhang’s huge fight with Joseph Parker.
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    Queensberry fighter Nick Ball will also challenge Mexican Rey Vargas for the world featherweight title.

    MAIN EVENT: Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou
    Zhilei Zhang vs Joseph Parker for the Interim World Heavyweight Championship
    Rey Vargas vs Nick Ball for World Featherweight Championship
    Mark Chamberlin vs Gavin Gwynne
    Ziyad Almaayouf vs TBC
    Jack McGann vs TBC
    Justis Huni vs TBC
    Roman Fury vs TBC

    What has been said?
    If AJ takes the punch that Fury took, I don’t guarantee that he’s standing up,” Ngannou said on The MMA Hour.
    “I’ve heard that he doesn’t have a chin. I’m going to find out.
    “That’s my wish, that’s what I’m wishing for.”
    Meanwhile, Joshua says he’s going out there to make Ngannou look as ordinary as possible.
    “Maybe make him look ordinary,” AJ said.
    “When extraordinary people meet, they might just look ordinary.
    “Of course, I think I can beat him. I called for the fight and I’m here really to beat him and that’s why I came over here. I’ve been calling for those fights for four years. I’m not here to show up, I’m here to take over.” More