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      Liverpool vs Fulham – Carabao Cup semi-final: Klopp’s Reds host Cottagers as they look to secure spot in Wembley final

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      LIVERPOOL host Fulham on Wednesday night in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.Jurgen Klopp’s men are trying to avoid an upset against the Cottagers, with the last fixture between the two sides resulting in a Liverpool comeback, scoring two goals in a minute to win 4-3.
      Liverpool beat title rivals Arsenal 2-0 in the FA Cup third round on Sunday eveningCredit: GETTY
      Fulham overcame Championship side Rotherham 1-0 in the FA Cup last time outCredit: GETTY
      After the Reds beat Arsenal 2-0 in the FA Cup and secured their place in the fourth round, their attention has now turned to the Carabao Cup.
      Liverpool and Fulham will play in a mandatory two-legged tie in order to decide who will play in the final at Wembley.
      The winner will go on to face either Middlesbrough or Chelsea on Sunday, February 25th 2024.
      The Reds are hoping to extend their record amount of EFL Cups as they seek a record-breaking tenth title.
      READ MORE IN LIVERPOOL
      What is their form like?
      Top of the table Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions, while Fulham have won their last two matches, which includes their win against title-challengers Arsenal.
      Fulham have the fifth leakiest defence in the Premier League, conceding 35 goals.
      That will make good reading for Jurgen Klopp and his team, as the Reds are the third-highest goalscorers with 43 goals.
      Liverpool have won 13 games in the top flight this campaign, which is the most wins by any side other, apart from Aston Villa.
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      What is the team news?
      The Reds will be without Andrew Robertson, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, Dominik Szoboszlai, Kostas Tsimikas and Stefan Bajcetic as they have injuries.
      Virgil van Dijk is expected to be back after missing the Arsenal game last time out due to illness.
      Liverpool will be missing their top scorer Mohamed Salah and midfielder Wataru Endo for their upcoming semi-final due to the duo participating in Afcon and the AFC Asian Cup respectively.
      The Cottagers will be without Adama Traore as he continues to recover from a thigh injury.
      Tim Ream will also be unavailable for the trip to Anfield due to an ongoing calf problem.
      Fulham will definitely be without Calvin Bassey, Fode Ballo-Toure and Alex Iwobi due to commitments to Afcon.
      Who will be the star men?
      Influential Mo Salah will be hugely missed by the Reds but a player that may step up to the plate is Darwin Nunez.
      Darwin Nunez will be a player to look out for with the forward scoring five goals and assisting six times in the league so far this season.
      The Uruguayan netted once in the Carabao Cup in Liverpool’s 1-2 win against Bournemouth in the round of 16.

      Marco Silva striker concerns may have eased after the summer departure of Alexandra Mitrovic with Raul Jimenez returning to form.
      The Mexican has scored four goals in Fulham’s last five matches but the forward is yet to find the net in the Carabao Cup.

      SunSport prediction
      Liverpool 4-1 Fulham
      When is Liverpool vs Fulham?

      Liverpool will face Fulham on Wednesday, January 10th.
      The match is scheduled to get underway at 8pm GMT.
      Anfield will host approximately 57,000 fans after the expansion of the Anfield Road stand.

      What TV channel is Liverpool vs Fulham on and can it be live streamed?

      Liverpool vs Fulham will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports Main Event in the UK.
      Coverage of the tie will commence at 7pm GMT.
      Alternatively, follow SunSport’s live blog for minute-by-minute coverage.

      What are the odds?
      Match result
      Read more on The Sun

      Liverpool to win 4/11
      Draw 4/1
      Fulham to win 15/2

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

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      Why was Franz Beckenbauer called Der Kaiser?

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      FRANZ Beckenbauer was one of the world’s most recognisable footballer’s, winning the World Cup as both a player and manager.Beckenbauer died at the age of 78 on January 7, 2024. Here’s what we know about him.
      Franz Beckenbauer won the World Cup as a player and manger
      Why was Franz Beckenbauer called Der Kaiser?
      Beckenbauer was one of the most decorated footballers in history, winning major trophies as both a player and manager.
      He was known as Der Kaiser, which translates to English as as The Emperor.
      He first labelled Der Kaiser by a magazine that said he resembled former Bavarian king Kaiser Ludwig II.
      This knickname followed him throughout his career, and was further cemented as he captained West Germany to World Cup glory in 1974, as well as winning as manager with his country in 1990.
      READ MORE ON BECKENBAUER
      Who did Franz Beckenbauer play for?
      Beckenbauer started his professional career at Bayern Munich, the club in which he would make his name at.
      Beckenbauer made 584 appearances in total for the Bavarian club, scoring 75 times.
      His time in Munich was successful, winning four Bundesliga titles and three European cups in his 13 years at the club.
      After leaving Bayern, Beckenbauer joined New York Cosmos, playing there from 1977 to 1980.
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      He then returned to Germany, this time joining Hamburg, helping them win the Bundesliga in 1982, which qualified them for the European cup.
      Beckenbauer then returned to New York Cosmos in 1983 for his second spell.
      When did Franz Beckenbauer retire?
      Beckenbauer retired in 1983, finishing his career with New York Cosmos.
      He became West Germany head coach in 1984, and oversaw a hugely successful period.
      He led the team to the 1986 World Cup final in Mexico, losing 3-2 in the final to a Diego Maradona inspired Argentina.
      He then led the team to the Semi finals of Euro 88, losing to rivals The Netherlands on home soil.
      In 1990 in Italy, Beckenbauer became only the second manager after Brazil’s Mario Zagallo to win the World Cup as a player and manager.
      West Germany defeated England on penalties in the semi final before avenging their final defeat four years earlier against Argentina, winning 1-0 with Andreas Brehme scoring the winner from the penalty spot.
      Beckenbauer left the West Germany job in 1990, to join Marseille. In his only season at the club, he won Ligue 1 and lost in the European cup final to Red Star Belgrade.
      He then had two successful spells with Bayern Munich, between 1993 and 1994, and then again in 1996.
      Read more on The Sun
      He won the Bundesliga and the UEFA Cup in his two spells, leaving his post for the final time in June 1996, his final job in management.
      He later was president of Bayern Munch and the Vice-president of the German Football Association. More

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      Who was Franz Beckenbauer’s wife Heidi Beckenbauer?

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      FORMER football ace Franz Beckenbauer has passed away aged 78.The German sports star – who is widely-regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time – sadly leaves behind his beloved wife and his children.
      Heidi Beckenbauer with her late husband Franz BeckenbauerCredit: Getty
      Who was Franz Beckenbauer’s wife Heidi Beckenbauer?
      The late Franz Beckenbauer married his wife Heidi in 2006, and they were together up until his death.
      During their time together they welcomed two children, Francessca and Noel.
      Sadly it was announced on January 8, 2023, that Beckenbauer had passed away.
      A family statement read: “It is with deep sadness that we announce that husband and father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family.
      Read more on Franz Beckenbauer
      “We ask that you be able to mourn in silence and refrain from asking any questions.”
      Tributes have flooded, which read: “We’ll miss you Kaiser. Legend forever. Rest in peace.”
      Another added: “The best defender of all-time. RIP.”
      A third commented: “I am absolutely speechless, rest in peace Kaiser.”
      Most read in Football
      More said: “RIP legend. Commiserations to his family.”
      Beckenbauer played 103 games for the former West Germany, and played at three World Cups.
      He was captain of the World Cup-winning team in 1974 when they beat Holland.
      And he then repeated the feat as manager, when he led his country to the World Cup in 1990.
      Beckenbauer – nicknamed Der Kaiser, or The Emperor – is one of only three men, along with Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and France’s Didier Deschamps, to have won the World Cup as a player and as a manager.
      Was Franz Beckenbauer married before?
      Beckenbauer was married three times in his life.
      His first wife was Brigitte who he wed in 1966, but the marriage ended 24 years later.
      Next Beckenbauer married his second wife Sybille in 1990, but they divorced in 2004.
      Did Franz Beckenbauer have any children?
      During his life Beckenbauer had five kids.
      His son Stephan, was also a professional footballer, who died after a long illness on July 31, 2015, at the age of 46.
      Read more on The Sun
      His son Luca is also a professional footballer, playing for SV Wacker Burghausen in the Regionalliga Bayern. More

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      Who were Franz Beckenbauer’s children, how old are they?

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      FRANZ BECKENBAUER, one of the greatest footballers of all time, has died aged 78. A family statement confirmed that the legend passed away in his sleep with loved ones by his side.
      Franz Beckenbauer won the World Cup as player in 1974 and manager in 1990Credit: Getty
      Franz Beckenbauer death updates LIVE
      Their statement read: “It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family.
      “We ask that you be able to grieve in silence and refrain from asking any questions.”
      Who were Franz Beckenbauer’s children?
      Beckenbauer was married three times during his incredible life.
      Franz Beckenbauer
      The former Bayern Munich hero first married Brigitte Beckenbauer in 1966 and was with her until 1990.
      Then Beckenbauer wed Sybille in 1990 before splitting 14 years later.
      And Beckenbauer leaves behind current wife Heidi, who he married in 2006.
      The German football icon had five children with his three wives – four boys and a girl.
      Most read in Football
      Stephan Beckenbauer was Franz’s first child. He was born in 1968 and died in 2015 of a brain tumour and was also a footballer.
      Stephan played for Bayern Munich as well in their reserves squad.
      During his 11-year career as a pro he also played for TSV 1860 Munchen, Kickers Offenbach, and FC Grenchen.
      Thomas Beckenbauer was born in 1963 and Michael was his third son.
      In 2000, Beckenbauer’s first daughter Francessca was born.
      And lastly in 2003, Joel Beckenbauer was born. More

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      Why is VAR not in use for Carabao Cup semi-final matches?

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      THE first legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals will take place this week.Ties will see Middlesbrough host Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea at the Riverside Stadium while Fulham travel to Anfield to face Liverpool.
      Manchester United claimed the Carabao Cup last seasonCredit: PA
      Jurgen Klopp’s men are favourites to win the trophy and extend their record amount of EFL Cups to ten.
      Championship side Middlesbrough will be hoping to prove doubters wrong by producing an upset against Premier League Chelsea and book their place in the Carabao Cup final.
      Boro’s last major trophy was the 2004 Carling Cup when Gareth Southgate was captain.
      Five-time winners Chelsea will be hoping to end their nine-year wait for an EFL trophy.
      READ MORE IN CARABAO CUP
      Fulham have never won a major trophy in their 145-year history with the closest they’ve come was under Roy Hodgson in 2010 reaching the Europa League final.
      In recent years, VAR has been heavily used in the competition.
      However, in this season’s Carabao Cup semi-final ties, VAR will not be in use – and SunSport has the reason why.
      Why is VAR not in use for Carabao Cup semi-final matches?
      VAR will not be available in Carabao Cup semi-final matches due to Middlesbrough not having the necessary technology at their Riverside Stadium.
      Most read in Football
      The other semi-final tie between Liverpool and Fulham will not be played with VAR as well.
      Fans have been left bemused by the decision due to Anfield and Craven Cottage both being available to have the technology in use.
      A decision was made not to use the technology in order to “maintain fairness and consistency” within the cup competition.
      What have the EFL said about no VAR in Carabao Cup semi-final matches?
      A spokesperson for the EFL said: “There will be no VAR used in the semi-finals because it was not possible for the technology to be used at Middlesbrough.
      “It was decided it was fairer to not use it in any of the four semi-final games as a result.
      “The FA took a different approach (with the FA Cup) but we felt this was the way to go.
      “If it couldn’t be used in one of the games, it won’t be used in any of the four semi-final legs.
      “However, VAR will be used for the final regardless of who is playing in it as the technology is already installed at Wembley.” More

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      Middlesbrough vs Chelsea – Carabao Cup semi-final preview: Blues face Boro with Wembley in sight – stream, TV, team news

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      CHELSEA hop from one cup competition to the next as they prepare to do battle with Championship side Middlesbrough in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.Goals from Armando Borja, Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling and Enzo Fernandez saw the Blues comfortably cruise past Preston in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
      Chelsea ran riot at Stamford Bridge to send Preston crashing out of the FA CupCredit: Rex
      And Mauricio Pochettino’s men will be expected to pull off a similar result against a Middlesbrough side who were beaten at home by high-flying Aston Villa on the same night.
      However, its never a foregone conclusion in football, especially when it comes to a cup tie plus Chelsea’s inconsistency this season will give the Born a glimmer of hope.
      But the Championship have lost NINE consecutive matches against the Blues with the most recent encounter happening as recent as 2022.
      When is Middlesbrough vs Chelsea

      Chelsea’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough will take place on Tuesday, January 9.
      It is scheduled to get underway at 8pm GMT.
      Riverside Stadium is the allocated arena for this exciting fixture and it can host approximately 34,742 fans.
      Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech sent Middlesbrough crashing out of the FA Cup when the sides last met in a quarter-final tie.

      Read more on Chelsea
      What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      Middlesbrough vs Chelsea will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football in the UK
      Coverage is expected to commence from 7pm GMT on both channels – a whole hour before kick-off.
      Fans have the option to stream the entire action through NOW TV.
      Alternatively, follow SunSport’s live blog for minute-by-minute coverage of the match.

      What is the team news?
      Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick would have been distraught with the Aston Villa result.
      But the Boro boss got to finally see the return of Hayden Hackney and Emmanuel Latte Lath in the FA Cup third round tie, while Matt Crooks was an unused substitute.
      Elsewhere, Mauricio Pochettino delivered some damning news that Christopher Nkunku has suffered a hip injury shortly after returning from his long-term knee issue.
      Most read in Football
      Christopher Nkunku has picked up another injuryCredit: Getty
      And the Frenchman is expected to be sidelined along with Wesley Fofana (knee), Trevor Chalobah (thigh), Reece James (hamstring), Robert Sanchez (knee), Marc Cucurella (ankle) and Romeo Lavia (thigh).
      However, the Chelsea boss was optimistic about Benoit Badiashile returning from his muscular injury for the first leg, while Ben Chilwell who has been out with a hamstring problem and Carney Chukwuemeka who has a knee issue have been training.
      But Nicolas Jackson will certainly not play as he is away on international duty with Senegal at AFCON.
      What are the latest odds?

      Middlesbrough to win 9/2
      Draw 16/5
      Chelsea to win 4/7

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes are correct at time of publication More

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      When are the FA Cup 2023/24 third round replays?

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      FA CUP replays make the iconic competition that little bit more intriguing – and it’s safe to say that there will be several of them in the third round.Premier League rivals Wolves and Brentford were the first pair to kick-start the need for a replay in this season’s competition.
      Bristol City have forced a replay against West HamCredit: AFP
      And since then, SIX more matches have ended in a draw and will have to be played again.
      But fans want to know when exactly these replays are taking place.
      When are the FA Cup replays?
      The FA Cup replays will commence on Monday, January 15.
      But matches could get played up until Thursday, January 18 depending on how many fixtures there are.
      Read more on FA Cup
      Are there FA Cup replays for every round?
      In 2020/21 and the 2021/22 season, all replays were scrapped due to a fixture congestion.
      But they were brought back in the 2022/23 campaign. for the third and fourth rounds.
      However, from the fifth round onwards, there will be NO replays which means that all matches have to be concluded on the night even if it takes extra time and penalties.
      What matches need to be replayed for 2023/24 third round?

      Wolves vs Brentford
      Eastleigh vs Newport County
      Bristol Rovers vs Norwich
      Birmingham vs Hull
      Bristol vs West Ham

      Most read in FA Cup More

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      Does the FA Cup have VAR this season?

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      NEWCASTLE fans were left feeling aggrieved after Alexander Isak was hauled down by Daniel Ballard in the first half of the huge FA Cup derby with bitter rivals Sunderland.The striker, was racing towards goal with the Black Cats defender on his shoulder and hit the deck.
      Daniel Ballard’s challenge on Alexander Isak was NOT checked by VAR at the Stadium of LightCredit: PA
      The challenge was very 50/50 over whether or not it was a foul or within the laws of the game.
      Had it been in the Premier League the decision would have no doubt been reviewed by the VARs at Stockley Park.
      But at the Stadium of Light, the on-field decision – no foul – stood and the game continued.
      Does the FA Cup have VAR this season?
      The lack of a video replay saw confusion among those watching the game.
      READ MORE FA CUP
      This is further confused by the answer to the above question – as the technology IS being used in the FA Cup this season… but only in select grounds.
      The problem is Sunderland, and all other clubs that are not in the Premier League, are NOT licensed to use VAR.
      Only grounds that are in England’s top flight are licensed to use the technology, with infrastructure and staffing costs cited as the main issue for rolling it out in other grounds around the country.
      VAR intervened to see Dominic Calvert-Lewin sent off at Crystal PalaceCredit: Getty
      That means that while the huge derby between Sunderland and Newcastle did not have the technology, Sunday’s mega-clash between Arsenal and Liverpool WILL have the technology.
      Most read in Football
      Any FA Cup tie played at a Premier League home ground will use the technology, leading many to complain about its unfairness.
      Last year, the FA responded to such claims, stating: “Video assistant referees provide match officials with additional support and should be utilised wherever possible.
      “However, only Premier League stadiums are currently licensed to use VAR due to the infrastructure, workforce and costs that are required.”
      The much-derided technology has already sent waves through the competition this season after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was controversially sent off against Crystal Palace in the first tie of round three.
      There is similar confusion in the Carabao Cup, where VAR is not used in early rounds but then introduced for the semi-finals and finals. More