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  • Amorim will speak to Garnacho about substitution reaction

    Amorim will speak to Garnacho about substitution reaction

    Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim said he would speak to Alejandro Garnacho after the winger went straight to the dressing room when he was substituted in the first half of the 3-2 win against Ipswich.

    Amorim replaced Argentina international Garnacho with defender Noussair Mazraoui two minutes before half-time following Patrick Dorgu’s red card.

    It was raining heavily at Old Trafford and Garnacho seemed to indicate he wanted to take his shirt off, so he headed down the touchline to the dressing room rather than take a place on the bench.

    It is not known whether he stayed for the second half.

    “I am going to talk with Garnacho about that,” said Amorim.

    In December, the 20-year-old attacker was dropped for the derby against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium along with Marcus Rashford, partly due to his poor performance in training and his attitude.

    Unlike Rashford, who has not played for United since and is now on loan at Aston Villa, Garnacho returned to first-team duties immediately.

    “You are making a connection with Rashford,” said Amorim, assessing Wednesday’s situation.

    “It was cold and wet.”

    Amorim’s decision was a tactical one stemming from the red card, allowing his team to largely keep their original shape with five at the back.

    “The thinking was that we would play 5-3-1. That is a risk because he [Garnacho] is the one who can play one-v-one in pace,” Amorim said. “We had to choose someone to go out. It was my choice.”

    The Debrief: Man Utd edge Ipswich, Arsenal stutter & Liverpool go 13 clear

    Man Utd planning post-season matches in Asia

    Modern players find criticism offensive – Ten Hag

    Entertaining win in a difficult week at Man Utd

    Not perfect or pretty but Man Utd stayed in control – Amorin

    This has been a tough week at United, with news that more staff members will be losing their jobs.

    United’s victory therefore will come as little comfort to those directly affected, no matter how entertaining this game proved to be.

    A mid-season home win against opposition who look destined for a swift return to the Championship is not going to live long in the memory.

    However, the manner of the success, fighting back from the concession of a shambolic early opening goal and rallying again after a red card and another avoidable goal, was greeted with enthusiasm from the stands at the final whistle.

    “The fans’ support was amazing,” said Amorim. “I have felt that since day one.

    “They want to see the team fight to the end, no matter what the situation. We did that today. All the things in the game were against us, but we fought through that. You feel the connection. It was a good win for us.”

    Privately, United officials accept this has been a traumatic week and that chief executive Omar Berrada did not find it easy on Monday to stand before staff and tell them the bad news that up to 200 jobs could go in the next four months.

    It is perfectly believable when some currently working at the club say morale among the rank and file is at its lowest ebb.

    But the conviction among those running United is absolute that the changes needed to be made.

    Their problem is an understanding that off-field decisions are assessed through the prism of results at first-team level. And the results have been terrible.

    Early in this contest, with Ipswich leading through the atrocious mix-up that offered Jaden Philogene a fourth-minute tap-in, the visiting fans offered their own pretty blunt assessment of United. The words were somewhat more industrial but effectively: “You’re really not very good.”

    That’s fair enough when assessing opponents who are supposed to be challenging for major honours but started this game 15th in the table.

    Yet those responsible for making key decisions are adamant faith in Amorim remains high. They feel what is currently being endured amounts to teething problems with a coach trying to implement a new system.

    Another change, it is argued, will merely repeat past mistakes. The club have been in a malaise for years, it could be said, and the cycle has to be broken.

    However, there is also an acceptance this will not be straightforward.

    Amorim noted that this success – like the robust rearguard action that brought an FA Cup victory with 10 men at Arsenal and a defiant draw against champions-elect Liverpool – was not achieved in the manner he wants his side to play.

    “We need to survive, but it is hard for me to play like we play in the second half because I feel the players are more comfortable defending the low block,” Amorim said.

    Amazingly, United have now matched their best form under Amorim by going two Premier League games without defeat.

    They are up to 14th but are nine points off the top half of the table and a distant 13 away from a Champions League place, even if the Premier League gets five places as expected.

    No-one at Old Trafford expects Amorim’s side to go on a huge winning run to the end of the season.

    However, there is a feeling that they can improve – and results in the FA Cup fifth-round tie with Fulham on Sunday and the Europa League last-16 tie with Real Sociedad are crucial to maintaining hopes of European qualification. Dorgu will miss the Fulham game through suspension.

    Amorim has learned already that the price of being associated with United is that any action of significance will be amplified. The glare of publicity is fierce.

    Plenty at the club noted within the reaction to this week’s cost-cutting news at United that not many employers offer staff the free lunches that are being taken away. Other companies have made far more people redundant.

    But the allure of United drives interest and therefore commercial revenues far beyond most comparable-sized businesses.

    There is always attention on United, whether about matters on or off the pitch.

    Debate surrounding this game will not be about the result but about that ridiculous opening goal when Dorgu and Andre Onana practically waved Ipswich through to score.

    “When everybody watched that ball, they thought ‘here we go again’,” said Amorim.

    And there was much to discuss about Dorgu’s red card.

    Amorim stressed he saw no malice, explaining: “He doesn’t want to harm anyone. Sometimes you overdo it.”

    So, Amorim’s fourth home Premier League win as United head coach had plenty of drama about it.

    But it will take far more than this to sweep away the dark clouds currently hanging over Old Trafford.

  • ‘More a procession than a race’ – when could Liverpool seal title?

    ‘More a procession than a race’ – when could Liverpool seal title?

    Liverpool’s march to the Premier League title seems inevitable now – after they increased their lead at the top of the table to 13 points.

    No team in English top-flight history, going all the way back to 1888-89, have been this far clear at this stage of the season and not won the title.

    “It’s becoming less of a title race and more of a procession isn’t it?” said Match of the Day host Gary Lineker.

    The Reds have only lost once in the league all season – and beat Newcastle 2-0 on Wednesday.

    Second-placed Arsenal have dropped points in each of their past two games – including their goalless draw with Nottingham Forest.

    Liverpool boss Arne Slot said: “It is still a long way to go, 10 games. In March we only play one Premier League game – so we are not focused on the long term.

    “Now the players have some days off and then we focus on Paris St-Germain [in the Champions League] more than we do on the table in the Premier League.”

    Gunners boss Mikel Arteta must know the jig is up but said before the Forest game he would concede the title “over [his] dead body”.

    After the match, he told the BBC: “It was the same a week ago, two weeks ago, three months ago. The only thing we can do is win our matches and see how many points we get.”

    Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman, meanwhile, said Liverpool are “unstoppable” and “in cruise control”.

    “Everyone else is falling away and helping them,” he added.

    Forest is third, six points behind Arsenal, and Manchester City – who have won the past four titles – are another point back.

    Only one team has ever been 13 points clear in the Premier League and not won the title – with Arsenal beating Manchester United to the title in 1997-98 – but that was earlier in the season.

    TodayPriceNG Sport looks at when Liverpool could wrap up their second Premier League title – and record-equalling 20th overall.

    Is Salah set for greatest individual Premier League season

    What dates could the Reds be looking at?

    It is fair to say the Anfield club are champions elect now – so it is a matter of when and not if.

    Statisticians Opta say it is 98.7% likely Liverpool will win the title (with Arsenal at 1.3%).

    Liverpool are 13 points clear of Arsenal with 10 games to go – although the Gunners have 11 matches left.

    If the Reds maintain a 13-point lead that will give them the title with four games to spare – on 26 April against Tottenham.

    But if the Gunners win their game in hand – and match their other results, Liverpool would seal the title the following weekend against Chelsea.

    If that happened their first game as champions would be a home game against Arsenal, who may end up giving them a guard of honour on to the pitch.

    Because of their progress in the Champions League, place in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle and an international break, Liverpool only play one league game in March.

    The earliest that Liverpool could mathematically win the title would be in the first week of April.

    If the Reds won their next three games and Arsenal lost their next four matches (with teams below them dropping a few points too), it would be over on 5 April.

    Liverpool are in a position that no team have ever failed to win the English title from

    Liverpool’s final Premier League games (dates subject to change)

    8 March: Southampton (H)

    2 April: Everton (H)

    5 April: Fulham (A)

    12 April: West Ham (H)

    19 April: Leicester (A)

    26 April: Tottenham (H)

    3 May: Chelsea (A)

    10 May: Arsenal (H)

    18 May: Brighton (A)

    25 May: Crystal Palace (H)

    Could Liverpool break any records?

    Liverpool would need everything to go their way to equal their own record of winning the title with seven games to go in 2019-20.

    Equalling the five games left of Manchester United (2000-01) and Manchester City (2017-18) is more achievable.

    United (1999-2000 and 2012-13) and Arsenal (2003-04) did it with four games to spare.

    The earliest date a title has been won by was 14 April 2001 when United were crowned champions.

    For Liverpool to beat that record they would need to increase their lead over Arsenal significantly.

    The Reds know that if they win it, it will be earlier in the year than their only other Premier League title – which came on 25 June 2020 in the Covid-interupted season.

    Arne Slot’s side would have to extend their lead at the top by seven points to record the biggest margin of victory in a Premier League season.

    Manchester City finished 19 points clear of Manchester United in 2017-18 when they won the Premier League title with a record 100 points.

    The Reds can get a maximum of 97 points.

  • Wales 1 1 Sweden

    Wales 1 1 Sweden

    Kayleigh Barton’s 22nd international goal saw Wales come from behind to claim a stunning 1-1 draw with Sweden at the Stok Racecourse.

    Wales were playing in front of a crowd of 6,077 in Wrexham, a record for a home fixture outside of Cardiff, but it was visitors Sweden who dominated long periods of play and took an early lead through Real Madrid’s Filippa Angeldahl.

    But Wales defended resolutely and were awarded a second-half penalty following a handball by Emma Kullberg.

    Barton drilled beyond Jennifer Falk from the spot as Rhian Wilkinson celebrated a year in charge with what was her side’s first point of the Nations League campaign, coming against a side ranked 25 places higher by Fifa.

    Rhian Wilkinson has regularly stated her desire to use the Nations League campaign to prepare her side for this summer’s Euros in Switzerland.

    That was perhaps evidenced as the head coach made five changes to the side that started Friday night’s 1-0 defeat by Italy in Monza, the most notable of which saw taliswoman Jess Fishlock named among the substitutes.

    Ella Powell, Josie Green, Charlie Estcourt, Lois Joel and Barton were given starts as Lily Woodham, Mayzee Davies, Rhiannon Roberts and Hannah Cain joined Fishlock on the bench.

    Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson made three changes from his side’s 2-1 win over Denmark as Kullberg, Amanda Nilden and Matilda Vinberg replaced Linda Sembrant, Barcelona’s Fridolina Rolfo – who both netted against the Danes – and Jonna Andersson.

    Wales looked to play with intensity and energy from the outset, although it didn’t take long for Sweden – fifth in the Fifa world rankings – to find their rhythm in possession.

    And they took the lead with the first meaningful attack of the match in the 14th minute as Vinberg flew past Estcourt on the left flank, and Olivia Clark could only parry her cross into the path of Angeldahl who had the simple task of stroking home from eight yards out – her 19th goal for her country.

    Vinberg was causing the hosts plenty of problems, and after Sweden evaded Welsh pressure in their own half, the Tottenham Hotspur winger threaded through to Stina Blackstenius who was beaten to the ball by the onrushing goalkeeper Clark.

    The contest was being played almost exclusively in Wales’ half as the visitors fully demonstrated why they have claimed the bronze medal in each of the past two World Cups.

    Wilkinson would have at least taken some comfort from the fact that Clark wasn’t being tested despite Sweden’s dominance of the ball.

    Wales enjoyed a rare foray forwards late on in the first half as Ceri Holland and Carrie Jones had shots blocked in quick succession – although goalkeeper Falk remained untroubled.

    It offered home fans hope ahead of the second 45, particularly given some of the talent Wilkinson had on the bench.

    Indeed, the Canadian called on the cavalry as Fishlock, Cain and Roberts replaced Joel, Carrie Jones and Estcourt for the second half.

    But Gerhardsson’s side wasted no time in reasserting their dominance and saw Johanna Rytting Kaneryd slice a shot wide from a tight angle immediately after the restart.

    Sweden then carved out their best chance since opening the scoring as Angeldahl’s arcing pass found Blackstenius who was superbly denied by Gemma Evans’ last-ditch sliding challenge.

    Fishlock makes her mark

    Fishlock’s ability to retain possession and bring others into play finally provided Wales with a platform to get forward though, and Holland twice had efforts after running at the Swedish defence.

    Clark was relieved to see Julia Zigotti Olme’s looping header skim the top of her crossbar after Hayley Ladd’s sliced clearance left the goalkeeper vulnerable.

    Wales continued to hang on as Sweden came within a whisker of putting the contest to bed when substitute Rebecka Blomqvist played Blackstenius through on goal, only for the Arsenal forward to fire against the inside of the post.

    Sweden were made to pay for failing to take their chances as Kullberg was penalised for a handball from Holland’s cross in her own box, and Barton rifled her spot-kick down the middle to level proceedings.

    It was to be her last act as she was immediately replaced by Elise Hughes, but the Racecourse rocked as Wales played with a renewed optimism.

    Wilkinson’s side very nearly went in front as Holland charged down on goal before unleashing a low drive goalwards, only to be denied by Falk.

    The hosts had to survive more pressure as Sweden pushed for a late winner, but they battled admirably to the end.

    Clark punched a corner clear of her line in the final minute of added time to preserve their unbeaten home record under Wilkinson and claim what will be a morale-boosting draw against such stellar opposition.

    Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson said:

    “They’re a top five team, and I felt like we had moments.

    “I will continue to bring it back to performance, we talk about results, we want them but we’re not chasing results, we’re chasing performance and consistency.

    “A tie against Sweden is phenomenal but what it will give these players, I hope, is more and more confidence in themselves as fantastic players.”

  • Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 2 Fulham

    Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 2 Fulham

    Rodrigo Muniz scored a delightful chipped goal to give Fulham a 2-1 victory against Wolves at Molineux.

    After failing to register a single shot on target in their defeat by Crystal Palace on Saturday, Fulham enjoyed a lightning start with Ryan Sessegnon sweeping past Jose Sa after just 59 seconds having being put through on goal by Andreas Pereira.

    However, their lead did not last long as Joao Gomes, after missing a clear-cut chance moments earlier, blasted into the roof of the Fulham goal in the 18th minute.

    In similar fashion to the first half, the visitors made an instant impact at the start of the second – restoring their lead 63 seconds after the break as Muniz sprinted on to Adama Traore’s threaded pass before dinking a clever chip over Sa.

    “It’s three points that we waste,” said Wolves manager Vitor Pereira.

    “It’s time to work, to correct the mistakes, to not sleep in the dressing room because I think we slept in the dressing room and we went into the game sleeping. This cannot happen again.”

    Sa stopped Fulham substitute Raul Jimenez from adding a third against his former club, with the goalkeeper quick to react to the angled strike from the Mexico striker, who fired another opportunity wide moments later.

    The result moves Fulham to ninth and boosts their hopes of European football next season as they sit just two points behind sixth-placed Newcastle.

    Wolves, meanwhile, remain five points clear of the drop zone, although Ipswich and Leicester, placed 18th and 19th respectively, could narrow that gap to three points if they win their games in hand later this week.

    Have your say on Fulham’s performance

    What did you make of Wolves’ display?

    Fulham fly out of the blocks

    Against Palace on Saturday, Fulham never got going.

    Manager Marco Silva called it a “bad afternoon” and decided to switch things up for their trip to Wolverhampton, making five changes that included Jimenez and Alex Iwobi – the Cottagers’ top two scorers this season – drop to the bench.

    It appeared an inspired change as Sessegnon, making his first Premier League start this season, darted into the Wolves’ box in the opening minute and slotted in his first league goal in over two years.

    And it was the same story in the second half, with Muniz, who led the attack in place of Jimenez, breaking through the hosts’ defence to meet former Wolves forward Traore’s brilliant ball before finishing the move off with a sublime lift over Sa.

    Silva’s changes looked all the more impressive as Jimenez missed two clear-cut chances to put the game to bed after replacing Muniz in the 72nd minute.

    “It’s not easy to change five players from one game to another,” Silva said.

    “The reality was we knew we needed some fresh players inside – we need fresh legs because it was going to be another game that demanded high energy.

    “The players that we started the game with, they made an impact, they showed great quality and I am really pleased for them.”

    Having secured impressive wins against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest earlier this month, Fulham survived a late charge of Wolves attacks to pick up another three points and get their bid for European football back on track.

    Wolves’ resurgence undone by slow starts

    Having claimed a win over high-flying Bournemouth on Saturday and pushed leaders Liverpool close at Anfield the week before, Wolves seemed to be on the up.

    However, new boss Pereira reminded his team earlier this week that they did not have enough of an advantage in the fight for survival to relax.

    His message did not seem to have cut through as Wolves were caught off guard in the opening minute with their defence split by Pereira’s excellent through ball.

    And they failed to learn their lesson as they found themselves trailing again thanks to a similar situation – though this time it was Traore coming back to haunt his former employers.

    Looking to get back into the game for a second time, Wolves relied heavily on the in-form Matheus Cunha, who looked dangerous as he pushed his side forward in search for an equaliser.

    But despite grabbing four goals in his past four games, the Brazil forward lacked the same clinical finishing seen in recent weeks, blazing two efforts over the bar.

  • Brighton & Hove Albion 2 1 AFC Bournemouth

    Brighton & Hove Albion 2 1 AFC Bournemouth

    Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler hailed Danny Welbeck as a “leader” after the striker’s late winner against Bournemouth extended the Seagulls’ winning run in all competitions to four matches.

    Welbeck, who had replaced Joao Pedro only three minutes earlier, raced on to Georginio Rutter’s pass before sliding a left-footed shot past Kepa Arrizabalaga via the inside of the far post.

    It was Welbeck’s first goal since finding the net in a 2-2 draw with Wolves on 26 October and moves him on to 30 Premier League goals for Brighton – the joint-most for the club in the top flight along with Pascal Gross.

    “If you have Danny Welbeck, you think every second when to bring him on [from the bench],” said Hurzeler.

    “He got what he deserved today. The most important thing for me is that he is there as a leader. [He is] so important for the young players.”

    Both teams had opportunities to go in front in an entertaining opening, but it was Brighton who struck first when Pedro stroked home from the penalty spot after being upended by Arrizabalaga.

    Kaoru Mitoma hit the post with a first-time effort from Tariq Lamptey’s cross before the interval, but Bournemouth restored parity in the second half when Justin Kluivert collected a Milos Kerkez pass on the left before cutting inside and rifling a magnificent drive past Bart Verbruggen.

    The Brighton goalkeeper was forced into a point-blank save from Dango Ouattara as the Cherries sought to complete the turnaround, but Welbeck’s finish ultimately proved decisive.

    The victory lifts Brighton to eighth, level on points with the Cherries in seventh.

    Reaction to Tuesday’s Premier league games

    Have your say on Brighton’s performance

    What did you make of Bournemouth’s display?

    Welbeck keeps Seagulls so

    Since being thrashed 7-0 by Nottingham Forest at the beginning of February, Brighton have beaten Chelsea – in the Premier League and FA Cup – Southampton and now Bournemouth to reignite their hopes of qualifying for Europe next season.

    Hurzeler made two changes to the team that began the 4-0 win at St Mary’s on Saturday, restoring fit-again Pervis Estupinan to the XI and handing a first start to January signing Diego Gomez.

    Paraguay midfielder Gomez was at the heart of Brighton’s best attacking moves in the early stages, releasing Mitoma with a perfectly weighted through ball after nine minutes but the Japanese winger was unable to steer his effort on target.

    Another fine Gomez pass led to the penalty from which Brighton took the lead, Pedro collecting the ball in his stride before being fouled by Arrizabalaga.

    The visitors had the better of the chances in the second half and Brighton had Verbruggen to thank for keeping out Ouattara with the score at 1-1, before Welbeck’s composed finish earned the Seagulls a narrow victory.

    The 34-year-old started the season with six goals in nine league matches had gone 13 appearances without finding the net before his strike against the Cherries.

    “He’s a cool man,” Hurzeler said of Welbeck’s finish. “The public and media always judge strikers by scoring goals.

    “It’s important we have strikers who can score, but we know the quality of Danny Welbeck.”

    Cherries pay for missed chances

    Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth came into Tuesday’s game on an eight-match unbeaten run on their travels, and they will be frustrated not to have made it nine away games without defeat.

    Ryan Christie forced Verbruggen into action after just two minutes, his left-footed strike tipped wide of the post by the Brighton goalkeeper in a bright start by the Cherries.

    Bournemouth lost Christie to an apparent groin injury midway through the first half but continued to cause Brighton problems in the final third, Semenyo shooting straight at Verbruggen in their best chance before the break.

    Kluivert’s stunning strike was his 12th league goal of the campaign and makes him the first Cherries player to score 10 away goals in a Premier League season – only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has more in the competition (16) this term.

    It appeared to have given the visitors a platform to go on and win the game, and Ouattara almost completed the turnaround when he poked straight at Verbruggen from close range, but Iraola’s side paid the price for their profligacy when Welbeck struck.

    Bournemouth remain just two points off the top five but have now picked up only three points from their past four matches in the top flight – their worst run since October.

    “It’s difficult [to accept the result], because we played well,” said Iraola. “We played as good as, if not better than, Brighton.

    “They were better in the two boxes – this is what counts in football.”

  • Celtic 5 1 Aberdeen

    Celtic 5 1 Aberdeen

    Ruthless Celtic extended their advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 16 points by cruising past Aberdeen in Glasgow.

    Brendan Rodgers’ side were within minutes of setting a new record of 10 successive home league victories without conceding a goal before Shayden Morris’ 90th-minute consolation.

    It was, however, a rare shaft of light on a gloomy evening for Aberdeen, who failed to capitalise on their sprightly start. Oday Dabbagh spurned a chance from close range and Kevin Nisbet steered wide after a wayward pass from Kasper Schmeichel.

    Celtic showed no such mercy at the other end. First-half goals from Daizen Maeda, Jota and Callum McGregor effectively killed the contest.

    Maeda – with a similarly opportunistic effort to Saturday’s strike at Hibernian – seized upon on a deflected Arne Engels shot, burning Mats Knoester to volley in.

    Celtic’s second was a piece of counter-attacking artistry. Nicolas Kuhn set the champions galloping off with a fabulous pass on the edge of his own box to unleash Jota, who switched play to Engels on the right.

    The Belgian moved into the area and returned to Jota to scoop into the net.

    Jeppe Okkels wasted another enticing Aberdeen opening, blasting straight into Alistair Johnston, before McGregor’s ruthless side-foot finish piled on the misery.

    The second half yielded few chances, Maeda menacing from Reo Hatate’s curler, Aberdeen’s Morris rolling tamely wide after robbing Auston Trusty and haring into the box, before Toppi Keskinen ran himself into trouble rather than shooting.

    Typically, Celtic made them pay, Luke McCowan sliding in Yang Hyun-jun to stab past Ross Doohan from six yards.

    Now lacking in gumption, Aberdeen were a broken team.

    Their last act of defiance came when Morris overpowered Liam Scales and shot through Schmeichel from a tight angle, who whacked a post in frustration at a clean sheet now stained and record ripped from his grasp.

    As if stirred by the concession, Celtic had the final say, Maeda knocking in a terrific Johnston cross in stoppage time.

    Aberdeen remain a solitary point above Dundee United, who host Hibs on Wednesday, while Celtic’s procession towards another title continues apace.

    Celtic’s best not required to prevail

    Celtic’s vast arsenal of attacking weaponry was not required here.

    The league leaders were hardly irrepressible. Their distribution was a little off, their timing not quite in sync, and connections not as crisp as they often are.

    There were shaky moments defensively, if nothing to induce palpitations among the locals.

    Yet by the time the teams trooped off at the break, Celtic had built an unassailable lead. Where Aberdeen squandered their openings, their hosts feasted on slackness.

    They played much of the contest in second gear, but second gear was plenty.

    McCowan, Yang and Adam Idah made influential contributions off the bench. The tireless Maeda buzzed around like a wasp. Their persistence and willingness to recycle possession was telling even when so many attacks were fruitless.

    After the gut-wrenching Champions League exit in Munich, and the angst-ridden loss at Easter Road, a perfunctory home win will do just fine.

    Aberdeen left ruing missed opportunities

    Winning at Celtic Park requires defensive solidity and a killer instinct up front and Aberdeen, ambitious and full of positive intent as they were, delivered neither.

    Jimmy Thelin pledged to be true to his side’s tactical identity, and there was little change to the aggressive blueprint which saw his team keep pace with the Glasgow juggernaut early in the season, and record a belligerent 2-2 draw here.

    What was missing, was Aberdeen’s bloodlust in the Celtic box.

    Dabbagh’s lack of conviction in pursuing his early chance. Nisbet’s miscue when presented with an open goal from 20 yards out, Morris’ powderpuff effort when one-on-one with Schmeichel told the tale of a profligate evening.

    Corners failed to beat the first man. Promising positions were frittered away. And when possession was surrendered, Aberdeen were left desperately exposed, notably for Celtic’s second goal.

    They simply got too much wrong, at too unforgiving a venue.

    What they said

    Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: “First half we weren’t quite there on our pressing, and pressing is everything for us.

    “We scored three goals and had some good moments but there were a number of ideas in the game we weren’t overly happy with at half-time.

    “Second half we were excellent, much better in our pressing and they didn’t have comfort in the game to play.”

    Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin: “The first half was 3-0 but we created some really good chances. That cost us a lot and that’s something we have to learn and improve.

    “We have to improve in the duels, in the pressing, how we defended some areas of the pitch in transitions. We still have learning points and those were exposed today.

    “That’s the journey we are on.”

  • Five points separate eight teams – how race for Europe is shaping up

    Five points separate eight teams – how race for Europe is shaping up

    Chelsea moved up to fourth with a comfortable victory over struggling Southampton as the race for European football took another turn on Tuesday.

    Enzo Maresca’s side ended a three-match losing run to move back above Manchester City, although the reigning champions have a game in hand.

    Brighton went level on points with seventh-placed Bournemouth with a 2-1 win against the Cherries, while Fulham boosted their chances of a European place by beating Wolves at Molineux.

    However, there was disappointment for Aston Villa after a 4-1 defeat by Crystal Palace.

    BBC Sport looks at who stands where in the race to secure Champions League football – and why England may have a fifth spot to fill next season.

    Victory meant Chelsea jumped above Bournemouth, Newcastle and Manchester City into fourth – a guaranteed Champions League spot.

    Pep Guardiola’s City, who play Tottenham on Wednesday, sit fifth – which could be enough for a spot in Europe’s top competition next season.

    Villa’s defeat meant they dropped to 10th, having started the day in eighth, while Bournemouth moved down one place to seventh.

    Wins for Brighton and Fulham lift those clubs up one place to eighth and ninth respectively.

    Which positions guarantee a European spot?

    The standard positions that earn European places in the Premier League are:

    Champions League: Top four

    Europa League: Fifth

    A second Europa League spot is awarded to the FA Cup winners, and the Carabao Cup winners earn a Europa Conference League play-off spot.

    If the FA Cup winners secure European qualification by other means, then the sixth-placed team in the Premier League takes that spot.

    Similarly, if the EFL Cup winners earn a European place by another route, then England’s Conference League place passes on to the sixth-placed team.

    And if both domestic cup winners gain European spots by other means, then the Europa League place goes to the team in sixth, and the Conference League spot to the side in seventh.

    Who is set to qualify for Europe as things stand?

    Opta’s League Prediction model estimates the likelihood of teams finishing in each position. The model estimates the probability of each match outcome (win, draw or loss) by using betting market odds and the Opta Power Rankings. The odds and rankings are based on historical and recent team performances.

    The model considers the strength of opponents by using these match outcome probabilities and simulates the remaining fixtures in the competition thousands of times. By analysing the outcome of each of these simulations, the model can see how often teams finished in each league position to create our final predictions.

    It estimates that Liverpool are 100% certain to finish in the top four and Arsenal have a 99.8% chance.

    They give Manchester City a 73.7% chance of qualifying for the Champions League for a 15th successive season – and that rises to 86.2% if a fifth spot (more on that below) is available.

    Nottingham Forest are currently best placed after that – with a 40.6% chance of finishing in the top four – but it is then really tight between the other sides.

    Brighton, Fulham and Villa – who have played a game more than most sides because of their Liverpool match being rescheduled – are each given less than 10% chances of reaching the top four or five.

    How do countries earn an extra Champions League spot?

    Each country’s league earns a coefficient ranking based on how their teams perform in Uefa’s three men’s club competitions: the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

    Coefficient points are earned through match results – two for a win and one for a draw.

    The points earned by clubs from the same domestic league are added up and divided by the number of clubs the league has in Europe.

    For example, if the Premier League had 100 points, that would be split by the number of teams playing in Europe (seven), giving England a coefficient of 14.28.

    This season, bonus points are available to clubs playing in the Champions League, which is advantageous to leagues with more clubs competing in it, such as Germany and Italy.

    Countries that finish in the coefficient table’s top two earn an additional Champions League spot for the following season.

    Those spots are awarded to the teams who finish in the first position below the standard Champions League allocation in those leagues.

    In the Premier League, the top four clubs automatically qualify for the Champions League via league position, so any additional place would go to the team in fifth.

    Additional spots for the 2024-25 Champions League were given to Bologna and Borussia Dortmund, who finished fifth in Serie A and the Bundesliga respectively.

    Who is leading the coefficient table? Could England get a fifth Champions League spot?

    At present, the Premier League is in the driving seat, with six of its seven teams reaching the last 16 across all three Uefa competitions.

    Manchester City’s defeat by Real Madrid is the only blot on the landscape for England, with Spain in third place for now.

    However, Italy, who are second, endured a dismal time in February with AC Milan, Atalanta and Juventus all losing in the Champions League knockout play-off round – limiting Serie A’s opportunity to gather more points.

    Germany’s prospects appear difficult with Bayern Munich and Dortmund in the same half of the Champions League draw.

    Likewise France. Paris St-Germain and Lille are the representatives remaining in the Champions League, with Monaco and Brest exiting at the play-off stage. Lyon, in the Europa League, are the only other French side left in European competition.

    Portugal has two of its five teams remaining but lost Sporting and Porto in the Champions League and Europa League play-offs.

    What about the Europa League winners?

    England could end up with six Champions League teams next season.

    The winners of the Europa League are also granted a Champions League slot.

    Under previous rules, any single league could only have a maximum of five clubs in the Champions League. However, that rule has been scrapped.

    This season, any team who win the Europa League but do not qualify for the Champions League via their domestic league position will go into the Champions League.

    This raises the possibility of Manchester United or Tottenham, both through to the knockout stage of the Europa League but languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League, qualifying for the Champions League alongside the top four or five.

    ‘Premier League can’t take anything for granted’ – analysis
    Simon Stone
    Chief football news reporter

    By the time Uefa’s three club competitions reached their quarter-final phase last season, the Premier League was well placed to claim one of the two coveted European performance slots.

    But the elimination of Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and West Ham shredded those hopes, with Aston Villa’s exit in the semi-finals of the Conference League confirming the failure as Italy and Germany benefited.

    The speedy collapse of those hopes means no-one will take anything for granted this time around.

    However, England is in an even stronger position this season. It would now take a complete capitulation for the Premier League’s fifth-placed team not to qualify for next season’s tournament.

  • Doncic helps Lakers beat former team Mavericks

    Doncic helps Lakers beat former team Mavericks

    Luka Doncic’s triple-double helped the Los Angeles Lakers to a 107-99 win over former team the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA.

    The 25-year-old guard joined the Lakers as part of a three-way trade this month after six seasons at the Mavericks.

    Playing against Dallas for the first time since that move, Doncic scored 19 points and made 15 rebounds and 12 assists at Crypto.com Arena.

    “In the first quarter, second quarter, I didn’t know what was happening. It was just different. I can’t even explain how I felt,” he told TNT.

    “I am just glad we got a win. I can’t wait to go to sleep.”

    LeBron James scored 27 points for the Lakers, who are fourth in the Western Conference after a third straight win, while Kyrie Irving scored 35 for the ninth-placed Mavericks.

    The Memphis Grizzlies required overtime to beat the Phoenix Suns 151-148 at home.

    The Grizzlies are second in the Western Conference and the Suns 11th.

    The Cleveland Cavaliers tightened their grip on top spot in the East with a 122-82 win at the Orlando Magic, their 10th successive victory.

    Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 27 points could not prevent the Milwaukee Bucks from losing 100-97 at the Houston Rockets.

  • I can’t accept Nunez’s work-rate – Slot

    I can’t accept Nunez’s work-rate – Slot

    Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he “can’t accept” striker Darwin Nunez’s work-rate in his past two games.

    The Uruguay international was a second-half substitute in the win over Wolves on 16 February and the draw at Aston Villa on 19 February, when he missed an open goal.

    Nunez did not come off the bench in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Manchester City, which took Liverpool 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

    Slot defended Nunez after his miss against Villa but said he allowed his “disappointment” to impact his work-rate.

    “I helped him by saying you can miss a chance,” Slot said in his news conference before Wednesday’s visit of Newcastle.

    “I wasn’t only hard on him. But for the second time in a row I wasn’t happy with his work effort, against Wolves and against Villa.

    “I can’t accept if a player doesn’t give everything. That is clear. I can accept it once, but twice was a bit too much. That’s why I addressed it.

    “If you miss a chance, you need to be fighting for the team. I’m not saying he didn’t do that at all, but it wasn’t the usual Darwin, the one that is loved by the fans. That is mainly because he always works so hard.”

    Slot said Nunez, who has scored six goals in 35 games in all competitions for Liverpool this season, was “incredible” in training on Monday.

  • Barcelona 4 4 Atlético Madrid

    Barcelona 4 4 Atlético Madrid

    Alexander Sorloth’s late leveller was the final word in a thrilling match as Atletico Madrid secured a dramatic 4-4 draw with Barcelona on Tuesday.

    Momentum swung back and forth in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final, with former Manchester City attacker Julian Alvarez stunning the hosts after just 50 seconds and ex-Barcelona man Antoine Griezmann adding a second soon after.

    The hosts recovered from their sluggish start with a Pedri finish and a Pau Cubarsi header drawing them level with 19 minutes on the clock.

    Another first-half header from Inigo Martinez and a second-half finish from Robert Lewandowski appeared to have set Hansi Flick’s team on the way to a win, before Atletico Madrid mounted a comeback of their own.

    Marcos Llorente got a third for Diego Simeone’s side late on, before substitute Sorloth clinched a dramatic draw in the third minute of added time to leave the tie in the balance.

    Pitting La Liga’s top scorers against the league’s most-resilient defence was always going to produce a tense game, but this one lived up to the hype – and then some.

    After Alvarez converted at the back post and Griezmann finished past Wojciech Szczesny to make it 2-0 in just six minutes, Barcelona looked shell shocked.

    Flick’s team regrouped and began to dominate, capitalising on their pressure through Pedri, who slotted Jules Kounde’s pullback beyond Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Juan Musso.

    Raphinha’s corner just two minutes later was headed in by Cubarsi to level things up, before Martinez completed the first-half turnaround.

    Barcelona moved further ahead when their top-scorer Lewandowski came off the bench to score, finishing after Yamal’s dazzling run down the right.

    The early lead Diego Simeone’s side held had been unravelled but Llorente finished past Szczesny to set up a tense finish in which the visitors were back on top.

    Deep in injury time, Samuel Lino broke in behind and worked the ball across to Sorloth, who made no mistake to clinch a late leveller for the visitors and set up an intriguing second leg in April.