Where to find Man City vs. Aston Villa League Cup Final on US TV and streaming

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Man City vs. Aston Villa in the US, we have all of the details for you about the Carabao Cup Final.

The match will be shown live on US streaming, which you can also stream to your TV.

League: League Cup Final

Genre: Sports

Looking to watch League Cup matches online from your office, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action.

We Recommend:

US Only.

 
Here are all of the details of where you can watch it via legal streaming:

Who: Man City vs. Aston Villa
What: League Cup Final
When: Game kicks off at 11:30am ET / 8:30am PT; Sunday, March 1, 2020
Where: Live on ESPN+

With ESPN+, you can watch Man City vs. Aston Villa and tons more League Cup games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 and XBOX One.

Now with ESPN+, you can stream Serie A, UEFA Nations League, Championship, League One, League Two, FA Cup, League Cup, Copa del Rey, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, Eredivisie, Danish Superliga, Chinese Super League, Indian Super League, Australian A-League, Sweden’s Allsvenskan, MLS out-of-market games and USL.

ESPN+ is only $4.99/month.

In addition to all of the soccer coverage, ESPN+ also includes a selection of live games from MLB, MLS, NHL, select PGA TOUR golf, Top Rank Boxing and Grand Slam tennis from Wimbledon to the US Open and Australian Open. Plus you get instant access to your favorite college sports like football, basketball, lacrosse, softball and more.

There’s also the daily ESPN FC show, 30 For 30 documentaries, exclusive access to studio programs and more.

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Where to find Everton vs. Man United on US TV and streaming

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Everton vs. Man United on US TV in the Premier League, you’ve come to the right place.

For viewers in the US, Everton vs. Man United will be shown on TV and streaming (more details below).

Match: Everton vs. Man United

Kickoff: Sunday, 9am ET

Looking to watch Everton vs. Man United online from your work, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action.

 

 

We Recommend:

US Only.

 

Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming:

Who: Everton vs. Man United
What: Premier League, gameweek 28
When: Game kicks off at 9am ET / 6am PT; Sunday, March 1, 2020
Where: Live on NBCSN, fuboTV, Hulu Live, Sling Blue and AT&T TV Now (free trial)

 

 

With fuboTV, you can watch Everton vs. Man United and tons more Premier League games with a 7-day trial. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV or hook it up to your TV with Google Chromecast.

Now with fuboTV, you can stream NBCSN, FS1, FS2 as well as beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, NBC (in select cities), CNBC, USA, FOX (in select cities), FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports Net, RAI Italia, Telemundo, Univision, Univision Deportes, UniMas, Eleven Sports, CBS, CSN, RAI Italia and YES.

Plus fuboTV, the legal streaming service, also streams Serie A, La Liga, Liga MX, World Cup, Women’s World Cup, MLS, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Primeira Liga, Ligue Un, World Cup qualifiers, Bundesliga, select USMNT games, select USWNT games, select Mexico games, select England games and Euro 2020 qualifiers.

The fuboTV app is available for Windows PC, Mac, Apple iPhone, Apple iPad, Apple TV, Android smartphones, Android tablets, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Kindle.

 

Here are the steps to take to watch the Everton vs. Man United game with your free fuboTV trial:

1. Click on this link for the fuboTV 7-day trial.

2. Click on the red ‘Start for free’ button (see screengrab below)

3. On the login page, enter your e-mail address to sign up (or you can use your Facebook or Google logins) (see screengrab below)

4. After entering your login details and signing up for the free trial, you’ll be taken to the fuboTV main screen (see screengrab below)

5. From here, you can either scroll down the page to see the TV listings which include the Everton vs. Man United game (see screengrab below)

6. Or you can click on the ‘Guide’ button at the top to see all of the channels available to you, which will include NBCSN featuring Everton vs. Man United (see screengrab below)

SEE MORE: Schedule of Premier League games on US TV and streaming

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Where to find Real Madrid vs. Barcelona el Clásico on US TV and streaming

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Real Madrid vs. Barcelona in el Clásico, you’ve come to the right place.

You can watch the game live and in high-quality with Sling Latino. More details below.

Match: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona

Kickoff: Sunday, 3pm ET

Looking to watch Real Madrid vs. Barcelona online from your work, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action.

We Recommend:

US Only.

Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming:

Who: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona
What: el Clásico
When: Game kicks off at 3pm ET / Noon PT; Sunday, March 1, 2020
Where: Live on beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, fuboTV, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports, and Fanatiz

With Sling Latino, you can watch Real Madrid vs. Barcelona and tons of other LaLiga games and matches from Ligue Un, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana and more.

Plus Sling Latino, the legal streaming service also streams beIN SPORTS, beIn SPORTS En Espanol, TUDN, Zona Futbol, FOX Deportes, Univision, Galavision, UniMas, GolTV Spanish, TyC Sports and TUDNxtra.

Sling Latino is just $10 per month, and no contract is required. Or you can sign up for Sling World Sports, which is also just $10 per month.

Sling Latino is available for Amazon Fire TV, Android Mobile, Android TV, Apple TV, internet browsers, Chromecast, iPhone/iPad/, Roku and Samsung Smart TV.

SEE MORE: Schedule of LaLiga games on US TV and streaming

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fubo Latino vs. Sling Latino vs. Fanatiz: Comparison of Latino streaming services

No matter whether you speak English or Spanish, many of the Latino packages from the different streaming services are oftentimes an ideal fit for soccer fans wanting to save money when watching the beautiful game.

But oftentimes, the Latino packages are either difficult to find or often there isn’t much information or publicity given to them. Fubo Latino is a perfect example. It’s a package that offers a lot of channels to soccer fans, but has undergone several price and package changes during the last 24 months.

For all of the legal streaming options listed below, none require a subscription to a cable or satellite TV provider, so you can cut the cord and save money on watching your favorite soccer clubs and leagues.

See below for our side-by-side comparison of fubo Latino vs. Sling Latino vs. Fanatiz vs. Sling Blue + Best of Spanish TV — so you can see which service is the best fit for you.

The comparison chart is accurate as of February 29, 2020.

 

fubo Latino vs. Sling Latino vs. Fanatiz comparison

	fubo Latino	Fanatiz	Sling Latino	Sling Blue + Best of Spanish TV
Channels included	beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS En Español, TUDN, Zona Futbol, FOX Deportes, Univision, Galavision, UniMas, GolTV Spanish, TyC Sports, TUDNxtra	TyC Sports Internacional, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, GolTV, NuestraTele, Real Madrid TV, Sevilla TV, LaLiga TV, XTF	beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, LaLiga TV, Universo, Azteca TV, PX Sports	beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, LaLiga TV, PX Sports, NBC (select markets), NBCSN, FS1, FOX (select markets)
Soccer leagues/competitions included	La Liga, Liga MX, UEFA Champions League, Turkey First Division, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Recopa, Spain second division, MLS, CONCACAF competitions, Bundesliga,	Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Argentina first division, Superliga Cup, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Colombia first division, Turkey first division, Eduador first division, Primeira Liga, Argentinian Cup, Bolivar home games, Spain second division	LaLiga, Ligue 1, Turkey First Division, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Recopa, Spain second division	LaLiga, Ligue 1, Turkey First Division, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Recopa, Spain second division, Premier League, Bundesliga, MLS, World Cup, Women’s World Cup
Other sports leagues/competitions featured	MotoGP, F1 racing	Boxing, motorsports, volleyball and international basketball	surfing, skateboarding, MMA, motocross, drifting, and snowboarding	NFL, MLB, wrestling, college basketball, college football, surfing, skateboarding, MMA, motocross, drifting, and snowboarding
Other channels included (if any)	CNN en Español, Cine Sony, El Gourmet, Mas Chic, Nuestra Tele, Telefe, Tr3s, Discovery Familia, Discovery en Espanyol	No	Azteca, Universo, Cine Latino, Zee Mundo, History en Español, Cine Sony, Zee Familia, Estrella TV, Pasiones, Hola TV, France 24 Español, Discovery en Español, VME Kids, Cbeebies BBC, Discovery Familia, Nuestra Tele Noticias 24	Stadium, NFL Network, Stadium, Comedy Central, Vice, and over 60 more channels
Extras available (if any)	N/A	N/A	Sling Deportes Extra ($5/month extra): Includes beIN SPORTS, TyC Sports Internacional and NuestraTele	Sling Deportes Extra ($5/month extra): Includes beIN SPORTS, TyC Sports Internacional and NuestraTele
DVR included?	Up to 30 hours for free. 500 hours for $9.99 per month.	No DVR; on-demand for most leagues	No. $5 per month for up to 50 hours.	Yes up to 10 hours for free.
Number of simultaneous streams available	2. Can add another for $5.99 per month.	1	1	3
Devices supported	Amazon Fire TV, Android Mobile, Android TV, Apple TV, internet browsers, Chromecast, iPhone/iPad/, Roku, Samsung Smart TV	Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, App on Apple App Store & Google Play, computers and laptops	Apple TV, Apple iOS 8 (& higher) phones & tablets, Roku, Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Xbox One, Air TV Player, Android TV, Android phones, Windows, LG, Google Chrome, Samsung, Oculus TV and Portal from Facebook	Apple TV, Apple iOS 8 (& higher) phones & tablets, Roku, Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Xbox One, Air TV Player, Android TV, Android phones, Windows, LG, Google Chrome, Samsung, Oculus TV and Portal from Facebook
Free trial period	7 days	7 days	N/A	N/A
Price	$19.99 per month when you sign up for 3 months	$7.99 per month	$10 per month	$35 per month

Note that Sling TV doesn’t offer free trials anymore, but Sling Latino (and Sling World Sports) are both available for $10 per month with no contract so you can cancel at any time if the service is not to your satisfaction.

Have questions about fubo Latino vs. Sling Latino vs. Fanatiz vs. Sling Blue + Best of Spanish TV? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Ahly defender Maaloul rediscovers scoring touch to sink Sundowns

Johannesburg (AFP) – Ali Maaloul ended a nine-match CAF Champions League goal drought by scoring twice for Al Ahly in a 2-0 quarter-final first leg victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo Saturday. 

The Tunisia left-back broke the deadlock on 56 minutes with a close-range shot and netted again 12 minutes later, this time from a penalty kick.

Success was particularly sweet for the record eight-time African champions from Egypt after a 5-1 aggregate drubbing by the South Africans at the same stage last season. 

The five-goal first leg thrashing in Pretoria was the heaviest loss suffered by the Cairo Red Devils since losing 6-0 to bitter domestic rivals Zamalek in the 1942 Egypt FA Cup final.

Ahly return to the Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium in Pretoria next Saturday for the second leg and will fancy their chances of sealing a semi-finals spot.

Maaloul, a defender with a fondness for pressing forward in pursuit of goals, scored the first of the Ahly Champions League campaign last August against South Sudanese side Atlabara.

But the 30-year-old did not manage to get on the scoresheet again in three other qualifiers and six group outings.

With 55 minutes gone and Sundowns containing Ahly, he played a one-two with Nigerian Junior Ajayi, then slammed a low shot across Ugandan goalkeeper Denis Onyango into the far corner.

When Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana tripped Aliou Badji inside the box midway through the second half, Maaloul hammered the spot-kick over Onyango into the net.

– Six barren campaigns –

Ahly are seeking a record-extending ninth title after six barren campaigns since defeating Orlando Pirates of South Africa in the 2013 final.

Since then, they have been runners-up twice, quarter-finalists, eliminated after the group matches, and twice suffered the humiliation of not even reaching the mini-league phase.

Ahly are guided by Rene Weiler, who hopes to become the first Swiss coach to win the elite Confederation of African Football club competition. 

Defeat ended a nine-match unbeaten run by Sundowns since losing their first qualifier against AS Otoho in Congo Brazzaville six months ago.

Meanwhile, Wydad Casablanca left-back Mohamed Nahiri matched the feat of Maaloul by scoring both goals in a 2-0 home victory over Etoile Sahel.

The Moroccan defender broke the deadlock against the Tunisian outfit after only 11 minutes and added a second goal nine minutes into the second half.

All the quarter-finals ended in two-goal home victories for the clubs who finished runners-up in the groups.

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Most-watched soccer games on US TV for February 18-24, 2020

TNT’s first two UEFA Champions League broadcasts of 2020 were down 22% from comparable matches in 2019. The network’s two opening broadcasts saw Atlético Madrid hosting Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur host RB Leipzig. These matches averaged just 282,500 viewers on TNT. On the Spanish-language side, UniMás, Galavision and TUDN combined for an audience of 347,500 viewers in the same window.

LaLiga ratings took a slight dip on beIN SPORTS last weekend, down from 99,943 average viewers across nine matches to 75,020 viewers across an equal number of matches this past weekend. Peak viewership for the league also saw a pretty heft drop from 363,837 for a match featuring Real Madrid on February 16 to 242,981 viewers for a clash between Barcelona and Eibar last Saturday.

The trend of MLS clubs drawing poor television numbers in the CONCACAF Champions League looks to be continuing in 2020. New York City FC’s victory in Costa Rica against San Carlos drew just 54,000 viewers to TUDN, with the Seattle Sounders’ match in Honduras against Olimpia performing slightly better at 65,000 viewers. Two days earlier, Cruz Azul’s away leg against Jamaican champions Portmore United drew 222,000 viewers to the network.

Rank	Date	Competition	Teams	Network	Total
1	2/22	Liga MX Clausura	Cruz Azul / Tigres	TUDN: 1100000	1,100,000
2	2/23	Premier League	Arsenal / Everton	NBCSN: 698000 / Telemundo: 264000	962,000
3	2/22	Premier League	Leicester City / Man City	NBC: 843000 / Universo: 79000	922,000
4	2/18	UEFA Champions League RO16	Atlético Madrid / Liverpool	TNT: 337000 / UniMás: 332000	669,000
5	2/23	Premier League	Man Utd / Watford	NBCSN: 447000 / Telemundo: 142000	589,000
6	2/23	Liga MX Clausura	Pumas / Morelia	Univision: 537000	537,000
7	2/22	Liga MX Clausura	Monterrey / Club América	FOXD: 535000	535,000
8	2/19	UEFA Champions League RO16	Spurs / RB Leipzig	TNT: 228000 / UniMás: 218000	446,000
9	2/22	Premier League	Sheffield United / Brighton	NBCSN: 380000 / Universo: 31000	411,000
10	2/21	Liga MX Clausura	Tijuana / Chivas	FOXD: 402000	402,000
11	2/22	Premier League	Chelsea / Spurs	NBCSN: 323000 / Universo: 40000	363,000
12	2/24	Premier League	Liverpool / West Ham	NBCSN: 295000 / Universo: 60000	355,000
13	2/23	Liga MX Clausura	Juárez / Santos Laguna	TUDN: 270000	270,000
14	2/22	La Liga	Barcelona / Eibar	beIN SPORTS: 48372 / beIN Español: 194609	242,981
15	2/22	Liga MX Clausura	León / Necaxa	TUDN: 224000	224,000
16	2/18	CONCACAF Champions League	Portmore United / Cruz Azul	TUDN: 222000	222,000
17	2/22	La Liga	Levante / Real Madrid	beIN SPORTS: 17102 / beIN Español: 196997	214,099
18	2/21	Liga MX Clausura	Atlas / Pachuca	TUDN: 211000	211,000
19	2/20	UEFA Europa League RO32	Wolves / Espanyol	UniMás: 171000	171,000
20	2/21	Liga MX Clausura	Puebla / Toluca	TUDN: 152000	152,000
21	2/23	Liga MX Clausura	Querétaro / Atlético San Luis	TUDN: 149000	149,000
22	2/20	UEFA Europa League RO32	Club Brugge / Man Utd	UniMás: 131000	131,000
23	2/18	UEFA Champions League RO16	Dortmund / PSG	Galavision: 107000	107,000
24	2/23	CONCACAF U-20 Championship (W)	Mexico U20 / Puerto Rico U20	TUDN: 84000	84,000
25	2/20	UEFA Europa League RO32	Leverkusen / Porto	TUDN: 76000	76,000
26	2/20	CONCACAF Champions League	Olimpia / Seattle Sounders	TUDN: 65000	65,000
27	2/22	La Liga	Real Sociedad / Valencia	beIN SPORTS: 8014 / beIN Español: 53890	61,904
28	2/23	La Liga	Atlético Madrid / Villarreal	beIN SPORTS: 7523 / beIN Español: 51598	59,121
29	2/20	CONCACAF Champions League	San Carlos / New York City FC	TUDN: 54000	54,000
30	2/23	La Liga	Getafe / Sevilla	beIN SPORTS: 13648 / beIN Español: 30392	44,040
31	2/19	UEFA Champions League RO16	Atalanta / Valencia	Galavision: 38000	38,000
32	2/20	UEFA Europa League RO32	Olympiakos Piraeus / Arsenal	Galavision: 36000	36,000
33	2/20	UEFA Europa League RO32	CFR Cluj / Sevilla	TUDN: 30000	30,000
34	2/23	Ligue 1	PSG / Bordeaux	beIN SPORTS: 11227 / beIN Español: 18251	29,478
35	2/19	Recopa Sudamericana	Ind. Del Valle / Flamengo	beIN SPORTS: 932 / beIN Español: 27142	28,074
36	2/21	La Liga	Betis / Mallorca	beIN SPORTS: 8018 / beIN Español: 17590	25,608
37	2/21	Ligue 1	Metz / Lyonnais	beIN SPORTS: 9321 / beIN Español: 11235	20,556
38	2/20	UEFA Europa League RO32	Ludogorets / Inter Milan	Galavision: 17000	17,000
39	2/22	Bundesliga	Schalke / RB Leipzig	TUDN: 16000	16,000
40	2/18	Copa Libertadores	Ind. Medellín / Atletico Tucuman	beIN SPORTS: 404 / beIN Español: 15112	15,516
41	2/23	La Liga	Valladolid / Espanyol	beIN Español: 14153	14,153
42	2/22	Bundesliga	Mönchengladbach / Hoffenheim	TUDN: 13000	13,000
43	2/22	Turkish Super League	Besiktas / Trabzonspor	beIN SPORTS: 12054	12,054
44	2/23	La Liga	Alaves / Athletic Bilbao	beIN SPORTS: 4710 / beIN Español: 6652	11,362
45	2/20	Copa Sudamericana	El Nacional / Fenix	beIN SPORTS: 2587 / beIN Español: 6503	9,090
46	2/22	Ligue 1	Marseille / Nantes	beIN SPORTS: 7840	7,840
47	2/23	Turkish Super League	Fenerbahçe / Galatasaray	beIN SPORTS: 6712	6,712
48	2/24	Bundesliga	Frankfurt / Union Berlin	TUDN: 6000	6,000
49	2/20	Copa Libertadores	Palestino / Guarani	beIN SPORTS: 4267 / beIN Español: 1417	5,684
50	2/19	Copa Sudamericana	Sportivo Luqueno / Mineros de Guyana	beIN SPORTS: 720 / beIN Español: 3634	4,354
51	2/18	Copa Sudamericana	Aragua / Coquimbo Unido	beIN SPORTS: 1986 / beIN Español: 2204	4,190
52	2/19	Copa Libertadores	Deportes tolima / Internacional	beIN SPORTS: 2916 / beIN Español: 1045	3,961
53	2/18	Copa Sudamericana	Melgar / Nacional Potosi	beIN SPORTS: 3864	3,864
54	2/21	Copa Sudamericana	Atletico Mineiro / Union	beIN Español: 3030	3,030
55	2/22	La Liga	Celta Vigo / Leganes	beIN Español: 1913	1,913
56	2/19	Copa Sudamericana	Aucas / Velez Sarsfield	beIN Español: 1231	1,231

HT ShowBuzz Daily

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Gerrard considers future after Rangers crash out of Scottish Cup

Glasgow (AFP) – Steven Gerrard said he is considering his Rangers future after being brought crashing back down from the high of reaching the last 16 of the Europa League in midweek with a 1-0 defeat at Hearts to bow out of the Scottish Cup.

Gerrard’s men now face another trophyless season unless they can go all the way in Europe after failing to win at Tynecastle for the third time this season.

Oliver Bozanic scored the only goal just before the hour mark to put the spotlight on Gerrard’s decision to drop top scorer Alfredo Morelos for disciplinary reasons.

Morelos was suspended for Rangers’ 1-0 win in Braga on Wednesday and was given permission to fly back to Colombia, but returned to Glasgow late.

“Bitterly disappointed with the result and the outcome of the game. We got what we deserved, I thought we were second best for the majority of the game,” Gerrard told Premier Sports.

“I was the proudest man I think in the world after that performance on Thursday and I said that after the game, but that was tough to watch.

“I am responsible for that so I need to have a real, strong, long think in the next few hours.”

Rangers trail Celtic by 12 points at the top of the Scottish Premiership, albeit with a game in hand on their Glasgow rivals, and Gerrard is concerned his side lack the mentality to win tough trips on the road.

Hearts have won just four games in 14 under Daniel Stendel, but two of those have now come against Rangers.

Morelos’s omission left Gerrard short of options up front with Florian Kamberi cup-tied and Jermain Defoe only fit enough to return from injury off the bench.

“You want one of your best players available for you,” added Gerrard. “I’m either talking about this kid praising him for his goals or scratching my head because of a lot of other things.”

Referee Steven McLean infuriated both teams in a matter of seconds just before half-time as he somehow failed to award a penalty to Hearts when George Edmundson blatantly punched the ball behind.

From the resulting corner, Loic Damour used both hands to turn the ball into the Rangers net, but although the goal was disallowed, McLean did not show the Frenchman a second yellow card.

Dreadful Rangers defending then ended their chances of domestic silverware this season when James Tavernier left goalkeeper Allan McGregor in no-man’s land with a poor backwards header and Lewis Moore took full advantage, rounding the keeper before cutting back for Bozanic to sweep home.

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‘It is not over’: Klopp warns Liverpool after unbeaten run ends

Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted the title is not won yet after his side were beaten for the first time in 45 games in the Premier League as Watford thrashed the European champions 3-0 on Saturday.

Klopp’s men still enjoy a 22-point lead at the top of the table and need a maximum of four wins from their remaining 10 games to secure a first league title for 30 years.

However, defeat at Vicarage Road continues a downturn in form as they sneaked past relegation-threatened Norwich and West Ham in their two previous league games and lost the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie to Atletico Madrid.

“What the boys did so far is exceptional but it is not over,” said Klopp.

“We did not expect the number of games we won. It was never easy and it will never be easy, so now let’s carry on.”

Klopp has long been an advocate of a winter break amid the gruelling English campaign to give his players a chance to rest and recuperate.

But a two-week break earlier this month appears to have disrupted the Reds’ rhythm.

“Shape, form is not something we can take for granted. We fought against each every feeling in the body. We fought against everything and that’s why we have that amount of points,” added Klopp.

“The biggest surprise for me is that Watford is fighting to stay in the league. Now is the moment when everybody is fighting like crazy.

“We don’t think it is the biggest catastrophe in world football. We feel the defeat really and now we have the chance to show the reaction again.”

Ismaila Sarr was the star for Watford as the Senegalese struck twice in six minutes at the start of the second half and then teed up Troy Deeney to add a third.

The comprehensive scoreline had the added bonus of edging Watford out of the relegation zone by one goal ahead of Bournemouth.

However, after slipping back into the bottom three following a fine start to his reign, Hornets’ boss Nigel Pearson is all too aware of the importance of backing up a famous win for the remainder of the season.

“It’s such an important win for us. But it is one win,” said Pearson.

“They are such an outstanding side, we had to get our performance right and I thought we thoroughly deserved the win.

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Van Dijk laments ‘unacceptable’ end of Liverpool run at Watford

Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk lamented an “unacceptable” display after the team’s run of 44 games without defeat in the Premier League ended with a shock 3-0 loss away to strugglers Watford on Saturday.

“First of all credit to Watford, they deserve it… It’s a tough one to take but that’s football,” van Dijk told Sky Sports after the stunning reverse at Vicarage Road. “We have to improve and we will.”

Reigning European champions Liverpool, bidding for their first title of the Premier League era, were undone by Ismaila Sarr’s second-half double and a 72nd-minute goal from Troy Deeney.

Defeat ended Liverpool’s hopes of winning their first English championship crown in 30 years with an unbeaten season as they lost in the league for the first time since January 2019.

“We have to improve we have to do better,” said van Dijk, with Liverpool still a mammoth 22 points clear of second-placed Manchester City, the current English title-holders, despite this defeat. 

“It’s not acceptable we lose 3-0 here.”

Saturday’s remarkable loss put paid to Liverpool’s hopes of equalling Arsenal’s celebrated ‘Invincibles’, who enjoyed an unbeaten campaign while winning the 2003/04 Premier League title as part of a sequence of 49 top-flight matches without defeat.

But Dutch international van Dijk said: “Losing hurts, the records are only for the media. We want to win our next game (against Chelsea in the FA Cup on Tuesday), we want to strike back straight away.” 

Victory saw Watford climb out of the relegation zone, albeit on goal difference alone, and elated goalkeeper Ben Foster said: “It’s easy if you do it like that — we had a game plan and stuck to it really well.”

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Awesome Akpeyi inspires Kaizer Chiefs to Soweto derby victory

Soweto (South Africa) (AFP) – Nigeria goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi rewarded a gamble by Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp with several brilliant saves in a 1-0 Soweto derby victory over Orlando Pirates Saturday.

An Akpeyi blunder contributed to Chiefs losing their last South African Premiership match two weeks ago and he was replaced by fans favourite Itumuleng Khune for a cup tie.

German Middendorp said early this week he would recall Akpeyi for the crunch clash with Pirates, then appeared undecided before sticking with his original decision.

The pressure was on the 33-year-old Nigerian, who has mixed brilliance with blunders in the past, and he responded magnificently with a string of superb saves before a 90,000 crowd. 

Lebogang Manyama scored the only goal on 30 minutes to earn leaders Chiefs three vital points at Soccer City stadium as they seek a first league title in five seasons.

Serb Samir Nurkovic created the match-winner with a pass to Manyama, who took advantage of hesitant Pirates defending to dart forward before firing a low shot into the net.

Pirates had numerous chances to equalise before and after half-time only to be repeatedly foiled by breathtaking saves and blocks from Akpeyi.

Victory lifted Chiefs to 48 points from 21 matches, seven ahead of defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns and nine in front of Pirates, who have played one match more. 

“Daniel was brilliant, but I am very proud of all my players,” said Middendorp, who has not lost in eight Soweto derbies during two spells as Chiefs coach.

– ‘All about mentality’ –

“I hope everyone — the players, technical staff, management and supporters — enjoy this critical victory in the title race.

“As for the championship run-in, it is all about mentality now. Each of the nine matches will present unique challenges and it is up to us to handle them correctly.” 

Fellow German coach Josef Zinnbauer surrendered his nine-match unbeaten record since taking charge of Pirates two months ago.

“It was tough facing one of the best teams in the league and I believe we deserved a little more from the match,” he said.

“We dictated play at times only to be let down by poor final passes and, of course, the brilliance of the Chiefs goalkeeper.” 

Chiefs still have to face Sundowns, and title long-shots Bidvest Wits twice, as they seek to end the longest trophy drought since the club was formed in 1970.

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Watford end Liverpool’s unbeaten season, Chelsea stumble again at Bournemouth

London (AFP) – Liverpool’s unbeaten season in the Premier League was ended in spectacular fashion as Ismaila Sarr’s double moved Watford out of the relegation zone with a 3-0 win at Vicarage Road.

The comprehensive scoreline helped the Hornets edge ahead of Bournemouth, who held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw, while West Ham also boosted their chances of survival with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.

Liverpool remain 22 points clear and well on course for a first league title in 30 years.

But their hopes of doing so by matching Arsenal’s invincible season in 2003/04 were ended by an inspired display by Watford.

Sarr struck twice in six minutes early in the second half before the Senegalese turned provider for Troy Deeney to wrap up a famous win.

– Alonso rescues Chelsea –

Bournemouth were also victims of Liverpool’s collapse as they fall into the bottom three after failing to hold out for victory against Chelsea.

Philip Billing missed two big early chances for the Cherries and Eddie Howe’s men were punished as Marcos Alonso’s calm finish after Olivier Giroud hit the bar gave Chelsea a half-time lead.

Two goals in three minutes from Jefferson Lerma and Josh King turned the game around and inflicted another blow to Chelsea’s chances of holding onto their place in the top four.

Alonso’s predatory header after Aaron Ramsdale parried Pedro Rodriguez’s shot at least ensured the visitors left the Vitality Stadium with a point.

However, Frank Lampard’s men have now won just five of their last 16 league games and could see their lead over fifth-placed Manchester United cut to just a point if the Red Devils win at Everton on Sunday.

“We had a bad 10-minute spell where they scored and that I don’t like. I’m pleased with the character to get a draw but we should win the game,” said Lampard.

“People talk about the defence but if you are 1-0 up and leave teams in the game then one set piece can change the game.

“We should score more goals and then we don’t have that problem.”

– Bowen’s dream debut –

West Ham moved out of the bottom three with a first league win since New Year’s Day.

David Moyes handed Jarrod Bowen his first start since a £20 million move from Hull on deadline day in January and he made a huge impact with a fine finish to open the scoring.

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‘Ashamed’ Bayern to punish offensive banner culprits after bizarre finale

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge vowed to “take all-out action” against the fans who unfurled a banner insulting Hoffenheim benefactor Dietmar Hopp during the Bundesliga leaders’ 6-0 victory on Saturday.

The game in Hoffenheim finished in bizarre circumstances with both teams passing the ball between each other after a lengthy delay over an offensive banner in the section housing travelling Bayern supporters.

Players from both sides stood on the field but refused to play for the final 10 minutes as the clock wound down.

Rummenigge said he was “deeply ashamed of these chaotic people” who have “discredited the name of FC Bayern”.

The entire Bayern team — along with coach Hansi Flick and Rummenigge –- approached the ultras block and pleaded with fans to remove the banner.

“Today, at the absolute latest, the moment has come when the entire Bundesliga needs to take action against these chaotic people.

“We must all stand together. We have closed our eyes for far too long. This is the ugly face of football.”

German Football Association boss Christian Seifert indicated after the match that no action would be taken against either side. 

In a statement, Seifert said both sides “acted in an exemplary manner in this situation, thereby sending a clear signal to some self-appointed rules of football culture not to tolerate such conduct any longer.”

The fans refused to withdraw the banner, prompting a surreal conclusion to a match in which Bayern overcame the absence of injured striker Robert Lewandowski.

With five names on the scoresheet, first impressions suggest that Bayern will have few problems replacing Lewandowski’s 25 goals during his expected month-long absence.

Bayern burst out of the blocks, with Serge Gnabry scoring the visitors’ first after just two minutes when he connected with a floating ball from Thomas Mueller.  

Joshua Kimmich made it 2-0 just five minutes later, side-footing a loose ball in the box past Oli Baumann. From there on it was one-way traffic for the 28-time Bundesliga champions.

Dutch teenager Joshua Zirkzee scored his third goal in the top flight, chipping in a ball from Kimmich in the 16th minute, before Philippe Coutinho made it 4-0 in the 33rd minute with a trademark curling strike into the top corner.

The Barcelona loanee scored his second and Munich’s fifth just two minutes after the break, toe-poking in a superb assist from Mueller, giving the latter his second of the match and his 17th assist of the season.

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Liverpool’s unbeaten Premier League run ended by Watford

Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Liverpool’s 44-game run without defeat in the Premier League came to a crashing end as relegation-threatened Watford thrashed the European champions 3-0 on Saturday.

Ismaila Sarr’s double and Troy Deeney’s strike 18 minutes from time ended Liverpool’s hopes of romping to a first league title in 30 years with an unbeaten season as they lost in the league for the first time since January 2019.

Jurgen Klopp’s men still enjoy a 22-point lead at the top of the table, but their sluggish return from a two-week winter break earlier this month was finally punished.

After single-goal victories over struggling Norwich and West Ham either side of a Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid, Liverpool were comprehensively beaten at Vicarage Road.

A 55-point gap separated the sides before kick-off, but the out-of-sorts visitors failed to muster even a single effort on goal in the first 45 minutes.

Gerard Deulofeu’s dipping effort just did not come down in time as it landed on the roof of the net before he teed up Abdoulaye Doucoure, who saw his shot deflected behind by Virgil van Dijk.

Deulofeu then had to be stretchered off with a nasty looking knee injury that seems certain to end his season.

Watford’s heads did not drop without one of their most dangerous players, though, as only Alisson Becker’s fleetness of foot allowed the Brazilian international to save from Deeney deep into first-half stoppage time.

Andy Robertson’s driven effort finally forced Ben Foster into a save early in the second half, but just as Liverpool were beginning to build up a head of steam, they were stung by two quick strikes by Sarr.

Firstly, the Senegalese beat Robertson to Doucoure’s low cross to stab home at the near post.

Six minutes later, Sarr had too much pace for a flat-footed Liverpool defence as he raced onto Deeney’s through ball and showed fantastic composure to lift the ball over the advancing Alisson.

Sarr also had a big part to play in Watford’s third as he pounced on a short passback and had the vision to pick out Deeney, who lofted the ball nonchalantly over Alisson to make it 3-0.

Watford had thrown away a lead in three of their last four Premier League games to fall back into the bottom three.

But they never looked in any danger of doing so again as they moved back out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

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Five Serie A games off as coronavirus brings chaos to Italian sport

Milan (AFP) – Five matches in Italy’s Serie A, including the heavyweight duel between champions Juventus and Inter Milan, were postponed on Saturday due to the spread over the coronavirus.

Sunday’s clash between Juventus and third-placed Inter in Turin was among those fixtures to be called off and rearranged for May 13. 

It had originally been scheduled to be played behind closed doors. 

The decisions also mean the Italian Cup final, initially scheduled for May 13, has been pushed back to the following week on Wednesday, May 20.

Juventus also announced that they are temporarily suspending the activities of their Under-23 squad after the team had played a third division fixture against Pianese who have several players affected by coronavirus. 

“The reason for this decision is the appearance of new cases of COVID-19 in recent hours among players of US Pianese that the Bianconeri faced on February 23,” the club said in a statement. 

Juventus said that “six days after the match, the Bianconeri players showed no symptoms but remain under medical supervision”. 

However, the team will not practice until further notice. The club said that four Pianese players have now tested positive for coronavirus.

On Saturday, it was revealed that the number of cases of the new coronavirus in Italy had exceeded 1,000 with the death toll rising by eight to 29 in the past 24 hours.

The number of cases has reached 1,128 since the start of the epidemic a week ago, up from 888 on Friday.

The decision to postpone the five Serie A games had been taken in response to the “exceptional circumstances concerning protection of public health and security”, the Italian league said.

– Hard hit –

Lazio, meanwhile, did play on Saturday and moved top of Serie A with a 2-0 victory over Bologna.

First-half goals from Luis Alberto and Joaquin Correa sent Lazio two points clear of Juventus and extended their unbeaten league run to 21 matches.

Bologna had two second-half goals disallowed following VAR reviews.

Lazio have played a game more than Juventus while Inter, who are eight points adrift, have two matches in hand on the leaders after their fixture with Sampdoria last weekend was also postponed.

That was one of four games cancelled. Two of those fixtures — Hellas Verona v Cagliari and Torino against Parma — have already been rescheduled to March 11.

But Inter v Sampdoria and Atalanta at home to Sassuolo have yet to be given a new date.

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PSG ease past Dijon without banned Neymar

Paris (AFP) – Kylian Mbappe scored twice and grabbed an assist as runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain coasted to a 4-0 win over Dijon on Saturday despite the absence of the suspended Neymar.

Pablo Sarabia struck the opener inside three minutes at the Parc des Princes, as PSG played without Neymar who was serving a one-match ban after his red card in last week’s win over Bordeaux.

Dijon are hovering just above the relegation play-off place but held out for 70 minutes before PSG added a second through Mbappe.

The France international then set up Mauro Icardi for a third goal just moments after the Argentine came on as a replacement for Edinson Cavani.

Mbappe bagged his second and PSG’s fourth in stoppage time as Thomas Tuchel’s side preserved their 13-point lead over Marseille at the top of the table.

The hosts were already without Marco Verratti due to suspension and injured captain Thiago Silva, and lost Angel Di Maria to a thigh problem early in the first half.

By that point they were already leading through Sarabia’s ninth goal of 2020 — and PSG’s second quickest of the campaign — after he redirected a mishit shot from Marquinhos.

Dijon goalkeeper Alex Runarsson produced a number of saves to keep the visitors in touch, but he was eventually beaten again when Mbappe rounded the Iceland international following a slick ball through from Julian Draxler.

Mbappe turned provider when he helped the ball across for Icardi to apply a sharp finish on 74 minutes. He then increased his league-best goals tally to 18 in stoppage time after a scramble in the area.

Marseille strengthened their grip on second place on Friday as Dario Benedetto scored a hat-trick in a 3-2 win at lowly Nimes.

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Leeds close on West Brom despite Casilla absence

London (AFP) – Leeds United made light of being without suspended goalkeeper Kiko Casilla as they overpowered Hull 4-0 on Saturday to keep pace with English Championship leaders West Bromwich Albion.

Victory left second-placed Leeds just a point behind the Baggies, who suffered a surprise setback later Saturday when losing 1-0 at home to relegation-threatened Wigan in a match where Sam Morsey’s 73rd-minute goal at The Hawthorns moved the Latics out of the bottom three.

Third-placed Fulham remained in touch with the leading duo thanks to a 2-0 win over Preston, with David Nugent’s 58th-minute own-goal the difference until Aboubakar Kamara scored in stoppage-time to the relief of the home crowd at Craven Cottage.

Only the top two clubs at the end of the regular season are guaranteed automatic promotion to the Premier League with the next four sides going into the play-offs.

The eve of Saturday’s game had seen Casilla hit with an eight-match suspension after he was found guilty of using racist language towards Charlton’s Jonathan Leko during a Championship match on September 28.

Fallen English giants Leeds, however, did just fine without him at Hull’s KCOM Stadium on Saturday.

Stand-in goalkeeper Illan Meslier had little to do, while goals from Luke Ayling and Pablo Hernandez, plus substitute Tyler Roberts’ late double, made it four wins in a row for a Leeds side managed by veteran Argentinian boss Marcelo Bielsa.

“He was calm and confident and he took risks,” said Bielsa of Meslier. “He gave us the feeling that he’s confident.”

As for Casilla’s ban, he added: “We must accept the rules of the competition and accept those decisions.

“All of us are against any kind of discrimination, this is very clear. All of us are against the racists, he (Casilla) is the first one.

“From us he will feel all the love he feels from us.”

Defeat extended Hull’s poor run of form to 10 Championship games without a win and left them firmly mired in a battle to avoid relegation to English football’s third tier.

Luton salvaged a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Stoke thanks to James Collins’ stoppage-time penalty, after Sam Vokes had given the visitors a ninth-minute lead at Kenilworth Road.

Blackburn Rovers’ Bradley Johnson also scored in added time to secure a 2-2 draw with Swansea.

Sam Gallagher had put the hosts ahead at Ewood Park before goals either side of half time fro on-loan Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster (45) and Andre Ayew put the Welsh side into the lead.

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Alonso double spares Chelsea from Bournemouth defeat

Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Marcos Alonso continued his goalscoring run in the Premier League with a double as Chelsea fought back in a 2-2 draw away to struggling Bournemouth on Saturday.

A share of the spoils preserved Chelsea’s place among the top four, with defender Alonso opening the scoring with a well-struck volley after Olivier Giroud had hit the bar with an acrobatic flick.

But Bournemouth were level in the 54th minute through Jefferson Lerma’s header and three minutes later the Cherries were in front thanks to a goal from Josh King. 

Alonso, however, denied the Cherries a valuable win when he headed home five minutes from time after Aaron Ramsdale had parried Pedro Rodriguez’s shot.

The draw did at least spare Chelsea from a second defeat in a matter of days following their humbling 3-0 loss at home to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie on Tuesday.

“We expected a fight and they gave us a difficult game but we should win the game, we had a lot of possession and chances,” said Chelsea manager Frank Lampard.

“The character of the team was great, it wasn’t for the want of trying but we need more goals.”

Alonso has now scored three goals in two Premier League matches, his Dean Court double following a fine finish in a win over Tottenham Hotspur.

“Marcos Alonso has had a big week but I don’t want my left-back top of the scoring charts,” insisted former Chelsea and England midfielder Lampard. “I want our attackers scoring goals and they haven’t.

“The way the season has panned out, we should be pleased that we are fourth but it means nothing at this stage. If we manage to get in the top four the achievement is huge but we are a long way from that yet.”

Chelsea have now won just five of their last 16 league games and could see their lead over fifth-placed Manchester United cut to just a point if the Red Devils win at Everton on Sunday.

Bournemouth were left two points above the relegation zone and the south coast side could have put even greater distance between themselves and the bottom three had not midfielder Philip Billing spurned two fine chances in the opening five minutes.

“It’s a glass half full day, we were 1-0 down and it’s hard to come back against these types of teams,” Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe told Sky Sports. “We need to get points. We have lost some narrow games so hopefully this is a turning point.”

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Offensive banner sparks bizarre end to Bayern rout

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich thrashed Hoffenheim 6-0 on Saturday in a game that bizarrely finished with the teams passing the ball between each other after a lengthy delay for an insulting banner in the crowd.

Players from both sides stood on the field but refused to play for the final 10 minutes of the match as the clock wound down, after a section of Bayern away fans unfurled an offensive banner which was critical of Hoffenheim benefactor Dietmar Hopp.

The entire Bayern team — along with coach Hansi Flick and chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge –- approached the ultras block and pleaded with them to remove it.

The fans refused, prompting a surreal conclusion to a match in which Bayern overcame the absence of injured striker Robert Lewandowski.

With five names on the scoresheet, first impressions suggest that Bayern will have few problems replacing Lewandowski’s 25 goals during his expected month-long absence.

Bayern burst out of the blocks, with Serge Gnabry scoring the visitors’ first after just two minutes when he connected with a floating ball from Thomas Mueller.  

Joshua Kimmich made it 2-0 just five minutes later, side-footing a loose ball in the box past Oli Baumann. From there on it was one-way traffic for the 28-time Bundesliga champions.

Dutch teenager Joshua Zirkzee scored his third goal in the top flight, chipping in a ball from Kimmich in the 16th minute, before Philippe Coutinho made it 4-0 in the 33rd minute with a trademark curling strike into the top corner.

The Barcelona loanee scored his second and Munich’s fifth just two minutes after the break, toe-poking in a superb assist from Mueller, giving the latter his second of the match and his 17th assist of the season.

Leon Goretzka was the next to get on the scoresheet, profiting from an excellent team movement. Coutinho and Corentin Tolisso combined perfectly in the box before Goretzka chipped the ball over Baumann to rack up Bayern’s sixth for the day.

– Sancho difference for Dortmund –

Elsewhere, Dortmund kept pace with the league leaders with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Freiburg at a windswept Signal Iduna Park.

Dortmund grabbed the lead through Jadon Sancho in the 15th minute, with the Englishman converting a pinpoint assist from Thorgan Hazard to bring up his 14th goal of the season.

Freiburg went close to finding the equaliser in a nervous final 15 minutes for the home side, however their defence held firm as they drew level on points with second-placed RB Leipzig.

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Lazio go top as coronavirus hits Serie A fixtures

Milan (AFP) – Lazio moved top of Serie A on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over Bologna as five matches were postponed in the Italian top flight due to fears over the coronavirus.

First-half goals from Luis Alberto and Joaquin Correa sent Lazio two points clear of reigning champions Juventus and extended their unbeaten league run to 21 matches.

Bologna had two second-half goals disallowed following VAR reviews.

Sunday’s clash between Juventus and third-placed Inter Milan in Turin was among those fixtures to be called off and rearranged for May 13. It had originally been scheduled to be played behind closed doors. 

Italy is the country in Europe hardest hit by the virus outbreak, with 900 cases and 21 deaths — mostly in cities in the north.

The decision had been taken in response to the “exceptional circumstances concerning protection of public health and security”, the league said.

Lazio have played a game more than Juventus while Inter, who are eight points adrift, have two matches in hand on the leaders after their fixture with Sampdoria last weekend was also postponed.

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Chelsea stumble again at Bournemouth, West Ham ease relegation fears

London (AFP) – Chelsea needed a double from Marcos Alonso to salvage a 2-2 draw at struggling Bournemouth as West Ham boosted their chances of survival with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.

After a 3-0 thrashing on home soil by Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, Frank Lampard was hoping for a response after what he called a “reality check” for the Blues.

Instead, Bournemouth were minutes away from securing just their third league win since they also beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in December.

Philip Billing missed two big early chances for the Cherries and Eddie Howe’s men were punished as Alonso’s calm finish after Olivier Giroud hit the bar gave Chelsea a half-time lead.

Two goals in three minutes from Jefferson Lerma and Josh King turned the game around and inflicted another blow to Chelsea’s chances of holding onto their place in the top four.

Alonso’s predatory header after Aaron Ramsdale parried Pedro Rodriguez’s shot at least ensured the visitors left the Vitality Stadium with a point.

However, Lampard’s men have now won just five of their last 16 league games and could see their lead over fifth-placed Manchester United cut to just a point if the Red Devils win at Everton on Sunday.

At the other end of the table, Aston Villa dropped into the bottom three ahead of taking on Manchester City in the League Cup final on Sunday courtesy of a much-needed win for West Ham.

David Moyes handed Jarrod Bowen his first start since a £20 million move from Hull on deadline day in January and he made a huge impact with a fine finish to open the scoring.

The hosts’ lead did not last long as Michael Obafemi quickly levelled for Southampton.

But the Hammers responded well to that blow as Sebastien Haller restored their lead five minutes before half-time and Michail Antonio added a third early in the second half to secure a first league win for Moyes since the first game of his second spell in charge on New Year’s Day.

Newcastle remain without a goal in four games, but edged seven points clear of the drop zone with a 0-0 draw at home to Burnley.

Brighton remain the only side in England without a league win in 2020 as Jordan Ayew scored the only goal in a 1-0 win for Crystal Palace at the Amex.

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Aubameyang’s response to Europa League woe impresses Arteta

London Colney (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Mikel Arteta has praised the character of Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after his skipper missed a late chance as the Gunners suffered a shock Europa League exit at the hands of Olympiakos.

The Gunners lost 2-1 after extra time at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday and that meant they were knocked out by their Greek opponents on away goals.

Aubameyang equalised with just six minutes remaining, only for Youssef El Arabi to score late on as the visitors qualified for the last 16.

But it would have had been a different story had Aubameyang, Arsenal’s leading goalscorer so far this season, been on target with another chance soon after El Arabi’s effort.

Aubameyang apologised after the game and Arsenal manager Arteta was pleased by the 30-year-old Gabon star’s “mature reaction” to a desperately disappointing loss.

“He (Aubameyang) was gutted,” Arteta told reporters at Arsenal’s training ground on Saturday.

“Obviously he scored a wonder goal that was putting us through in the competition, and with the last kick of the game, he had the best chance of the game.”

The Gunners boss added: “He felt very responsible about it, we will try to be right behind him. He has been phenomenal all season for us and now the players have to support him.

“I think his reaction after the game — to face the media and the way he talked, it was a very mature reaction from him.”

Thursday’s defeat by Olympiakos left Arsenal, well adrift of the Champions League places, looking to the FA Cup to salvage their season.

However, they face a tricky last 16 tie away to third-tier high-flyers Portsmouth, the 2008 FA Cup winners, on Monday. 

While some managers now downplay the importance of the world’s oldest senior knockout football competition, Arteta remains fond of the FA Cup, having twice won it as as a player with Arsenal. 

“It’s probably one of the nicest games and days of the season when you play the final day in England, at Wembley, nice weather and an incredible atmosphere,” said Arteta.

“And you know, it’s a trophy that’s been very much linked with our history,” the Spaniard added. 

“So we want to continue to be attached to that, knowing that on Monday night in Portsmouth, it will be tough.”

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Ayew strike sees Palace pile pressure on Brighton

Brighton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jordan Ayew’s goal lifted Crystal Palace to a 1-0 victory at Brighton in the Premier League that left the hosts still looking for their first win of 2020.

Saturday’s loss at their Amex Stadium ground meant Brighton have drawn five and lost four of their last nine games in all competitions since their victory over local south coast rivals Bournemouth on December 28.

The Seagulls are the only club in English football’s top four divisions without a victory in the calendar year and this loss left them just four points above the relegation zone.

Palace, by contrast, remain comfortably in mid-table, with the London club, managed by former England boss Roy Hodgson, 12 points from the bottom three.

It was an all too familiar story for Brighton, who’ve won just once in their past 14 matches. 

Graham Potter’s men dominated possession and created several chances only to concede a goal against the run of play in the 70th minute.

Belgium international Christian Benteke turned away from the defence and released Ayew with a neat reverse pass before his strike partner beat Mat Ryan with a shot under the body of the Australia goalkeeper. 

Palace could have put the result beyond doubt with a counter-attack in stoppage time but Wilfried Zaha’s shot hit the post.

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Zidane says Clasico will not decide title, Setien puts pressure on Madrid

Madrid (AFP) – Zinedine Zidane said the Clasico on Sunday will not decide the title race even if Real Madrid lose to Barcelona and fall five points behind them in La Liga.

Yet opposite number Quique Setien believes Barca’s two-point cushion at the top makes the match at the Santiago Bernabeu “much more important for Madrid” than his team.

Victory for the Catalans would effectively give them a six-point advantage over Madrid, given what would be a superior head-to-head, with 12 games left to play. 

But Zidane insists there would be still be a way back. “I don’t think anyone will lose anything this weekend,” he said in a press conference on Saturday. “There are still 12 games left, we’ll still be in the title race regardless of the result. But we’re going to try to win, 100 per cent.” 

Setien, also speaking Saturday, said the pressure was all on Real.

“For Madrid this match is certainly much more important than for us. In relation to their situation in the table, it is a key match, I don’t know if it’s decisive, but it’s very important.”

After Madrid, Barcelona will only have one away game left against the top six, when they face Sevilla in April, yet Setien thinks there will be more twists to come. 

“A victory would give us an advantage but I don’t know if it would be enough,” said Setien. “I think probably not because we’ve already seen a lot of surprises.”

– Tension –

Both teams have endured a bumpy few weeks but Barcelona arrive in a better mood after Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday made it one win from five games for Zidane’s side. 

Asked if his job would be under threat if they fail to win the title this term, Zidane said: “I don’t know, that’s a question for someone else. I know what I have to do. 

“We’re going to try to win something, thats what we’re working for but you can only have one winner.” 

“You lose two games, you get criticised,” Zidane added. “I get it, I am responsible. It’s what is happening, it’s nothing new. But I have the strength to continue, I have faith in my players and I believe we can turn this around.” 

Barcelona have already sacked their coach this season, with Setien replacing Ernesto Valverde in January, while a number of off-field controversies have created tension between key players and the board. 

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