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KANE HITS BRACE AS SPURS PUT FIVE PAST EVERTON

Harry Kane scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur moved three points outside the top four with their biggest win of the season, beating struggling Everton 5-0.

Spurs took the lead after 14 minutes when Ryan Sessegnon’s low cross was turned in to his own net by Michael Keane.

Son Heung-min made it 2-0 less than three minutes later, collecting Dejan Kulusevski’s slipped pass and firing past Jordan Pickford.

Kane ran clean through on goal to score from Matt Doherty’s pass on 37 minutes, and half-time substitute Sergio Reguilon swept home Spurs’ fourth less than a minute after his introduction.

Kane made it 5-0 in the 55th minute with a brilliant angled volley from Doherty’s long pass, and Pickford had to make a smart save to stop substitute Steven Bergwijn adding a sixth.

Spurs stay seventh but now have 45 points. A third straight defeat means Everton stay 17th on 22 points, one point above the relegation zone.

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FIFA POSTPONES UKRAINE’S WORLD CUP QUALIFIER AGAINST SCOTLAND

Fifa has postponed Ukraine’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Scotland.

The nations were slated to meet at Hampden on March 24 but Ukraine requested last week that the world governing body push back the tie following Russia’s invasion of its country.

As a result, the play-off final for the winners against either Wales or Austria on March 29 will also be delayed.

A new date will now have to be found in the international calendar, with the Nations League window in June an option.

Fifa had already banned Russia from the 2022 World Cup but risk an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The World Cup finals take place from November 21-December 18 in Qatar, the first time football’s global showpiece will be held in the Middle East.

It follows Monday’s announcement by Fifa that foreign players and coaches working in Russia and Ukraine will be allowed to temporarily suspend their contracts and move elsewhere.

Sports bodies have barred Russia from international competition following the invasion of Ukraine and Fifa said the new measures were designed “to facilitate the departure of foreign players and coaches from Russia” should they wish to leave.

“Foreign players and coaches will have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts until the end of the season in Russia [June 30],” Fifa said in a statement.

“Players and coaches will be considered ‘out of contract’ until 30 June 2022 and will therefore be at liberty to sign a contract with another club without facing consequences of any kind.”

The contacts will be suspended until the end of this season allowing players and coaches to work elsewhere, and they would then be free to move on permanently next season.

Fifa said the move was chiefly to provide players and coaches with the opportunity to work and receive a salary, and to protect Ukrainian clubs brought to a halt by invasion.

Minor players fleeing Ukraine will be treated by Fifa as refugee minors, allowing them access to the international transfer market normally closed to under 18s.

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RONDON SPARES EVERTON BLUSHES AGAINST BRAVE BOREHAM WOOD IN FA CUP

Non-league Boreham Wood’s FA Cup dream was ended by two goals from Salomon Rondon as the Everton striker secured his side a second successive FA Cup quarter-final spot with a laboured 2-0 win at Goodison Park.

The first goals conceded by the Vanarama National League side – 77 places below their top-flight hosts – in this season’s competition were enough to be their downfall with the visiting defence eventually breached by the Venezuelan’s near-post finish in the 57th minute.

A powerful header which Taye Ashby-Hammond, who also made one good, low save from substitute Richarlison, could not prevent from crossing the line guaranteed progress six minutes from time.

Although Richarlison also had a goal ruled out for handball by VAR the Boreham Wood goalkeeper had an easier night that he would have anticipated.

Rondon’s rare double, taking his tally to three in 17 appearances since arriving as one of three summer signings in Rafael Benitez’s ill-fated and short-lived reign, set up a last-eight tie away to Crystal Palace.

Everton had funded a special one-off kit for Boreham Wood, who named the same side which knocked out Bournemouth, to avoid a clash and also paid for the visitors’ travel and overnight stay.

But that generosity was extended to the pitch with a dreadful first half, watched for the first time by Everton’s new director of football Kevin Thelwell.

Ukraine international Vitalii Mykolenko was made Everton captain for the night and there was a poignant pre-match show of solidarity with his homeland as players and officials held a banner reading ‘Imagine all the people, sharing all the world’ – a line from John Lennon’s Imagine which was played over the ground’s public address system.

Everton’s left-back was the first to test Ashby-Hammond but the next challenge did not come until the 36th minute when Anthony Gordon whipped in a low, angled shot which bounced awkwardly in front of the goalkeeper who successfully clawed it away.

The awfulness of the first 45 minutes persuaded manager Frank Lampard to make a half-time change and it was the unfortunate Nathan Patterson, making his debut nearly two months after signing from Rangers, who had to make way for Richarlison.

Mykolenko was first to show again but his driven cross was missed by Rondon, who should then have buried Jonjoe Kenny’s cross but headed over.

Jarrad Branthwaite, one of six changes made from last weekend’s defeat to Manchester City, was spared embarrassment when he passed straight to Tyrone Marsh and was relieved to see the Boreham Wood forward drive a shot just over goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

The growing frustration subsided when Rondon made amends for his earlier failures with a neatly-taken goal after nipping in front of centre-back David Stephens to convert another Kenny cross.

For the second successive home match Everton were on the end of another controversial VAR handball decision, this time denying them a goal, when Richarlison’s close-range effort was chalked off after Adrian Clifton’s attempted headed clearance hit the Brazil international.

But Rondon ensured there was no late drama with a header which was adjudged to have crossed the line before Ashby-Hammond pulled it back.

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FA CUP QUARTER FINAL DRAW: MIDDLESBROUGH HANDED CHELSEA TIE AFTER KNOCKING OUT MAN UTD AND SPURS

Middlesbrough’s reward for knocking Tottenham out of the FA Cup is a home quarter-final against Chelsea.

Boro followed up their fourth-round penalty shoot-out win over Manchester United by deservedly beating Spurs 1-0 after extra time on Tuesday and will now face a third Premier League giant in the last eight.

Chelsea beat Luton on Wednesday and make the long trip north looking to make it back to Wembley for the semi-finals, having been beaten in last season’s final.

Six-time winners Manchester City have been handed a tough draw as they visit Premier League outfit Southampton, while Liverpool – fresh from winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday – are guaranteed Championship opposition after being drawn against the winner of Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield, who play on Monday night.

Crystal Palace will play Everton or Boreham Wood, who battle it out on Thursday, at Selhurst Park.

Ties will be played over the weekend of March 19th and 20th.

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RUSSIAN FOOTBALL UNION TO APPEAL AGAINST BAN IMPOSED BY FIFA AND UEFA

The Russian Football Union will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the ban on its national teams and clubs from international competitions.

FIFA and UEFA, the governing bodies of the world and European games respectively, announced on Monday that Russian teams would be excluded from their events “until further notice” following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

This means that Russia are banned from participating in this month’s men’s World Cup qualifying play-offs and UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 this summer. Spartak Moscow have also been removed from the Europa League.

The RFU announced on Thursday it will challenge this ruling in a single lawsuit against FIFA and UEFA.

A statement read: “The RFU will demand the restoration of all men’s and women’s national teams of Russia in all types of football in the tournaments in which they took part (including in the qualifying round of the World Cup in Qatar), as well as compensation for damage.

“In order to ensure the possibility of the participation of Russian teams in the next scheduled matches, the RFU will insist on an expedited procedure for considering the case.

“If FIFA and UEFA refuse such a procedure, a requirement will be put forward for the introduction of interim measures in the form of suspension of FIFA and UEFA decisions, as well as competitions in which Russian teams were supposed to participate.

“The RFU believes that FIFA and UEFA did not have a legal basis when deciding on the removal of Russian teams. It violated the fundamental rights of the RFU as a member of FIFA and UEFA, including the right to take part in competitions.

“In addition, the decision to withdraw the national team from qualification for the 2022 World Cup was made under pressure from direct rivals in the play-offs, which violated the principle of sports and the rules of fair play.

“The Russian Football Union was also not given the right to present its position, which violated the fundamental right to defence. In addition, when making decisions, FIFA and UEFA did not take into account other possible options for action, except for the complete exclusion of participants from the competition from Russia.”

Poland, Russia’s first opponents in the World Cup qualifying play-offs, along with Sweden and the Czech Republic, had all refused to play against Russia. A number of other countries had also said they would boycott matches against Russia in the current circumstances.

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ROMAN ABRAMOVICH HAS RECEIVED OFFERS OVER €3 BILLION FOR CHELSEA

Roman Abramovich has already received several serious bids in the region of £3 billion (€3.6 billion) to buy Chelsea, the PA news agency understands.

Stamford Bridge chiefs are understood to still be at the stage of accepting bids for the west London club.

Further offers for the Champions League holders are expected amid high interest in one of the world’s most attractive and high-profile football assets.

Chelsea’s bosses and the team around the sale are expected to review the credible bids once all offers are submitted.

Russian-Israeli billionaire Abramovich pledged to follow due process in his sale when announcing his intention to end his 19-year ownership of Chelsea in a statement on Wednesday night.

Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss has already publicly announced his intention to bid for Chelsea, and has USA business magnate Todd Boehly as the first major partner of a consortium that continues to take shape.

Blues owner Abramovich hopes to have a figure in the region of £2 billion to donate to a new charitable foundation that will be set up specifically to aid victims of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The sheer scale of such giving means Abramovich must set up a new body with the personnel and infrastructure capable of distributing funds to maximise the impact of aid for victims.

Abramovich vowed not to take any money out of the sale of Chelsea in his Wednesday statement. And it is understood that means all proceeds barring transaction costs will be ploughed into the new charitable foundation.

Abramovich took the decision to sell Chelsea on Wednesday after almost two decades at the helm and having led the Blues to 21 trophies during his tenure.

The Blues owner has made the decision in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A number of high-profile British politicians have called in their parliament for Abramovich to come under UK government sanctions, amid claims of links to Russia’s political situation.

But the PA news agency understands UK government organisations have been unable to prove reasonable grounds for sanctions against further Russian oligarchs.

Abramovich has always maintained he has acted wholly appropriately, and it is understood he has even been attempting to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

After 19 years at Stamford Bridge and transforming the face of English football forever however, Abramovich’s time as Chelsea owner is close to an end.

Abramovich is understood to consider now the right time to sell Chelsea, in small part after completing the set of major global trophies when the Blues lifted the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi last month.

“Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the club in this manner. However, I do believe this is in the best interest of the club,” said Abramovich in his Wednesday night statement.

“It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements.”

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters welcomed Abramovich’s decision to put Chelsea up for sale.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, Masters said: “I think the situation has escalated incredibly quickly over the last seven days and he’s come to the right conclusion.

“It’s unsustainable in the current environment. It’s a welcome decision and obviously, for the sake of everybody, including the fans, as soon as the sale process concludes everyone has certainty.”

Asked what would happen regarding the sale if Abramovich were sanctioned by the UK, Masters told the audience in London: “I don’t think that will work.

“I think the quickest (sale) we have ever done is 10 days, that’s not to say that record can’t be beaten but normally it takes a number of weeks.”

Earlier on Thursday, British culture secretary Nadine Dorries suggested sanctions against further Russian individuals could be on the cards.

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FRANK LAMPARD RECEIVES APOLOGY FROM MIKE RILEY AFTER EVERTON PENALTY DECISION

Everton manager Frank Lampard has received a personal apology from PGMOL managing director Mike Riley following the controversial decision to not award Everton a penalty during their Premier League meeting with Manchester City on Saturday.

With the Toffees trailing 1-0 the ball seemed to strike Rodri’s hand in the City box, but referee Paul Tierney was not interested and the decision was strangely not referred to VAR.

After the game Everton made an official complaint to the Premier League and according to Sky Sports News the head of refereeing in England has responded, phoning Lampard and Everton chairman Bill Kenwright to say sorry.

After the game Lampard was left fuming, saying in an interview: “The decision is incredible, incredible, and that loses us the opportunity to get what we deserved.”

He explosively added: “We’ve lost a point because of a professional who cannot do his job right. You start searching for whys and I can’t think why. It is so incompetent to get it wrong.

“Pep [Guardiola] will know, Everton fans will know, Man City fans will know, it was the clearest penalty you could give: arm is out – great, below the sleeve – great, I was waiting for the penalty.

“Incompetence at best, at worst who knows? I’ll wait for the statement or apology they do when things are wrong but it will mean nothing.”

Despite Lampard’s inflammatory comments he has not been fined by the FA.

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RUSSIA SET TO BE EXPELLED FROM WORLD CUP OVER INVASION OF UKRAINE

Russia are set to be expelled from the World Cup over the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The PA news agency understands the game’s global governing body FIFA is in advanced talks to suspend the Russian Football Union.

It is working closely with European confederation UEFA, and it is expected a joint statement confirming the RFU’s suspension could come later on Monday.

The suspension would mean that, barring an unlikely change of course in the Russian invasion, the country would not be able to face Poland in a World Cup play-off semi-final next month.

The International Olympic Committee issued a recommendation to international sports federations earlier on Monday to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes, officials and teams from international competitions wherever possible.

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EVERTON MAKE FORMAL PREMIER LEAGUE COMPLAINT OVER RECENT OFFICIATING DECISIONS

Everton have made a formal complaint to the Premier League about recent decisions by officials in their matches.

The Toffees have been left upset by a number of incidents, with the final straw coming against Manchester City on Saturday, when they were denied a late penalty.

Rodri appeared to handle the ball in the area but both referee Paul Tierney and VAR official Chris Kavanagh deemed no offence had been committed and City held on for a 1-0 victory.

Toffees boss Frank Lampard was furious, saying afterwards: “There is no doubt, there is no probably to it.

“The decision is incredible, incredible and that loses us the opportunity to get what we deserved.

“We’ve lost a point because of a professional who cannot do his job right.”

Now the PA news agency understands Everton chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale has made a formal complaint to her Premier League counterpart Richard Masters and chief football officer Tony Scholes.

Barrett-Baxendale communicated her serious concerns about officiating in matches including the City loss and has demanded, at the very least, that an apology be given to Lampard and his players.

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EVE 0-1 MANCITY: FODEN GOAL TAKES MANCITY SIX POINTS CLEAR AT TOP PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

Manchester City moved six points clear at the top of the Premier League but only after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over stubborn Everton at Goodison Park.

Frank Lampard’s side defended resolutely for more than 80 minutes but a deflection to a Bernardo Silva cross left Michael Keane flat-footed and Phil Foden pounced on the Everton defender’s lack of control to finish from close range.

Moments later there was controversy when the ball appeared to spin up and hit Rodri on the arm as he went to clear in the box, but after a lengthy VAR check no penalty was given.

City held on to go six points clear of Liverpool, who have a game in hand but are not playing in the league this weekend as they face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. Defeat leaves Everton just one point above the relegation zone.

Ukraine internationals Vitaliy Mykolenko and Oleksandr Zinchenko were unused substitutes for Everton and City respectively, with both sets of players showing their solidarity prior to kick-off.