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RANGERS HIT BACK TO TAKE A POINT AT HOME TO ABERDEEN IN DRAMATIC 2-2 DRAW

Rangers fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Aberdeen at Ibrox but their lead at the top of the cinch Premiership was cut to two points.

With the Govan club still reeling from the death of former manager Walter Smith on Tuesday, it was an emotionally-charged stadium which witnessed the visitors race into a two-goal lead after 15 minutes through headers by striker Christian Ramirez and former Celtic captain Scott Brown.

The shell-shocked champions reduced the deficit with an Alfredo Morelos header in the 20th minute and levelled with 10 minutes to go through a James Tavernier penalty but had to settle for a point.

Steven Gerrard’s side remain on 24 points with Celtic now sitting on 22 following their 3-1 win over Hibernian. Hearts and Dundee United are a point further behind.

It was a tremendous effort from the Dons, who had stopped the rot of 10 successive matches without a victory with a 1-0 home win over Hibernian on Saturday, while Rangers remain hot and cold.

There was a perfectly-observed minute’s silence before the match to commemorate Smith before a frantic and exhilarating first half unfolded.

The home fans were stunned when Aberdeen midfielder Dean Campbell, back in the side along with Dylan McGeouch and Jonny Hayes, played in Ryan Hedges who stood the ball up for Ramirez to head in from six yards.

There was more drama six minutes later when Dons captain Brown, whose every touch was booed, produced a stunning diving header from a McGeouch corner to make it 2-0 and he revelled in his celebration.

The Light Blues were in total disarray.

The much-needed lifeline for Rangers came when Morelos rose in a packed penalty area to nod in a free-kick from captain Tavernier.

As pressure on the Dons increased, defender David Bates blocked a goal-bound drive from Gers centre-back Connor Goldson.

From another corner in the 34th minute, Goldson and John Lundstram had efforts repelled by sheer numbers around the six-yard box and just before the break Joe Lewis brilliantly saved Goldson’s bullet header from a Tavernier corner.

Rangers tried to force the issue at the start of the second half but it was laboured rather than inspired.

Scott Arfield replaced Lundstram on the hour mark with Marley Watkins on for Ramirez before Scott Wright and Fashion Sakala came on to try to help Rangers rescue at least a point.

The frustrated home fans roared with 10 minutes remaining when referee John Beaton pointed to the penalty spot after Bates fouled Sakala and Tavernier fired the ball past Lewis to set up a barnstorming finale, but that was as much as Rangers were getting.

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LUCAS MOURA HELPS SPURS TO SCRAPPY CARABAO CUP WIN AT BURNLEY

Lucas Moura’s second-half goal sent Tottenham through to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after a 1-0 win at Burnley.

Moura’s 68th-minute header settled a low-quality affair where both teams struggled in the attacking third for the majority of the game.

It was a much-needed win for Nuno Espirito Santo, who is under some pressure after an inconsistent start to the season, but a good cup run in this competition could help his cause.

Nuno will also hope it gives his side some confidence ahead of Manchester United’s visit in the Premier League on Saturday.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche was hoping his side could kickstart their season by beating Spurs, but they never really looked like doing that and had just one shot on target.

After travelling to Holland with a second string outfit in the Europa Conference League and getting burned with a 1-0 defeat at Vitesse Arnhem, Nuno knew he could not get away with doing the same at Turf Moor.

He made changes but kept a strong spine, which saw Harry Kane captain the side.

Kane could have given Tottenham the perfect start, but he continued to look off colour, dragging a shot well wide when being played through by Giovani Lo Celso in the third minute.

The game could have done with that going in as it developed into an insipid contest low on quality.

Spurs right-back Emerson Royal had to be alert to clear Johan Berg Gudmundsson’s dangerous cross from inside his own six-yard box, but Burnley struggled to cause any real threat.

The visitors were not much better as they again lacked the creativity that has dogged their season so far.

They did fashion a chance just before half-time, but Kane was again wayward with his finishing, blazing over an acrobatic attempt at the far post from a corner.

The start of the second half was not much better and Spurs fans were not happy, calling for change by chanting “Nuno where’s the subs?”.

The boss reacted and while Son Heung-min and Tanguy Ndombele were waiting to come on, the visitors had a big chance to go in front.

Davinson Sanchez won a tackle high up the pitch, which gave Kane space to run into, he played in Lo Celso, who looked set to score only for Nick Pope to produce a brilliant one-handed save.

Son and Ndombele came on and their first action was to help celebrate Tottenham’s opening goal.

Lo Celso played the ball out to Royal on the right and the Brazilian sent in an in-swinging cross which Moura headed home from eight yards.

It was almost two four minutes later as Moura found space 25 yards out but his fierce shot was well saved by Pope, who was keeping Burnley in it.

Burnley had to up their game if they were going to get back into the contest and they threw bodies forward, but Spurs defended well.

Erik Pieters finally had their first shot on goal in the final 10 minutes but Pierluigi Gollini easily saved it.

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MANCHESTER CITY’S CARABAO CUP DOMINANCE ENDS AS WESTHAM WIN ON PENALTIES

Manchester City’s grip on the Carabao Cup was finally loosened as West Ham knocked out the holders on penalties.

Phil Foden missed from the spot for City while West Ham scored all five of theirs to reach the quarter-finals.

City had won this competition in six of the past eight seasons, including the last four.

In fact Tuesday marked five years to the day since they were last eliminated from this cup, a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United.

But they were held to a goalless draw by a dogged West Ham side, who then finished the job when Said Benrahma converted the winning penalty to the delight of a sold-out London Stadium.

Club captain Mark Noble, handed an increasingly rare start in what is his farewell season, enjoyed a fine match and also netted his penalty, as did Jarrod Bowen, Craig Dawson and Aaron Cresswell.

It was Noble who had the first effort on goal with a drive from the edge of the box which was punched clear by City keeper Zack Steffen.

At the other end of the career scale, City’s 19-year-old striker Cole Palmer started up front in a team showing nine changes but still packed with internationals.

Palmer, who followed up his goal against Wycombe in this competition with one in the Champions League at Club Brugge, could have added to that tally when he received a cut-back from Riyad Mahrez, but his shot was too close to Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal.

As the first half drew to a close Palmer saw a shot deflected over and Nathan Ake headed a Mahrez free-kick wide.

West Ham were a much-changed side as well but still showing plenty of endeavour, with Noble setting up the overlapping Arthur Masuaku who fired just over.

They came even closer to breaking the deadlock when Masuaku stung the palms of Steffen, with Andriy Yarmolenko

At the other end the impressive Palmer teed up Ilkay Gundogan, whose shot fizzed across goal, before Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected effort was scrambled wide by Areola.

From the corner, the Hammers’ back-up keeper made a stunning point-blank save to keep out a header from John Stones.

It seemed neither team fancied the idea of penalties, with both attacking at will. Tomas Soucek was next to try his luck for West Ham but sidefooted wide when he should have hit the target.

Hammers boss David Moyes sensed his side, who beat Manchester United in the last round, could possibly record another statement win and made a triple substitution on the hour with Bowen, Benrahma and Pablo Fornals all sent on.

But City were still the more threatening and Palmer squandered a glorious chance when he lashed Raheem Sterling’s pull-back over before Areola saved with his feet to deny Gundogan and tipped Zinchenko’s drive away.

Foden, Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus had been summoned from City’s star-studded bench, and after Soucek curled another chance wide for the hosts, Areola held Sterling’s header to take the tie to penalties.

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MINAMINO, ORIGI ON TARGET AS LIVERPOOL HOLD OFF PRESTON TO REACH CARABAO CUP LAST EIGHT

Carabao Cup specialists Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi fired Liverpool into the quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Preston but not before the Championship side threatened a major upset at Deepdale.

Memories of Sunday’s 5-0 destruction of Manchester United were fresh in the minds of the travelling Liverpool support, but there were few traces on the pitch as Jurgen Klopp changed all 11 players and got a radically different display as a result.

When Minamino turned in Neco Williams’ cross in the 62nd minute, it was Liverpool’s first shot on target after Preston had brought a number of saves out of Adrian in the first half.

Origi flicked in a second six minutes from time, but the gap between Klopp’s ruthless stars and their more modest back-ups was obvious as Liverpool only occasionally bared their teeth against a side 19th in the Championship and sporting several changes of their own.

Preston had never reached the quarter-finals, but that carrot was not enough to prevent Frankie McAvoy from swapping nine of the players who started the weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Blackpool – with on-loan Sepp Van Den Berg one of two survivors having received permission to face his parent club.

Klopp handed a debut to teenager Harvey Blair while Tyler Morton got his first start, but there was also plenty of experience as Joel Matip returned to partner Joe Gomez in defence.

It was no surprise to see Liverpool boss possession – goalkeeper Declan Rudd was the only Preston player to touch the ball in the opening five minutes – but they could not translate that into chances as the hosts defended strongly.

Instead, it was Preston who threatened. Tom Barkhuizen cut inside Matip before firing over, then Ryan Ledson tried an ambitious volley from the edge of the area which sailed over.

Brad Potts was the next to escape Matip, but his rising shot was pushed over by Adrian.

The best chance came in the 28th minute. After Gomez squandered possession Ali McCann put it on a plate for Sean Maguire, only to see Adrian make a superb point-blank save.

The ball fell invitingly for Ledson, but his shot struck Williams in the face on the line before Potts blazed over.

Liverpool somehow escaped, but they went in at the break still yet to test Rudd despite having 79 per cent possession.

Matip was replaced by Nat Phillips at the break, and Liverpool were quickly on the front foot, with Minamino going close before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain twisted to make space before unleashing a powerful shot which sailed narrowly wide.

A largely frustrating night for Blair came to an end moments later when Conor Bradley replaced the former Manchester United prospect, but Morton continued to impress, and almost found Minamino with a curling cross from deep.

They broke the deadlock with their first shot on target just after the hour.

Williams, pushed forward by Bradley’s arrival, pulled the ball back for Minamino to flick it beyond the reach of Rudd and score his fifth Carabao Cup goal in as many appearances.

Preston seemed to sense their chance had gone as heads dropped, and Origi soon confirmed their fears as he scored his customary Carabao Cup goal – making it 11 in his 10 starts in the competition.

When Kostas Tsimikas’ cross from deep struck the crossbar it bounced down for Williams. His shot was blocked, but the ball sat up for Origi to flick in with an acrobatic twist of his leg.

Minamino should have added a third when he raced through on goal moments later, denied by Rudd, but further goals would have been harsh on Preston.

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CARABAO CUP: LEICESTER THROUGH TO LAST EIGHT AFTER BEATING BRIGHTON ON PENALTIES

Leicester reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with victory over Brighton in a penalty shoot-out on an emotional night at the King Power Stadium.

Wednesday’s tie fell on the third anniversary of a helicopter crash at the stadium, which killed the club’s chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others.

A crowd display and minute’s silence took place before kick-off ahead of the first home match to fall on the date, which finished 2-2 after normal time before Leicester won 4-2 on penalties.

Harvey Barnes gave the hosts an early lead before Adam Webster equalised in first-half stoppage time. However, there was still time for Ademola Lookman to restore Leicester’s advantage before the half-time whistle.

Substitute Enock Mwepu deservedly headed Brighton level midway through the second half to set up the drama of penalties.

Neal Maupay crashed his spot-kick against the crossbar before Mwepu saw his effort saved by Danny Ward, with the Foxes scoring all four of their kicks.

A much-changed Leicester team, with Caglar Soyuncu the only survivor from those who started the win at Brentford at the weekend, went ahead after just six minutes.

Patson Daka chased down a long ball and put goalkeeper Jason Steele under pressure, forcing him to rush his pass to Webster. Barnes was alert to take the ball off the toe of the Brighton defender before beating Steele with a low, hard shot.

Steele made a fine save to tip Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s shot onto the crossbar midway through the first half.

Brighton had threatened from a corner earlier when Dan Burn headed wide and they did so again just after the half hour as Shane Duffy leapt above Hamza Choudhury only for Ward to save his header.

It was from a corner that Webster was able to turn home the ball to equalise, after another Duffy header was blocked by Jannik Vestergaard.

However, another defensive mistake allowed Leicester to immediately restore their lead as Lookman pounced on a Jeremy Sarmiento back pass to poke the ball beyond Steele.

Aaron Connolly got in behind the Leicester defence early in the second half but decided to take his shot early from outside the penalty area when he had more time.

Brighton deservedly equalised midway through the second half when Mwepu beat Ward with a fine header from Marc Cucurella’s cross.

Albion looked the most likely winner in normal time but Leicester withstood the pressure and the tie went to penalties.

Maupay was Brighton’s second penalty taker and hit the bar. James Maddison, Barnes, Daka and Ricardo Pereira had all scored for the hosts, meaning it was over when Ward saved Mwepu’s kick.

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ARSENAL BEAT LEEDS UTD 2-0 TO REACH CARABAO CUP QUARTER FINALS

Arsenal moved into the Carabao Cup quarterfinals with a victory over fellow Premier League side Leeds United.

Arsenal eased through with second-half goals from Calum Chambers and Edward Nketiah in a 2-0 win over struggling Leeds.

Chambers opened the scoring in the 55th minute, 23 seconds after coming on as a substitute. The defender’s header looked to have been saved by Illan Meslier but goal-line technology ruled that the ball had crossed the line.

“He totally deserved it,” said Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta of Chambers’ goal.”It was a great moment because he helped us to win the game. He is someone who deserves the best, for how he is as a person and a professional.”

The Gunners’ second came in the 69th from a poor header back by Liam Cooper which left Meslier stranded as Nketiah rounded the keeper and his mis-hit shot from a tight angle just rolled into the corner.

“It’s always nice to play, it’s been a while, I have been working hard, waiting for my opportunity,” Nketiah told Sky Sports.

The loss further adds woe to a Leeds side that has been struggling in league play.

“We conceded a goal, the goal that we conceded was at the start of the second half, after that the game wasn’t the same,” said Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa.

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CHELSEA BEAT SOUTHAMPTON IN SHOOTOUT TO ADVANCE TO CARABAO CUP QUARTER FINAL

Chelsea needed another shootout to earn a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with Southampton beaten 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Reece James again provided the decisive kick like he had done in the previous round against Aston Villa after Theo Walcott and Will Smallbone had failed from 12 yards for the Saints.

Kai Havertz’s first-half goal had the hosts on course for another victory but Che Adams pegged the Champions League winners back before spot-kicks were required in west London.

Both managers made a plethora of changes but it was Blues boss Thomas Tuchel who made the fewest with only six from the thrashing of Norwich. Ross Barkley and Saul were among those handed a chance and they combined for the first opportunity in the sixth minute.

Barkley picked out Saul from a corner and only a stunning finger-tip save by the recalled Fraser Forster stopped the summer addition from opening his account for Chelsea.

Havertz had retained his spot from Saturday’s 7-0 win and after he missed out on a goal against the Canaries, the German was eager to make amends.

A first effort with his weaker right foot whistled past the post from 25 yards and his next in the 26th minute went even closer.

Havertz combined impressively with Barkley inside his own half before Marcos Alonso sent the forward away where he worked a yard of space and fired towards the top corner but Forster was able to parry wide for a corner.

It had been far from one-way traffic with Southampton, who matched up the hosts and went with wing-backs for the first time this term, causing problems and Adam Armstrong should have done better with a back post header following a corner by namesake Stuart Armstrong.

Off the pitch, Saints assistant Richard Kitzbichler had shown he was more than up for the fight after twice crossing words with Tuchel on the touchline with the pair tenacious during each exchange.

Another chance went the way of the visitors with 33 on the clock when Stuart Armstrong saw a shot blocked by Trevoh Chalobah after good work from Kyle Walker-Peters.

There was still time for one more opportunity before half-time and it proved decisive.

Barkley again caused problems with his delivery from a corner and this time Havertz was not to be denied, with the ex-Bayer Leverkusen ace able to guide his header into the bottom corner for his third goal of the campaign.

Southampton would not trail for long though with the equaliser coming two minutes after the break and Walker-Peters involved again.

The wing-back was played into the area and while his effort was blocked by the legs of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Adams was on hand to tap home and get off the mark this season.

It contributed towards a frantic start to the second period with Forster called into action on three occasions and equal to firstly Havertz and then Barkley and James while down the other end Adam Armstrong forced a fine save out of Chelsea’s second-choice goalkeeper.

With the Blues lacking control of the fourth-round tie, Tuchel turned to Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount but it was Saul who almost produced the second when he fired wide following Havertz’s cut-back before his curler forced Forster into another excellent stop.

Ralph Hasenhuttl also called for reinforcements and Smallbone nearly enjoyed a perfect return after nine months out following a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament but his header was saved by Kepa seconds after his 77th-minute entrance.

More heroics from the Spanish custodian in stoppage-time ensured penalties were required with Southampton’s two centre-backs Lyanco and Mohammed Salisu denied from Smallbone corners.

It saw the tie go to spot-kicks and although Forster produced a stunning save to thwart Mount, Walcott and Smallbone failed from 12 yards and it saw Chelsea go through to the last eight of the competition.

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OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER TO REMAIN IN MAN UNITED AS UNITED STARS CONFUSED AND DIVIDED OVER HIS STAY

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly unlikely to be sacked by Manchester United this week – though the Red Devils players have been left confused by goings on at the club.

Solskjaer is is under severe pressure at Old Trafford having seen the Red Devils be thrashed 5-0 by rivals Liverpool at the weekend.

He is the bookies favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked with rumours swirling on Monday that he may not have made the end of the day.

The Athletic report that Solskjaer will be given the opportunity to turn fortunes around, starting at Tottenham on Saturday.

Though they add that United’s players have been left confused over the style of the play they have been adopting.

It’s claimed Solskjaer gave his players an instruction to press high on Liverpool but The Athletic add players were confused by the exact coordination.

Plenty of names are being mentioned as potential replacements for Solskjaer, including ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and current Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers.

Though Solskjaer is not going to give up his job easily, saying: “I have come too far to give up. I am not built that way.

“The feeling we have had is we were getting where we wanted to be but in the last few weeks results haven’t come and we have hit a brick wall. We have conceded too many easy goals and that is a concern.

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BARCELONA TO PLAY BOCA JUNIORS IN TRIBUTE TO DIEGO MARADONA

Barcelona have confirmed they will pay tribute to the legendary Diego Maradona by facing Argentinian side Boca Juniors in what is being called the ‘Maradona Cup’.

It was from Boca that Maradona joined Barcelona back in 1982, with the Catalan giants paying a then-record £5m to land the tricky forward’s signature. Maradona spent two years at Camp Nou, winning the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup and the now defunct Spanish League Cup.

To pay tribute to Maradona, who passed away in November 2020, Barcelona took to their official website to confirm a friendly has been set up with Boca which will be held at Mrsool Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 14.

The ‘Maradona Cup’ has been designed solely to remember the life of Maradona, and will give fans across the world one more chance to pay tribute to the iconic World Cup winner.

Barcelona squared off against Boca Juniors back in 2018, with the former emerging with a 3-0 victory in the Joan Gamper Trophy.

A boyhood fan of Boca, Maradona joined the club in 1981 after five successful years with Argentinos Juniors, but dominated during his debut season and swiftly earned himself a world-record move to Barcelona a year later.

Life at Camp Nou was not always particularly smooth for Maradona, who battled both off-field issues and numerous injury problems which restricted him to 58 appearances, after which he secured a £6.9m move to Napoli – breaking his own transfer record in the process.

It was in Naples that Maradona spent the best period of his career. He managed seven seasons with the Partenopei, leading them to two Serie A titles and the UEFA Cup.

During his time with Napoli, Maradona also elevated his game on the international stage, steering Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986.

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WALTER SMITH: FORMER RANGERS AND EVERTON MANAGER DIES AT 73.

Former Rangers, Everton and Scotland manager Walter Smith has died age 73.

Smith achieved legendary status at Ibrox, winning 21 trophies in two spells making him the second most successful Rangers boss ever behind Bill Struth.

Rangers chairman Douglas Park commented: “It is almost impossible to encapsulate what Walter meant to every one of us at Rangers.

“He embodied everything that a Ranger should be. His character and leadership was second to none, and will live long in the memory of everyone he worked with during his two terms as first team manager.

“I spoke with Walter as recently as last weekend. Even when he was battling illness, he was still able to provide advice and support. For that, I am personally grateful. I know that he continued also to maintain dialogue with senior members of staff, including our manager, Steven Gerrard.

“Walter will be sorely missed by all of us at Rangers. For Rangers supporters, he was much more than just a football manager. Walter was a friend to many, a leader, an ambassador and most of all-a legend.”

Rangers confirmed in March that Smith was recovering in hospital following an operation.

And his passing comes 10 months after Jim McLean, whom he assisted over a long spell at Dundee United, died at 83.

“Walter leaves behind a wife, children and grandchildren, all of whom are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time,” added Park.

Rangers asked for the Smith family’s privacy to be respected.

A defender in his playing career, Smith had two spells with Dundee United and a short stint at Dumbarton in between. After assisting McLean at Dundee United his managerial career began in 1978 with the Scotland Under-18 team, before he took charge of the Under-21s.

Smith stepped up from assistant manager when Graeme Souness left Rangers for Liverpool in April 1991 and won the final seven of Rangers’ record-equalling nine league titles in a row.

Smith joined Everton in the summer of 1998 but his almost four years there were unremarkable, with the club unable to break into the top half of the Premier League or progress beyond cup quarter-finals.

After a brief spell as Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Manchester United in 2004, he was appointed as Scotland manager. Despite improving the team, he failed to reach the 2006 World Cup and was part-way through the Euro 2008 qualifiers when he accepted an offer to go back to Rangers.

There he not only enjoyed further domestic success but reached the 2008 Uefa Cup final, losing 2-0 to Zenit St Petersburg. Smith retired in 2011 as the club’s second-most successful manager. He briefly returned to Ibrox as a director and chairman.