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Marcus Rashford scored a superb solo effort as Manchester United moved into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Burnley at Old Trafford.

Returning to action after the World Cup – and for their first match since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure – Erik ten Hag’s men took the lead in the 27th minute through a close-range finish from Christian Eriksen, one of the various players on show that had been at the tournament in Qatar.

The advantage was then doubled by another 12 minutes into the second half when Rashford, scorer of three goals for England during the World Cup, went on a run taking the ball from his own half to the visitors’ box and drilled it into the net.

Vincent Kompany’s Championship table-topping Burnley threatened a number of times in attack – and almost benefited from some errors by United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka – but could not spring an upset.

Aside from the obvious absence of Ronaldo, following his exit by mutual agreement last month in the wake of his explosive TalkTV interview, other players who had been at the World Cup missing from United’s squad included finalists Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, and fellow centre-back Harry Maguire, who was ill.

But there were five back from Qatar – Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Eriksen, Casemiro, being utilised as a central defender, and Tyrell Malacia – included in a strong starting XI as Ten Hag made four changes from the 2-1 Premier League win at Fulham on November 13. Also, Luke Shaw, Antony and Fred were among the substitutes, and all got on in the second half.

Former Manchester City captain Kompany named a side showing two adjustments from their 3-1 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday, with long-serving forward Ashley Barnes one of those coming in.

As well as being post-Ronaldo, this was also a first competitive outing for United since the news their owners the Glazers were open to relinquishing control of the club, with a sale among the considerations in a “process to explore strategic alternatives”.

Some anti-Glazer chants could be heard from the stands in the opening stages of the game, while on the pitch, Barnes sent an early header wide, with the flag raised for offside, and Alejandro Garnacho, fed by Fernandes, hit a shot that was blocked by Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s boot.

United then grabbed the lead when Aaron Wan-Bissaka, making his first start of the season, stretched on the right to connect with Fernandes’ delivery and the resulting cross was met by Eriksen, who fired in.

Anthony Martial saw an effort caught by Peacock-Farrrell, before Manuel Benson struck into the United side-netting and brought a good save from Dubravka.

Moments later, Dubravka survived two scares in quick succession, firstly seeing Casemiro clear a goal-bound ball after the goalkeeper had misjudged an attempted punch, then hacking the ball away himself having miscontrolled a backpass.

Peacock-Farrell then made another stop in the 40th minute, keeping out Martial’s deflected strike.

Scott McTominay sent an attempt off-target shortly after the break, before inadvertently giving the ball to Benson, who skewed wide.

Rashford then produced a moment in keeping with his fine World Cup form, bursting forward with the ball from United’s half, advancing between two defenders as he got to the Burnley area and cracking a low shot beyond Peacock-Farrell.

Burnley made a decent push to hit back, with substitute Darko Churlinov shooting wide and Barnes over, both from good positions, and the latter then sending another effort wide in the final 10 minutes.

Antony saw a drive saved by Peacock-Farrell at the other end before the final whistle confirmed United’s place in the last eight.

Lionel Messi is now side by side with Cristiano Ronaldo in goals scored in Europe’s top five league after scoring his 696th goals. 

The Argentinian superstar scored the second goal for PSG  in the 72minutes of second half against Angers on Wednesday night.  

The goal itself was a perfect team effort, started and finished by Messi. He calms the ball outside the box before latching onto a through ball and sliding it past the keeper. 

With Cristiano Ronaldo now revolving out for Al-Nassr, the race is on between Lionel Messi and  Cristiano Ronaldo to accumulate as many career goals as imaginable before eventually calling time on their careers. 

Ronaldo has a two-year agreement with the Saudi Arabian side and currently leads Messi by five on 701 total club goals having scored five for Sporting Lisbon at the start of his career. 

Messi goals for Barcelona and PSG, scoring 672 goals in 778 appearances for the Catalan side. It means he’s gotten the 696 total in 86 fewer games than his rival.

Ronaldo scored 118 for Man United in his first stint at the club, 450 at Real Madrid, 101 at Juventus and another 27 goals at Old Trafford before his unpleasant exit. 

Messi will have plenty of scoring opportunities in France and carried on his form the led Argentina to the World Cup. 

He has 13 goals this season in 20 games with eight coming in Ligue 1. 

It was Messi’s first game back from the World Cup and he played the full 90 minutes from Christophe Galtier’s side. 

PSG lead the league by six points ahead of Lens and only a disastrous collapse will stop them lifting the title again.  

Liverpool held off Aston Villa’s plucky challenge to close the gap on the Premier League’s top four.

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk struck in the first half before Stefan Bajcetic’s first senior goal made it 3-1.

Victory moved them five points adrift of the Champions League spots, remaining sixth, ahead of Friday’s visit of Leicester.

Yet they rode their luck against mid-table Villa, who put up a fight but missed chances and lacked the quality when it mattered most despite Ollie Watkins’ strike.

Jurgen Klopp had seen second-placed Newcastle move 11 points clear with a stroll at Leicester so knew victory was imperative not just to keep in touch with the Magpies but reel in the top four.

It looked like it may be a difficult night when Emi Buendia teed up Watkins inside the opening 60 seconds but he lacked the power to beat Alisson Becker.

It was a miss which summed up Villa’s attacking threat – all promise and no quality – and one they would quickly rue.

Darwin Nunez dummied Andy Robertson’s cross, leading to Robin Olsen and Tyrone Mings colliding and the defender needing treatment.

If the stoppage unsettled Villa, it failed to deter the visitors who took the lead once play resumed on five minutes.

Robertson’s corner was only cleared to Trent Alexander-Arnold 40 yards out, he bent a brilliant pass to Robertson who nipped in ahead of John McGinn and rolled a perfect ball for Salah who could not miss.

Yet there was still encouragement for Villa with Watkins again escaping the defence to be denied by Alisson before the offside flag was correctly, but belatedly, raised.

Liverpool hardly looked secure at the back and Leon Bailey miscued from 12 yards as Villa Park’s usual frustration raised its head early. More consternation followed when Watkins’ tame header was easy for Alisson.

The difference was Liverpool’s ruthless quality and they almost had a second after 21 minutes when Joel Matip headed in Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick, only to have strayed fractionally offside.

There was space to exploit at both ends and Nunez twice underlined the point by heading over before seizing on Ezri Konsa’s slice by firing straight at Olsen.

Villa could have been 3-0 down but equally could have been ahead such was the game’s generous nature and Salah was next up, dragging wide after half an hour.

Nunez’s movement was causing Villa serious issues and Olsen – who hardly looked convincing deputising for World Cup winner Emi Martinez – turned his low effort wide.

But, from the resulting corner, the hosts failed to clear and Salah teed up Van Dijk to rifle in, via a small deflection off Konsa.

Nunez should have added a third before the break, instead steering at Olsen from close range, but a two-goal cushion gave the Reds a perfect second-half platform.

It was one which suddenly looked unstable when Watkins drilled into the corner seconds after the re-start, but was offside, and McGinn fluffed a stooping header.

Liverpool, though, should have killed the game after 50 minutes when Salah broke quickly from a Villa free-kick only for Olsen to deny him.

The Reds needed to calm the game as Villa remained a threat but they failed and Watkins pulled a goal back after 59 minutes, nodding in Douglas Luiz’s cross.

A frantic match moved up a notch with Villa Park reenergised but it was the erratic Nunez the next to miss when, put through by Salah, he dragged woefully wide of the far post with 15 minutes left.

Finally, Liverpool took the sting out of Villa and eventually ended their hopes with nine minutes left when Bajcetic showed impressive composure to round Olsen and squeeze a shot through Mings’ legs after Nunez’s cross.

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Portugal have replaced outgoing manager Fernando Santos with former Belgium, Everton, Swansea City and Wigan coach Roberto Martinez.

The announcement comes 38 days after he stepped down from the same role at the Belgian national team, where he had spent the last six years. His time with the Red Devils was greeted with mixed reactions. Although he guided Belgium to their highest ever World Cup finish in 2018 (3rd), many felt they did not go far enough in the Euros, nor did he make the most of their perceived ‘golden generation’.

He will have another golden generation on his hands with Portugal, who presented him as their new coach on Monday. A number of exciting talents are starting to fulfil their potential, while several of the world’s best players will be hoping to add to the Euro 2016 title that Santos won.

In total, Martinez has been unemployed for just 142 days since he started in management, consisting of two short gaps between Everton-Belgium and Belgium-Portugal. That dates back to 2007, when he began with Swansea, and in theory will continue until 2026 when his Portugal contract expires.

France goalkeeper and 2018 World Cup winner Hugo Lloris has retired from international football at the age of 36.

The Tottenham captain has been capped a record 145 times for the French men’s side, 121 of them as skipper.

The French Football Federation confirmed the news on Monday evening, listing some of his achievements on Twitter and adding: “A Legend. Bravo and THANK YOU for everything Hugo.”

It expanded in a statement on its website: “After more than 14 years spent in the jersey of the French team, Hugo Lloris has chosen to put an end to his international career.

“The goalkeeper and captain of Les Bleus formalised his decision on Monday, January 9.”

Lloris made his international debut aged 21 in a 2008 friendly against Uruguay and was part of France’s World Cup-winning side in 2018.

He played in four World Cups – a joint record for France – in 2010, 2014, the triumphant 2018 campaign and most recently in 2022, when his side lost 4-2 to Argentina on penalties in last month’s final.

It was in Qatar that he passed Lilian Thuram for France’s all-time most caps and he also holds the record for the most World Cup matches, with 20 played for his national side.

France manager Didier Deschamps said: “Hugo has decided to retire while he is still at the top of his game. He shared his thoughts and decision with me a few days ago.

“I must, we must, respect it even if he still had his place in our team, as he demonstrated during the last World Cup, in Doha.

“A very great servant of the French team bows out and I want to salute his exceptional career.

“Beyond all the records that his talent and professionalism have allowed him to break, beyond the essential role he played in our greatest conquests, the 2018 World Cup, the 2021 Nations League, in our most beautiful journeys, the final of Euro 2016 and that of the 2022 World Cup.

“Hugo is a remarkable person on a human level. He was captain when I became coach in 2012, I kept the armband for him and I never had to regret it, quite the contrary.

“Hugo has a very high idea of ​​the French team, he has always been oriented towards the collective, he has always put it forward, sometimes even to his detriment.

“It was a pleasure and an honour for me to be his trainer. I wish all coaches to have players like him to manage.

“Hugo has all my respect and gratitude. I wish him to be happy. A big thank you Hugo for having represented your country so well.”

Lloris, who has kept five clean sheets in 17 Premier League appearances for Tottenham so far this season, began his career with Nice, making his first-team debut in 2005 before moving to Lyon in 2008.

He joined Spurs in 2012 and extended his contract in January 2022, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal to keep him at the north London club until summer 2024.

Qatar has unveiled a 6,000-cabin village built on a car park near its airports for fans attending the World Cup.

The 1.1 square-mile site features a metro station, a bus stop, and a temporary restaurant and convenience store. The area could hold as many as 12,000 people if booked at capacity, officials said.

Artificial green grass covers the walkways outside, with common areas filled with large bean-bag style chairs.

Competing nations’ flags flapped in the strong desert wind and there is a large screen for fans to watch matches.

The brightly coloured cabins, with thin walls, are designed to accommodate one or two people with twin beds, a nightstand, a small table and chair, air conditioning, a toilet and a shower inside.

They will be available for around $200 a night — $270 with board.

Some 60 per cent of the cabins are already booked for the tournament, said Omar al-Jaber, the head of accommodation at Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for the tournament.

There will be other rooms offered at $80 a night farther out than this site near Doha International Airport and Hamad International Airport, both of which will be seeing flights at all hours during the tournament.

Those staying at the Fan Village can expect a 40-minute commute to stadium sites.

“Most of the fan(s) they prefer if it’s not a hotel, they prefer the apartment and villa,” Mr al-Jaber said, noting those options are managed by French hospitality company Accor. However, those wanting budget accommodation will come to this site and the other for cheaper options, he said.

In the lead-up to the tournament, concerns about hotel room space and high prices for the rooms available have affected Qatar, which lacks hotel capacity for all teams, workers, volunteers and fans at the World Cup. So Doha has created camping and cabin sites, hiring cruise ships, and encouraging fans to stay in neighbouring countries and fly in for games.

Qatar has estimated it will have 130,000 rooms per day for the tournament.

Already, nearby Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has planned for an influx of World Cup fans who want to stay there where their money may go further.

“Now, the shuttle flights option, it’s one of the options for the people who stay already in our neighbour countries and … they would like to just to spend a day to attend the match,” Mr al-Jaber said. “So this is a good option for them in a state of their case.”
He added: “If they would like to come and stay, they are more than welcome, of course, and there are many, many options for them.”

There are still multiple options available for fans in Qatar available to rent, ranging from hotels, cruise ship rooms, traditional dhow sailing vessels and tents, the fan village, portable cabins and caravans, Mr al-Jaber said.

“We have enough accommodation and people still they can come and enjoy the tournament and of course they can choose what they are looking for from the accommodation,” he said.

Arsenal sent out a title warning after Martin Odegaard’s double sent them five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The captain’s second-half brace earned a 2-0 win at Wolves and showed Manchester City their crown is under threat.

Mikel Arteta’s side are genuine contenders, grinding out a victory to put daylight between them and the reigning champions.

They seized on City’s 2-1 defeat to Brentford with a performance which demonstrated their steel and a slick opener proved they can find the magic when needed.

Wolves will be bottom at Christmas but held their own for long spells and there remains reasons to be positive with Julen Lopetegui’s era imminent.

Chairman Jeff Shi called the search for Bruno Lage’s replacement painful after Lopetegui initially rejected the club and Michael Beale performed a U-turn to stay at QPR.

Introduced to the home fans before the game, Lopetegui took the acclaim during a lap of the pitch six years after Wolves first tried to appoint him.

It has been a long wait and the former Spain and Real Madrid manager will be expected to work wonders to beat the drop but will have the same problems as caretaker Steve Davis and Lage.

Lopetegui will need reinforcements in January – especially a striker – for Wolves to extend their top flight stay to a sixth season.

He will have at least been encouraged by the hosts’ resilience, despite defeat, which will be desperately needed during a relegation battle.

Arteta has no such problems and his team will be top at Christmas, something not even the most optimistic Gunner would have predicted.

City’s surprise loss gave them the chance to take command at the top but they were initially frustrated by a determined Wolves.

Gabriel Jesus drilled in but was offside and Jose Sa hurriedly turned Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross over.

Arsenal lost Granit Xhaka, forced off after 15 minutes after needing treatment, and replaced him with Fabio Vieira.

The Gunners dominated the ball but Wolves reminded the visitors of their threat when Goncalo Guedes fired over following a quick break.

Despite their territorial dominance Arsenal struggled to create clear openings, a credit to Wolves’ organisation.

Davis, ahead of his final game in charge, openly admitted to encouraging his side to use the darks arts to wring any advantage from a game and they managed to stifle the flow.

But a driving run from Saka created a chance for Jesus and, with a hint of offside, the striker hit the bar with 10 minutes of the half remaining.

The Brazil international, without a goal in his previous 10 games, then wasted a promising opening when he volleyed Ben White’s cross wide.

While it remained tight the struggling hosts were always in the contest and William Saliba gifted them a golden chance just before the break.

The defender’s backpass was read by Guedes, who had a free run on goal, but Gabriel came to the rescue to deflect his shot wide.

But if there were any growing Arsenal frustrations they disappeared 10 minutes after the break when Odegaard opened the scoring.

It was the first time the visitors wriggled in behind Wolves and, when a delightful ball from Jesus gave Vieira space in the box, his cross was turned in by Odegaard.

From then it was comfortable for the Gunners and Odegaard added a second with 15 minutes left.

Dexter Lembikisa lost the ball to Gabriel Martinelli who teed up Oleksandr Zinchenko to cross. The ball fell for Martinelli who was denied by Sa but Odegaard controlled the rebound and lashed into the bottom corner.

Cristiano Ronaldo claims he has been “betrayed” by Manchester United and believes they are trying to force him out of the club.

The Portugal star said that head coach Erik ten Hag and others want him out of Old Trafford, in excerpts of a 90-minute interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, which will be broadcast next week on TalkTV.

When asked if United’s hierarchy were trying to force him out of the club, Ronaldo said: “Yes, not only the coach, but another two or three guys around the club. I felt betrayed.”

When quizzed again if senior club executives were trying to oust him, the 37-year-old said: “I don’t care. People should listen to the truth.

“Yes, I felt betrayed and I felt like some people don’t want me here, not only this year, but last year too.”

The PA news agency has contacted United for comment.

Ronaldo said he did not respect boss Ten Hag, admitting: “I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me. If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.”

Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute in last month’s win over Tottenham, leading to him being banished from the squad for the subsequent trip to Chelsea, although he then returned to the fold.

Ronaldo, who was heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford in the summer, also hit out at former United team-mate Wayne Rooney over criticism the former had received for refusing to come on against Spurs.

Writing in The Sun newspaper, Morgan revealed Ronaldo said: “I don’t know why he criticises me so badly… probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at a high level.

“I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him. Which is true…”

Ronaldo also claimed United had not progressed as a club since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

Ronaldo, who played under Ferguson for six years during his first spell at United before joining Real Madrid in 2009, said: “I don’t know what is going on, but since Sir Alex Ferguson left I saw no evolution in the club, the progress was zero.

“For example, we have an interesting point that how the club as Manchester United, after (they) sack Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer), they buy – they bring (in), sports director Ralf Rangnick, which is something that nobody understands.

“This guy is not even a coach. A bigger club like Manchester United brings (a) sports director – surprised not only me but all the world, you know.

“Nothing changed. Surprisingly. Not only the pool, the jacuzzi, even the gym…Even some points, the technology, the kitchen, the chefs, which is, I appreciate, lovely persons.

“They stopped in a time, which surprised me a lot. I thought I will see different things…different, as I mentioned before, technology, infrastructure.

“But unfortunately, we see many things that I used to see when I was 20, 21, 23. So, it surprised me a lot.”