Fortunebets

Manchester United showed their character by comprehensively beating Real Betis 4-1 in the Europa League four days on from their humiliating defeat at Liverpool.

Sunday’s 7-0 collapse at their bitter rivals equalled the club’s record competitive defeat and left manager Erik ten Hag calling for a response from an unacceptable loss that he labelled “unprofessional”.

The United boss stuck with the same starting line-up that was annihilated at Anfield and the players repaid their manager’s faith in a 4-1 victory against Betis in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Marcus Rashford kept his cool to lash the hosts into an early lead as the snow fell at Old Trafford, only for Ayoze Perez to drill home a superb leveller against the run of play.

That moment gave hope to Manuel Pellegrini’s side and David De Gea was breathing a sigh of relief just before the break after his terrible pass led to a Perez effort deflecting off the post.

But United returned strongly from half-time and Antony curled home a lovely left-footed strike before skipper Bruno Fernandes, who faced intense scrutiny for his Liverpool display, headed home.

Wout Weghorst, another criticised after Anfield, scored his first Old Trafford goal to wrap up a comfortable win that means Ten Hag’s men head to Seville next Thursday with a three-goal cushion.

Arsenal’s Europa League hopes are finely poised after a topsy-turvy first leg of their last-16 clash with Sporting Lisbon ended in an entertaining draw.

The Gunners came from behind to draw 2-2 after Mikel Arteta made six changes to the side which secured a last-gasp victory over Bournemouth on Saturday to remain five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

A William Saliba header had Arsenal ahead but goals either side of half-time from Goncalo Inacio and Paulinho put Sporting in the driving seat.

A Hidemasa Morita own goal saw the visitors secure a draw to take back to the Emirates Stadium next week, where they will be hoping to advance to the quarter-finals.

Pre-match talk had been dominated by speculation of Gabriel Jesus’ potential involvement but he did not travel to Portugal as the forward continues his recovery from knee surgery.

Captain Martin Odegaard did make the trip but missed out through illness as centre-back Jakub Kiwior was handed his debut having signed in January.

The Gunners would hit the front just before the midway point of the first half as Saliba rose to head home a Fabio Vieira corner, with the home side fuming that the goal was not chalked off for what they felt was a foul on Matheus Reis.

Sporting would draw level as Inacio’s low shot was turned around a post by Matt Turner before the defender nodded in the resulting corner, with debutant Kiwior rooted to the spot as the set-piece was swung in.

Turner had to be alert again moment later, getting down low again to push wide a Marcus Edwards drive as the former Tottenham man looked to turn the tide.

With neither side able to get a firm grip on possession, Granit Xhaka almost restored Arsenal’s lead with a back-post header which Adan just about kept from crossing the line.

Gabriel Martinelli, deployed as the central striker with both Jesus and Eddie Nketiah sidelined, had a decent chance at the start of the second half but his deft chip was pushed behind.

Andy Murray’s losing run continued with defeat by Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori in the opening round of the Madrid Open.

The frustrated Scot’s 6-2 7-6 (7) loss to a player ranked 164 made it four consecutive defeats, equalling the worst run of his professional career.

Murray was so disillusioned by his performance against Alex De Minaur in Monte Carlo two weeks ago that he indicated he might sit out the rest of the clay season.

He decided against that but this was another demoralising result, with the only positive being how Murray found a way into the match in the second set.

He lost the first four games and went an early break down in the second set against 27-year-old qualifier Vavassori, who is at his highest career ranking.

The Italian was certainly playing well but Murray was making too many unforced errors and was unable to make any headway on his opponent’s serve.

He changed that in the eighth game, breaking Vavassori for the first time, and he took advantage of nerves from his opponent to save four match points in the tie-break only to twice net straightforward volleys.

It is the first time since 2019, when his hip problems were at their worst, that Murray has lost four matches in a row and, having reached the third round in the Spanish capital last year, he is set to drop back out of the top 60.

Given one of the main objectives for the 35-year-old playing on clay was to improve his ranking in a bid to be seeded for Wimbledon, things are clearly not going the way he would have hoped.

Murray’s defeat followed Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal and another loss for Kyle Edmund.

Edmund is trying to tread the difficult road back to the top of the game after a long spell out with knee problems but has not won a tour-level match this year.

The former British number one’s latest loss was a 6-4 6-1 defeat by former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who is at last showing more encouraging signs nearly two years after suffering a wrist injury.

Thiem, who will take on world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas in the next round, said on the ATP Tour website: “I have known Kyle since we were juniors. He has been a tough opponent since the young days, so I went in with a lot of respect.

“I had some crucial moments in the first set when I saved the break points and then I released a little bit and it got better and better.

“Once I was a very tough guy to beat on clay and it is not the case right now, but I am feeling that I am getting better and back to shape.”

British number one Cameron Norrie was handed a first-round bye and will start his campaign against Yosuke Watanuki after the Japanese qualifier beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-3.

Newcastle are cantering towards a return to the Champions League after a 4-1 win at Goodison Park made a demoralised Everton’s task of escaping relegation all the more difficult.

Callum Wilson’s seventh and eighth goals in six matches against the Toffees either side of Joelinton’s fourth in his last five helped lift Eddie Howe’s side eight points clear of fifth place, while leaving their hosts two points from safety after one win in their last 10.

Even when Dwight McNeil pulled one back with 10 minutes to go Jacob Murphy immediately responded as Everton’s defensive nightmares down their right side continued for a second game.

Monday’s trip to Leicester, immediately above Everton in 18th, now becomes a must-win game as with Manchester City one of their two remaining home fixtures, Sean Dyche’s side cannot rely on the power of Goodison to get them over the line to extend a 69-year stay in the top flight.

But Newcastle, having experienced their own period in the doldrums of the Championship, have no such worries as an appearance in Europe’s elite competition proper for the first time since 2003 edges ever closer having scored 10 goals in their last two matches.

The visitors showed they have the mettle for a fight as, after Sunday’s 6-1 procession against a hapless Tottenham, they outlasted the intensity and physicality Everton brought.

Having lost the early midfield battle they took control once Wilson, starting ahead of Alexander Isak, put them ahead in the 28th minute with his fifth goal in his last six games.

Dyche altered his team’s preparations, Everton arriving on a bus instead of their own cars, in order to allow fans to reinstate the blue pyrotechnic-heavy coach greeting which accompanied last season’s late escape from relegation.

Abdoulaye Doucoure’s return from suspension and Amadou Onana’s availability after injury allowed Dyche to select his first-choice midfield for the first time in four matches and the pre-kick-off fireworks behind the Gwladys Street and Bullens Road stands set the tone for the hosts.

Two Alex Iwobi crosses drifted agonisingly just over the heads of Calvert-Lewin and Doucoure either side of an Idrissa Gana Gueye free-kick which cleared the crossbar by a few inches.

Calvert-Lewin, however, remained isolated up front and Dyche could be seen waving midfielders forward in support with the striker himself beckoning players closer as another Jordan Pickford kick sailed towards him.

Doucoure’s energy was a vital cog in the link between midfield and attack and when he slid in Calvert-Lewin the forward chopped back onto his left foot only for Fabian Schar to block.

Newcastle managed to dampen Everton’s fire without managing to create a genuine chance of their own until they took the lead in the 28th minute.

Joelinton, whose personal experience had been torrid up to that point, broke down the left and cut inside Ben Godfrey – woefully exposed as a stand-in right-back due to the unavailability of Seamus Coleman (injured) and Mason Holgate (suspended) – to shoot at Pickford, whose save bounced kindly off James Tarkowski to Wilson.

The confidence of the league’s lowest scorers was momentarily affected as passes started to go astray but they recovered their purpose late on in the half with Michael Keane guiding Iwobi’s near-post corner wide before the pivotal moment went against them.

McNeil played through Calvert-Lewin and his dink over Nick Pope showed no sign of the rustiness expected of a player in only his second match back after almost three months out.

However, the Goodison roar was instantly quashed by the offside flag and not even VAR could overturn the marginal decision to save them.

Tarkowski blocked Joe Willock’s goalbound shot seconds after the interval but the response was for Calvert-Lewin to force a save out of Pope after Iwobi had escaped the clutches – literally – of Matt Targett on the counter-attack.

Willock’s volley was acrobatically tipped around the post by Pickford as Newcastle continued to carry the greater threat and the killer blows against the toiling hosts in a four-minute spell were delivered by the unmarked Joelinton’s close-range header and Wilson brilliantly curling a shot into the top corner.

The trickle of fans heading for the exits missed McNeil’s 80th-minute goal but Magpies substitute Murphy scoring his side’s fourth immediately saw the stands empty more rapidly and a VAR offside ruling denied Schar Newcastle’s fifth.

Bournemouth took a significant step towards Premier League survival with a precious 1-0 win which pushed south-coast rivals Southampton closer to relegation.

Marcus Tavernier claimed the Cherries’ second-half winner at a soggy St Mary’s to move the Cherries seven points clear of the drop zone and pile further pressure on the division’s bottom club.

Beleaguered Saints thought they had snatched a dramatic 89th-minute equaliser but Che Adams’ effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

The hosts lacked attacking thrust and urgency for much of a miserable evening as they slipped to a club-record 11th home league defeat of the season following a largely-feeble display.

Ruben Selles’ side, who lost captain James Ward-Prowse to illness at half-time, go into their final five games of a dismal campaign six points from safety and with lingering hopes of survival fading fast.

A painful defeat to their near neighbours stretched Saints’ alarming winless run to eight games to eradicate any positivity generated by Friday’s thrilling 3-3 draw at leaders Arsenal.

Southampton forward Adam Armstrong struck a post early on but, aside from Adams’ disallowed finish, the troubled hosts offered little after falling behind to the 50th-minute goal from Tavernier, who later limped off injured.

Bournemouth made the 30-mile journey east seeking a third-successive away win to increase their cushion on the drop zone and with the prospect of being the region’s top club next term.

Cherries fans wasted little time in taunting their struggling rivals as chants of ‘Oh when the Saints go Championship’ frequently rang around the stadium.

The precariously-placed home team did their best to quell the constant crowing in the early exchanges.

Theo Walcott tested Neto with a low effort early on before Armstrong was kept out by a combination of Bournemouth’s Brazilian goalkeeper and the left post.

Bournemouth’s boisterous away end then thought their side had edged ahead when Cherries left-back Matias Vina thumped home on the rebound in the 18th minute.

But jubilant celebrations in the stands were swiftly cut short due to Dominic Solanke being offside before his initial effort was repelled by recalled Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

Southampton’s 1-0 win at the Vitality Stadium on October 19 was the club’s final victory under Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Saints began the evening having picked up just 13 points from a possible 63 under three different managers in the sixth months since.

They were almost given a helping hand in their quest to enhance that paltry tally when Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi inadvertently diverted the ball on to the top of his own crossbar following a cross from Kyle Walker-Peters.

Yet the hosts were short of incisiveness in a forgettable first half which ended without major incident and with some jeers from frustrated home supporters.

The pessimistic mood on the terraces was not helped by influential leader Ward-Prowse, who had reportedly been feeling unwell before the game, failing to reappear for the second period.

That bitter pill was quickly compounded by Bournemouth taking the lead with their first attempt on target.

Solanke, who lashed the ball narrowly over in the first half, claimed the assist, releasing Tavernier to cut in from the right and direct a low, deflected effort into the bottom-left corner beyond McCarthy.

Saints defender Jan Bednarek then escaped handball appeals when he blocked Ryan Christie’s cross as the visitors pushed for a second amid upbeat cries of “the Reds are staying up” from their vocal following.

Saints boss Selles threw on Adams for his first appearance in more than a month – due to injury – with 61 minutes played.

That change looked to have paid dividends when the Scotland international swivelled to fire home via the underside of the crossbar a minute from time.

But the effort was subsequently chalked off following intervention from Stockley Park, leaving Bournemouth to celebrate a big victory which exacerbates Southampton’s perilous position

Tottenham put their humiliation at Newcastle behind them to fight back from two down to earn a spirited 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United.

An entertaining clash between the top-four rivals appeared set to go the way of Erik Ten Hag’s men after first-half efforts by Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford put fourth-placed United in cruise control.

Ryan Mason had endured a nightmare start to his second spell in caretaker charge but his half-time message did the trick with Pedro Porro reducing the deficit early into the second period before Son Heung-min levelled with 11 minutes left to earn a share of the spoils.

It had been a week of contrasting fortunes for the two sides with United able to secure another trip to Wembley on Sunday after their penalty shoot-out win over Brighton in the FA Cup and Tottenham left to regroup after another shambolic few days.

Last weekend’s 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle saw Cristian Stellini leave his interim role and Mason, Spurs’ third manager of the season, wasted no time in reverting back to their favoured 3-4-3 system.

While Tottenham were without their captain Hugo Lloris due to a hip injury, Bruno Fernandes was able to shake off his ankle issue to lead United out.

Given their diabolical start at St James’ Park, the hosts’ were eager to begin strongly but it took only seven minutes for the visitors to break the deadlock.

Man United were able to play through the lines with ease and Rashford passed into Sancho, who cut inside and curled into the bottom corner for his sixth goal of the season.

It was another poor goal for Tottenham to concede with Porro and Cristian Romero, two of their most culpable players on Sunday, again allowing an opposition player too much space inside the area.

The Spurs supporters stuck with the team but Ten Hag’s side scented blood and Rashford sent a free kick wide before Sancho should have made it 2-0.

Again Sancho was found on the left but Ivan Perisic got back on the line to clear his deflected effort and prevent the atmosphere turning toxic.

It failed to stop the first chants calling for chairman Levy to leave the club moments later and Forster’s unconvincing save from Fernandes’ long-range hit did little to ease the growing unrest.

Tottenham did respond by fashioning their first real opening when Richarlison got played in behind and saw his centre for Porro cut out.

From the resulting corner Perisic tested David De Gea with a flicked on header but further Levy out chants soon followed.

Rashford wasted two chances in the closing moments of the first half to double United’s lead with Forster equal to both efforts before Spurs threatened again.

Yet a matter of seconds after De Gea had parried away Perisic’s powerful shot, the visitors made it 2-0 with a slick counter-attack.

Fernandes produced a superb crossfield pass to Rashford and the England marksman raced past Eric Dier into the area before he rifled beyond Forster for his 29th goal of an outstanding campaign.

Boos followed at half-time but Tottenham came out with renewed belief after the break and they reduced the deficit in the 56th minute.

Perisic’s dangerous cross caused problems in the United area and while Luke Shaw blocked Harry Kane’s effort, Porro was on hand to smash home first-time from 16 yards.

The visitors should have instantly restored their two-goal advantage when Fernandes waltzed past Clement Lenglet but chipped onto the crossbar and Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s follow-up header was well saved by Forster.

It kept alive Tottenham’s hopes of preventing a third straight defeat and they squandered two great chances to level soon after.

First Son fired wide after superb forward play by Kane, who beat Shaw and picked out the South Korea at the back post.

Not long after Son’s opportunity and substitute Dejan Kulusevski sent an effort past the post as Spurs built momentum.

The best chance of the lot occurred when Perisic picked out the unmarked Dier but the centre-back headed wide from six yards out.

It brought Mason to his knees but Tottenham’s next attack produced the equaliser with Romero able to find Kane, who turned and squared for Son to slot home and restore some pride for the hosts.

Michail Antonio scored twice as West Ham put their domestic strife behind them with a 2-0 victory over AEK Larnaca in the Europa Conference League.

The Hammers might be toiling in the Premier League, but they are making short work of Europe’s third-tier competition after seven wins from seven matches.

David Moyes’ side left wintry London to take in warmer climes on the back of a sorry 4-0 defeat at Brighton which prompted the away fans to turn on the under-pressure manager.

But, after a day of sunshine and beer, the travelling support were in a far less mutinous mood on the Cyprus coast.

Larnaca were backed by raucous home following of 8,000 in a quaint stadium decked out in green and yellow, like a boisterous Carrow Road.

There was a distinct pre-season friendly feel to the last-16 first-leg encounter.

At one point a cat threatened to invade the pitch but, perhaps mindful that Kurt Zouma was back in the West Ham team, it changed its mind and ran off.

Moyes made seven changes from the Brighton debacle, yet despite the apparent gulf in class West Ham still found themselves under pressure in a nervy first half, with the minnows forcing three corners in quick succession.

Rafael Lopes headed one of them narrowly over before Gustavo Ledes fired too high from the edge of the box.

But West Ham eventually took control, with Manuel Lanzini’s shot flying just wide before Said Benrahma’s effort, after a mazy run into the box, was held by home goalkeeper Kenan Piric.

They made the breakthrough in the 36th minute, Benrahma twisting and turning down the left again before crossing for Antonio to head home.

Antonio added a superb second in first-half stoppage time, controlling Declan Rice’s pass before looking up and curling the ball into the top corner from 20 yards.

The striker could have completed a perfect hat-trick after the break when he was teed up by Benrahma, but his left-footed shot came back off the inside of the near post and rolled across goal.

Lucas Paqueta should have added a late third after he was sent through by fellow substitute Maxwel Cornet, but Piric made a fine save.

Nevertheless, the second leg at the London Stadium next week should be a formality, while first it is back to the day job for West Ham and a crucial meeting with Aston Villa on Sunday.

Leandro Trossard set up all three goals as Arsenal re-established their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win at Fulham.

It was all too easy for the Gunners at Craven Cottage as the hosts struggled to find any foothold in the game.

Gabriel Magalhaes nodded in a Trossard corner in the 21st minute to spark a quick flurry of goals that would put the visitors out of reach.

Gabriel Martinelli added a second five minutes later, with Martin Odegaard all but securing the victory just before half-time.

Marco Silva’s side keenly felt the absence of Joao Palhinha as they slumped to a second straight defeat, coinciding with his two-match ban, with Arsenal having no trouble parting the Fulham midfield.

After all the emotions of recent matches, including a last-gasp victory against Bournemouth which led to wild celebrations from the Arsenal players and staff, it was a much more routine triumph for the north London club, who are pushing to win their first league title since 2003-04.

It did not take long for the Gunners to find their stride, and they thought they had taken the lead on 16 minutes when Antonee Robinson turned the ball into his own net after Bernd Leno had palmed the ball into the path of the defender.

However, the goal was ruled out following a lengthy VAR review, judging Martinelli offside in the build-up.

Leno had to be alert to make a low save to keep out Granit Xhaka’s drive just moments later as the visitors piled on the pressure.

And they were rewarded in the 21st minute when Gabriel headed home from a Trossard corner.

The Gunners doubled their advantage with a cleverly crafted break down the left on 26 minutes, Trossard crossing for Martinelli, who easily beat his marker Robinson and nodded home.

Former Brighton forward Trossard went close for Arsenal again as they continued to dominate, but his shot was just wide.

Fulham’s best chance of the first half arrived just before the break, when Aaron Ramsdale gave the ball away to Andreas Pereira, but he fired over the bar.

Arsenal added a third just before half-time, when Fulham were again unable to deal with a cross from the right. Having been picked out in the centre, Odegaard took a touch to create space before lashing into the back of the net.

Fulham started the second half brighter than the first, but were unable to find a way back into the match.

However, Ramsdale was called into action in the 69th minute to make a decent save from Bobby Decordova-Reid, with Aleksandar Mitrovic hitting the crossbar from the resulting corner.

Clinical Chelsea continued their recent revival under Graham Potter – as Gary Lineker watched them breeze past Leicester.

Ben Chilwell grabbed the opener against his former club to set the tone for a 3-1 win and further ease the pressure on Potter.

Kai Havertz’s fine finish restored the visitors’ lead after Patson Daka levelled and Mateo Kovacic’s volley sealed it.

Chelsea forward Joao Felix hit the post and had a goal ruled out by VAR while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall missed a sitter for the hosts before Wout Faes was sent off late on.

A third straight victory, after reaching the Champions League quarter-finals having knocked out Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, should represent the start of the recovery under Potter.

It was just the second time Chelsea had scored three times in a Premier League game this season and there was a fluidity and clinical edge which has been lacking this term.

For Leicester, defeat edged them closer to the relegation zone having looked good to stay clear before the World Cup break.

Wins for Bournemouth and Everton left the Foxes just a point above the drop zone.

Victory for West Ham over Aston Villa on Sunday would leave Brendan Rodgers’ men, who face trips to Brentford and Crystal Palace next, 17th after five straight defeats in all competitions.

Match of the Day presenter Lineker came to support his hometown club after the BBC told him to step back from hosting the highlights programme on Saturday in a row over impartiality.

Even James Maddison, the Foxes’ brightest spark, could not inspire them and if Lineker had hoped for a relaxing afternoon watching his team he was mistaken as the hosts fell behind after 11 minutes.

Chilwell’s corner was only half-cleared and recycled by Kalidou Koulibaly who tossed in a high cross beyond the far post where Chilwell waited having moved into the far side of the box.

There was plenty to do as the hanging ball dropped but the defender’s controlled volley caught out Danny Ward at his near post.

The Foxes nearly hit back immediately but Daniel Amartey headed Maddison’s vicious free-kick wide.

But Chelsea, led the combative Kovacic, were fighting and should have doubled their lead after 24 minutes.

Havertz spotted Felix’s run and his perfect pass sent the striker clear but the Atletico Madrid loanee’s chip over Ward bounced off the post.

Just 90 seconds later it was Leicester’s turn to hit the woodwork when Dewsbury-Hall’s 20-yard effort clipped Koulibaly and then the bar.

The chances kept coming and Chelsea thought they had a second when Felix neatly finished a slick move involving Mykhailo Mudryk and Ruben Loftus-Cheek only for VAR to intervene and rule it out.

Felix should have been more disciplined, rather than straying offside, and he was then guilty of gifting Leicester a 39th-minute leveller.

The striker dithered on the edge of his own box and was robbed by Ricardo Pereira with Daka picking up the pieces to drive into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Having survived two let-offs Leicester were encouraged and Maddison tested Kepa Arrizabalaga before the goalkeeper beat away Kelechi Iheanacho’s snapshot.

But, just as the Foxes thought they had gained an edge, they fell behind seconds before half-time.

Enzo Fernandez’s cute chip found Havertz and the forward lifted a gorgeous first-time lob over the stranded Ward from 12 yards.

Havertz’s muted celebrations suggested he thought he was offside but Pereira had played him on meaning Chelsea had scored twice in the league for the first time since December.

They went for a third straight after the restart and Ward tipped Wesley Fofana’s header over.

Chelsea were comfortable and, for the most part, kept Leicester at a distance, but Conor Gallagher – on for Felix at half-time – needed to be alert to block Harry Souttar’s goalbound effort just after the hour.

There was a sense Chelsea needed a third and Havertz was denied by Ward before Dewsbury-Hall missed an incredible chance.

Kepa could only direct a cross to Harvey Barnes and the winger’s header fell for Dewsbury-Hall six yards out with the goal at his mercy. But the midfielder completely miscued his shot and it rolled tamely into Kepa’s arms.

Mudryk had a goal disallowed for offside after breaking through but a third finally arrived for the visitors with 13 minutes left.

Havertz outpaced Faes to cross for Mudryk and his header was met by Kovacic’s crashing volley to wrap up the points.

It then got worse for Faes, who was sent off with four minutes left after second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Carney Chukwuemeka.

Miguel Almiron came off the bench to re-ignite Newcastle’s charge for Europe as he snatched a hard-fought Premier League victory over Wolves.

The Paraguay international’s 79th-minute strike clinched a 2-1 win, but only after the visitors had dragged themselves back into a full-blooded encounter when substitute Hwang Hee-chan had cancelled out Alexander Isak’s first-half opener on an eventful afternoon at St James’ Park.

Julen Lopetegui’s men were convinced Magpies keeper Nick Pope should have picked up a second red card in three games after a clumsy first-half challenge on Raul Jimenez before Almiron’s 11th goal of the season rubbed salt into the wound.

It was just a second win in nine league outings for Newcastle, who ended a run of five games without a victory in all competitions to climb above Liverpool into fifth place.

Wolves, who gradually worked their way into the game as Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves made their presence felt, saw concerted appeals for a 20th-minute penalty and perhaps more waved away after Pope miscontrolled Sven Botman’s back-pass and collided with Jimenez as he attempted to recover.

The striker was bundled to the ground in the process, but referee Andy Madley was unmoved and VAR official Tony Harrington saw no reason to ask him to look again.

Wolves’ disappointment increased within six minutes when, after Fabian Schar had been fouled by Jimenez, Kieran Trippier curled the resulting free-kick on to Isak’s head and he dispatched it past Jose Sa with a deft flick.

Only a desperate lunge by Craig Dawson prevented Joe Willock from doubling the lead two minutes later following Isak’s determined run and, after Jimenez had warmed Pope’s hands with an attempt from distance, Max Kilman had to be equally resilient to deny Isak once again.

Willock, Isak and Saint-Maximin all saw shots blocked in quick succession and Bruno Guimaraes headed against the bar from Dan Burn’s pull-back as the Magpies laid siege to Sa’s goal, although Pope was grateful to see Daniel Podence’s 39th-minute strike come back off the foot of his right post six minutes before the break.

Sa had to save from Willock at his near post after Schar’s challenge on Podence had sparked a pacy counter-attack, but Pope did superbly to claw Neto’s strike from under his crossbar after Moutinho had cleverly rolled a 58th-minute free-kick into his path.

Tripper was denied by the Wolves keeper seconds later and Neves skied an effort high over as the game continued at break-neck speed, and Pope had to intervene to keep out Moutinho’s 64th-minute shot.

The England full-back’s afternoon took a turn for the worse with 20 minutes remaining when he slipped as he attempted to clear inside his own penalty area and, with Pope having left his line in an attempt to snuff out the danger, presented the ball to Hwang to slide into the empty net.

But Almiron got the Magpies out of jail with 11 minutes remaining when he exchanged passes with Willock before curling a shot across Sa and into the net with the help of a touch off Kilman.