Carabao Cup
PEP GUARDIOLA SUPPORTS KLOPP OVER FIXTURE CONGESTION
Pep Guardiola said on Friday that he agrees with title rival Jurgen Klopp about the hectic schedule the Premier League’s top teams have to face ahead of his side’s clash with Southampton.
Klopp criticised as “too much” the number of matches his side has to play as he struggles to find a solution to a fixture pile-up that sees their League Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa clash with December’s Club World Cup in Qatar.
Guardiola would benefit from Liverpool – who have already played 17 matches across five competitions – being over-worked as they slug it out for the Premier League crown, but the Manchester City boss also thinks the load needs to be lightened.
“I completely agree with Jurgen. The only way we can solve this is less games,” Guardiola told reporters before his team host the struggling Saints for the second time in a week.
“There needs to be less fixtures, less competitions and more recovery. At Christmas time, we play 27th and 29th December.
“We always have this debate. They always talk about it in Uefa meetings. I’m with Jurgen when he makes these kinds of statements about too much football.”
City have played 118 matches over the last two seasons, winning five domestic trophies in England, and Guardiola admitted that frequent line-up changes and prioritising certain matches is the only way to go.
“I prioritised by not playing Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in the Carabao Cup,” he said.
“I think that Jurgen and Arsenal have done the same. The exception was Manchester United with the situation they have.
“For others, that competition is good to rotate the team and for those other players who don’t play too often. But yes, there is too much football.”
XHAKA SUPPORT
Ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Southampton, Guardiola also offered his support to Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka.
The Switzerland midfielder will not play for his club against Wolverhampton Wanderers after he reacted angrily to being booed when substituted in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.
Xhaka has apologised but he admitted to being upset about the level of personal abuse he has received on social media, leading to his public show of anger.
And Guardiola is sympathetic to how the player has been treated.
“It’s not easy for the players sometimes and I can understand Xhaka,” he said.
“Maybe I’m not the best guy to say this because sometimes I lose my emotion and cannot control myself, but you have to try because at the end of the day it’s just a game, so have fun and try to do your best.
“I’m pretty sure Xhaka gives absolutely everything to do his best for Arsenal and their teammates to get them winning games.
“He’s the captain because he has something special in the locker room. It has happened, sometimes you lose control.
“Hopefully, in the future, the fans can forgive him and Xhaka can come back and show what an incredible player he is.”
-AFP
Tens of thousands of Newcastle United fans gathered in the city on Saturday to celebrate the club’s first domestic trophy in 70 years, with the streets turning a sea of black and white for the open-top bus parade.
Newcastle United Victory Parade – Newcastle, Britain – March 29, 2025 General view of Newcastle United fans during the victory parade REUTERS/Scott Heppel
About 150,000 people were expected to catch a glimpse of the League Cup that Newcastle lifted on March 16, after a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the final at Wembley Stadium.
For manager Eddie Howe, Saturday’s event was an emotional moment as the city honoured him with a massive banner, unfurled outside St James’ Park.
“I can’t thank everyone enough, from Newcastle, the way they’ve embraced me and my family and I’m glad to have given them some joy,” he said atop the bus that carried the team around the city.
As the bus and crowd approached the Town Moor site, white smoke blanketed the area as the crowd sang Hey Jude, replacing ‘Jude’ with ‘Geordies’, and ABBA music was played over the speakers for a party expected to last long into the night.
-Reuters
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Tottenham Hotspur survived a furious Manchester United comeback to reach the League Cup semi-finals with a 4-3 home victory in a gripping tie littered with bizarre errors on Thursday.
Ange Postecoglou’s side were cruising against a lacklustre United with Dominic Solanke’s double and a goal for Dejan Kulusevski putting them 3-0 up after 54 minutes.
But the home crowd were left chewing their fingernails as two terrible mistakes by their keeper Fraser Forster allowed substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo to give United hope.
There were still 20 minutes left when Diallo made it 3-2 and United were close to equalising on several occasions before Son Heung-min appeared to have sealed it in odd fashion, deceiving United keeper Altay Bayindir directly from a corner.
There was still time for Jonny Evans to head a third for United in stoppage time but a relieved Tottenham hung on.
Tottenham are seeking a first trophy since 2008 when they won the League Cup for the fourth time.
Postecoglou’s side let a 2-0 lead slip to lose 4-3 at home to Chelsea in their last home game and for a while it looked as though their innate ability to shoot themselves in the foot was coming back to bite them.
This time, however, the fans went home happy and Postecoglou moves a step closer to making good on his reputation for securing silverware in his second season at clubs.
Tottenham are at full stretch because of injuries but still dominated Ruben Amorim’s side which showed five changes to the starting lineup that stunned Manchester City on Sunday.
Solanke put the hosts in front in the 15th minute when Bayindir fumbled a well-hit shot by Pedro and the striker fired in the rebound off the post.
Bruno Fernandes had a couple of efforts and Rasmus Hojlund volleyed wide but Tottenham were comfortable and in cruise control straight after the interval when Lisandro Martinez could only turn a James Maddison cut-back into the path of Kulusevski who made no mistake.
Solanke was then allowed to dribble across the area before sliding a shot inside the post in the 54th minute and the tie looked over as a contest.
But Forster then played a casual pass out of his area and Fernandes intercepted and the ball reached Zirkzee to tap in.
Forster then compounded that error by taking an age to make a routine clearance and Diallo slid in to charge down his kick and divert the ball into the net.
Tottenham looked a bundle of nerves as United swept forward but captain Son restored calm with an inswinging corner that went over the head of Bayindir to ripple the net.
Substitute Evans’ riposte came too late to save United who will regret the way they started the tie.
-Reuters
Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri, Nigerian parentage, scored a brace for Arsenal in their Carabao Cup third round 5-1 defeat of Bolton Wanderers at the Emirate Stadium on Wednesday.
Those were the first goals of the 17-year old for the club.
He made his English Premier League debut against Brentford in September 2022, becoming the youngest ever Arsenal player, and the youngest player to appear in the top flight of English football aged just 15.
In Tuesday’s League Cup match, Declan Rice opened scoring for Arsenal with a goal from 18 yards out in the 16th minute before Nwaneri made his presence felt in the 37th, latching onto a cross from Sterling to finish into an empty net from close range.
Nwaneri netted his second of the night soon after the break when West Ham were caught trying to play out from the back and Rice found the teenager who finished from just inside the penalty area.
Sterling, on loan from Chelsea, and Havertz put the game out of reach with goals in the 64th and 77th minutes.
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