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Bournemouth thrash West Brom

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Bournemouth 5 - 1 West Bromwich Albion Bournemouth delivered a dazzling comeback to beat managerless West Brom 5-1 and secure their place in the FA Cup fourth round, with Dango Ouattara netting twice. Author - Peter Grainger The Baggies, under caretaker boss Chris Brunt, struck first when Caleb Taylor reacted quickest to head in a rebound after Grady Diangana's shot crashed off the bar. However, Bournemouth's Premier League class soon showed. Justin Kluivert equalised, pouncing on a parried save from David Brooks' effort to slot home from close range. Kluivert then turned provider, threading a clever reverse pass to Ouattara, who fired past the keeper from a tight angle to make it 2-1. Ouattara added a second before the break, finishing off a swift counter-attack after being played through by Brooks. The goals kept coming in the second half, with Brooks setting up substitute Antoine Semenyo to smash in Bournemouth’s fourth shortly after his introduction. There was still...

Fulham ease past Championship Watford

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Fulham 4 - 1 Watford Premier League side Fulham opened their FA Cup campaign in style, delivering a dominant performance to sweep aside second-tier Watford and book their place in the fourth round. Author - Craig H Despite a brief moment of magic from Watford’s Rocco Vata – whose stunning 30-yard strike levelled the score after Rodrigo Muniz’s 26th-minute opener – the home side were always in control at Craven Cottage. Fulham dominated possession and kept their Championship opponents pinned back for much of the game, creating far more chances in a confident display. Raul Jimenez, introduced at half-time, wasted no time in restoring Fulham’s lead. The Mexican striker rifled a penalty into the top corner after Adama Traore was brought down just inside the box. Defender Joachim Andersen added a third with an excellent finish from a corner, smashing home a volley after his initial shot was blocked. Fulham’s dominance was capped off in the closing minutes when Timothy Castagne nodded in...

Everton start new era with a win

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Everton 2 - 0 Peterborough United  Premier League strugglers Everton kickstarted life after Sean Dyche with a hard-fought victory over League One side Peterborough in the FA Cup third round. Author - Sarah W  Thursday night's tie at Goodison Park was overshadowed by the shock announcement of Dyche's sacking just three hours before kick-off. The surprise decision left Everton Under-18s coach Leighton Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman stepping in as interim managers on a freezing Merseyside evening. Portuguese striker Beto broke the deadlock three minutes before the interval, coolly rounding goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic after latching onto a brilliant through ball from 17-year-old Harrison Armstrong. It was a moment of quality in an otherwise cagey contest. Beto had earlier seen a header comfortably saved, while Orel Mangala came close with a stunning volley that clipped the top of the crossbar. Peterborough, managed by Darren Ferguson, also threatened, with Cian Hay...

West Ham announce manager departure

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It has been an interesting few days at the London Stadium West Ham have parted ways with manager Julen Lopetegui after just six months at the helm, with reports suggesting Graham Potter is in discussions to replace him. Author - William G   The former West Ham boss after a defeat to Villa earlier in the season The 58-year-old former Wolves boss was appointed in May after David Moyes’ departure but only officially began his tenure on 1 July. During Lopetegui’s time in charge, the Hammers managed just six Premier League wins. Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City marked their ninth loss in 20 league games this season, leaving the club 14th in the table, just seven points above the relegation zone. Talks have reportedly taken place with Graham Potter, the ex-Chelsea and Brighton manager, over taking the job on a short-term basis. How did we reach this point? West Ham's next match is an FA Cup third-round clash against Aston Villa on Friday. The pressure on Lopetegui began to mou...

Newcastle one step closer to Wembley

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Arsenal 0 - 2 Newcastle United Alexander Isak’s impressive goalscoring streak continued as Newcastle United claimed a commanding first-leg victory over Arsenal in their Carabao Cup semi-final at the Emirates Stadium. Author - DJ The Magpies, who have never lifted the trophy, are now well-placed to reach their second final in three seasons. They’ll secure their spot at Wembley if they avoid defeat or lose by just one goal in the return leg at St James’ Park on 5 February. Arsenal, currently second in the Premier League, went into the tie as favourites but face an uphill battle in the second leg after a disappointing performance. Isak, in sensational form, scored his 14th goal in 15 games to set Newcastle on course for a seventh consecutive win. Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka launched a long free-kick forward, which Sven Botman flicked on. Jacob Murphy then teed up Isak, who showed great composure to lift his finish past David Raya. Anthony Gordon extended Newcastle’s advantage early i...

Could Nottingham Forest win the Premier League?

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Wolves 0 - 3 Nottingham Forest Morgan Gibbs-White played a starring role as Nottingham Forest secured a clinical victory over Wolves, with new England manager Thomas Tuchel watching from the stands. Author -  Kieran M   The midfielder silenced the boos from the home crowd early on, scoring the opener just seven minutes in. Gibbs-White, who left Wolves for Forest in 2022, had the perfect response to his former club's jeers. Chris Wood doubled the lead just before half-time, notching his 12th goal of the season, while Taiwo Awoniyi sealed the win in stoppage time, finishing off a swift counter-attack. Wolves, however, had their opportunities. Joao Gomes and Jorgen Strand Larsen forced saves from Forest keeper Matz Sels, and Larsen was denied by a remarkable goal-line clearance from Murillo. This marked Forest’s 12th league victory of the season—three more than their total for the entire previous campaign. The win showcased the team’s key strengths, with opposition sides cont...

Amad secures deserved point for United at Anfield

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Liverpool 2 - 2 Manchester United  Manchester United showcased a newfound fighting spirit under manager Ruben Amorim, earning a hard-fought point against Premier League leaders Liverpool. Author - Olivia T Desperate to avoid a fourth consecutive league defeat for the first time since 1979, United stunned Anfield by taking the lead on 52 minutes. Lisandro Martinez smashed the ball past Alisson with a thunderous finish, silencing the home crowd. Liverpool responded swiftly, levelling seven minutes later through Cody Gakpo’s brilliantly executed angled strike. The game then appeared to turn against United when Mohamed Salah converted a penalty with 20 minutes remaining, equalling Thierry Henry's Premier League tally of 175 goals. The spot-kick was awarded after a VAR review deemed Matthijs de Ligt guilty of handball. After all that, United refused to surrender. Amad Diallo, fresh from his heroics against Manchester City, popped up with another crucial goal, calmly slotting in Ale...