Rio Ferdinand has revealed the players he would sell if he was in charge at Manchester United.
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The reason for Cristiano Ronaldo wearing a pair of Bruno Fernandes’ custom boots while in Euro 2024 action for Portugal has been revealed.
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The stage is set for the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium, as both Liverpool and Chelsea have booked their places for February's showpiece event to decide the first cup winners of the season.
Interestingly, these are two teams who find themselves 20 points apart in the Premier League. The Reds currently sit top of the pile and were a strong run of four straight wins in the league prior to their recent defeat to Arsenal, whilst Mauricio Pochettino's side are having a season to forget, sitting in the bottom half having been beaten by Wolves at Stamford Bridge.
But anything can happen in a final, as form and league position goes out the window.
Football FanCast has gathered all the information fans may want to know ahead of the Carabao Cup final.
The Carabao Cup is the English Football League's main cup competition.
It starts at the beginning of each August. Unlike the FA Cup, it features only teams in the EFL, so League Two, League One, the Championship and the Premier League. However, teams from the top-flight don't play in the competition until round two, and teams who are playing in the Champions League or Europa League join in round three.
It's a straight knock-out format across seven rounds, with the semi-finals being played over two legs. The final of the Carabao Cup is held at Wembley Stadium every year, with the winner qualifying for the subsequent season’s Europa League, so there's plenty of incentive.
It has already been announced that the Carabao Cup final is set to take place on 25th February 2024 at Wembley Stadium, with Chelsea and Liverpool set for battle.
The clash is a repeat of the EFL and FA Cup finals in 2022, with both ending in shootout victories for Liverpool after a pair of goalless draws.
|
2024 Carabao Cup final |
|
|---|---|
|
Date |
Sunday 25th February |
|
Time |
3pm |
|
Venue |
Wembley Stadium |
|
Capacity |
90,000 |
With Mauricio Pochettino's side failing to make it into Europe last season, the Blues entered the competition in the second round. They had to come from behind to beat AFC Wimbledon at Stamford Bridge before edging past Brighton & Hove Albion and Blackburn Rovers, also in SW6.
They survived another scare against Newcastle United after a late Mykhailo Mudryk equaliser sent the tie to penalties, with Djordje Petrovic the hero for the home side.
Their only away trip in the competition thus far came in the semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough, with Michael Carrick's men threatening to humiliate the Blues by beating them to Wembley – though their first-leg victory was emphatically cancelled out as Chelsea ran riot at the Bridge, scoring six times to book their place in February's final.
|
Carabao Cup 2024: Chelsea's road to the final |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Round |
Opposition |
Score |
Goalscorer(s) |
|
Second round |
AFC Wimbledon (h) |
2-1 |
Madueke (p), Fernandez / Tilley (p) |
|
Third round |
Brighton & Hove Albion (h) |
1-0 |
Jackson |
|
Fourth round |
Blackburn Rovers (h) |
2-0 |
Badiashile, Sterling |
|
Quarter-final |
Newcastle United (h) |
1-1 |
Mudryk / Wilson |
|
Chelsea won 4-2 on penalties |
|||
|
Semi-final first leg |
Middlesbrough (a) |
0-1 |
Hackney |
|
Semi-final second leg |
Middlesbrough (h) |
6-1 |
Howson og, Fernandez, Disasi, Palmer (2), Madueke |
Liverpool's path to the final was slightly more straightforward, with their involvement in the Europa League handing them a place in the third round.
They saw off Championship high-flyers Leicester City at the first hurdle and then disposed of Premier League rivals Bournemouth and West Ham to seal a semi-final place.
Fulham were no pushovers in the last four, and after only edging the first leg at Anfield, it was a nervy finish as the Reds secured a 1-1 draw to confirm their place in the final.
|
Carabao Cup 2024: Liverpool's road to the final |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Round |
Opposition |
Score |
Goalscorer(s) |
|
Third round |
Leicester City (h) |
3-1 |
Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Jota / McAteer |
|
Fourth round |
Bournemouth (a) |
2-1 |
Kluivert / Gakpo, Nunez |
|
Quarter-final |
West Ham United (h) |
5-1 |
Szoboszlai, Jones (2), Gakpo, Salah / Bowen |
|
Semi-final first leg |
Fulham (h) |
2-1 |
Jones, Gakpo / Willian |
|
Semi-final second leg |
Fulham (a) |
1-1 |
Cairney / Diaz |
As we all know, when it comes to any major final, corporate tickets are an absolute pain.
This is evident in the allocation for the final, with Chelsea receiving 32,169 tickets and Liverpool getting 32,196.
Chelsea have officially released their ticketing information for the Carabao Cup final, which involves different tiers and purchasing dates & times depending on how many points you may have for certain members.
Liverpool have also officially released their ticketing information, and they've decided to go down a similar route, with a unique link being sent to certain supporters, before a ballot takes place.
There are plenty of options on how to watch the Carabao Cup final, depending on which country you're from. Sky Sports have the broadcasting rights in the UK, while ESPN and DAZN will provide coverage in the United States and on the continent.
|
Country |
TV channel |
|---|---|
|
UK |
Sky Sports Football/Main Event |
|
USA |
ESPN + |
|
Canada |
DAZN |
|
Italy |
DAZN |
|
Germany |
DAZN |
|
Austria |
DAZN |
|
Switzerland |
DAZN |
|
Spain |
DAZN |
|
Japan |
DAZN |
Should you want an online alternative for the UK, Sky Go is available on laptop and phone for Sky customers.
Manchester United won the Carabao Cup in 2023.
Erik ten Hag's men put in a fine display at Wembley as they overcame the challenges of Eddie Howe's Newcastle United in a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.
The prize money for the winners of the Carabao Cup may surprise a few people. Clubs receive £100,000 for winning the competition, with the runner-up getting £50,000. Money is awarded to clubs in each round, so it can all add up if you go all the way, with some top-flight clubs able to earn as much as £232k.
|
Round |
Prize money |
|---|---|
|
First round winners |
£5k |
|
Second round winners |
£7k |
|
Third round winner |
£10k |
|
Fourth round winners |
£15k |
|
Quarter-finalists |
£25k |
|
Semi-finalists |
£25k |
|
Runner-up |
£50k |
|
Winners |
£100k |
Arsenal have reportedly put Eddie Nketiah on the market and have slapped an unbelievable price tag on the striker.
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Just when it looked as though Chelsea were embarking on a solid run of form, they run into a Liverpool side who are about to lose their greatest manager of the previous 40 years at the end of the season.
The 4-1 defeat at Anfield meant the Blues lost their first Premier League match since a defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Christmas Eve and Mauricio Pochettino will have to go back to the drawing board.
Wolves are the visitors to Stamford Bridge tomorrow afternoon as the Argentine will be looking to make amends for that loss a few weeks ago, and he could certainly make a few changes to his starting XI.
With this in mind, that Pochettino could make three changes to the starting XI which suffered a devastating loss against Liverpool on Wednesday evening.
GK – Djordje Petrovic
The Serbian goalkeeper has been deputising for Robert Sanchez as the former Brighton and Hove Albion star has been absent through injury since going off against Everton before Christmas.
Petrovic has kept only two clean sheet across his six starts for the club in the league, and he will be hoping a third one arrives at Stamford Bridge tomorrow against a Wolves side who will be looking to do the double over them.
RB – Malo Gusto
Axel Disasi was deployed on the right side of the defence against Liverpool in midweek but did not enjoy the best of games and this will mean Gusto comes into the starting XI.
Against the Reds, Gusto impressed after coming on for the second half, winning five of his seven ground duels, making three tackles, taking 52 touches, and creating a big chance, looking keen to get involved during the tie.
His energy could be a big boost for Pochettino, and he deserves to be unleashed in the starting XI against Wolves.
CB – Axel Disasi
As mentioned, the Frenchman struggled to cope with the Liverpool front three in midweek, and he will be moved back to his preferred centre-back slot for the clash against the Old Gold.
He will take the place of Benoit Badiashile, who also endured a difficult game against the Anfield side and was even given a match rating of just 3/10 by 90min as he had a ‘rough night’ according to the report.
CB – Thiago Silva
Remarkably, the Brazilian is still able to command a place in the starting XI, despite turning 40 in just a few months’ time.
His display against Liverpool was not one of his finest as a vibrant attacking trio made Silva look every bit of his 39 years.
He will retain his place in the centre of defence, however, due to injuries to Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana.
LB – Ben Chilwell
Although he was replaced at halftime by Gusto, the Englishman will start against Wolves tomorrow.
Due to a hamstring injury, the defender has only made 11 appearances all season, with just eight coming in the Premier League, but it looks as though he is ready to put that behind him and remain fit for the rest of the season.
CM – Enzo Fernández
During the 1-0 win against Fulham recently, Fernandez had one of his finest matches in a Chelsea shirt as he controlled the play and looked excellent alongside Moises Caicedo.
He made three key passes against the Cottagers along with creating a big chance and succeeding with four of his six dribble attempts as the midfielder burst forward from deep often.
This was not on show against Liverpool, but Pochettino will be hoping he can return to those attacking qualities against Wolves.
CM – Moises Caicedo
The former Brighton gem has found life difficult so far at Stamford Bridge but he still has plenty of time on his side to emerge as a key player under Pochettino.
He will once again be deployed together with Fernandez and if the duo could perform like they did against Fulham just over a week ago, Wolves could be in danger.
RW – Cole Palmer
What can be said about the youngster that hasn’t been already this term? He currently has 13 goals and seven assists in all competitions since arriving from Manchester City last summer.
Their loss is certainly Chelsea’s gain, however, as the Englishman has taken full advantage of being offered regular appearances in the starting XI for the Blues throughout the season.
He will be aiming to add another goal or two against a Wolves side that conceded four in midweek to Manchester United.
AM – Christopher Nkunku
The Frenchman only made his debut for Chelsea in December against Newcastle United during their League Cup penalty shootout victory.
Incidentally, he scored his first goal for the club against Wolves on Christmas Eve and this could be a sign that he should be unleashed in the number ten role tomorrow afternoon against the Old Gold.
Two goals in four league appearances is a decent return, and he will be looking at scoring a third sooner rather than later.
LW – Raheem Sterling
The Englishman has scored seven times so far this season and has started 18 games in the top flight, which suggests he will be trusted to feature on the wing against Wolves.
The former City dynamo could cause plenty of chaos to the Old Gold backline if he is in the right mood and Pochettino will hope that is the case as they seek another league win.
Marseille have reportedly stepped up their efforts to prise Mason Greenwood away from Manchester United, with a formal transfer bid tabled.
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Glasgow Rangers moved to the top of the Scottish Premiership table by two points on Sunday as they secured a 3-0 win away from Ibrox at St. Johnstone.
A first-half strike from Mohammed Diomande gave his side the lead going into the break and captain James Tavernier made sure of the three points with two well-taken penalties in the last 15 minutes.
Philippe Clement's side have now won nine matches in succession in all competitions and continue on their charge to secure the league title ahead of Celtic.
Tavernier may grab the headlines with his two late goals to put the game to bed against St. Johnstone but the manager's real hero of the match was central midfielder Diomande.
The Gers skipper kept his cool from the penalty spot to dispatch both of his chances to find the back of the net from 12 yards to ensure that the hosts did not have room to get back into the clash late on.
His second goal was particularly impressive as the superb right-back lifted his spot-kick into the top left corner past the despairing dive of Dimitar Mitov, who had guessed the right way but got nowhere near the ball.
However, Tavernier's performance was not a perfect one as there was room to improve in his work both in and out of possession during the game.
The former Newcastle United prospect lost two of his four aerial duels and five of his 11 battles on the ground across the 90 minutes, which shows that he did allow St. Johnstone players to get the better of him at times.
The 32-year-old defender also had 90 touches of the ball at right-back but was only able to create one chance for his teammates at the top end of the pitch.
Diomande, meanwhile, produced an impressive performance with his play in and out of possession in the middle of the park, which is why he was the real hero of the game over his captain.
The recent signing scored his first goal for the club in spectacular fashion to open the scoring and set the Light Blues on their way to the three points.
He picked the ball up on the edge of the box and rifled a fantastic, swerving effort, into the corner of the net on his weaker right foot from distance.
His goal was not the only impressive part of his performance, though, as the central midfielder also put plenty of work off the ball to help his team out.
Diomande won 100% (6/6) of his ground duels to make four tackles and two clearances to help his side out of possession, which shows that he dominated the opposition on the deck, whereas Tavernier struggled at times in that respect.
The Ivorian dynamo also created two chances for his teammates with 57 touches of the ball, which means that the young ace provided a greater creative threat for Rangers than the skipper despite having 33 fewer touches.
Therefore, Diomande was the real hero of the game as his goal broke the deadlock and set the Gers on their way to the win, and he did more in and out of possession than Tavernier to help the side.
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is "targeting a major summer signing" in a key area of his Spurs squad, with Wolves winger Pedro Neto and a "unique" star among their top targets for the winger role.
Much has been made of the Lilywhites' more exciting style of play under Postecoglou this season, especially compared to Antonio Conte last season, but the club are believed to be plotting ways to upgrade their attack further.
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There have been reports that technical director Johan Lange signing two wingers is a distinct possibility, while suggestions remain that Tottenham are in the hunt for a marquee goalscorer to finally replace star striker Harry Kane. However, as things stand, it appears that a new winger may be the more likely scenario.
Indeed, according to journalist Miguel Delaney of The Independent, Tottenham and Postecoglou are "are targeting a major summer signing" and that is believed to be in the form of a winger.
Links have surrounded Wolves winger Neto and a possible move to Spurs later this year, and this is relayed by Delaney. The Portuguese features highly on Postecoglou's list of preferred options, but it is believed that Tottenham are also targeting Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.
Both Eze and Neto are two of Tottenham's most coveted names to come in as a new wide forward, as per Delaney. The club are stepping up plans to bring in a fresh quality face in that area. The former, while he is more likely to join Man City at this stage, could be a very good option if Spurs do win the race for his signature.
The Englishman, who's scored five goals and assisted one other this season, has dealt with injury problems but still managed to impress on regular occasions.
|
Eberechi Eze's best league games for Crystal Palace this season |
Match Rating (via WhoScored) |
|---|---|
|
Palace 3-2 Sheffield United |
8.96 |
|
Palace 3-2 Wolves |
8.48 |
|
Palace 2-3 Everton |
7.83 |
|
Palace 3-1 Brentford |
7.61 |
|
Sheffield United 1-0 Palace |
7.57 |
"His journey has been unique," said TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand. "He’s had disappointments in his academy life, released from clubs, found a new journey and a different pathway for himself. He’s got to this level and now he’s an England international.
“This kid, no disrespect to Palace, could go on and play for one of the top teams. He’s got that individual brilliance; he’s got the awareness when he’s dribbling to keep his head up and bring others into play. I speak to other players that play against him, and they say he’s such an elusive player, unpredictable in the way that he carries the ball, but also [his strength].
“If you look at the size of him, he’s got the strength and power to go with it. Again, you’ve got to get out on the pitch and you’ve got to be available.“
YouTube star iShowSpeed may have a future with AC Milan after Zlatan Ibrahimovic 'signed' him to the club's Futuro team for the 2024-25 campaign.
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Manchester United are expected to make a move for an "important player" in the summer transfer window, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to make his presence felt.
Ratcliffe has come in and brought immediate positivity to Old Trafford, acquiring a 25% stake in his boyhood club, looking to gradually enjoy a greater influence than the Glazers.
While there is clearly a huge amount of work to be done both on and off the pitch, the Englishman appears to have a vision to place, wanting to bring in a new sporting director this summer and potentially even dispose of manager Erik ten Hag, should he not see the Dutchman as the answer in the dugout.
Potential replacements for him are already reportedly being lined up, with the likes Roberto De Zerbi, Julian Nagelsmann and Graham Potter among those who have been linked with replacing Ten Hag.
Bringing in a top-quality sporting director is arguably as important for United, however, and Dan Ashworth has emerged as a clear front-runner for the job, being placed on gardening leave by Newcastle United after informing them he wants to leave the club.
One transfer claim has suggested that Ashworth would like to mastermind the £120m double signing of Juventus centre-back and Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, as he looks to transfer the spine of the Red Devils' team.
It certainly feels as though Ratcliffe is looking to make huge changes from the off, and another transfer rumour has now emerged.
According to Fabrizio Romano on X, Manchester United are planning to sign a new left-back this summer, seeing it as a priority position to strengthen in:
A new left-back has to be seen as one of the key positions for United to improve in during the summer window, so this Romano latest is hugely encouraging.
|
5 great Man Utd left-backs |
Appearances |
Year |
|---|---|---|
|
1. Denis Irwin |
515 |
1990-2002 |
|
2. Patrice Evra |
379 |
2006-2014 |
|
3. Arthur Albiston |
429 |
1974-1988 |
|
4. Tony Dunne |
484 |
1960-1973 |
|
5. Roger Byrne |
171 |
1951-1958 |
If Luke Shaw wasn't such an injury-prone figure, there may not be as big a need for reinforcements in that area, but the England international is once again sidelined currently and has only started 12 games in the Premier League so far this season. He also turns 29 years of age later in the year, so arguably no longer represents the long-term future at Old Trafford.
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Meanwhile, Tyrell Malaica hasn't featured once in the league this season, as he struggles with injuries of his own, so freshening up the left-back situation is paramount this summer.