Plymouth got back to winning ways with a surprise 2-0 home Championship victory over high-flying Sunderland.

Another top-class strike from Morgan Whittaker and a superbly-crafted goal from fellow playmaker Finn Azaz put Argyle 2-0 up at half-time.

Try as they might, Plymouth found it hard to get out of their half in the opening 20 minutes but the game was turned on its head by a superb Whittaker strike in the 24th minute as Argyle made the most of a counter attack.

Luke Cundle, who was pivotal in both goals, had sent the ball down the right channel for attacking midfielder Whittaker to run at the Sunderland defence.

The summer buy from Swansea cut inside and let fly with a thumping left-foot shot from outside the box that flew into the opposite top corner, giving Anthony Patterson – at full stretch in the Sunderland goal – little chance.

The Sunderland number one was again left clutching thin air when Argyle surged further ahead on another counter attack in the 40th minute.

Again central midfield ace Cundle was instrumental in the counter attack, this time sending Azaz down the left flank with a measured pass, enabling the attacking midfielder to cut into the penalty area and place a shot out of the reach of the diving Patterson.

The home side had two let-offs either side of half-time as Sunderland twice hit the woodwork.

After 44 minutes Jack Clarke cut in from the left and teed up Jobe Bellingham, whose first-time low strike came back off the woodwork.

In the 54th minute Sunderland again went close.

This time Clarke’s cross was met by Trai Hume, whose towering headed effort came back off a post, with home keeper Michael Cooper only able to watch.

Substitute Adil Aouchiche’s follow-up flew into the side netting.

Sunderland continued to press, with Patrick Roberts sending an angled shot from the right just over the bar after the hour.

Another Clarke cross, from the left, was headed just high and wide by substitute Abdoullah Ba.

On another counter Whittaker sent Bali Mumba away from the halfway line and the winger’s shot on the run flew just wide from the right side.

Sunderland hit straight back, with Clarke forcing a near-post save from Cooper after 76 minutes.

Fit-again striker Mustapha Bundu – on as a sub – should have put Argyle out of sight but fired over from close range after a superb run from Mumba and cutback from sub Adam Randell.

Marcus Tavernier fired a double as Bournemouth dismantled Sheffield United to win 3-1 at Bramall Lane and maintain their resurgence under Andoni Iraola.

Tavernier struck early in both halves, his brace sandwiching Justin Kluivert’s first Premier League goal, while the impressive Cherries could have won by a bigger margin.

Substitute Oli McBurnie headed a stoppage-time consolation for the Blades, who remain in the relegation zone.

Bournemouth cruised to their first league win on the road this season and made it three victories in four top-flight matches to climb seven points clear of the bottom three.

The Blades had followed up their recent first Premier League win of the season against Wolves with a 1-1 draw at Brighton before the international break but were a distant second best.

Bournemouth bounced back from a 6-1 thrashing at Manchester City by beating Newcastle 2-0 at home in their previous match and their confidence was soon apparent as they were rewarded with a 12th-minute lead.

Antoine Semenyo cut in from the right and his ball into the box found Tavernier, who evaded his marker with a neat first touch before burying a shot under Wes Foderingham.

Tavernier went close to adding his second goal of the season moments later when he was foiled by Jack Robinson’s last-ditch tackle.

Bournemouth continued to dominate and Kluivert, son of former Netherlands striker Patrick, was a fraction away when he fired into the side-netting following Tavernier’s clever step-over.

The visitors threatened again as in-form striker Dominic Solanke flashed a near-post volley wide.

The Blades became increasingly ragged and Tavernier, who could have had a first-half hat-trick, fired over after more good work from Semenyo.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side regained a semblance of composure as half-time approached but that was undone in first-half stoppage time by Foderingham’s costly error.

The Blades goalkeeper dallied as he collected a long punt forward outside his area and was dispossessed by Kluivert, who then stroked the ball into an empty net.

The Blades were booed off at the interval and the home fans vented their frustration again six minutes after the restart when Bournemouth added their third goal to put the game to bed.

Adam Smith clipped in an excellent cross from the right when left unopposed and Tavernier ghosted in at the far post to side-foot home.

James McAtee fired wide for the Blades following a goalmouth scramble but Bournemouth threatened to add to their tally.

Foderingham kept out further efforts from Semenyo, Kluivert, Ryan Christie and substitute Luis Sinisterra while tempers flared in the 69th minute, with George Baldock, Robinson and Bournemouth substitute Philip Billing all booked after a melee.

McBurnie’s late header was scant consolation for the Blades, who slipped to their 10th league defeat of the season.

Wayne Rooney collected his first win as Birmingham manager after a 2-1 comeback win against the Sky Bet Championship’s bottom club Sheffield Wednesday at St Andrew’s.

Substitute Jordan James’s grabbed the 82nd-minute winner after Juninho Bacuna’s 48th-minute equaliser cancelled out George Byers’s opener four minutes earlier.

Victory was Rooney’s first win in English football since April last year when his Derby side won 2-0 at Blackpool, while new Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has now lost five of his first six games.

Birmingham bounced back after the break after Wednesday had been the better side in the first half.

Wednesday started better and the lively Mallik Wilks dispossessed goalkeeper John Ruddy before firing just wide.

The hosts’ first chance came when Bacuna unleashed a 25-yard drive that was deflected inches off target by Bambo Diaby.

But they struggled to create opportunities for the rest of the half as Wednesday pinned them back.

Birmingham seemed to be their own worst enemies and they conceded three consecutive corners, Lee Buchanan heading behind the second one after Ruddy was unable to get a firm hand to the ball.

Birmingham’s hearts were in their mouths when referee Rebecca Welch put her whistle to her lips after Josh Windass fell in the penalty area as Ethan Laird closed him down.

But, instead of blowing for a penalty, she booked the forward for diving, replays confirming the simulation.

Wednesday continued to threaten and Windass missed their best chance to date when he side-footed wide from Barry Bannan’s cross.

Birmingham were frustrated by two Wednesday challenges which resulted in bookings – Wilks for body-checking Ethan Laird after he was nutmegged then Bannan for bringing down Siriki Dembele.

The goal Wednesday had been threatening came in the 44th minute when Windass’s superb curling free-kick hit the post and Byers tapped home the rebound for his first since February.

But the visitors’ lead lasted just three minutes before Bacuna equalised with a half volley from 22 yards after Wednesday failed to clear Koji Miyoshi’s corner, with Dominic Iorfa and Akin Famewo getting faint touches.

Birmingham improved after the restart and Jay Stansfield’s angled drive was deflected wide off Diaby, before Buchanan curled his shot over the bar.

Blues remained on top and Dembele’s half volley brushed the side-netting.

Nothing had been seen of Wednesday’s attack until the hour until Marvin Johnson’s shot on the turn, but the substitute’s effort sailed straight at Ruddy.

But James turned into something of a super-sub when he scored the winner just four minutes after replacing Bacuna.

The Wales international rounded goalkeeper Cameron Dawson to tap home the winner when his first shot had been blocked following Stansfield’s cross.

Newcastle produced a stunning second-half display as the Magpies halted Chelsea’s Premier League momentum with a 4-1 win at St James’ Park.

Jamaal Lascelles’ first-half error handed Raheem Sterling the chance to cancel out Alexander Isak’s opener with a superb free-kick, but the Newcastle skipper gave his side the lead with a bullet header on the hour.

Joelinton then pounced on Thiago Silva’s blunder on the day he became the Blues’ oldest ever outfield player at 39 years and 64 days.

The excellent Anthony Gordon produced a fine solo effort seven minutes from time to seal a thumping win, the perfect response to the Magpies’ 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth before the international break.

That it was achieved without 13 senior players – Joe Willock and Emil Krafth joined the casualty list on the eve of the game – will have been a source of huge satisfaction for head coach Eddie Howe.

The vast majority of a crowd of 52,227 left with smiles on their faces, but wondering what team Howe will be able to field at Paris St Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, who had seen his side score eight goals against Tottenham and Manchester City in their previous two games, looked on as a positive first half dissolved into chaos with full-back Reece James receiving his marching orders late on for two bookable offences.

Newcastle were ahead with 13 minutes gone when Gordon recycled Kieran Trippier’s cross beyond the far post and picked out youngster Lewis Miley on the edge of the box via a deft touch from Joelinton.

The 17-year-old slid a neat pass into Isak’s feet and the striker turned smartly before firing past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

However, the visitors were back in it within 10 minutes when, after Lascelles had been dispossessed inside the visitors’ half, Nicolas Jackson played Sterling into the space he had vacated and the winger’s run towards goal was halted illegally by Trippier.

Sterling took charge of the resulting free-kick and curled it superbly over the wall and into the net with Pope rooted to the spot – the first league goal he had conceded at St James’ in 383 minutes of football.

Pope had to be at his best to turn away Enzo Fernandez’s effort after a flowing counter-attack sparked by Conor Gallagher in which James was twice involved and defender Benoit Badiashile headed straight at the keeper from the resulting corner.

But Pope was fortunate to escape when he scuffed a 36th-minute clearance straight to Gallagher and was relieved to see him make equally poor contact with his attempt at goal.

Trippier very nearly matched Sterling’s brilliance with 43rd-minute free-kick which rattled the crossbar as a rousing half drew to its conclusion.

The Magpies regained the lead on the hour when Trippier opted to play the latest in a series of free-kicks square to Bruno Guimaraes rather than into the box and he and Joelinton combined to feed Gordon, whose pinpoint cross was headed home by the unmarked Lascelles.

Newcastle increased their lead within two minutes when Silva’s miskick presented Joelinton with a chance to run in on goal and smash the ball past the helpless Sanchez.

James’ afternoon got worse with 17 minutes remaining when, having earlier been booked for dissent, he received a second yellow card for a foul on Gordon and was dismissed.

Fabian Schar would have made it 4-1 but for a fine one-handed save by Sanchez, but there was nothing the Spain international could do to keep out Gordon’s inch-perfect 83rd-minute strike.

Hull fought from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Swansea in south Wales.

Jamie Paterson drove home his first league goal since March 2022 in the 17th minute before Jerry Yates pounced on Ryan Allsop’s mistake to double Swansea’s lead with his fifth goal of the campaign on 23 minutes.

Hull responded through Jaden Philogene whose thumping hit – his fourth in six outings – gave the visitors hope in the 48th minute, with Tyler Morton levelling on 68.

But a frantic contest ended level as Swansea’s winless home run was extended to four games while Hull kept themselves firmly in top six contention.

The Tigers started brightly while Swansea lost Harrison Ashby to injury.

But the hosts took the lead with their first real attack as Ollie Cooper delicately flicked Jay Fulton’s driven pass forward to send Paterson into space. The 31-year-old cut inside Sean McLoughlin before drilling a low shot past Allsop at the near post.

That opener gave Michael Duff’s troops a huge lift, and they created another opening through Cooper who crossed to Jamal Lowe, although the forward headed wide.

But they did get a second goal midway through the first half as Paterson rifled goalwards and it proved too hot for Allsop to handle. The Hull goalkeeper palmed the ball into the path of Yates who was alert to prod home from close range.

After Yates curled an effort wide, Hull regrouped, with Philogene and Jacob Greaves testing Carl Rushworth before Jean Michael Seri blazed over, although Swansea – who saw Paterson’s deflected strike fly just wide in injury time – withstood the pressure to lead by two goals at the break.

But Hull hit back shortly after the restart as substitute Cyrus Christie – against his former club – played in Philogene whose piledriver flew into the roof of the net.

The home fans grew increasingly nervy, and they remained on edge after seeing captain Matt Grimes drill over.

Hull thought they had levelled before the hour mark as Liam Delap chested Philogene’s cross into the net, although the effort was disallowed for offside.

Philogene then fluffed his lines as his scuffed volley from Jason Lokilo’s cross sailed over as the Tigers continued to push for an equaliser.

But they made it 2-2 midway through the second half as Christie found Liverpool loanee Morton who coolly volleyed beyond Rushworth.

Rosenior’s side looked the likelier to bag a winner, with Delap stinging the palms of Rushworth before Philogene blazed over from the follow-up effort.

Delap was again denied by Rushworth on the counter-attack after Liam Walsh had two efforts blocked at the other end, although neither side could nab a late winner as the points were shared.

Matt Godden’s goal set Coventry on their way to a 3-0 triumph at The Den, as Joe Edwards suffered his first defeat as Millwall manager.

The Sky Blues’ top scorer gave his side the lead midway through a pulsating first half that could have swung either way.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Ben Sheaf made sure of things after the break to secure Coventry’s second away win of the Sky Bet Championship season.

The Lions were in the ascendency during the early stages as Brooke Norton-Cuffy caused chaos from right-back.

The Arsenal loanee whipped a delicious ball into Coventry’s box in the second minute before winning a free-kick in the Sky Blues’ half moments later.

However, it was the visitors who had the first shot on target.

Josh Eccles put Haji Wright through on goal with an excellent pass, but the forward was denied by an even better save from Bartosz Białkowski.

Millwall’s George Honeyman responded with an audacious effort from the right wing that struck the woodwork before Norton-Cuffy’s driven strike from the edge of the box went inches wide of the post.

Despite the early pressure, it was the Sky Blues who broke the deadlock.

Godden tapped the ball into the back of an empty Millwall net in the 30th minute, responding quickest after Wright forced another excellent stop from Białkowski.

George Saville nearly got the hosts back on level terms, but Bradley Collins got down quickly to prevent his low shot from finding the bottom left corner.

Millwall regained control as the half drew to a close but it could have been 2-0 at the break after Eccles’ shot from outside the box forced Białkowski into action once again.

The hosts played some lovely one-touch football around the edge of the box after half-time but Coventry looked incredibly dangerous on the break.

Casper De Norre took the first effort on goal of the second half, but it was always drifting wide and did not trouble Collins.

Duncan Watmore’s low cross almost led to an equaliser two minutes later before De Norre went close with another long-range shot.

However, Sakamoto made it 2-0 in the 66th minute after Jamie Allen’s powerful attempt had been parried directly into his path by Białkowski.

Millwall were desperate to get back into the game but struggled to carve out a clear-cut chance in the final 10 minutes.

Ellis Simms could have scored Coventry’s third with five minutes remaining but his effort was straight at Collins and Wright had an opportunity to score his fifth goal of the season with three minutes left, but Białkowski was his equal once again.

However, it was 3-0 when Sheaf bundled in the resulting corner from close range, wrapping up a morale-boosting victory for Mark Robins’ side.

Goals from Jamie Reid, Ben Thompson and Elliott List earned Stevenage a 3-0 win at Fleetwood.

Reid scored his fifth in his last four games to give the visitors a half-time lead and second-half efforts from Thompson and List helped settle the first ever meeting between the two sides.

Reid hit home a crisp opener in the eighth minute after Carl Piergianni won a header on the edge of the box and Jordan Roberts played the ball across goal.

Fleetwood had half-chances to draw level before the break, but Danny Mayor sent a shot straight at goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond.

Jack Marriott could not capitalise on two chances in quick succession, seeing his first shot blocked and a second effort clear the bar.

In added time at the end of the first half Ashby-Hammond’s miscued punch from a corner found Shaun Rooney, but his wild finish flew yards over.

The hosts showed signs of life early in the second period and Phoenix Patterson crashed an effort against the crossbar.

In the 56th minute Kane Hemmings capitalised on a slip by defender Bosun Lawal to set up Thompson and he netted his first for the club.

Fleetwood pushed forward as they sought a way back into the match, but, with Mayor also hitting the bar late on, it was clear it was not to be their day.

And List completed Stevenage’s impressive victory with a breakaway goal in stoppage time.

Carlisle’s new owners watched on as their team drew 1-1 at home against Charlton.

Castle Sports Group representatives were able to celebrate as Sam Lavelle hauled the hosts level eight minutes after Corey Blackett-Taylor fired the Addicks ahead.

Jordan Gibson went close for Carlisle early on when his shot was smartly saved by Ashley Maynard-Brewer.

The Addicks replied with Scott Fraser forcing home keeper Tomas Holy into an equally impressive stop, before the hosts’ Owen Moxon then fired over after he had met a tidy pass from Gibson.

Carlisle were saved by the woodwork in the 38th minute.

Lloyd Jones played in Blackett-Taylor, but his powerful drive thumped the crossbar.

The Addicks dominated the opening stages of the second period, and they got their reward after 54 minutes when Blackett-Taylor poked home as he darted in to convert Tennai Watson’s low cross.

Blackett-Taylor was denied a second thanks to Holy’s superb save and Carlisle levelled just past the hour-mark when Lavelle drilled home clinically following Jack Armer’s lay-off.

Lewis Hamilton said he could not wait for the season to end after he qualified only 11th for Sunday’s finale in Abu Dhabi – leaving Mercedes on the backfoot to salvage second in the Formula One world championship.

As Max Verstappen put his Red Bull on pole position for the final race of his all-conquering campaign – with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc runner-up and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri third – Hamilton was left staring at another abysmal performance in his underperforming machinery.

Indeed, Hamilton, six tenths behind Verstappen and a third-of-a-second back from team-mate George Russell, who qualified fourth, even claimed there was something wrong with his car.

His failure to progress to Q3 means the fight between Mercedes and Ferrari for second place in the constructors’ championship, worth nearly £10million, hangs in the balance.

The Silver Arrows head their Italian rivals by just four points ahead of Sunday’s race in the desert. And Leclerc finished ahead of both Russell and Hamilton to hand Ferrari the initiative.

“I don’t have any answers,” said Hamilton, who gloomily predicted his Q2 demise here 24 hours previously.

“It is just a very unpredictable car and it has been all year. I wouldn’t say I am relieved, but I am definitely happy it is nearly over.”

Hamilton’s comments were echoed by Toto Wolff.

“I’m fed up with having explanations as to why it didn’t go well,” said the Mercedes team principal.

“I’m happy that this was the last qualifying of the season and we will be back with a new car.”

Hamilton’s poor result came after it emerged that his father – and one-time manager Anthony – had enquired about a seat for his son at Red Bull.

Hamilton has recorded just one podium in his last six appearances following Mercedes’ tumble down the grid and he faces an uphill task to salvage a respectable result at the Yas Marina Circuit.

“There is something not right with this car, mate,” said the 38-year-old on the radio as he shook his head.

“The car is more inconsistent than ever before,” he later explained. “It is up-and-down from the moment you hit the brakes, the moment you turn, the moment you hit the apex, it is massively out of balance and hard to predict what is going to happen.

“George and I set our cars up the same, but they don’t read the same so there is something not right on our side. I have been off all weekend and struggled. Eleventh…it takes some good going for me not to get into Q3.”

Hamilton is third in the individual standings, 317 points Verstappen, with the Dutchman the overwhelming favourite to claim a remarkable 19th victory from the 22 rounds.

Mercedes are a staggering 430 points behind the Dutchman’s Red Bull team, who have won every race bar one this year.

Mercedes were handed a minor boost after Carlos Sainz was a surprise eliminated in Q1. Sainz bemoaned traffic for his lowly 16th grid slot.

But Leclerc’s improvement on his final run, to finish just 0.139 seconds behind Verstappen, provides the Prancing Horse with a spring in their step.

“The target is to beat Mercedes, so I hope Carlos gets a good start and joins me in the fight,” said Leclerc.

“Let’s look to put both of our cars in front of Mercedes because finishing second in the constructors is all that matters to me.”

Elsewhere, Lando Norris qualified a disappointing fifth after he got out of shape on his last lap.

“I don’t know why it happened,” he said. “I’ve not done that all weekend so it’s frustrating. I’m just doing a s*** job on Saturday.”

Asked if he was being too hard on himself, the 24-year-old replied: “Not at all. I was fighting for second and I end up fifth because of a stupid mistake. I’m too soft on myself.”

Paul Nicholls made no excuses for Bravemansgame after his defeat in the Betfair Chase and is still planning to head to Kempton for the King George VI Chase.

The eight-year-old was the 8-11 favourite in the quartet of runners and jumped and travelled well under Daryl Jacob, but was ultimately outdone by Venetia Williams’ six-and-a-half-length winner Royale Pagaille.

Nicholls could not see an obvious reason for the defeat and will adhere to his plan of running in the King George at Kempton to bid to retain the Boxing Day crown he claimed last season.

He said: “He was not good enough on the day, it’s as simple as that.

“He jumped well, travelled well and Daryl said he thought he was going to win going to four out but he didn’t quite pick up. No excuses.

“It’s a different test at Kempton (King George), it probably suits him better there. Daryl gave him a super ride but the other one has just outstayed him from three out really.

“Kempton is his track, it won’t do him any harm to have a few runs.

“I’m not really worried about him having a hard race, he’s got a month really. To be honest with you, you can wrap them up too much in cotton wool, I’ll probably freshen him up more now rather than work him hard.

“I’ve won this race loads of times and then gone to the King George with Kauto (Star) and (Silviniaco) Conti, we’ll get him back there.

“He might want a few races to harden him up a bit. The winner is a real course specialist and we’ve no excuses, Daryl said he just got away from him three out, outstayed him.

“He’s run well and he’ll run well at Kempton.”

Jacob had taken the ride as Harry Cobden had gone to Ascot, where he rode four winners and justified the decision made on riding plans.

The trainer added: “It’s been a great day at Ascot anyway, we got the decision right about the jockey!”

Guard Immanuel Quickley couldn't contain his relief after the New York Knicks fought back for a remarkable 100-98 win over the Miami Heat on Friday to keep their In-Season Tournament hopes alive.

The Knicks began the home game against their long-time rivals – who ended their 2022-23 season in the second round of the playoffs in May – knowing a loss would have eliminated them from the competition. 

They looked to be on their way out when the Heat established a 21-point lead with three minutes and 40 seconds to go in the third quarter, but the Knicks finished with a brilliant game-closing 38-15 run to snatch victory.

A three-pointer from Quickley heralded the start of New York's fightback, with the 24-year-old finishing with 20 points and four rebounds as the Knicks earned a measure of revenge over Miami.

Asked what was going through his head when New York found themselves staring at defeat, Quickley said: "It's a decision whether to mentally check out or not. 

"It's a decision to keep fighting. It's a decision to tell yourself, 'you got to keep fighting,' no matter what. I did look at the score and say, 'dang,' when I saw how much we were down, I literally said that. 

"But then I got right back to it, seeing where I was at mentally and said, 'let's go. Let's try to get a comeback going'."

The Knicks' good work was almost for nothing as Heat star Jimmy Butler had one last chance to win it, but his three-pointer rimmed out as the fourth quarter drew to a close.

"I've seen that shot go in, not just from him," Quickley said of Butler's last-gasp effort. "When you play basketball for so long, you see so many game-winners. They all look the same.

"I just said, 'please, please don't go in'' We worked so hard to get back… Thank God he missed it."

Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra saw the end of the third quarter, when Quickley scored six points to cut the deficit, as the turning point, saying: "At the end of the third quarter we're up 20-plus. 

"Then we had some turnovers, a bad shot, we didn't get back on defense and then all of a sudden it turned into a Quickley three and another Quickley three, and then all sudden it gets to 13. 

"That was the biggest shift right there. We had an opportunity to take that thing to 25. There's a karma to it. We were so careless finishing that quarter."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes his side passed an important test coming back to draw 1-1 at Manchester City but stressed there will be bigger challenges to come.

The title rivals could not be separated as City failed to capitalise on a number of chances after Erling Haaland’s record-breaking 50th Premier League goal and Trent Alexander-Arnold scored an 80th-minute equaliser.

“For us I think we passed a test today, I am not sure if it was – the – test,” said Klopp.

“Last year with a team that played long together we got completely under the wheels here (losing 4-1) and had no real chance. Today we had a chance.

“I am not silly, I see the game, and if you ask who was more likely to win the game it was City, obviously, but we had our moments and we won games with lesser chances against City.

“We don’t check if we are as good as City but it is not that I look at our side and say ‘That’s the finished article’ because I saw a lot of performances I was not overly happy with.

“It is a super-difficult week (after the international break) so how can you judge that?”

Liverpool were unusually passive in the opening hour and when Haaland brought up his Premier League half-century in only his 48th appearance – 17 quicker than anyone else – the hosts were in full control.

But the visitors improved after the break and after their opponents missed a number of chances Alexander-Arnold equalised with a sweetly-struck shot from the edge of the area.

“I didn’t like the body language too much in the first half,” added Klopp.

“I know it is part of the circus; preparing the most difficult of the season away at the Etihad with just one session is really a challenge.

“Maybe I am just not good enough, that is absolutely possible, but it is really tricky to do it in 30 minutes on the pitch and 45 in a meeting.

“We needed the first half to understand even more about that and we improved in details, which makes a difference, and scored a goal and brought it over the line and I’m very happy with that.”

Injuries to Diogo Jota and, potentially more significantly, goalkeeper Alisson Becker were of some concern, however.

“I hope it is not that serious but I have not clue what it is. He said he only felt a little bit but we have to wait for the scan,” said Klopp of his Brazil international.

The Liverpool manager also played down a post-match confrontation between Darwin Nunez and City boss Pep Guardiola.

“This situation on the pitch is nothing to do with the historical fierce rivalry, I don’t think Darwin Nunez knows anything about it,” said Klopp.

“Just emotions. I was not involved – surprisingly – but I love them both so I just tried to calm the situation down without knowing 100 per cent what happened as I didn’t understand a word.

“Pep wants to win, we want to win and then both didn’t win so no-one is really happy and these things can happen.”

Guardiola also dismissed the incident, noting that Nunez was “stronger than me”, and preferred to praise his side despite failing to close out victory.

“I’m incredibly pleased with the performance because in seven years we know exactly how tough they are and how good they are,” he said.

“We played really good because I know against which team we are playing. They are excellent. I admire Jurgen a lot, he knows that. That’s why after many years, we are able still to do it and be hungry.

“How many chances did we create? Seven, eight, nine? We were incredibly good in all departments. It’s a pity but I said to them (the players) we’re not going to win or lose the Premier League today.

“They (Liverpool) are happy, we are a little less happy. I’m really pleased and so proud of my team.”

Boothill booked his ticket to the Clarence House Chase as he continued his Ascot love affair in the Jim Barry Hurst Park Handicap Chase.

Harry Fry’s eight-year-old won the race off a mark of 140 last year – and having acquitted himself well in some hot novice events afterwards, defended his title off a 15lb higher mark having triumphed again over the course and distance on his return to action.

Sent off the 11-4 favourite there was still all to play for as Boothill and Jane Williams’ Saint Segal approached the last locked together, but a fall for the 5-1 shot opened the door for Johnny Burke and his willing mount, who had enough in reserve to repel a late rally from 7-2 second-favourite Frere D’Armes.

He finished with half a length in hand, to the delight of his trainer who had suffered a narrow reversal with Whitehotchillifili in the previous contest, and although holding an entry for the Tingle Creek at Sandown on December 9, Fry suggested his winner will now return to his favourite playground for a shot at the two-mile Grade One on January 20.

“Sometimes you have to get the rub of the green in this game, I’m just pleased to see the faller at the last get up,” said Fry.

“It was still all to play for and it just went our way.

“I was delighted with the performance and it was brilliant to come here and win this again, he really likes this track. It’s great to see him win it again and we may have got away with it, but it’s a great prize and it’s onwards and upwards.

“We have the entry in the Tingle Creek, but that is only in a fortnight’s time. I suspect we will wait and aim to come back here for the Clarence House and it will feel like a home match.

“I think he deserves his chance in these Graded races now. Obviously it is going to be a big step up again, but he deserves to go there.”