Erik ten Hag set his sights on ending Manchester United's six-year trophy drought after Marcus Rashford's double helped them past Charlton Athletic in Tuesday's EFL Cup quarter-final.
Having replaced Antony – who had given United the lead with a brilliant curling effort – on the hour mark at Old Trafford, Rashford scored twice in the dying moments to seal a 3-0 win over the League One side.
Rashford's brace ensured safe passage to the final four for United, who have not won a major trophy since Jose Mourinho delivered an EFL Cup and Europa League double in 2017.
Ten Hag's hopes of ending that wait have been boosted by back-to-back home wins in the two domestic cups, and the Dutchman is eager for United to go further.
"The last four is nothing. It's only about winning," Ten Hag told Sky Sports. "But you have to go from game to game. We'll see what comes out of the draw, then we'll prepare well."
United missed several chances to wrap up victory before Rashford took centre-stage, leaving Ten Hag somewhat frustrated by their wastefulness.
"I'm quite happy. We started the game very well with good energy and good focus, and pinned them in their half," he said.
"We created chances, big opportunities, and then we made a brilliant goal. It's a team goal, but the finish from Antony was great.
"They put on another striker but I think we didn't allow them [chances]. Before, we had the chances. We should have finished this game early on."
United have won each of their six matches since the World Cup, with Rashford netting in every game (a total of seven goals).
Rashford's tally of 20 goal contributions this campaign (15 goals, five assists) is now double that of his closest team-mate (Christian Eriksen with 10), leading United captain Harry Maguire to lavish praise on the forward.
"I probably haven't seen him in better goalscoring form, but I know what he's capable of. I've seen him here for four years now, and for England before that," Maguire told MUTV.
"I can't speak highly enough of his talent, and it's really good to see him playing with a smile on his face.
"He's a really important player for us and if we're going to do well this season, we need him firing. I'm really pleased he's doing that for the side and for himself."
Australian heavyweight Demsey McKean claimed he could "retire" Anthony Joshua after confirming talks with the "biggest name in boxing".
Joshua has not triumphed in the ring since June 2020 when he defeated Kubrat Pulev, having since lost back-to-back world title fights with Oleksandr Usyk.
Tyson Fury looked set to be the opponent for Joshua before negotiations broke down, with the WBC champion turning his attention to a potential 2023 bout with Usyk.
Southpaw McKean has 14 knockouts on his unblemished 22-0 record and he fancies his chances against Brit Joshua, who is aiming to bounce back from the Usyk setbacks.
"We are one of the frontrunners for a possible opponent for Anthony Joshua," 32-year-old McKean told Sky Sports.
"I could be the man to retire Joshua and I am very confident I can do that. But don't get me wrong, there are still more fights for AJ. If he loses to me, a top-10 heavyweight as well, that shouldn't be the end.
"People probably don't give him the credit he deserves, what he has done for the heavyweight game. He has brought a lot of eyes and money into the heavyweight division.
"He is probably the biggest name in boxing, everyone is after him, including me. It is the name to have on your resume.
"There are still fights to be made and people are still going to pay to watch those fights. But three losses in a row, does he need to keep doing this, he is well set up now?
"He probably still has his doubts, he still doubts himself a lot, I know that. But who wouldn't when they are at the top, in the limelight and cop a lot of criticism.
"There are a lot of factors but I have the skills to do that [retire him] for sure."
McKean and Joshua are no strangers after the pair sparred in the build-up to the latter's first bout with Usyk, which saw him lose his WBA, IBF and WBO belts.
Queenslander McKean delivered a brutal third-round knockout of Patrick Korte in his last outing on October 15 and thinks he deserves a shot at a big-name fighter.
"I feel confident if that fight goes through," he said. "The only doubt I have is that he doesn't want to fight a southpaw.
"It would be a shame. I have been on the brink of some very big fights myself. I have come close to fighting Dillian Whyte as well. I think it is sad that some of the elite boxers in the world pick and choose who they fight. We would not have had this back in the old days.
"The world has gone mad, and all these so-called champion boxers don't want to fight a southpaw. Let's hope he [Joshua mans up] and fights this time.
"I have been sparing with him for years, I have been in his camp twice. He knows it is going to be a hard fight, by the rounds I give these guys.
"He is a smooth operator, there aren't too many who move like him. His size is an advantage and disadvantage for him."
Considering the Chicago Bears just wrapped up one of the worst years in franchise history, it is no surprise the team has plenty of needs it could fill with the number one pick in the draft.
Selecting a quarterback first overall, however, appears highly unlikely.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles supported Justin Fields as being Chicago's starting quarterback heading into the 2023 season and said a QB prospect would have to utterly amaze him for the Bears to draft him with the top pick.
"We're going to do the same as we've always done," Poles said on Tuesday. "We're going to evaluate the draft class, and I would say this: I would have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision."
Fields was one of the few bright spots on a Bears team that ended the 2022 season on a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak and secured the top pick by finishing 3-14.
The abysmal record was not a huge surprise, though, considering the team went through a midseason teardown by trading away defensive standouts Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn and lacked significant talent at the offensive skill positions while the o-line was deemed substandard.
Although Fields emerged as one of the most exciting players in the NFL, capable of springing off a highlight run on any given play, the second-year quarterback failed to make many game-changing plays with his arm.
There are also questions of how Poles evaluates his skillset given Fields was drafted by the previous regime.
With 1,143 rushing yards, Fields – the number 11 pick in the 2021 draft – averaged a league-leading 7.14 yards per rush and had an NFL-best four rushing touchdowns of 50-plus yards. He flirted with breaking the NFL single-season quarterback rushing record set by Baltimore's Lamar Jackson in his 2019 MVP season had he not missed Sunday's finale with a strained hip.
"I thought Justin did a good job," Poles said. "I thought we changed a lot, we adapted, we tried to put him in a position to be successful, he showed the ability to be a playmaker. Be impactful. He can change games quickly. Does he have room to grow? He does. He has to get better as a passer, and I'm excited to see him take those steps as we move forward."
Despite being one of the most dangerous runners in the league, Fields and the Bears had trouble moving the ball through the air.
Among the 32 quarterbacks with a minimum of 250 attempts, Fields ranked 25th in passer rating (85.2), 31st in completion percentage (60.4) and 32nd in yards per game (149.5).
An argument could be made he did not have enough support around him, and that is where owning the top pick works in the Bears’ favour.
Poles could decide to use the top pick to fill a need or trade down with a team looking to take a quarterback for more draft picks.
Alabama's Bryce Young, Kentucky's Will Levis and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud are the three quarterbacks all projected to be drafted in the top 10, with some combination of them possibly going 1-2.
The Bears also have about $118million in salary cap room to restock the roster.
'"I think we have really good flexibility to help this team, regardless if it's making the pick there or moving back a little bit or moving back a lot," Poles said. "We'll be open to everything."
Holders Inter are through to the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia but had to survive a scare before eventually beating Serie B side Parma 2-1 after extra time at San Siro.
Stanko Juric's ferocious effort towards the end of the first half looked like it was going to be enough for Fabio Pecchia's team, before Lautaro Martinez found the equaliser with Inter's first shot on target in the 88th minute.
The Nerazzurri were holding on at times in extra time as well, before Francesco Acerbi won it with a fine header.
Simone Inzaghi made seven changes to the side that drew 2-2 at Monza on Saturday, with Danilo D'Ambrosio, Robin Gosens and Denzel Dumfries among those coming in, while Gianluigi Buffon started in goal for Parma, but the 44-year-old had very little to do for the first 87 minutes of the tie.
After a quiet opening, it was the Serie B side who took a surprise lead in the 38th minute when Adrian Bernabe's ball forward was flicked by Simon Sohm into the path of Juric, who had only been on the pitch for 12 minutes after replacing the injured Dennis Man, and he fired a rocket of a shot into the top right corner past the hopeful dive of Andre Onana.
As Inter continued to struggle to break Parma down in the second half, Inzaghi turned to his substitutes, including Edin Dzeko as he went for it with an attacking trio of the Bosnian alongside Martinez and Joaquin Correa, and it eventually paid off.
With just over two minutes of normal time remaining, a deep ball in from Kristjan Asllani was only cleared as far as Martinez, whose shot deflected off Yordan Osorio and past Buffon to the relief of the home fans and to force extra time, though not before the former Juventus keeper made a smart stop to deny Dzeko a late winner.
The impressive visitors took the game to Inter in the extra 30 minutes, with Antoine Hainaut firing just wide after intercepting a loose pass from Roberto Gagliardini, but Inter stepped it up in the second period and won it thanks to Acerbi after Buffon punched a Federico Dimarco cross straight to the waiting centre-back, who headed it back over him and into the net.
The Elite 1 Caribbean Basketball Winter League tipped-off last Saturday at the National Arena in front of a fair sized crowd with defending champions Horizon soundly defeating the Storm 114 to 62. The quarter scores were 26/11, 27/14, 32/19 and 29/18.
All twelve members of team Horizon contributed to the win with the USA-based Trevor Thompson top scoring with 19 points. The other players to get into double figures were Bobby Gray (USA) 17, Asaad Woods (USA) 16, while three Jamaicans Nicholai Brown, Antjuan McFarlane and Anthony White all scored 11 points each.
The top scorers for the Storm were the USA-based Jaryn Johnson 11 and Trayvon Jefferson-Bey also 11 while Daniel Martiller of Jamaica scored 10 points. It took more than five minutes for the Storm to get on the score sheet as they trailed 2/15 behind the Horizon at that point.
Cleon Morgan, coach of Horizon was pleased with the team's performance in the their first match. "I am pleased with the performance from the team tonight. It could have been a bit better in other areas but its the first game so I am sure that they are getting the butterflies out."
The other match, which was the first match to start this year's Winter League saw the Rivers getting the better of the Waves 110 to 94. The Rivers started strong and lead 29/19 for the first quarter and 53/46 at half time but the Waves posted a strong 33/20 to take the lead at the end of the third quarter at 79/73. Both team scored 21 each in a very competitive last quarter. The top scorers on the night were Anthony Ottley of Canada who posted 39 for the Rivers and Cameron Burhannon of the USA with 36 points for the Waves.
The Waves' coach Rohan Robinson was happy to get the win in the first match. "It feels good. Last year I was in the same position as the other team so it just feels good for me now that I can match up with the teams and get the best out of the players."
The four team competition roster boasts overseas based pros from the USA, Canada and Barbados and fifty percent Jamaican amateurs. According to the league president Wayne Dawkins, it was specifically designed give the Jamaicans the opportunity to play with the pros and to give them the type of exposure to professional basketball that will help them to become better players as well as prepare them to take up opportunities abroad.
The league will feature double-header matches on Saturdays and Wednesday until the final week when matches are scheduled for Friday January 27and Sunday January 29 with the top two teams competing for the title.
The next set of matches on the four-team schedule will see the two day-one winners - Horizon and Waves - battling each other on Wednesday at the National Arena. The two losing teams - Rivers and Storm - will try to record their first win in the league. The first match will start at 6:00 pm while the second match will start at 8:00 pm.
Marcus Rashford maintained his record of scoring in every game since the World Cup with a late double as Manchester United beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 to reach the EFL Cup semi-finals.
Substitute Rashford produced two fine finishes to round off United's victory, after Antony's stunning strike broke League One side Charlton's resistance in the first half at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Charlton – the only non-Premier League team in the last eight – produced a stubborn performance to stay in the contest until the closing stages, but lacked the quality to trouble their illustrious opponents.
Erik ten Hag's men are now potentially three games from ending a six-year trophy drought after reaching their third EFL Cup semi-final in four seasons.
Alejandro Garnacho was heavily involved as a much-changed United team started well, teeing up Diogo Dalot for a wild left-footed strike before going close from long range.
It was Antony who opened the scoring 21 minutes in, curling a sublime left-footed strike beyond a diving Ashley Maynard-Brewer and into the top-left corner.
Fred almost doubled United's lead in spectacular fashion when his 25-yard free-kick rattled the inside of the post, ensuring Charlton were just one goal down at the break.
Anthony Elanga was denied by the offside flag when he converted from close range after the restart, before Maynard-Brewer kept Charlton in the game with a fine stop from Garnacho's bending right-footed attempt.
United finally made the victory safe as the game entered stoppage time, the in-form Rashford beating Maynard-Brewer with a chipped finish after taking Facundo Pellistri's pass in his stride.
There was still time for the England forward to find the back of the net again, rounding the goalkeeper before hammering a left-footed finish high into the net.
Newcastle United reached the EFL Cup semi-finals for just the second time after Dan Burn and Joelinton scored in a 2-0 victory over Leicester City on Tuesday.
Eddie Howe's side were stunned by Sheffield Wednesday in Saturday's FA Cup loss but responded with a dominant showing to reach the EFL Cup last four for the first time since 1976.
Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward thwarted Newcastle for large parts in a one-sided contest at St. James' Park before Burn and Joelinton netted twice in the space of 12 second-half minutes.
Newcastle will await Wednesday's semi-final draw as they seek long-awaited silverware, while they remain in the hunt for an unlikely top-four finish in the Premier League amid a remarkable season.
Sean Longstaff should have fired Newcastle into a first-minute lead but inexplicably blasted Joe Willock's cross wide, before Bruno Guimaraes arrowed narrowly off target.
Ward showed rapid reflexes to push away Longstaff's drive as Howe's hosts continued in the ascendancy but without reward before the interval.
A fingertip stop by Ward pushed Joelinton's low attempt onto the left post just after the interval, while Burn headed a glorious chance over before the Leicester goalkeeper denied a stinging Longstaff effort.
Burn soon made amends by gliding inside and slotting a right-footed finish into the bottom-right corner to score his first goal for his boyhood club.
Joelinton added a second after racing onto Miguel Almiron's throughball and sliding beyond Ward, before Jamie Vardy missed two late opportunities in an otherwise toothless Leicester showing.
What does it mean? High-flying Magpies end quarter-final hoodoo
Despite falling to League One's Wednesday in the FA Cup, Newcastle continue to enjoy an incredible season, sitting third in the Premier League and still in with a chance of EFL Cup glory.
The Magpies had lost their last seven quarter-final ties in this competition since their run to the final in the 1975-76 campaign but ended that streak to earn further plaudits for the impressive Howe.
Manchester United defeated Charlton Athletic to reach the last four, while Manchester City – who visit Southampton on Wednesday – remain in the competition but Newcastle will fancy their chances after another memorable showing at home.
Terrific Trippier
As has been the case for much of the season, Kieran Trippier was central to the majority of Newcastle's attacking play as the right-back delivered another creative masterclass.
Linking up with Almiron on the right flank, Trippier created a game-leading five chances and was a constant nuisance for Leicester left-back Luke Thomas.
Ward efforts in vain
Leicester had not conceded in the EFL Cup until Burn's strike, with Brendan Rodgers' side defeating Stockport County, Newport County and MK Dons without their net being breached.
In truth, the Foxes were fortunate to be in the contest for so long at Newcastle, given the excellent Ward – who has come under scrutiny for some Premier League performances this term – made seven saves.
What's next?
Newcastle return to Premier League action at home to Fulham on Sunday, while Leicester visit rivals Nottingham Forest the day before.
Gianluca Vialli told Roberto Mancini Italy must triumph at the 2026 World Cup the last twice the two great friends were together.
Former Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea striker Vialli died aged 58 last Friday, having been re-diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021.
Vialli served as head of delegation for the Azzurri until last month, working closely with his long-time friend Mancini – his strike partner during a hugely successful spell at Sampdoria – as they won Euro 2020.
Following Vialli's passing, Mancini described him as his "little brother" and pledged to dedicate any future successes with Italy to him.
On Tuesday, Mancini revealed Vialli demanded he leads the Azzurri to glory in the United States, Mexico and Canada in three years' time.
"I went to visit Luca in London in December, and I'll be honest, I was a little scared," Mancini said during an appearance on RAI 1 show Porta a Porta.
"He woke up, we laughed, joked around, we called [former Sampdoria team-mate] Attilio Lombardo on the phone. He told me, 'I am relaxed, don't worry'. He was the one trying to raise my spirits.
"Gianluca told me we have to win the World Cup in 2026 and that he'll be there with us. He certainly will be right there, and we hope to dedicate a great victory to him very soon."
Lionel Scaloni has told Lionel Messi "the door will always be open" for the Argentina captain to play in the 2026 World Cup.
Messi last month got his hands on the trophy he so desperately wanted, lifting the World Cup in Qatar following a victory over France in a thrilling final.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward scored twice in a 3-3 draw to take his tally for the tournament to seven and was also on target in a penalty shootout as Argentina dethroned Les Bleus.
Messi, 35, also became the first man to win two Golden Balls as he inspired his team in what he said would be his last World Cup.
The mercurial Messi will be nearing 40 when Argentina look to defend their title in a tournament that will be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026, but head coach Scaloni has not given up hope of being able to call upon the forward.
"I think Messi can get to the next World Cup," he told Radio Calvia. "It will depend a lot on what he wants, on whether he feels good.
"The door will always be open. He is happy on the pitch and it would be very nice for us."
Scaloni does not think Argentina's World Cup success was essential to secure Messi's place among the best players of all time.
"I don't think it was necessary to be one of the greatest or the greatest. You always ask for more. I don't know what else you are going to ask for now," he continued.
"I am happy for him and for the country. For the joy we gave him and we gave ourselves. The days we spent in Argentina were full of euphoria and affection. It was worth it."
Speculation has continued over Scaloni's future despite the 44-year-old becoming just the third boss to win both the World Cup and Copa America, after Mario Zagallo and Carlos Alberto Parreira achieved that feat for Brazil.
Argentinian Football Association president Claudio Tapia rubbished talk that Scaloni may not stay on and the head coach stated: "Today I am happy where I am."
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed in principle an extension that will make Roquan Smith the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.
Smith joined the Ravens in an October trade in exchange for a package that included a second-round and a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
That trade followed an offseason stand-off between the Bears and Smith over a new contract.
According to reports, he will now receive the deal he has long since desired, with the Ravens set to pay him $100million over a five-year contract that includes $45m fully guaranteed and $60m in total guarantees.
Smith will become the first off-ball linebacker to earn an average annual salary of $20m.
In his nine games with the Ravens this season, he has racked up 86 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and an interception.
His efforts this season saw him selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time. Smith had been a second-team All-Pro with the Bears in 2020 and 2021.
Sunday will see Smith, a first-round pick of the Bears in 2018, play only his second playoff game as the Ravens visit the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.
The Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) will sign an agreement with Stella Azzurra Basketball Academy to develop and strengthen all aspects of youth basketball in Jamaica.
They made the announcement in a press release on Friday, January 6.
This agreement will facilitate exchange programmes and activities for youth players, sports support personnel and administrators.
Subsequent to the break in COVID 19 restrictions, JaBA and their development partner, P.H.A.S.E 1 academy have strategically placed emphasis on youth development, targeting teaching of fundamentals and making an effort to broaden the pool of youth basketball participants.
The recently certified FIBA level 1 coaches are tasked with the duty of developing 30 clusters of players from primary schools across the island.
These players and current early teens will transition into mini academies coordinated by PHASE 1 at specific regional locations. The synergies with Stella Azzurra will enhance the programmes and increase training and development activities in areas such as camps, clinics and competitions, exchange programmes for teams and officials, infrastructure development, training and exchanges in areas of Technology, Sports information and doping control and equipment support
“JABA is appreciative for the support of our current partners including MCGES, SDF, JOA, KFC and PHASE 1 academy as we strive to expand opportunities for youth basketball development,” the release concluded.
The Carlos Correa sage appears to be over with the All-Star shortstop returning to the Minnesota Twins on a six-year contract worth $200million.
The deal, which was reported by multiple sources on Tuesday, is pending a physical – which has ultimately been a stumbling block in previous agreements between Correa and the San Francisco Giants as well as the New York Mets in the last month.
The 28-year-old free agent had originally agreed to a 13-year, $350m contract with the Giants back on December 13, but San Francisco pulled out of the deal shortly before a press conference to announce the signing on December 20 over concerns about an ankle injury sustained in 2014.
That setback allowed the Mets to swoop in and offer Correa a 12-year, $315m contract hours after the deal with the Giants fell through.
Weeks later, however, the Mets also raised concerns about Correa's surgically repaired ankle following a physical exam and attempted to revise language in his contract.
The team became frustrated with the contract talks during this negotiation period and was considering simply walking away from the deal altogether.
That allowed the Twins to re-enter the picture and their deal with Correa includes a vesting option that can push the contract’s total value to $270m for 10 seasons if he stays healthy.
Correa signed a three-year, $105m contract with Minnesota shortly after last offseason's lockout ended in March, with the deal containing an opt-out clause after one year that was ultimately exercised.
In 136 games for the Twins in 2022, he hit .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs with 70 runs scored.
The two-time All-Star and 2021 Gold Glove winner spent his first seven MLB seasons with the Houston Astros after being picked first overall in the 2012 draft and was named the 2015 American League Rookie of the Year.
A career .279 hitter and key contributor to Houston's 2017 World Series championship team, Correa has 155 home runs and 553 RBIs in 888 games.
Thierry Henry has denied putting himself forward to replace Roberto Martinez as Belgium head coach.
Martinez's reign came to an end after the Red Devils' World Cup failure in Qatar and the Spaniard was on Monday appointed as Portugal boss.
Henry was Martinez's assistant and it has been reported that the France legend contacted the Royal Belgian Football Association expressing his desire to take the top job.
However, the 45-year-old says that is not the case.
He told Sky Sports News: "I would like to make it abundantly clear that contrary to written reports, I have never contacted the Belgian FA offering my services as the new first team coach.
"I think it's vital that the truthful version of facts is always presented."
Belgium's all-time leading goalscorer Romelu Lukaku this month confidently stated that Henry will succeed Martinez.
"For me, Henry is the next coach of Belgium. There are no doubts. I say it openly: he will be the next coach," Lukaku told Italian broadcaster Sky Sport.
"He has the respect of all the players, he has won everything. He knows how to coach, he knows what we have to do to get there.
"He knows the team, the league, the staff. For me, he is the ideal coach for our national team. Then I don't know who they will take. But I don't think Belgium should start from scratch.
"So far this generation hasn't won, but we have to keep trying to win. He wants to win, and I don't think the federation is going to get a coach who wants to change everything and start from scratch. It's not worth it to me."
Sebastien Haller made his first appearance for Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, less than six months after starting treatment for testicular cancer.
The Ivory Coast striker arrived from Ajax in July but was almost immediately sidelined after the discovery of a malignant tumour during pre-season testing in July.
Haller underwent two surgeries and chemotherapy, and was present as Dortmund returned to training for the first time after the World Cup last week at a camp in Marbella, Spain.
In the 74th minute of Dortmund's 5-1 friendly win against fellow German side Fortuna Dusseldorf, Haller replaced Youssoufa Moukoko to make his first appearance for the club, sharing a hug with head coach Edin Terzic before entering the pitch.
Terzic's side took an early lead when Felix Passlack finished from a neat throughball by Marco Reus, though Dusseldorf equalised almost immediately via a Dawid Kownacki penalty.
Jude Bellingham dribbled into the box to set up Karim Adeyemi for a simple second for Dortmund just after the half-hour mark, but they had to wait until after Haller's arrival to add further goals.
Nico Schlotterbeck swept home a Julian Brandt cross from the left with nine minutes to go, before Donyell Malen raced onto Thomas Meunier's ball over the top to make it four, and the Dutchman added a fifth just before full-time with a finish into the far-right corner following a delightful jinking run from the left.
Dortmund resume their Bundesliga campaign at home to Augsburg on January 22, having finished the first part of the season before the World Cup in sixth place, nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
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