Rory McIlroy had to be restrained after getting involved a heated exchange following the second day’s play at the Ryder Cup in Rome.

The world number two was pushed into a car as Europe team-mate Shane Lowry attempted to defuse what appeared to be an argument outside the clubhouse.

Pictures of the confrontation emerged after a fiery conclusion to Saturday’s fourballs session in which McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick were beaten on the final green by American pair Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark.

McIlroy apppeared to take exception at the time to the American team’s celebrations after Cantlay holed a lengthy putt.

Both McIlroy and Fitzpatrick still had putts remaining that could have tied the match.

Arguments reportedly ensued between McIlroy and Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava, with the watching Lowry also becoming involved. It is thought McIlroy may have been upset that LaCava stepped across the line of a European putt as he waved his cap in reference to Cantlay’s hatless appearance.

Reports had emerged during the day that Cantlay was not wearing a team hat in protest at not being paid to appear, something he later denied.

After the match McIlroy said the incident would merely add motivation to his desire to succeed on Sunday.

The Northern Irishman said: “Obviously they had a great finish and Patrick made three great putts at the end to seal the deal, so hats off to them.

“They played a great match, yes, a few scenes there on 18 and just fuel for the fire tomorrow.”

It appears the arguments resumed as the players left the course, however, with TV pictures showing McIlroy angrily pointing his finger at somebody out of shot.

Lowry then steps in to usher McIlroy towards a waiting car.

Cantlay was asked about what occurred beside the 18th green after the match but gave little information.

“He is the best,” he said of LaCava. “That is all there is to say.”

Europe will enter the final day leading 10.5-5.5.

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City failed to properly execute their “process” and was keen to praise Wolves after his side’s 100 per cent start to their Premier League title defence ended with a 2-1 loss at Molineux.

City went into the contest looking to make it seven league victories at the start of a campaign for the first time.

But the treble-winners were condemned to defeat by Hwang Hee-chan’s 66th-minute finish, eight minutes after an early Ruben Dias own goal had been cancelled out by Julian Alvarez’s free-kick.

City boss Guardiola, who watched from the stands as he served a one-match ban for picking up three yellow cards, said: “Congratulations Wolves, they defended really well.

“We had our moments. We didn’t do properly our process, to attack (with) a little bit more fluidity and that’s why we struggled a little bit.

“And the transitions – (Pedro) Neto (who was key for the first goal) was better than us, so they beat us in that situation.

“When they defend that well, (Mateo) Kovacic or Ruben has to attack central defenders of the opponents and we didn’t do it, that was why it was more difficult.

“The opponent played really good, defended really well, and after, when they contact with the players up front, they had the ability to keep it and drive and dribble and drop you. They are so strong.

“Today some details didn’t happen, because it’s football, because the players, it happens, maybe I apply bad some decisions, I don’t know.”

City’s starting line-up included Matheus Nunes, signed from Wolves last month, with it reported that he had stopped training with the midlands outfit ahead of the move.

The Portuguese was the subject of boos and chants from the crowd during the first half before being brought off at the interval for Oscar Bobb.

Guardiola said, when asked why he had made the change: “I needed more dynamic. Oscar is really good to find in small spaces, the creativity he has.

“That was the reason why – not because he wasn’t playing not good at all. It’s just because I thought Oscar could give us something different.”

On having to watch from the stands, Guardiola said: “The view is perfect. The problem is when you are banned and you are in the hotel. But they allow you to be here…in the Champions League it cannot happen.

“I spoke before the game, half-time and after the game. During the game you can be involved in something, but not much.”

Coventry boss Mark Robins believes Ellis Simms’ two goals for the club in a 3-1 win at QPR can be a turning point for the striker.

Simms, signed from Everton during the summer, had failed to score for the Sky Blues but got off the mark in a resounding victory at Loftus Road, where Josh Eccles also netted for the visitors.

Robins said: “The two goals scored by Ellis were brilliant. He got the first one – and he needed that chance – and connected with it brilliantly.

“His other goal was fantastic. Jamie Allen has guided it in and you can’t underestimate the finish.

“The first goal has given him the confidence to finish the second one. If it happens the other way around I don’t know if he does it – he’s capable, but a bit of doubt creeps in.

“He’s been desperate to score and it’s taken nine for him to get on the scoresheet, but that will do him the world of good.

“All it is is a bit of confidence and that should give him a load of it. He’s going to be a really good player.”

City took control by scoring three times in the space of 12 minutes in the second half.

It meant a superb save by keeper Ben Wilson in the first half proved to be crucial, having pushed away a header from QPR striker Lyndon Dykes during the hosts’ best spell of the game.

“He’s done what he’s paid for – he’s made a really good save. It was a good header, in fairness,” Robins said.

“QPR threw everything at us. It was a good win and a welcome win. If you can get that win it can start to build momentum and confidence and that’s important.”

QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth was furious that two crucial refereeing decisions went against his team.

Ainsworth felt Simms’ opening goal should have been disallowed for offside and, shortly after the second goal, Rangers were incensed when they were not awarded a penalty despite Sinclair Armstrong being upended by Wilson.

Ainsworth said: “The officiating today, in my opinion, wasn’t good enough for the Championship. There was an offside goal and an absolute stonewall penalty.

“I’ve been in to see the officials and they know (the decisions were wrong). They’ve almost apologised and that’s great, but that doesn’t change the result.

“I’m gutted at my lads seeming to collapse. Maybe the offside goal really dented them, but we were then wide open on two counter-attacks for the other two goals.

“But at 2-0, Sinclair’s penalty is a stonewaller and if that gets us back in the game then I think we go on and get something.”

Rangers, who were among the pre-season favourites for relegation, have won just once at home in almost a year.

“I’m not stupid – a 3-1 defeat at home is not good enough. I’m sure the haters will be out there loving this one, but there’s a bit more of a story to it,” Ainsworth said.

“But we’ve got to be better at home. We’ve got to put away the chances that we had in the first half.

“We were the better team in the first half and for all the world I didn’t see that coming in the second half. But we have to test their keeper more.

“We haven’t looked threatening enough. After all the territory and all the possession we must be better than that going forward.

“We didn’t take our chances and that was the story of the game, although the officials played a big part too.”

Rob Edwards expressed his pride after a landmark win for Luton at Everton.

The Hatters’ 2-1 victory at Goodison Park was their first ever win in the Premier League and first in the top flight since April 1992.

Tom Lockyer and Carlton Morris scored from set-pieces in the first half, with Everton pulling one back before half-time through Dominic Calvert-Lewin but unable to find an equaliser.

“I’m just very, very proud of the players and pleased for the club,” said Hatters boss Edwards.

“I know it’s a big moment, I get that. I don’t want this to come across in any kind of arrogant way but I expected us to (win) today, I really did. I told the boys before the game, ‘I know this is going to be a good day’.

“We really believed we could come here and win the game. We had a really good plan. Everton have got some good players and they were very fluid, especially in that first half.

“At 2-0 up there was a lot of movement, a lot of stuff going on. We had to adjust, which we did at half-time, then I thought we looked more solid again. I thought we deserved it. It felt great.”

Luton’s band of supporters celebrated with glee at the final whistle, and the three points were enough to lift the newly-promoted side out of the bottom three.

“Amazing day for the supporters,” said Edwards. “They deserve it, our board deserve it. They’ve really stuck with us. I know they’re going to because we’re on a brilliant journey and where the club has been. They’re going to enjoy this.

“But it’s important we give them something to shout about as well, and not just, ‘Well done lads, unlucky’. They’re amazing supporters, I love them. They’ve travelled a long, long way today in the rain and they get to enjoy their day.”

Everton began the game on the front foot and with optimism flowing that they could build on victories over Brentford and Aston Villa during the past week.

But instead they suffered a fourth straight home victory, leaving manager Sean Dyche hugely frustrated at a big opportunity lost in front of their prospective new owners.

“I’m disappointed in the result, obviously,” he said. “Performances, broken-record time – dominated so much of the game, give away really poor goals and don’t take our chances.

“Changing the story, which I’ve spoken about endlessly this season, is our responsibility. We had a brilliant chance I thought today, a platform to begin the process of changing the story, the depth of it the last two years, all the noise and the rest of it, and we don’t take it.

“It’s very frustrating because the team are there, it’s like, ‘Go on then, change the story, be the person that makes the difference, don’t wait for someone else to do it’. Then it spreads like wildfire.

“And we sort of nearly do. Today just that weird thing when everyone’s sort of looking for someone else to change it. It’s an odd thing and I’ve been trying to break it since I’ve been at the club. And we keep trying.”

Stoke boss Alex Neil says he “didn’t enjoy any part” of his side’s 3-2 come-from-behind win at Bristol City.

A late strike from 18-year-old substitute Nathan Lowe capped a stirring Stoke fightback at Ashton Gate.

Bristol City looked to be on course for a comfortable win when Sam Bell fired them ahead from a near post corner after five minutes and Nahki Wells doubled the advantage 10 minutes later after intercepting a poor back pass from Ki-Jana Hoever.

But Mehdi Leris gave Stoke hope with a brilliant long-range strike after 25 minutes and two minutes after the break Sead Haksabanovic equalised with a low finish from a Hoever cross.

Lowe completed the fightback with a tap-in at the far post in the 89th minute, but Neil was in no mood to get carried away.

He said: “To be honest, I didn’t enjoy any part of that game. We have played miles better in virtually every other match this season. That’s the crazy nature of football and the Championship in particular.

“We couldn’t have made a poorer start, conceding from the sort of set-piece we had talked about defending and for the rest of the first half we played scared football.

“My half-time message was that we had to play without fear. What the players did show from then on was a collective spirit and determination, which ended up winning the game.

“What we can take encouragement from is the character shown. When things are going against you, it’s easy to start feeling sorry for yourself.

“There is no room for that sort of attitude and we got our rewards today because we didn’t let it happen. Hard work, grit and determination got us the win.

“Nathan Lowe has merited getting on the pitch and there is nothing nicer than when you throw one of your kids in and they get a goal.

“That certainly applies with Lowy, who loves the club. You don’t get a better feeling in football than seeing someone like that score a goal.”

Bristol City assistant Curtis Fleming admitted his side let Stoke back into the contest.

“In a way, we feel like we have been mugged,” he said. “If any team was going to win it in the second half, I always felt it would be us because we were on the front foot.

“But the truth is we haven’t defended well enough and that’s why we have suffered a kick in the teeth. We conceded weak goals, which is a problem we felt we had overcome.

“At Leicester in our previous game, players were throwing themselves in front of shots and putting their bodies on the line.

“That didn’t happen today. There is a lot of frustration in our dressing room and no one is happy.

“From 2-0 up we took our foot off the pedal a bit. It was all a little too comfortable, rather than playing with our usual intensity.

“It’s the sort of thing that was happening to us at times last season. Now we are in a better place to handle it and it’s all about how we react.

“You can’t afford to dwell on setbacks in the Championship because more tough games are just around the corner.”

Swansea boss Michael Duff hailed his side’s 3-0 Championship win over Millwall as the best of his tenure as they secured a commanding victory at the Den.

Jamaican International Jamal Lowe opened the scoring with a penalty before goals from Matt Grimes and Mykola Kukharevych sealed the triumph, Duff’s third in charge since taking over in June.

The visitors won their second Championship game in a row having taken only two points from a possible 21 from their previous seven matches.

“It’s probably the best result of my Swansea tenure so far,” Duff said. “3-0 away from home at a tough place to come.

“I thought we saw a bit more of what we wanted to look like. It was some really good football. The reaction’s been good ever since the Cardiff game, where we let everyone down.

“We probably should have had three clean sheets and nine points since then. The players have stuck together through all of it.”

Swansea sparked to life in the 23rd minute when Lowe converted a penalty, awarded after Jerry Yates’ shirt was pulled by Jake Cooper in the box.

Lowe produced a stuttering run-up before sending Bartosz Bialkowski the wrong way to end the hosts’ hopes of a third-straight clean sheet and to notch his second goal in as many games.

Duff added: “The first goal was 40-plus passes going into the build-up to the penalty, which I think should have been a red card as well.

“I knew they would have a reaction. We had to change shape a couple of times, but we survived it. You’re not going to dominate a game for 90 minutes, not in the Championship – very rarely anyway.

“It’s still a long, long way from where we want to get it to.”

Grimes moved Swansea further ahead after 57 minutes, as some neat interplay offered an inviting opening for the skipper and his 20-yard strike squeezed under Bialkowski.

The Lions were unable to take their chances at 2-0 down with Carl Rushworth turning a long-distance strike from Ryan Leonard over the crossbar before the goalkeeper saved Kevin Nisbet’s point-blank effort with his face.

Kukharevych then made certain of the three points for the Swans with an 80th-minute header for a first away victory since April.

Millwall manager Gary Rowett took a different view of his side’s reaction to conceding, believing they showed frustration rather than fight.

He said: “Goals change moods, goals change feelings in stadiums and players’ confidence levels. It shouldn’t do, but that’s the way the game is.

“Sometimes at 0-0 you have to ride those little moments and the first goal was a really poor penalty to give away from where the ball was.

“We got into some decent positions without having a clinical edge. That was the difference.

“I didn’t like our reaction from 2-0 down. I think we have a habit of conceding goals and showing our frustration rather than fighting until the last second.

“Again we had some big moments, but without that goal it gives you nothing to lift the mood and atmosphere.

“It’s disappointing. The third goal summed it up, we gave it away, crossed it to a lad unmarked to head it in. It was certainly three poor goals from us to concede today.”

Michael Beale looked back on a “horrible day” after a 3-1 defeat by Aberdeen left the Rangers boss admitting his future is in the hands of the Ibrox board.

The home side missed several chances before defender Stefan Gartenmann scored his first Dons goal after 38 minutes and the Light Blues left the pitch at half-time with the boos of the Gers supporters ringing in their ears

Dons midfielder Jamie McGrath added a second in the 68th minute before Rangers’ half-time substitute Scott Wright was sent off for picking up a second yellow card for a foul on Gartenmann.

Abdallah Sima reduced the deficit in the 75th minute but Pittodrie defender Jack MacKenzie scored a third with five minutes left and the home fans stayed behind to vent their frustration at the final whistle as pressure piled on Beale, whose side already lie seven points behind league leaders Celtic.

The Gers boss said: “It was a horrible day obviously, a terrible result.

“We actually started really well. I thought Aberdeen were very compact and quite negative early on but we created three or four big chances.

“You don’t take them and we defend a set-play as poorly as we did and go in 1-0 at half-time.

“At that moment we could have done without Ridvan Yilmaz and Ryan Jack being injured because it compounds a light bench.

“We reshuffled, started the second half OK and conceded from a set-play so we don’t deserve anything from the game.”

Asked if he thought he will be given time, Beale said: “That’s somebody else’s decision. All I can do is continue with the job the best I can.

“We felt we prepared well enough tactically. We went over and around them first half and created the chances.

“It’s a really bad result and I feel the frustration and despair from the fans because we share it inside as staff and players, because first-half we had enough chances to win that game.”

While understanding the frustration of the fans, Beale claimed their reaction at half-time was “harsh”.

He said: “Listen, it’s a situation that’s escalated much faster than I thought.

“The way we played in the first half and the chances we made, I thought it was harsh to boo them off at half-time.

“We conceded from a set-play but we had played well enough to be 2-0 or 3-0 up.

“I get the frustration, they follow this club all around the world.

“It’s the fourth home game in 10 days and pretty much all of them have been sold out.

“Sometimes the supporters could help the players but one or two could help themselves.”

It was a well-deserved three points for Barry Robson’s side, who have now won three games in a row after a poor start to the season.

The Dons boss was pleased for the travelling supporters who enjoyed the victory.

He said: “It’s three points. That’s what we are in the game for. I thought in the game we were structurally very good.

“We tried to frustrate them for the first 25 minutes then grow into the game and try and bring the things we are good at to the game and I think we did that well.

“It’s a good feeling and it’s great for the fans. They deserve it.

“They came here in numbers, they sell out when we are on the road, record season ticket sales and since I’ve come in as manager it’s been amazing how they have backed us.

“That’s a brilliant performance for them. That’s what we are in it for.”

Mikel Arteta hailed the “empathy” of his Arsenal players after what he hopes was a game-changing goal from Kai Havertz in their win at Bournemouth.

The £65million summer signing from Chelsea had not registered a goal or assist in his first nine games for the Gunners but finally hit the target as he converted a penalty in a 4-0 victory at the Vitality Stadium.

Arsenal were already two goals to the good through Bukayo Saka’s header and a Martin Odegaard penalty when an on-field decision handed responsibility for a second spot-kick of the afternoon to under-fire Havertz.

He tucked away his chance to break his duck, as his team-mates and the away end greeted the goal with jubilant celebrations.

“I’m really happy for the win, but I’m even happier to be part of a team that shows the human qualities that they did today,” Arteta said.

“Without me telling them nothing, to show that empathy to a player that has some question marks to resolve externally, they warmed me even more today. They’ve done it in a really natural way.

“I’m delighted they made that decision. And so thankful as well to our supporters for the way they sung his name and made him feel today. If there’s a player who deserves that it’s Kai Havertz, so happy for him.

“We have all tried to give him support and the right tools. He’s doing so many great things in the game. It was about that moment, that was the question that had to be resolved and today he has done it.

“To show that level of empathy and understanding, worrying and caring for somebody is just great.”

Arteta referenced Olympic champion Usain Bolt when discussing how Havertz deserved his moment in the south coast sunshine following his hard work in recent weeks.

“Probably it will change everything,” the Spaniard replied when asked what the goal could do for Havertz.

“If he had any question marks about how we feel about him, about what he does, I think they are out.

“I think in sport – Usain Bolt said it once – ‘I have to train four years to run nine seconds’. Sometimes you have to do a lot and you don’t see that.

“In that moment you see it. I think after everything he’s been through in the last few weeks that moment is worth all of it, so really happy for him.”

The one sour note for Arsenal came as Saka limped off injured for the second game in a row, raising the possibility he could miss next Sunday’s showdown with champions Manchester City.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, remain winless in the Premier League under new head coach Andoni Iraola.

The Cherries have come close on previous occasions but that was not the case here, with Iraola admitting the hosts did not deserve a result.

“It was the first time we were not at the level the competition required and we did not finish the game well,” he said.

“For sure this game leaves the worse sensation for me. You can lose against this type of team because they are really good but it is the first game this season where I have felt that we were not at the level.

“You have to be at your best to compete against these teams and we weren’t after the first goal. We cannot concede two penalties and also the first goal is a bit strange, we should be there but we lost the positioning of Saka.

“We started really well, were doing well but after 1-0 I think they were better than us.”

Carlisle boss Paul Simpson described Jokull Andresson’s red card “amateurish” after the goalkeeper’s mistake led to a 2-0 defeat at Wycombe.

Believing he was alone in the penalty area after a routine save, Andresson dropped the ball to his feet but was immediately dispossessed by Wycombe striker Sam Vokes, lurking behind him.

Andresson brought Vokes down and also handled the ball outside the box, leaving referee Scott Tallis with an easy decision to show him red in the 29th minute.

Luke Leahy’s penalty, after Gareth McCleary was taken down just before half-time, and Vokes’ well-taken strike saw Wycombe prevail and left Simpson furious at full-time.

He said: “I think we brought this [the loss] on ourselves. We can’t blame anyone else. It’s about us. The sending off is just amateurish. Just absolutely amateurish, I’m afraid.

“The referee has obviously seen the situation and felt he’s needed to send him off.

“You then look at the penalty decision and our player got the ball but, by the letter of the law, he’s gone through the back of him and there’s nothing he can really do about it.

“We’ve gifted them situations. If we’re more professional, those things don’t happen, we don’t give them those opportunities.

“I think in the first half we were really poor. Forget those incidents, we were poor in not being front-footed and I think we needed to be aggressive in the way we defended but we weren’t.

“I got to say, though, in the second half, the attitude was absolutely first class. We probably should have got ourselves back into it with the opportunities we had.”

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield was pleased with his team’s performance and praised their maturity in facing 10 men for most of the game.

“Any win brings a really pleasing afternoon.

“This is a tough league, we’ve already seen that this season, and we knew the continuity they kept from their team last season and the way they’re built would make it difficult for us.

“I was pleased with the variety we showed in our display, especially against 11.

“Obviously, the game is going to change against 10. But we were really good, even if there were elements to improve.

“It’s one of football cliches that it’s never easy against 10 men. [In the second half], they reorganised and showed a real attacking intent.

“Fair play to Carlisle, they could have made our day uncomfortable, but we worked hard to get the win. We stuck to our task and it’s just a shame we couldn’t take more of our chances.”

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick praised local boy Josh Coburn after the 20-year-old scored his side’s winning goal in the 3-2 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.

Coburn, who almost moved away from the Riverside to Plymouth on loan during the transfer window, scored the winner as Boro made it back-to-back victories following a seven-game winless run to begin the Championship season.

Carrick said: “I’m delighted for Josh. It was a big goal for him. Being a local lad coming through, it’s great and what he’s dreamt of for a long time.

“His performance this week has been really good for what he’s given the team and how he’s stepped up. He’s improving all the time so it’s really encouraging.”

Riley McGree’s double put Boro 2-0 up after 12 minutes but they were pegged back to 2-2 before Coburn secured a second successive victory.

Carrick added: “It was a very good win. A bit of all sorts in there. We started well and then let them back into it out of nowhere.

“But we managed to find a way. Being 2-2 after going 2-0 up and still winning shows a lot of character and a lot of heart. I thought we dug in well after half-time. It’s not easy when you start the game so well and then lose the flow.

“It’s been a big week in terms of results. Winning games does give you extra zip, extra energy and a little bit of confidence.

“I did feel it was coming. We’ve probably played better in games and lost this season. It just shows that you’ve got top go through that spell and earn it really, to come out on top.”

One worrying note for Boro was an injury to midfielder Lewis O’Brien which Carrick admitted may be serious.

He said: “We are fearing the worst for Lewis. We’ll have to wait for scans on the bottom of his shin bone, but it doesn’t look good and he could be out for a bit of time.”

Watford manager Valerien Ismael blamed himself for his side’s defeat and for a tactical change that led to Middlesbrough’s early two-goal lead.

McGree took advantage of too much space in the home defence to side-foot home passes on both occasions.

Vakoun Bayo raced clear to reduce the Watford arrears before Wesley Hoedt equalised with an outrageous half-volley after 51 minutes.

Ismael said: “I’m not very happy with myself. Today is on me, the first half, because we tried to change the shape and tactically.

“It didn’t work out like I expected, especially when the opponents score goals quickly. Then the confidence goes low. I cannot blame the players.

“Out of possession was difficult today and we struggled to control the midfield due to my decision.

“We came back but if you start the game two down, it takes a lot of energy to come back into the game. I made the wrong call in the first half. It was my responsibility and I’m frustrated with myself.

“We are still seeking the flow you get when everything goes in the right direction. It’s a process we need to go through, but it’s clear that we are conceding too many goals at the minute.

“The good thing is that are creating a lot of chances and scoring. We have to find the right balance now.

“We are on a difficult run, but the good thing is that the next game is on Wednesday.”

Watford travel to Sunderland on Wednesday with Ismael admitting that he needs to turn his side’s confidence around.

He added: “We want to win games and when you don’t, it’s painful and frustrating. It’s always the same in the Championship. The games come quickly.

“When you win games, you’ve got momentum and you enjoy the next game. When you don’t, the confidence isn’t that high and the next game becomes difficult.

“But it’s only September so there’s still a long way to go, but I don’t have the feeling that we are powerless or that we have no idea.”

Hibernian boss Nick Montgomery insists he can still take positives from the goalless draw with Dundee, despite the frustration of wasting a host of opportunities to seal a third straight victory.

The Easter Road outfit found their visitors a tough nut to crack but only had themselves to blame at times for their profligacy.

However, with the result ensuring he goes into next weekend’s Edinburgh derby with Hearts unbeaten since taking over from Lee Johnson, Montgomery was still satisfied with much of his team’s display.

He said: “We are definitely frustrated, I thought we did more than enough to win the game.

“The stats don’t win you a game of football, but 23 shots, and I think we had 10 on target to their two, so it’s definitely frustrating.

“But we’ll take the positives – another clean sheet, a good performance from everybody, with the boys who came in after a big week.

“I can’t fault the boys’ effort. The effort was there, the attitude was there and I thought we played some great stuff. Just a bit of luck at the end we needed, but we move on.

“I would not say it was a bad day at the office. I think there was a lot of positives to take from the game, but of course the boys are frustrated.

“I have to give credit to their goalkeeper, I thought his positioning was really good.

“We attacked a couple of set-pieces and we needed one of those to deflect or bounce off the turf and go in, but he seemed to smother everything.

“You’re going to be disappointed when you create that many chances without winning. On another day, we could have scored a couple of goals.

“It wasn’t to be. But we move on to a big game next week.”

Dundee manager Tony Docherty claimed his side were close to a “complete performance” after threatening to steal victory at the death.

The proud Dens Park boss was full of praise for the way his players implemented his tactics.

He said: “It would have been the complete performance if we had scored from the counter-attack at the end.

“If it goes either side of big Marsh (Hibs keeper David Marshall) I think it’s a goal.

“That would have capped off an absolutely fantastic performance.

“But I couldn’t be any more proud of the players. I think we’re really growing as a team.

“They executed that game plan to the letter. We carried a threat, we were organised.

“You need to remember we only had four players out there who had played at Easter Road.

“So to show that level of experience and maturity was really pleasing.

“Hibs are a very good side. I came and watched them in midweek and they have a really good style of play.

“So I suppose there is an element of disappointment, but I am delighted to come away with a point.”

Manchester City and Manchester United both lost on Saturday, breaking a decade-old wait for the two rivals to fall to a defeat in a 3pm kick-off.

It is rare for both United and City to play in the traditional Saturday slot, but that was the case as Erik ten Hag's side hosted Crystal Palace and Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions headed to Wolves.

Yet neither team will be in a rush to remember this particular afternoon in a hurry, as they both lost in a 3pm Saturday kick-off for the first time since September 28, 2013. 

United lost 1-0, with Joachim Andersen's goal making Roy Hodgson the first manager to go unbeaten in five successive Premier League trips to Old Trafford. City, meanwhile, went down 2-1 at Molineux, with Hwang Hee-chan getting the winner for Wolves.

No Rodri, big problems

City lost to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup on Wednesday and, without star midfielder Rodri – who was serving the second of a three-match suspension for the red card he received against Nottingham Forest – they found themselves on the end of a defeat again at Wolves.

Since Rodri made his Premier League debut in August 2019, City have lost five of 15 matches without the Spaniard in the competition (W9 D1); by contrast, they have lost just five of their last 67 league games when Rodri has featured (W53 D9).

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is facing an injury crisis ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League clash with Paris St Germain.

The 45-year-old oversaw a third successive Premier League win with a 2-0 defeat of Burnley at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon, but did so having lost Harvey Barnes for at least three months while facing up to the prospect of being without key defender Sven Botman, inspirational midfielder Joelinton and England striker Callum Wilson for the clash with the French champions.

Head coach Howe said: “You can add Joe Willock to that list, so it’s a difficult moment for us injury wise. It’s that kind of season for us, with the physical demands we’re going to face.

“You don’t want any injury and any injury really hurts us, but it is what it is and we have to deal with it. We have to be resilient and deal with the challenges that will come.

“We just hope we can get those players back really quickly.”

Botman and Wilson missed the Burnley game with knee and hamstring injuries respectively, while Joelinton damaged a hamstring four minutes after coming off the bench.

Howe said: “Callum’s got a very minor hamstring problem. We hope he will be back soon. We hope we will see him before the international break, but there’s no guarantee.

“Sven has a knee problem and I don’t think we’ll see him before the international break. Hopefully, we’ll see him very quickly afterwards.

“[Joelinton] looks like a hamstring. That would be a huge blow if we lose him, but we’ll wait and see.”

The injuries brought a sour note to an otherwise satisfactory afternoon on which the Magpies brushed aside the winless Clarets and might have won significantly more comfortably.

Miguel Almiron’s fine first-half finish and a penalty coolly converted by Alexander Isak 13 minutes from time secured a 2-0 win which was far more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.

Burnley might have gone ahead through Zeki Amdouni’s fourth-minute effort, which was blocked by keeper Nick Pope, but thereafter were decidedly second-best.

Howe said: “There’s no such thing as a regulation win.

“It was a tough game. You have to deliver your game plan well and I thought we did, probably after the first 10 minutes, when we were a little bit slow out of the blocks.

“I thought we recovered really well and I thought we deserved to win.”

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany was philosophical in defeat as his promoted side continues to come to terms with life in the top flight.

He said: “It was tough. We were playing against a very good side so it’s supposed to be tough. It’s not supposed to be easy, going to St James’ Park.

“But we started well, stayed in the game and then probably made a mistake that put the game a bit away from us. I can’t fault the team for the performance.

“I think there are plenty of managers who have come here, especially with promoted teams, who have said to win games here, to get a result, you need to have a little bit of luck on your side and to take your key moments, and I feel we were exactly the opposite there.”