Manchester United's EFL Cup final win over Newcastle United is "just the beginning" for the Erik ten Hag era, says Red Devils full-back Luke Shaw.
Two goals in six first-half minutes helped United end a six-year wait for a trophy in Sunday's final, as Shaw's free-kick was nodded in by Casemiro before Marcus Rashford forced an own goal from Sven Botman.
Ten Hag is now the first United boss to deliver major silverware since Jose Mourinho, and the Dutchman's rejuvenated side remain in contention to win a further three competitions this season.
With crucial fixtures in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup on the horizon, Shaw called on United's current crop to leave their mark on the club's illustrious history.
"It feels amazing. We said before that we want to create our own history here with the new team and the new manager, and I think [this] was the start of it," he told Sky Sports.
"I think the connection now is easy to see, we feel the love from the fans and we hope they feel the same from us.
"We wanted to start with a trophy and this is just the beginning for us."
Fellow England international Rashford echoed Shaw's thoughts, calling for United to use Sunday's win as inspiration in their hunt for further silverware.
"It's massive for us to be involved in these games, it's something that we've missed as a club," Rashford said. "To come all this way and go on and win it, it's a massive feeling.
"Hopefully it pushes us to keep going now. The hunger is to have more moments like this. I've been in finals where we've won and where we've lost, and when you win it's massive for the club.
"It's part of our history at the club and we want to keep adding to that. I'm buzzing with the result.
"We want to be involved in a lot of games and staying in competitions. If we want to win things we have to keep pushing and keep going for everything."
United benefitted from another outstanding midfield performance from Casemiro at Wembley, while he became just the third Brazilian to net in an EFL Cup final with his header – after both Philippe Coutinho and Fernandinho did so in 2016.
Asked about Casemiro's impact, Rashford added: "He makes a huge difference with his leadership and experience in big games, it's huge for us.
"When he's on the pitch you feel that sense of security behind you. I'm buzzing for him, for his first trophy for the club."
Eddie Howe could not hide his disappointment after Newcastle United were beaten 2-0 by Manchester United in the EFL Cup final, but the Magpies boss was still "proud" of his players.
Two first-half goals at Wembley took the game away from Newcastle, with Casemiro heading in a Luke Shaw free-kick before Sven Botman deflected Marcus Rashford's shot over stand-in goalkeeper Loris Karius.
Newcastle had been hoping to win their first trophy since the 1969 Fairs Cup, but had to look on as they lost to the same team and by the same score they had suffered in their last major final, the 1999 FA Cup.
"Naturally, I'm disappointed," Howe said at his post-match press conference. "I'm pleased with how we played. We were really good between both boxes but the penalty area is where games are won and lost. We weren't clinical enough.
"I've got no regrets with how we set up. We wanted to be brave as we have been all season; [we wanted to] have a go at Manchester United. It was a strange game, not much goalmouth action.
"I can't fault the players but the game was decided in big moments. We didn't defend the free-kick well enough."
Howe was pleased with the performance of his third-choice goalkeeper Karius, who came in with Nick Pope suspended and Martin Dubravka cup-tied.
"Karius did really well," he said about the German, who made seven saves. "His demeanour and distribution were good… he can be really proud of his efforts today."
Howe confirmed that Bruno Guimaraes, who came off with 12 minutes remaining, had twisted his ankle, adding that he did not think it was serious but would await further news.
Newcastle have gone four games without a win in all competitions (D2 L2), but Howe believes his team is playing well and is just missing the final finish, having scored just twice across those four games.
"I think the team's playing well, just maybe not as free-scoring as we were," he said. "It is the hardest challenge for any team. We had a lot of moments today where we could have opened them up and that's something we'll need to improve."
There was an impressive showing from Newcastle's fans, who made plenty of noise and supported their team throughout at Wembley.
"We felt nothing but support and love [from the fans]," Howe added. "It's so important that the players can play in a supportive environment. The scenes when we drove in [to the stadium] were exceptional, probably my words don't do it justice."
Barcelona suffered a shock loss to lowly Almeria as the leaders' 13-game unbeaten run in LaLiga came to a grinding halt in a 1-0 reverse.
El Bilal Toure's first-half strike proved the difference as the Mali international latched onto a Luis Suarez ball looped into his path and cannoned a finish in off the crossbar at Power Horse Stadium on Sunday.
On the back of their Europa League exit to Manchester United on Thursday, Xavi's side suffered a second successive defeat for the first time this season, missing the chance to go 10 points clear at the summit.
But opposite number Rubi will cherish a famous win for his side, as their upset helped to hoist them out of the relegation zone at the other end of the table.
Determined to ensure there would be no hangover from their midweek European loss, Barca looked to dominate possession from the first kick of the ball.
Yet they could not make their early chances stick and paid the price when Suarez brought down a long ball on the right flank, before lobbing a cross inside for Toure to finish via the woodwork in the 24th minute.
The visitors laboured in pursuit of an equaliser for the rest of the half, and headed into the interval looking no closer to finding the answers.
With the need to muster a response pressing, Barca again sought to pile on the pressure after the break, restricting their hosts to defensive duties and a meagre share of the ball.
But, with Robert Lewandowski placing two headers off target in the final 15 minutes, they could not summon the magic moment to save them from a stunning defeat.
Bruno Fernandes set his sights on delivering more silverware after Manchester United's EFL Cup final win against Newcastle United, declaring one trophy is "not enough" for the Red Devils.
Casemiro's header and Sven Botman's own goal handed United their first trophy under Erik ten Hag on Sunday, as they kept Newcastle at bay at Wembley.
Coming five years and 278 days after their 2017 Europa League final victory against Ajax, United's win ended their longest trophy drought since a six-year wait between their 1977 and 1983 FA Cup triumphs.
United have also been touted as contenders to win the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup in Ten Hag's first season at the helm, and Fernandes wants more.
"It's an amazing feeling obviously, we've been searching for this moment – us, the players and the club, all together," the midfielder told Sky Sports.
"We finally got our trophy, I think deservedly. It's all about winning trophies, and finally we did it. I'm satisfied because finally I have a trophy, but I want more.
"It's been an amazing period obviously, it's the first trophy of the season… but we want more.
"This is not enough for this club. We want more and we need more, for our standards, we need more."
Sunday's win saw United lift the EFL Cup for the sixth time, a tally only bettered by rivals Liverpool (nine) and Manchester City (eight) in the competition's history.
Casemiro claimed victory in the battle of the Brazilian midfielders as Manchester United won their sixth EFL Cup with a 2-0 success against Newcastle United on Sunday.
On the way to Wembley, it felt like Newcastle fans significantly outnumbered United's, seemingly four out of every five people donning black and white striped shirts.
That feeling continued in the stadium, with almost every Newcastle fan in their seat waiting for kick-off with about 45 minutes to go, their black and white flags flying in anticipation of a momentous occasion, while big gaps remained in the United end just 10 minutes prior to the start, though it was full by kick-off.
On a cold day in London, fans of both teams hoped to be warmed by some samba magic, with United and Newcastle having two Brazilians each in the middle of the park.
United manager Erik ten Hag opted for Fred and Casemiro, while Magpies boss Eddie Howe went with Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes, with the latter back from suspension in time for the final.
Newcastle had not won any of the six games that Guimaraes had missed this season heading into Sunday's clash, and there was a renewed sense of optimism from the Geordie fans with their key man back.
However, a sloppy foul conceded by Guimaraes just after the half-hour mark gave United a chance to put a free-kick from the left, which Luke Shaw whipped in expertly for Casemiro to nod in.
Newcastle had actually started the game better, with only some poor execution in the final third preventing them from taking the lead, but their ruthless opponents struck first.
Casemiro became just the third Brazilian to score in an EFL Cup final after both Philippe Coutinho and Fernandinho did so in 2016 when Liverpool faced Manchester City.
It was also Casemiro's fourth goal in his last 12 games, one more than he had scored across his previous 89 matches.
The Magpies were caught napping again as Wout Weghorst was allowed to dribble to the edge of the penalty area before releasing Marcus Rashford, whose shot deflected off Sven Botman and over the helpless Loris Karius to make it 2-0.
Newcastle's third-choice goalkeeper was making his first competitive appearance in 728 days, having not played for anyone since his final outing of his loan to Bundesliga side Union Berlin on February 28, 2021.
Selected following Nick Pope's red card against Karius' former team Liverpool, the German could not have done much about either goal, and was able to show off some of his ability before the break when he denied Weghorst from making it 3-0 by tipping the Dutch striker's shot from 20 yards over the crossbar.
Newcastle tried to fight back in the second half, with Howe bringing Alexander Isak on for Sean Longstaff, leaving Joelinton and Guimaraes as the sole two in midfield.
Fred very much played a supporting role to the dominant Casemiro, and was replaced by Marcel Sabitzer with just over 20 minutes remaining.
With 12 minutes to go, Guimaraes made way, noticeably limping after a couple of knocks during the game. The former Lyon man certainly did not disgrace himself, completing 45 of his 49 passes (91.8 per cent) and winning back possession 10 times.
Joelinton tried to revert to his former ways as a striker, having more than twice as many shots as any other Newcastle player (five), but it was ultimately in vain.
It was the experience of Casemiro that told on the big occasion, with the 31-year-old having won so many finals with Real Madrid – including five Champions League titles.
In truth, it was far from a vintage United performance, with Newcastle having 61 per cent possession and 14 shots inside the opposition box to their opponents' five, while they also had 37 touches in the opposing box compared to the Red Devils' 17 at the other end.
Ten Hag's men did enough to win the game, though, and that is all that counts in a final.
It was so near yet so far for Newcastle, who were competing in their first major final since they lost to United by the same score at the old Wembley in the 1999 FA Cup final.
They remain without a trophy of any calibre since the 1969 Fairs Cup, but the stark improvement shown under Howe this season suggests they should not have to wait many more years.
As for United, they brought an end to six years in the trophy wilderness, and had man of the match Casemiro largely to thank.
Had they managed to sign Frenkie de Jong or Adrien Rabiot prior to opting for the Brazilian last year, who knows what could have happened?
They won't spend a moment wondering about that now, with the Red Devils basking in the glow of a cup win once again.
Manchester United won their first trophy under Erik ten Hag as Newcastle United were beaten 2-0 in Sunday's EFL Cup final at Wembley.
Casemiro's opener came somewhat against the run of play as United started slowly, but the Red Devils assumed control before the break as Marcus Rashford's shot deflected in off the unfortunate Sven Botman.
Newcastle faded following a positive start as United kept them at arm's length, ensuring there was to be no end to the Magpies' 68-year wait for a major domestic trophy.
For United, a first trophy since 2017 validates Ten Hag's impact at Old Trafford, and with the Old Trafford outfit still competing in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup, there could be more to come.
David de Gea was tested at his near post by Allan Saint-Maximin as Newcastle started brightly, but United soon took charge with two goals in the space of six minutes.
The first came when Casemiro nodded Luke Shaw's free-kick into the bottom-right corner after 33 minutes, with a VAR check adjudging the Brazilian to have remained onside.
There was a hint of fortune about United's second as Rashford took Wout Weghorst's pass in his stride and saw a shot deflect off Botman, only for the ball to spin beyond stand-in Magpies goalkeeper Loris Karius.
Karius prevented further damage with a flying save from Weghorst's strike before the break, when Newcastle introduced club-record signing Alexander Isak in search of a response.
Joelinton saw efforts blocked by Lisandro Martinez and Aaron Wan-Bissaka as Newcastle threw men forward, before De Gea palmed away a dangerous cut-back from Kieran Trippier.
United went close to a third as first Rashford and then Bruno Fernandes forced Karius into smart stops, but it mattered little as the Red Devils stood firm.
What does it mean? Landmark moment for resurgent Red Devils
Ten Hag's revival of United's fortunes has been nothing short of spectacular, but the importance of capping their impressive displays with a piece of major silverware was not lost on anyone at Old Trafford.
United had not won a trophy since claiming an EFL Cup and Europa League double under Jose Mourinho in 2017. Having passed a stern test on Sunday, the Red Devils will hope they can at least replicate the achievements of that season with three trophies still to play for.
While Newcastle will fancy their chances of returning to this stage soon, there was to be no fairytale ending this time around as their record losing streak at Wembley stretched to nine games.
Casemiro the man for the big moment
While Casemiro has been credited with having a transformative effect on United's defensive efforts this term, the Brazil international put the Red Devils on the path to glory with a decisive contribution at the other end.
Casemiro has scored four goals in his last 12 games in all competitions, one more than he managed across his previous 89 matches at club level, while he is just the third Brazilian to net in an EFL Cup final – after both Philippe Coutinho and Fernandinho were on target in the 2016 showpiece.
Bad luck for Botman
Newcastle's Botman became just the fourth player to score an own goal in an EFL Cup final, following in the footsteps of Roger Kenyon (1977), Gordon Chisholm (1985) and Steven Gerrard (2005).
In truth, there was little the defender could have done to keep Rashford's strike out. The England forward was lively throughout at Wembley, creating a joint-high two chances for United as well as forcing Botman's own goal.
What's next?
United will bid to seal an FA Cup quarter-final place when they host West Ham on Wednesday. Newcastle, meanwhile, must turn their attentions back to the Premier League when they visit Manchester City on Saturday.
Jamal Musiala celebrated turning 20 with his 11th goal of the Bundesliga season as Bayern Munich returned to top spot by crushing title rivals Union Berlin 3-0 in wintry Bavaria.
A dusting of snow covered the Allianz Arena pitch at kick-off, and more fell during the game, but there was nothing flaky about the hosts.
Goals from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Kingsley Coman and Musiala meant they led 3-0 at half-time against a team who began the game on the same points total as Bayern.
The outcome meant Bayern nudged ahead again in the title race, going above Borussia Dortmund on goal difference, with surprise interlopers Union now trailing the top two by three points.
Bayern were rewarded for early dominance in the 31st minute when Choupo-Moting at the far post looped a header across goal and into the corner from Coman's right-wing cross.
That was the striker's ninth goal of the season, completing a career set for the former Hamburg, Schalke and Mainz man, who has now netted against every current Bundesliga team.
It was 2-0 in the 40th minute when Thomas Muller's clever pass played in Coman who danced around goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow before burying a low finish.
Two soon became three, with Bayern on easy street as they struck again in first-half stoppage time, Muller the provider once more when his cutback from the byline on the right found Musiala to smash in from close range.
Sadio Mane came off the bench midway through the second half, replacing Choupo-Moting, as the former Liverpool forward appeared for the first time since suffering a leg injury in November that ruled him out of Senegal's World Cup campaign.
Mane teed up a glorious chance for Muller, with the veteran's shot hitting the head of goalkeeper Ronnow and going over the crossbar.
Fellow substitute Serge Gnabry lashed just wide as Bayern threatened to run riot, but they settled in the end for three.
Graham Potter accepts he does not have enough goodwill in the bank with Chelsea supporters to prevent increasing speculation over his future.
The Blues slipped to yet another defeat on Sunday as Oliver Skipp and Harry Kane handed Tottenham a 2-0 Premier League victory.
The result means Chelsea have failed to win any of their last eight away games in the Premier League (D4 L4) – their longest such run in the competition since a 16-match run between April 2000 and March 2001.
Despite being well aware of the pressure he is under, Potter insists his focus is on turning around the Blues' fortunes.
"There's always that question [over his future]," he said. "And you can't stop the questions. With results like they are, you accept it.
"I haven't done enough at this club to have too much good faith. I accept that. My job isn't to worry too much about that.
"I understand the question, but I have to keep focusing on the team and helping the players.
"They are good lads who want to win, but at the moment we're suffering, and that is my responsibility.
"I need to focus on what I can control, which is the next day and the next training session.
"Our supporters have been very fair and supported the team. I've no complaints with the supporters. They're entitled to be upset and angry with the results we've got and that is my responsibility."
Chelsea have now scored a measly six goals across their past 12 games in the Premier League, with no side netting fewer in the competition since the start of November.
Potter acknowledged the scale of the issue, but the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss warned against any quick fixes.
"It's a combination of a few things and it's not easy to answer," he added.
"We've had chances, but we've not scored them. Today it wasn't a case of that. It was a tight game and the first goal was always going to be important.
"There is an element of players coming back from injury, getting them up to speed. As a team, we're not there in terms of how we want to look and how we want to function."
Lautaro Martinez bemoaned Inter's Serie A form this season after they slipped to a shock 1-0 defeat against Bologna, with the forward insistent they have to change.
A Riccardo Orsolini half-volley saw the visitors downed on the road at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, to leave them 18 points adrift of Napoli in the top-flight.
Having lost the Scudetto to rivals Milan last term, the San Siro outfit had hoped to mount a serious challenge to reclaim their crown this season.
But with any challenge all but long gone amid their indifferent form, Martinez acknowledged something has to shift for Simone Inzaghi's side.
"It would be wrong to talk too much in the heat of the moment," he told Sky Sport Italia. "But the sensation I have right now is that we'll get nowhere playing like this.
"We need to be more consistent. We just played a great game in the Champions League. We arrive here fired up and then [we] put in this performance.
"We've got to get our heads up and push forward, because we will get nowhere like this."
"Bologna are a good side. They played better than us today and deserved the win. We need to be more consistent, like we were against Porto.
"I am here to apologise to all the Inter fans. If I feel the need to say something, then I say it. We are 18 points behind Napoli, so clearly something is not working."
Inter next face a trip to Lecce, followed by a home clash against Spezia ahead of their second leg with Porto in the Champions League.
France got back to winning ways in the Six Nations with a 32-21 bonus-point victory over Scotland at the Stade de France.
Scotland headed into Sunday's game having opened the competition with back-to-back wins for the first time ever in the Six Nations era, but their hopes of setting up a potential Grand Slam decider against Ireland were ended as France bounced back from their 32-19 defeat to Andy Farrell's side in their last outing.
France were ahead within five minutes through Roman Ntamack, with Thomas Ramos adding the extras, and things went from bad to worse for Scotland shortly after when Grant Gilchrist was sent off for a high tackle on Anthony Jelonch.
The hosts extended their lead to 19-0 with tries from Ethan Dumortier and Ramos, though they were down to 14 men themselves when Mohamed Haouas saw red for a head-on-head hit on Ben White.
Huw Jones reduced the deficit prior to the break before going over again shortly after the restart to spark hopes of a Scotland revival, though a Ramos kick went through the posts to stretch France's advantage to 11 points.
Finn Russell then barrelled over before converting his own try to cut the lead to just four, and his team got the ball back with less than two minutes to play.
Scotland needed to go almost the full length of the field, but a penalty handed possession back to France, and the hosts capped the victory through Gael Fickou.
Tottenham's stand-in boss Cristian Stellini expects Antonio Conte to return to the club within the next week.
Conte had gallbladder surgery at the start of February after experiencing severe abdominal pain and took a short break from Spurs to begin his recovery.
The Italian returned to duties, but after having his recovery progress checked out, it was decided he would need more time away from frontline work.
Stellini, who oversaw Spurs' 2-0 Premier League win over Chelsea on Sunday, told BBC Sport: "Our desire was to win, play a great game and to fight for every ball.
"We are happy for the fans, the club and, of course, for us and Antonio, who is still at home.
"My expectation is that Antonio will be back next week."
Oliver Skipp got Spurs on their way against the Blues 19 seconds into the second half, before Harry Kane sealed all three points in the 82nd minute.
Skipp's goal was his first for the club in what was his 67th appearance, and Stellini was full of praise for the midfielder.
"Brilliant moment Skipp and one that we expected for one year because it has been one year he stayed far from the pitch," he added.
"Last season with physical problems and this year for tactical decisions.
"He is ready because he has trained a lot and pushed himself. He is an amazing guy and great player.
"A player like Skippy has to understand that if he trains a lot he will have possibilities to show his value."
Kane's effort saw him become one of only two players to score 20 or more goals in each of the last nine seasons in all competitions for clubs in Europe's big five leagues, along with Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski.
The Spurs skipper said: "Chelsea have been a difficult opponent for us over the last few years.
"So it's a really important win to keep us around fourth. Overall I thought we deserved the win.
"First half both teams created a few half chances. We struggled with our pressure a bit and sorted that out second half.
"I think we just showed a bit more quality in the final third and whenever you break the deadlock it helps open the game up. Another clean sheet, two goals, so overall a good home performance."
Jamaica’s ex-WBA world featherweight champion Nicholas ‘Axe Man’ Walters ended more than six years of semi-retirement with a dominant points win over Colombian Luis Diaz Marmol in Santa Marta, Colombia on Saturday night.
Returning in a weight class 14 pounds above his title-winning featherweight division, Walters earned the unanimous decision over local favourite Marmol in the eight-round super lightweight (140-pound) main event. The official scorecard read 80-72 and 78-74 twice in favour of the 37-year-old from Montego Bay.
“Marmol was very game but the overall experience and skill level of Walters was the difference,” Fightnews web site reported about the Panama-based Jamaican.
“He did not show much effects of ring inactivity as he was in complete control.”
With the result, Walters improves his ring record to 27 wins (21 kos) against one loss and one draw and the 29-year-old Marmol’s log dips to 19 wins (11 kos) against 17 losses.
Walters said recently he was encouraged to return to the ring by several trainers in Panama. He had been visiting the boxing gym to keep in shape but admits he “wasn’t really serious about fighting” until experts around the gym encouraged him to come out of retirement.
Walters became the first Jamaican ever to win a world boxing title at home when he beat Colombian Daulis Prescott for the WBA’s 126-pound belt in December 2012 at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston.
Saturday night’s outing was his first since November 20, 2016, when he quit against Vasiliy Lomachenko after being dominated by the outstanding Ukrainian for seven rounds in Nevada, USA.
Walters had turned pro in 2008 after an amateur career that included bronze at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games and two gold medals at the Caribbean Championships in 2005 and 2006. Within a few years he became one of the world’s most exciting fighters of the lower weight divisions after defeating big names like Nonito Donaire and Vic Darchinyan.
Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil has accused Real Madrid of pressurising officials and questioned the "integrity" of LaLiga after Angel Correa was sent off in Saturday's derby.
Correa was shown a straight red card midway through the second half of a 1-1 draw between the Madrid rivals at the Santiago Bernabeu, following a seemingly innocuous push on Antonio Rudiger.
Atletico have now had a man sent off in all three meetings with Madrid this season, with Correa following in the footsteps of Mario Hermoso and Stefan Savic.
While Diego Simeone's men made light of their numerical disadvantage to deal a blow to Madrid's title hopes, the decision left a sour taste for Gil Marin.
"I said it a few weeks ago and I stand by it, word for word," he said in a statement on the club's website. "Yesterday was more of the same, it's regrettable!
"We always suffer this kind of behaviour against this team because of the permanent pressure on the refereeing staff.
"After the last derby I decided to share my opinion publicly and, just for that, I received a lot of criticism and disqualifications from different groups.
"However, from many groups I received private expressions of support. I especially liked those that came from media professionals and former referees, because they understood better than anyone else my denunciation of a system that is not fair and that tries to influence the decisions of people who should be impartial judges.
"We cannot normalise what is abnormal. I refuse to get used to these situations, even though they have unfortunately become a habit over the years. We are fed up with it.
"The integrity of the competition cannot be in doubt."
Aston Martin closed the door on a Sebastian Vettel comeback by revealing Felipe Drugovich is the driver they have put on standby for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
Formula 2 champion Drugovich will step up from his role as a reserve driver if Lance Stroll is unfit to take part in the March 3-5 race weekend. Stroll sustained a wrist injury while cycling, causing him to miss pre-season testing.
Team principal Mike Krack initially refused to rule out the possibility of Vettel returning to the cockpit, despite the German great retiring at the end of the 2022 season.
Vettel, who won four world titles and enjoyed a 16-season Formula One career, has stayed in touch with Krack since hanging up his racing helmet.
Krack declined to say whether Vettel had expressed an interest in a possible one-off return, which would have seen him team up with fellow former world champion Fernando Alonso.
Yet confirmation the 35-year-old would not be involved came on Sunday, with 22-year-old Brazilian Drugovich in line for a possible F1 race debut.
In a statement on Twitter, Aston Martin said: "The team will continue to give Lance every chance to race, pending recovery from his injury. Should he not be fit to compete, then Felipe will drive the AMR23 alongside Fernando."
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