Cody Gakpo proved the hero for Liverpool as his two goals downed Brighton in the EFL Cup fourth round, though the forward still sees room for improvement.
The Netherlands international provided the Reds with some much-needed attacking force after the disappointing confirmation that Diogo Jota will be out until after the next international break.
Gakpo scored both his goals when cutting in from the left-hand side, before fellow winger Luis Diaz also got on the scoresheet.
Simon Adingra and Tariq Lamptey both scored late on to offer Liverpool a scare, though Slot's side held on for a 3-2 victory that sent them into the last eight.
However, Gakpo believes his match-winning performance could have been improved.
"I think two good goals, but I think maybe it should have been more, or maybe I get an assist as well." he told Sky Sports.
Liverpool fielded a young side at the Amex Stadium, with goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros and England Under-21 midfielder Tyler Morton among the starters.
Gakpo lauded the impact of an inexperienced side against Fabian Hurzeler's hosts.
"Very good. Morton, who doesn't start that often, started, then Trey [Nyoni] came in, and the goalkeeper obviously. I think they did fantastic," he added.
"It's not easy if you don’t play that often, then suddenly have to play. Everyone did well, so really proud of them and really proud of the team."
Liverpool will face Southampton, who sneaked past Stoke City on Tuesday, in the quarter-finals, with Gakpo intent on chasing silverware with the Reds.
"Every competition you play in, you want to win," he continued. "So, [I am] very happy we went through and on to the next."
Unai Emery refused to blame his team selection as Aston Villa missed out on the EFL Cup quarter-finals after their 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.
Villa were dumped out of the competition in the fourth round, as Palace stunned the home crowd with Eberechi Eze's headed opener.
Both Eze and Adam Wharton were forced off injured in the first half, during which Jhon Duran levelled proceedings, though Daichi Kamada slammed into the bottom-left corner from outside the box to snatch the win.
Leon Bailey, John McGinn and Diego Carlos were the only regular starters Emery fielded in a rotated lineup, though the Villa manager defended his decision after the full-time whistle.
"We started with 11 players who are in the first team," Emery told Sky Sports. "We started with Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos, and they can play normally in the starting 11.
"We started with [Ian] Maatsen, [Boubacar] Kamara, McGinn, Duran and [Emiliano] Buendia. I don't know if I can have any regrets.
"Today, we competed and we lost, but we competed with the idea of players getting performances. Of course, we are frustrated, but if I repeated it again, I would play with the same players."
Oliver Glasner's Palace have struggled in the Premier League, leaving this result as somewhat of a surprise against Champions League opposition.
Victory came at a cost, however, as Eze limped off with a hamstring issue and Wharton suffered a groin problem.
"[We] started the game well," Glasner told Sky Sports. "The problem [with Eze] was his hamstring, and we don't know how serious it is.
"We concede and then have Adam's [Wharton] groin issue. [On Tuesday] he said he was fine, but his pain got worse. It's too early, but I am positive as it's nothing new. He has had groin problems for many months.
"We thought he needed a break, but yesterday, he gave the thumbs up."
Timo Werner scored his first goal in seven months to help Tottenham eliminate Manchester City from the EFL Cup with a 2-1 victory in Wednesday's last-16 tie.
Both teams were left to count the cost of muscle injuries come full-time of an entertaining game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Micky van de Ven hobbled off in tears and Savinho was also distressed as he went off on a stretcher.
Werner also sustained a knock that forced him off, but that was long after emphatically curling away from Stefan Ortega inside five minutes after being teed up by Dejan Kulusevski down the Spurs right.
Pape Matar Sarr tucked in a first-time finish of his own from outside the box to double the hosts' advantage 25 minutes later - an effort Ortega perhaps could have done better to keep out - but City finally woke up before half-time.
Savinho picked out Matheus Nunes to side-volley in at the back post and that set the tone for a gripping second period - one in which Erling Haaland watched from the substitutes' bench despite his side chasing a goal.
Ortega made three saves to keep City in the tie, with Richarlison failing to convert from a glorious position, and those misses so nearly proved costly in the closing stages.
Yves Bissouma brilliantly denied Nico O'Reilly on the line with quick reflexes, however, to ensure Ange Postecoglou remains on course for silverware in his second season at Spurs, while inflicting a first loss of the campaign on eight-time EFL Cup winners City.
Data Debrief: City can't handle Kulu
Tottenham had suffered elimination from their previous three EFL Cup ties against fellow Premier League opposition - against Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Fulham in the past three seasons - but they showed great resolve to overcome City.
Werner and Sarr scored the goals that sent Spurs through, both of those assisted by Kulusevski in a different manner. The Sweden international created four chances in total, which was double the number of any other home player.
Man City may have scored for the first time in four away games in the EFL Cup, but this marks their third successive away loss in the competition for the first time since August 1997.
Manchester United breezed into the EFL Cup quarter-finals with a 5-2 win over Leicester City, as Ruud van Nistelrooy's first game in interim charge ended in victory.
Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday with assistant Van Nistelrooy stepping into a caretaker role, with United expected to soon appoint Sporting's Ruben Amorim as their permanent boss.
Van Nistelrooy's tenure got off to an encouraging start with Casemiro's long-range finish into the top-right corner after just 15 minutes, before Alejandro Garnacho scored from Diogo Dalot's cross 13 minutes later.
Bilal El Khannouss scrambled a strike past Altay Bayindir to reduce the arrears in the 33rd minute, though Bruno Fernandes restored the hosts' two-goal advantage with a deflected free-kick effort soon after.
Casemiro then hammered home a rebound from close range just three minutes later, before Conor Coady again reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time when capitalising on a loose ball to convert.
Fernandes doubled his own tally and extended United's lead just past the hour, rounding Danny Ward to cap the rout following a poor pass backwards by Caleb Okoli.
Data Debrief: Familiar failure for Foxes
Van Nistelrooy was always expected to have the Old Trafford crowd on side, owing to his playing days at the club, and Leicester struggled to get going at a place they have struggled in recent times.
The Foxes have now lost 12 of their last 15 away games at United in all competitions (won one, drawn two), while the Red Devils have managed seven victories in their last eight home games in this competition (lost one).
It proved to be a convincing win as well, with United accumulating 2.95 expected goals (xG) to Leicester's meagre 0.99.
Newcastle United booked their place in the EFL Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea at St James' Park.
Eddie Howe's side struck twice in the space of three first-half minutes through Alexander Isak and an Axel Disasi own goal, which proved enough to seal their progress.
Just three days after Chelsea overcame Newcastle in the Premier League, Joelinton struck the post from an Isak cross early on Wednesday, while Renato Veiga's shot deflected narrowly wide at the other end.
Newcastle broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute when Chelsea were caught in possession at the back, with Sandro Tonali finding Isak, who calmly slotted past Filip Jorgensen.
Isak was involved again when he latched onto a quickly taken free-kick before his deflected cross was helped on by Joe Willock, before Disasi turned the ball into his own net just three minutes later.
Chelsea looked to respond and controlled large periods of the second half as Joao Felix went closest to scoring when he chipped marginally wide in the 75th minute.
William Osula almost added a third for Newcastle following a swift counter that culminated in the substitute striking the post, but the two-goal cushion was sufficient enough to get the Magpies over the line.
Data Debrief: Magpies march into another quarter-final
Newcastle find themselves in extremely familiar territory, after progressing to their fourth EFL Cup quarter-final in the last five seasons.
The Magpies' only win from their previous six matches across all competitions came against AFC Wimbledon in the previous round, but they upset the form book here.
Now unbeaten in each of their last 12 EFL Cup matches when scoring first, Howe's side condemned Chelsea to only a second defeat in 11 games.
Arsenal eased their way into the EFL Cup quarter-finals after a dominant 3-0 away victory over Preston North End on Wednesday.
Paul Heckingbotton's Championship side proved no match for the Gunners at Deepdale, where Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring after 24 minutes when sweeping home Jakub Kiwior's headed assist.
Jesus turned into the creator just nine minutes later, sliding inside towards the edge of the area before teenager Ethan Nwaneri curled a stunning left-footed attempt into the top-left corner.
Left-back Kiwior grabbed another assist with a delightful delivery after the interval, leaving Kai Havertz with a simple header past Freddie Woodman just before the hour.
The Preston goalkeeper denied Raheem Sterling twice in quick succession soon after, before Stefan Thordarson almost turned into his own net when attempting to clear Arsenal's set-piece routine.
Nwaneri then rattled the crossbar with an ambitious effort as Arsenal cruised into the last-eight draw before Saturday's Premier League trip to Newcastle United.
Data Debrief: Gunners fire past another challenger
Since losing 3-0 to Sheffield Wednesday in October 2015, Arsenal have won all 12 of their EFL Cup matches against sides from outside the Premier League by an aggregate score of 41-5.
The Gunners added another emphatic away victory here to that streak, which also includes a 4-0 win at Nottingham Forest in 2016 and a 6-0 thrashing of West Brom at the Hawthorns in 2021.
For Preston, it was a further disappointment as they lost in the fourth round for an eighth occasion – they have played the most games in the competition without ever featuring in the quarter-final stage (185).
Cody Gakpo scored twice as Liverpool beat Brighton 3-2 in a thriller at the Amex Stadium to book a place in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.
The Dutchman's unstoppable strike 38 seconds into the second half gave the holders the lead in Wednesday's tie, and he added a second just after the hour mark.
Luis Diaz restored Liverpool's two-goal cushion after Simon Adingra pulled one back, only for Tariq Lamptey to net another for Brighton in a gripping finale, but the visitors held on for a 12th win in 14 games under Arne Slot.
Vitezslav Jaros was handed a full Liverpool debut as both sides made eight changes ahead of facing each other in the league in three days' time, and the goalkeeper produced a good save to deny Tariq Lamptey from the best chance of the first half.
After an ultimately goalless opening 45 minutes, it took Gakpo less than a minute to open the scoring after the restart as he cut in from the left and curled the ball out of Jason Steele's reach from just inside the box.
After Jaros produced a fine save to push Adingra's header onto the post, and Liverpool completely wasted a three-on-one counter, Gakpo drilled a second past Steele at his near post after outmuscling Lamptey.
Adingra set up a nervy finale when reacting quickest to a spilt Jaros save, which the Reds reacted to with Diaz's well-taken strike inside the box, but that was only a temporary reprieve.
However, Lamptey's goal - via a deflection off Jarell Quansah - proved to be nothing more than a consolation for Brighton as they fell just short of a dramatic comeback.
Data Debrief: Gakpo keeps up impressive record
Gakpo had scored more EFL Cup goals than any other player (six) since the start of last season heading into Wednesday's action and added two more to his tally.
That brace ensured Liverpool made it three wins from three against Brighton in this competition, the previous two victories coming in 1985-86 and 2011-12.
As a result, the Reds avoid becoming the fourth successive holders of this cup to exit at the fourth-round stage.
St Lucia’s sprint sensation Julien Alfred has been awarded the prestigious Best Female Athlete of the Paris 2024 Olympics by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). Alfred, who dominated the 100m event with a lifetime-best 10.72 seconds, was present to receive the accolade at a grand ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, honoring standout athletes from the 2024 Olympic Games.
Alfred, 23, delivered a spectacular performance at the Paris Games, capturing gold in the women’s 100m final and securing a silver in the 200m with a time of 22.08 seconds. Her 100m victory, marked by a personal best, cemented her place as one of the fastest women in the world and brought home an Olympic gold medal for St. Lucia, a historic achievement for the Caribbean nation.
The St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) congratulated Alfred on her win, expressing pride in her accomplishments and the impact she continues to have on young athletes across the island. “We extend heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Julien Alfred on being awarded this remarkable accolade. We hope her continued successes inspire present and future athletes,” the SLOC stated, emphasizing Alfred’s role in representing St. Lucia on the global stage.
With this award, Alfred joins an elite group of Olympic athletes celebrated for their dedication and excellence, marking a significant moment for her career and St. Lucian sports. Her achievements in Paris underscore her status as one of the brightest stars in athletics, inspiring fans worldwide and leaving an indelible mark on the history of the Games.
Alexander Zverev progressed to the last 16 of the Paris Masters following a straight-sets victory over Tallon Griekspoor.
The Italian Open champion prevailed 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 after just over an hour-and-a-half at Accor Arena.
The opening set remained on serve and went to a tie-break, which Zverev subsequently dominated to draw first blood.
Runner-up to Daniil Medvedev in this ATP Masters event four years ago, the German crucially claimed the match's only break in game six of the second set.
Zverev then subsequently held out for victory to set up a last-16 clash with Arthur Fils, who defeated him in the Hamburg final earlier this season.
Data Debrief: Zverev gets his break
Zverev maintained his perfect record against Griekspoor in 2024, having now won all four of their meetings, but it was a contest of fine margins.
Indeed, Griekspoor was dominant on serve early on, losing just one of his opening 14 points. However, the only break point he faced was ruthlessly pounced upon by the German, who saved all three he faced.
Unforced errors were also crucial with Zverev committing just nine to his opponent's 17, and his quest for a second trophy of the season continues.
The Toronto Raptors will be without Scottie Barnes for at least three weeks after the All-Star forward suffered a right orbital fracture in Monday’s overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Barnes had 21 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and a career high-tying five steals Monday before exiting late in the fourth quarter after being hit in the eye by Nuggets star Nikola Jokic while fighting for a rebound.
Toronto signed the 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year to a five-year contract extension in July that could be worth up to $270million after he became a first-time All-Star last season.
Barnes set personal bests in 2023-24 with 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.47 assists per game. He also shot a career-high 34.1 percent from 3-point range.
Toronto is off to a 1-3 start after going 25-57 last season.
Nicholas Pooran, the dynamic West Indies batter, is poised to earn an impressive US$2 million with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as their primary retention ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Reports indicate that Pooran’s retention became virtually official following a recent meeting with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka in Kolkata, solidifying his spot as LSG’s key asset for the upcoming season.
Originally, KL Rahul, who captained LSG for the past two seasons, was anticipated to be the top retention choice. However, with Rahul’s departure, Pooran stepped into the role, securing an 18 crore (approximately US$2 million) paycheck — the highest of his IPL career. LSG previously invested heavily in Pooran, acquiring him for ₹16 crore (around US$1.9 million) ahead of the 2023 season following his release by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
“Pooran is committed to LSG, possesses a winning mindset, thinks deeply, and, above all, is adaptable to the batting order and any match situation,” a source close to the franchise said, explaining the rationale behind the hefty retention.
Pooran's remarkable performance last season backs LSG’s decision. He was among the top run-scorers, amassing 499 runs at an impressive average of 62.38 and a strike rate of 178.21, with three half-centuries. His impact continued through 2024, where he’s emerged as the leading run-scorer in all formats of T20 cricket, hammering 2251 runs from 68 games. This places him well above other marquee T20 players, with the closest Indian contender, Virat Kohli, ranked significantly lower.
With Pooran’s position secured, LSG is expected to retain a core group that includes spinner Ravi Bishnoi, young fast bowler Mayank Yadav, promising batsman Ayush Badoni, and left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan. Heading into the IPL mega-auction next month, LSG has a substantial purse of 69 crore, which will be used to fill 15 slots, rounding out a strong team.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul is anticipated to be one of the most sought-after players in the auction. Rumors suggest that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) may be keen to bring Rahul back, particularly as veteran Faf du Plessis, now 40, nears the latter stages of his career. Rahul began his IPL journey with RCB in 2014, and a return could provide stability and leadership for the Bangalore-based team.
As the IPL gears up for the 2025 season, Pooran’s elevation to LSG’s primary retention spot marks a significant moment for both the franchise and the player, with both hoping his performance will further solidify LSG’s stature in the league.
Steve Borthwick has challenged England to "finish the job" by converting positive performances into victories against the world's top teams.
The 2003 world champions begin their Autumn Nations Series against New Zealand at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
England are aiming to bounce back from narrow defeats against the All Blacks, who prevailed 16-15 and 24-17 in their two previous encounters in July.
Borthwick's side were also narrowly beaten 33-31 by France in their final match of this year's Six Nations, while a last-gasp 16-15 loss at the hands of South Africa denied them a place in the 2023 World Cup final.
And the head coach wants his players to demonstrate their ruthless streak to get them over the line against the bigger nations.
"We've got a young squad," he told TNT Sports. "There's a real feeling of enthusiasm for where they can take this team.
"I think you've seen that evolution with the team, but also seeing there's plenty we've still got to do. It's a brilliant series ahead.
"There was a period where the England team weren't necessarily challenging those teams at the top of the world rankings. Now, we've been able to do that in recent times.
"We haven't won as many games as we wanted to. In a lot of those games, it came to that final quarter where we've been in a position to win it, and we haven't been able to convert it to the result we wanted.
"Now, we're going to make sure we finish the job, and that's been part of the discussion with the players last week."
Davide Frattesi scored twice and Lautaro Martinez added a third as Inter eased to a 3-0 win at 10-man Empoli on Wednesday.
Inter's victory at Stadio Carlo Castellani sees them close the gap on Serie A leaders Napoli to four points.
Empoli faced an uphill battle when Saba Goglichidze was shown a red card for a studs-up high challenge on Marcus Thuram after half an hour, and Inter made the extra man count in the second half.
Frattesi found the net five minutes after the break and doubled Inter's lead in the 67th minute, before Martinez rounded off the win 11 minutes from time, stretching Empoli's winless run to five games.
Inter, now unbeaten in five league games, remain second in the standings with 21 points, behind Napoli on 25 after their 2-0 win at AC Milan on Tuesday. Empoli remain 11th on 11 points.
Data Debrief: Inter register another Empoli shutout
Inter have now kept a clean sheet in their past 10 away games against Empoli in Serie A, extending the record for one club against another in the competition's history.
Frattesi was the star performer for the visitors with his double, making him the highest-scoring Italian midfielder across Europe's top five leagues for club and country this season with six goals to his name.
Inter did well to keep out Empoli, who have failed to score in 10 of their past 15 home games in Serie A - the worst return of any side in the league.
Cristiano Ronaldo is "not going to give up" and will feature at the 2026 World Cup, according to Portugal team-mate Vitinha.
The Selecao skipper holds the international record for the most caps (216) and most goals (133) since making his senior bow in August 2003.
Ronaldo also captained Portugal to their triumphs at Euro 2016 and the inaugural Nations League three years later.
The 39-year-old has appeared in five separate editions of the World Cup between 2006 and 2022, yet football's biggest prize has eluded him.
However, he was subjected to widespread criticism after failing to score at Euro 2024, where Portugal bowed out at the quarter-final stage after losing to France on penalties, while many claim his presence is now hindering his nation's progress.
Ronaldo will be 41 when the World Cup is held in North America, but international colleague Vitinha is adamant the Al-Nassr forward will be present for their country.
"39 years old and still a starter for the national team, I have no explanation for this longevity," the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder told RMC podcast Rothen s’enflamme.
"He has already said it, and I imagine it's the professionalism he has in everything he does. In the morning, in the evening, every day of his career, it's incredible.
"I can imagine the efforts and sacrifices he must make and has made. And I also imagine that's what has kept him in this condition at 39 years old.
"It's a privilege for me. We are small, we are children, we dream of playing with him one day, and it's happening.
"Luckily, I've had quite a few years to enjoy the national team with him. Of course, he will be there [at the 2026 World Cup]; he's not going to give up."
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