Frank Lampard has thanked Everton fans and hailed a "special club with a huge heart" after his sacking earlier this week.

Lampard was dismissed on Monday following a 2-0 defeat at West Ham, which left Everton in 19th place and level on points with Southampton below them.

Chelsea's record goalscorer Lampard joined Everton in January of last year, replacing Rafael Benitez – an unpopular and divisive figure with the Toffees' fanbase.

Lampard formed a connection with Everton's fanbase but could not avoid a relegation scrap. However, a run of three wins from Everton's final six games of the season ensured their survival, with a 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park guaranteeing their long run in the top tier continued.

The sale of talisman Richarlison in June, and the continued injury issues of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, hindered Everton this season. They have won just three times in the league, and Lampard paid the price, becoming the sixth manager to be dismissed by Farhad Moshiri since he invested in the club in 2016.

On Thursday, Lampard posted a goodbye message on his official Instagram account, with the statement also shared by the League Managers Association (LMA).

"Coming into Everton last year I knew we were in a tough moment and I will always be proud of the incredible work and support from everyone involved to keep the team in the Premier League last season," Lampard wrote.

"Thanks to everybody that played their part as the whole club came together. I will never forget the incredible night against Palace that we shared.

"I want to thank all Evertonians for the welcome that you gave to myself, my staff, and my family. It truly is a special club with a huge heart, and an incredible history.

"I'm disappointed that we couldn't achieve more together and wish all the players and everyone at Everton FC the very best for the future."

Lampard, who spent just under a year in charge, won only nine of his 38 Premier League matches, meaning his win percentage (23.7) is better than only that of Mike Walker (19.4) when it comes to Everton managers to have overseen at least 10 games in the competition. He won a further three cup matches.

It has been a whirlwind week at Everton. Following Lampard's dismissal, they had expected to announce the signing of Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal.

Yet Danjuma failed to complete the formalities of the transfer and instead joined Tottenham.

Owner Moshiri has denied reports that the club is up for sale, though acknowledged he is looking for investment. MSP Sports Capital, an investment firm with stakes in several European teams as well as Formula One's McLaren Racing, are reportedly interested.

Meanwhile, Everton's search for Lampard's replacement is gathering pace. Former Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa flew into London on Thursday for talks with the club's hierarchy and is said to be Moshiri's first choice.

Ex-Burnley boss Sean Dyche is reportedly a reserve candidate, while Ralph Hasenhuttl, West Brom's Carlos Corberan and Davide Ancelotti, assistant to his father Carlo at Real Madrid, have also been linked.

Stats Perform understands that academy graduate Anthony Gordon has not attended training this week, with Newcastle United reportedly hoping to sign the winger.

Kolo Toure has been sacked by Wigan Athletic less than two months after taking charge of the Championship club.

Toure, the former Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool defender, was appointed Wigan manager on November 29. It was his first job in management.

However, the 41-year-old was sacked on Thursday after just 59 days having failed to win any of his nine games in charge.

Toure's Wigan lost six of those fixtures and sit bottom of the Championship with 25 points from 28 matches.

The Latics' chief executive Malachy Brannigan said: "Firstly, I'd like to thank Kolo [for his] efforts during [his] time at the football club. 

"Unfortunately, the results on the field have not been as we would have liked and as tough a decision as this was, the Board felt it necessary to give us the best possible chance of remaining a Championship club next season."

Malo Gusto will remain at Lyon despite interest from Chelsea, with club president Jean-Michel Aulas claiming the right-back will stay in Ligue 1.

The youngster has been linked with a switch to the Premier League heavyweights, who have presided over a high-spending January transfer window.

France youth international Gusto is the latest to be touted for a move, and has reportedly already agreed personal terms on a six-and-a-half-year deal.

But reports also said Lyon knocked back a £17.6million (€20m) offer from the Blues on Wednesday, and Aulas has claimed the 19-year-old will not be going anywhere this month.

"I have the pleasure to explain that Malo Gusto, one of Lyon's big talents, will continue to play for Lyon until at least June 30," he wrote on Twitter.

Gusto is out of contract at the end of next season with the Ligue 1 outfit, who currently ninth with just one win from their last five top-flight matches.

The club reportedly value him closer to £35m (€40m) and may well be playing hardball in order to convince Chelsea to either up their offer or wait for the end of the campaign.

With 47 appearances for his hometown club, Gusto is already knocking at the door of the France senior team under Didier Deschamps.

If he was to move to Chelsea, he would become their seventh arrival of the transfer window, and second from Ligue 1 after Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile.

David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke are the other permanent arrivals at Stamford Bridge, while Joao Felix also joined on loan from Atletico Madrid.

Gareth Southgate described the England manager job as "the greatest privilege" of his life and said he wanted to make sure he was "fresh and hungry" before committing to remain in the role after the Three Lions' World Cup exit.

A year-and-a-half on from reaching the Euro 2020 final on home turf, England were edged out 2-1 in the quarter-finals of Qatar 2022 by France.

The tournament nevertheless marked a turnaround in form for the Three Lions after a dismal Nations League campaign, underlining Southgate's record in his role.

But the former Middlesbrough boss acknowledged he needed time to ensure he made the right call in choosing to remain on board.

"I never want to be in a position where my presence is affecting the team in a negative way," he told BBC Sport.

"I didn't believe that was the case, but I just wanted a period after the World Cup to reflect and make sure that was still how it felt."

"Is it the right thing to keep taking this project on? I wanted to make sure I'm still fresh and hungry for that challenge. [It is] the greatest privilege of my life.

"The quality of performances and the progress that we're making [shows] the team [is] still improving. We're all gaining belief in what we're doing."

England face a banana-skin qualification pathway for Euro 2024, with defending champions Italy, Ukraine, North Macedonia and Malta in their group.

The Three Lions will play the former two sides in March as they begin their campaign working towards next year's tournament in Germany.

Real Madrid have called on authorities to hold those responsible for the abuse of Vinicius Junior to account.

Madrid host rivals Atletico Madrid in a Copa del Rey encounter on Thursday.

In the build-up to the match, pictures were shared on social media showing a mannequin, wearing a Vinicius shirt, hung by the neck from a bridge in the Spanish capital.

This was condemned by Atleti, who released a statement saying: "Such acts are absolutely repugnant and inadmissible and shame society. Our condemnation of any act that attacks the dignity of persons or institutions is categorical and unreserved."

Madrid have now joined their neighbours in condemning what they label as a "repugnant act of racism, xenophobia and hatred".

A statement read: "Real Madrid would like to thank you for the support and expressions of affection received after the regrettable and repugnant act of racism, xenophobia and hatred against our player Vinicius.

"We would like to express our strongest condemnation of these acts which are an attack on fundamental rights and the dignity of people, and which have nothing to do with the values that football and sport represent.

"Attacks such as those suffered by our player, or those suffered by any sportsperson, have no place in a society such as ours

"Real Madrid trust that those who have participated in such a despicable act will be held accountable."

The Confederacao Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) also joined in the condemnation.

"The CBF vehemently repudiates the racist acts suffered once again by Vinicius," a statement read.

"Intolerance and discrimination are not part of sport and must be eliminated from society. We hope that those responsible are identified and punished under the law."

LaLiga called for a full investigation to be launched and criminal sanctions issued against guilty parties.

Atletico Madrid condemned the "repugnant" actions that have seen Vinicius Jr the target of abuse ahead of Thursday's derby against Real Madrid.

The two great rivals clash in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey at Santiago Bernabeu, but build-up for the tie has been marred by a section of Atleti supporters.

Pictures spread on social media showed a mannequin, wearing a Vinicius shirt, hung by the neck from a bridge in the Spanish capital.

A banner in the colours of Atletico was displayed on the same bridge which read: "Madrid hates Real".

In a statement, Atletico said: "Such acts are absolutely repugnant and inadmissible and shame society. Our condemnation of any act that attacks the dignity of persons or institutions is categorical and unreserved.

"The rivalry between the two clubs is the greatest, but so is respect. No individual, whatever their intentions or colours, can tarnish the coexistence between different supporters. It is everyone's responsibility to avoid this.

"We do not know the perpetrator or perpetrators of this despicable act, but their anonymity does not avoid their responsibility. We hope that the authorities succeed in clarifying what happened and that justice helps to banish this type of behaviour."

LaLiga also issued a statement on the matter, calling for a full investigation to be launched and criminal sanctions issued against guilty parties.

"We strongly condemn the acts of hatred directed towards Vinicius Junior. Intolerance and violence has no place in football," the statement read.

"As it has done before, La Liga will press for a full investigation in search of the facts and the conviction of those responsible, requesting the most severe criminal sanctions."

It is not the first time Vinicius has been targeted by sections of the Atletico fanbase, with footage outside the Civitas Metropolitano ahead of the LaLiga clash between the two clubs earlier this season showing fans chanting abuse.

Pep Guardiola claimed working with Mikel Arteta made him a "better manager" ahead of Friday's FA Cup reunion.

Guardiola's Manchester City side host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in the fourth round, the first clash this season between the current top two sides in the Premier League.

Arteta will return to Manchester for the game, having spent three years working as Guardiola's assistant after he ended his playing career in 2016.

The Gunners boss has spoken of the impact of his former mentor and how their partnership helped to craft him into a manager, having left City for Arsenal in 2019.

It was not just a one-way street though, with Guardiola revealing he benefitted similarly from working alongside his Spanish compatriot.

"He said he would like to work together and that he can help because he knows the Premier League perfectly, he knows all the managers," Guardiola told a press conference.

"I remember the first game, we played against Sunderland and against David Moyes. He said he knows him well from Everton, he does this, he does that, all the strategies and the pieces.

"After 15 minutes, half an hour, I knew he was the man, the guy to help me. If you can have someone who can anticipate and has the knowledge of what it is like to go to Stoke City away, to go to every stadium, a guy who has been there for many years.

"So, we started to work together. I don't know what my part on him was, but his influence on me was great, it was massive and so important to be a better manager."

Even in his years with City, Guardiola knew Arteta retained an allegiance to Arsenal, where he was a former club captain. Guardiola revealed Arteta never used to celebrate goals against the side he skippered in the final two years of his playing career.

"I know he went to his team, his club, the team he dreamed of. He was a supporter, he played there, he was captain there, he loves that club," Guardiola said.

"I remember when we worked together here, we'd score a lot of goals and he was always jumping and celebrating, except against one team. Against this team, we'd score a goal, I'd jump, I'd turn and he was sitting there – it was Arsenal."

Arteta has made Arsenal the team to beat in this season's Premier League, with the Gunners five points clear of City, also boasting a game in hand.

Guardiola said Arteta's move to Arsenal made complete sense.

"It's like me, if I was training here as assistant coach and Barcelona called me, I would go," Guardiola said. "It is my club. I'm not the person to say he must stay here with me, he has a contract. People have to fly when they believe it's best for them.

"For players, I've said it many times, if they're not happy they have to leave. Life is too short, especially for players, to spend time in a place that you don't like, that's treated you bad or whatever. That's what it is."

Reggae Boyz defender Damion Lowe is now a player for the Philadelphia Union in the USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS) after being acquired by the franchise in a trade with Inter Miami CF.

The trade was announced on Wednesday.

According to the franchises, in exchange for the 29-year-old Lowe, Philadelphia sent Miami $225,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM), a natural first-round pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft and the Priority Homegrown Rights for Inter Miami II forward Shanyder Borgelin.

Sporting Director at Philadelphia Union is optimistic about Lowe’s arrival.

“Damion is an experienced defender who fits into our current needs,” he said.

“He’s an athletic, quick player and we expect him to be an important piece of our defensive unit as we begin a season that will require lineup and formation changes due to the unprecedented number of matches.”

Meanwhile, Inter Miami CSO and sporting director Chris Henderson, in a statement thanked Lowe for the time he spent at Inter Miami.

“We want to thank Damion for everything he’s done for Inter Miami during his time with the club and wish him the best moving forward,” he said.

At Philadelphia, Lowe joins his Reggae Boyz teammate, goalkeeper Andre Blake.

Fluminense president Mario Bittencourt confirmed the club are keen on signing Thiago Silva and Marcelo at the end of their contracts.

Silva, 38, began his career at Fluminense, returning to the club in 2006 for a three-year spell before making his mark in European football with Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Full-back Marcelo's footballing roots also trace back to the Brazilian side, with a single year in the first team before a trophy-laden 15-years with Real Madrid that ended in 2022.

Both players are out of contract with their teams at the end of the season and Bittencourt confirmed the club will make a move if they do not renew with Chelsea and Olympiacos respectively.

"We are waiting for [Thiago Silva's] decision at Chelsea. We don't know yet if he will extend there or not," he told a press conference.

"Depending on this information, whether he extends or not, we will start discussions for him to come back to Fluminense.

"We have the will to bring [Marcelo] in. But he is in the same situation as Thiago Silva. He has a contract in Greece that goes until May.

"We are waiting to see the decision he will take there, if he will extend or not. There was a report that Al-Nassr, the same club as Cristiano [Ronaldo], were interested in him.

"We are following the situation of Marcelo and Thiago Silva to bring them back."

Jose Mourinho is "still number one" in the eyes of former Inter star Wesley Sneijder.

The Portuguese boss celebrates his 60th birthday on Thursday and is back in Italian football with Roma, who he led to glory in the inaugural season of the UEFA Conference League in 2021-22.

That triumph was Mourinho's fifth continental title, having won the Champions League with Porto and Inter, the UEFA Cup with Porto and the Europa League with Manchester United.

Mourinho's treble-winning season with Inter in 2009-10 is one of the highlights of his illustrious career, with Sneijder part of the team that dominated in the Nerazzurri's most famous campaign.

The Portuguese great went on to enjoy LaLiga success with Real Madrid, while leading Chelsea to the Premier League title in his second spell in charge, which preceded winning the EFL Cup and Europa League with United.

However, he was sacked by both clubs and by Tottenham prior to joining Roma, with some believing Mourinho's reputation has taken a hit.

Sneijder, however, still rates Mourinho ahead of his managerial rivals.

"I have great memories of him, especially when we won the Champions League. He was very determined and so confident we would win that match," he told Stats Perform.

"He knows exactly how to behave with his players on the pitch but especially off it. As I said before, with him there was no need for a chairman, he protected all the players.

"For me, he is still number one."

Having guided Roma to a sixth-place finish in Serie A last season, Mourinho's side are now in the midst of a fierce battle for a top-four finish and Champions League football.

Roma are fifth, level on points with Inter and Lazio ahead of them, while just three points separate second-placed Milan from sixth-placed Atalanta.

With many rival teams enduring problems this season, Sneijder feels Mourinho and Roma have a great opportunity to take advantage.

"Of course, he is doing well there. As you said, Milan, Inter and Juventus with all their problems are a bit in trouble now, so this is the right moment [for Roma]," he added.

"But there is Napoli now who are doing great in Serie A and in the Champions League. It will be hard to beat Napoli, but Roma can beat all the others."

Chelsea have spent plenty of money on recruitment during the January transfer window, landing Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueka, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.

But the Blues may not be done with transfer activity before Tuesday's window closure.

Chelsea are still eager to bolster their midfield options, having missed out on a few key targets.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA TO MOVE FOR EVERTON MIDFIELDER

Chelsea will move to sign unsettled Everton defensive midfielder Amadou Onana, according to The Times.

The Blues will divert their attention to the Senegal-born Belgium international after missing out on Benfica's Enzo Fernandez and Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo.

Onana was given a leave of absence from Everton training earlier this week and is unhappy given the club's plight with Frank Lampard sacked as manager this week.

ROUND-UP

– Ferran Torres could be sold by Barcelona in the off-season, despite only joining the Blaugrana in January last year, reports Sport. Barca have ignored offers for the forward in January, despite some clubs wanting him on loan while the report links Atletico Madrid with the 22-year-old.

– Milan are monitoring the status of Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, according to The Sun. The Portuguese has struggled for games since the World Cup and could be open to a move.

– Tottenham are getting closer to completing a deal for Sporting full-back Pedro Porro, reports The Guardian. Sporting are determined to recoup his buyout clause of €45 million (£39.7m), with talks, ongoing since the start of the month, getting towards a conclusion.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Weston McKennie has agreed personal terms with Leeds United however the move hinges on negotiations with Juventus about the transfer fee. Leeds' opening bid was €28m, but the Bianconeri want €35m.

– Everton are plotting a shock £25m move to sign Chelsea's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech, claims Sky Sports. Roma are also interested in the 29-year-old too, while PSG are keeping tabs on him, according to Media Foot.

– Nottingham Forest are weighing up a bid to sign 28-year-old Italian midfielder Roberto Gagliardini from Inter, claims Calciomercato.

Last Sunday had the potential to change everything in the Premier League title race. Instead, it changed nothing.

Arsenal ended the weekend as they started it: five points clear of Manchester City with a game in hand.

Mikel Arteta's men took seven points from consecutive matches against third-placed Newcastle United, fifth-placed Tottenham and fourth-placed Manchester United.

They have passed the various tests left before them and maintained a healthy lead over City.

But they still have not played City themselves this season. That will change on Friday – just not in the Premier League.

The FA Cup fourth-round draw paired England's best two teams, providing a warm-up at the Etihad Stadium for their Emirates Stadium league clash in February.

These coming encounters are likely to bring more pressure for Arteta and Arsenal, who are without a title since 2004 and unfamiliar with such high-stakes matches of late.

The manager perhaps has a decision to make then on how to approach this cup tie – both in terms of his personnel and their approach.

When Arsenal exited the EFL Cup at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in early November, they did so with a team showing 10 changes to the line-up from their prior league win at Chelsea.

But does Arteta want to shuffle the pack again here and give the upper hand to City ahead of a far more important game in three weeks' time?

Speaking on Wednesday, Arteta weighed up the merits of cup progress – "that gives you more momentum, more confidence and prepares you better for the next match," he said – but he was also certain the league and cup matches would be "two very, very different games".

That was the case in Arsenal's double-winning campaign of 2001-02, when the Gunners beat eventual Premier League runners-up Liverpool at this stage of the FA Cup. That blood-and-thunder cup tie followed a fortnight after a tepid league draw.

Arsene Wenger praised the "outstanding" mental fortitude of his side, who were second at that point but did not lose another domestic match all season.

It was one of 16 examples – across 13 ties – in the Premier League era of the teams who finished first and second meeting in the FA Cup, EFL Cup or Champions League in the same season.

Although Arsenal's win against Liverpool was one of only seven victories for the league champions in those 16 attempts, another was the Gunners' round five win against Chelsea two years later, which was followed in their very next match by three points at Stamford Bridge that took them seven clear at the top.

Some consolation saw the Blues eliminate Arsenal from the Champions League later that season – a two-legged quarter-final tie around which Wenger's men stuttered in the league but clung to their unbeaten record.

In those cases, it appeared Arsenal benefited from getting a good look at their rivals in the first game before winning the second, precisely as Arteta suggested.

Meanwhile, the fear of losing momentum is understandable. Arsenal have played twice more against top-two rivals in the FA Cup and lost twice to Manchester United, who went on to take the title in both 1998-99 and 2002-03.

Such is the feel-good factor at Emirates Stadium right now, it is difficult to imagine defeat away to City with a much-changed team would dent Arsenal's confidence too significantly.

But heading home with a win on Friday would surely only increase belief in this side further.

Given the eight-day gap before the next Premier League match, Arteta – whose only major silverware to date was the FA Cup in 2019-20 – might be wise to consider this a helpful test rather than an unwanted distraction.

Marcus Rashford looks like a "lean, fighting machine" according to former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.

The England international maintained his excellent form by giving United the lead in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Rashford has scored 18 goals for the Red Devils this season, with only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (31) recording more for a Premier League club.

"We were pitch-side when the players came out and he looked lean. You wouldn't want to be up against him – all the best," Keane said to Sky Sports.

"He looks like a lean, fighting machine."

The 25-year-old has thrived under Erik ten Hag, showing an immense improvement on his five goals in 32 games (18 starts) from last season.

"Sometimes it's about confidence – there is where he's peaking now. He's played a lot of games for United and big games for England in the last few years," Keane added.

"Sometimes the penny drops for a player in terms of decision-making and putting the ball in the back of the net. And they've needed him.

"The question mark I've had over Marcus in the last few years is, has he got that personality to step up to the plate?

"United have had some great strikers over the years, and I think they need someone like that. Marcus has to say he wants that responsibility to be the main man. The best players turn up week in and week out. It looks like he's now enjoying that responsibility, which is great to see."

It was put to Keane that Rashford has thrived since the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo, having scored 10 goals in 10 games in all competitions since end of the 2022 World Cup, the most of any player for clubs in Europe's big-five leagues in that time.

"When a player leaves the club the responsibility goes onto another player," Keane replied.

"He's 25, not a child, sometimes when the timing is right you can be ready for that. He doesn't get the niggly injuries anymore with his groin, he seems to have cleared it up. He looks in a great place mentally, too, which is huge. He said he reckons he took too much on away from football – and being a top footballer is hard enough.

"So putting the other stuff on the back burner and focusing on being a top player for Manchester United has seen him get his priorities right."

Xavi credited Ousmane Dembele with changing his mentality in order to discover the form he has shown for Barcelona this season.

Barca reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey thanks to a second-half strike from Dembele to beat Real Sociedad 1-0 at Camp Nou, aided by the sending off of La Real midfielder Brais Mendez late in the first half.

Dembele attempted 11 dribbles during the game, equalling the highest total by a Barca player in a game this season, which came from the French winger himself against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.

Speaking to the media after the win, Xavi said that filling Dembele with confidence is the major difference from the player he inherited when he took charge of the club in November 2021.

"The only thing we have given Ousmane is confidence. I believe a lot in him," the Barca head coach said. 

"I always think he can generate many things for us. I see the faces of the full-backs and they suffer. The only thing that had to change was his decision-making at the last moment.

"I'm very happy for him because he got the winning goal. I think he's enjoying it and he's managed to turn his situation around.

"We try to guide Dembele so he makes the best decision on the field. I see tremendous conditions for him and he continues to be one of the best in his position.

"At Barca you have to have the ability to change your mentality and believe it, and I think at this stage he is succeeding. I see him very happy."

Dembele has been involved in 15 goals for the Blaugrana this season (eight goals, seven assists), already equalling his record of last campaign (two goals, 13 assists), while only Robert Lewandowski (27 – 22 goals and five assists) has been involved in more among Barca players.

The hosts dominated much of the quarter-final on Wednesday, though were grateful to Marc-Andre ter Stegen for making a vital save from Robert Navarro late on.

"The game at the end was complicated for us, where Ter Stegen saved us," Xavi added. "This is football and we have to learn, but we cannot end up suffering like this.

"We have dominated Real Sociedad with 11 [players], a team who had just won nine games in a row. The feelings are very positive and we are where we wanted to be, but we want to improve our effectiveness and we want to close games earlier."

La Real boss Imanol Alguacil said he was "annoyed" by Mendez's red card, suggesting the incident in which his player caught Sergio Busquets' ankle with his studs did not warrant overturning once the referee had initially decided on a yellow card.

"I don't like to use the word pride, because that means we lost," he said. "But today the sending off marked us... I think we have to value the effort of the team since we have had very clear situations and we have competed even with one less player.

"In the last 10 minutes the draw was much closer than 2-0."

Erik ten Hag stressed Manchester United must not let their grip slip on games after their EFL Cup semi-final first-leg win over Nottingham Forest.

Goals from Marcus Rashford, Wout Weghorst and Bruno Fernandes delivered the Dutchman a convincing 3-0 win at the City Ground.

But Sam Surridge saw a would-be equaliser chalked off in the first half, in what proved to be a lucky escape for the visitors.

Ten Hag was delighted to see his side bounce back to winning ways after a Premier League loss to Arsenal but cautioned his side to watch their control in games.

"There was one moment that could have changed the game," he told Sky Sports. "That is where we need to improve.

"They changed the system, and we didn't anticipate that. It cannot happen. This is still where we have to learn and improve if [we] want to be top. These moments can't happen.

"We almost let them come [into] the game. We can't allow an opponent to get back when we started so good. We need to avoid that.

"I think in the second half, we were much more composed, and we tracked them. It was much better."

Striker Weghorst, who netted his first goal following his switch from Burnley, echoed his manager's sentiments.

"We didn't have the control like we wanted and [it] made it too up and down after," he added. "We were lucky their goal was disallowed.

"We were not happy with the way we had played in the first half [but] the [goal] at the end it made it even better. It's a great result for us tonight, [so] let's finish it next week."

United will host Forest at Old Trafford next Wednesday for the second leg.