John Mousinho’s half-time verbal volley hit the target as Paddy Lane earned victory for League One leaders Portsmouth against bottom side Carlisle.
Boss Mousinho did not like what he saw during the first half but his strong words provoked the desired response after the break as Lane netted his 10th goal of the campaign – his third in two games – after 62 minutes to stretch Pompey’s lead at the summit.
“We had a pop at half-time,” confirmed Mousinho. “We knew if we had more quality and take care of the things we needed to take care of we would go on and win the game.
“The performance for large parts was really positive apart from the start. We started like a side weary from the travel but I am not giving the lads that excuse because we do things well enough for them to be at it from the first whistle.
“We dominated possession without creating a huge amount. Carlisle were decent in the first half and had a go.”
Tom Lowery drove a shot against the woodwork in the opening half, in which all United’s best efforts came from Jordan Gibson.
Stung by their manager’s interval dressing-down, Pompey improved to the delight of their 1,848 fans who made their longest trip of the season.
But it still needed Abu Kamara’s introduction to unlock a defence that has now failed to keep a clean sheet for a club-record 25 league games.
Kamara’s run and defence-splitting pass allowed Lane to drill beyond Harry Lewis.
“Paddy’s goals have been important for us all season,” said Mousinho. “When we have relied on Colby (Bishop) to score we’ve probably not been as good a side as we could be.”
Despite their plight, Carlisle fans still managed a good ovation for former favourite Owen Moxon when he came off the bench after 74 minutes.
Moxon was outstanding for the Cumbrians in their promotion season but swapped bottom for top on deadline day.
Despite the club’s position manager Paul Simpson is not throwing in the towel.
“There is a definite disappointment we didn’t get anything out of the game,” he said.
“They know they did a lot of good things but unfortunately the good things counted for nothing.
“There are still plenty of games to go and people may think I am clutching at straws saying that but we have to keep believing. We have to make sure we finish this season much stronger than we have been so far.
“But we have got to work goalkeepers, get shots on target and crosses in the right area, and score goals. Unfortunately, we are not.
“The truth is everyone will have looked before the game and thought ‘Carlisle have got no chance, Carlisle are already relegated’. But we have got to surprise people, maybe even surprise ourselves.”
Conte hopes for Ranieri's success at Roma after Napoli clash
Antonio Conte hopes that everything will go well for Claudio Ranieri after he came out of retirement to take charge of Roma, but only after their Serie A clash this weekend.
Ranieri was tempted back into management by a return to where he began as a player. His third spell at Roma comes after the club sacked two coaches already this season and with the team 12th in the standings.
A trip to leaders Napoli is Ranieri's first task, and Conte is looking forward to meeting up with the 73-year-old.
"I am pleased to see Claudio, I have great esteem for him and there is also friendship," Conte told reporters ahead of Sunday's game.
"I am happy with the chance he has been given. It will be a tough game, for us and for them. Last year, Roma finished ahead of Napoli, they are in the Europa League and had a good transfer window.
"They are not performing according to expectations and I hope for Claudio that everything starts to work after Sunday's game."
The arrival of Ranieri in place of Ivan Juric brings with it not just the danger of the 'new manager bounce' but also upsets Conte's plans for the game.
"When a team changes coach there is an important input on a nervous level," Conte said.
"They are at the third change on the bench. It's inevitable that, if Juric had remained, we knew what kind of team we were going to face.
"Now it's an enigma, we don't have much information nor do we know how they will deal with us. So let's think about ourselves, there is a desire and enthusiasm to continue this path."
After a streak of 21 consecutive home wins in Serie A, Conte lost his last home league match (0-3 against Atalanta). Only once in his career has he recorded two consecutive home defeats in the competition: in November 2009, when he was in charge of Atalanta (against Juventus and Roma).
Napoli are top of the table, but Conte knows it is still early, and with just two points separating the top six clubs, which includes the likes of Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio, for now, it is a different title race than usual.
"Only 12 games have passed and there are many teams within very few points," he said.
"We are doing well, but so are the others. There isn't one team which has distanced the others. Perhaps there is a little amazement in seeing some teams in those positions in the standings."
'It's a shame' - Alonso confirms Leverkusen's Boniface out with thigh injury
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso confirmed that Victor Boniface will be sidelined for some time after picking up a thigh injury on international duty with Nigeria.
Boniface, who has scored eight goals in 15 appearances in all competitions this season, was replaced late on in the Super Eagles' 2-1 defeat to Rwanda on Monday.
It is another blow for Leverkusen, who have managed 17 points from 10 games so far this season, the worst start to a league campaign in 12 years by a defending champion.
Only Omar Marmoush and Harry Kane (both 11) have scored more goals in the league than Boniface this term (six).
Alonso revealed that the 23-year-old will miss Saturday's Bundesliga encounter against Heidenheim and their Champions League tie against RB Salzburg next week.
"We will have to see how long he will be out. It is a shame," Alonso told a press conference.
"He has a thigh injury. For tomorrow, for Salzburg and maybe a bit longer. We will have to wait and see.
"It is too early to say but we hope he can still play this year. We have to see with the recovery and improvement but it is not a matter of six or eight weeks."
Leverkusen have dropped points in six Bundesliga games already this season (D5, L1), as often as they did during the entirety of their 2023-24 title-winning campaign (D6).
They come into this weekend's fixture against Heidenheim on a three-game winless run in the Bundesliga (D3), the first time they have gone this long without a victory since between April and May 2023 (five games).
Leverkusen sit fourth in the Bundesliga, already nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich as the busy festive schedule kickstarts on Saturday.
Alonso's side have eight games in just under a month, including a DFB-Pokal round of 16 clash with Bayern at the start of December.
"Eight games in four weeks. It is nothing new for us," Alonso said. "An intense phase is coming up for us and it starts tomorrow.
"We have clear goals for the Bundesliga, the Champions League and the German Cup."
Object thrown at City striker 'Bunny' Shaw in Champions League win over Hammarby sparks UEFA investigation
UEFA has opened an investigation after Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw was hit by an object during their Women’s Champions League win against Swedish side Hammarby on Thursday.
The towering Jamaican striker scored both goals in City’s 2-1 win at the Stockholm Arena to see her side through to the quarterfinal stage.
Her animated celebration in front of the home fans after her first goal saw the 27-year-old being booked, with replays also showing an object seemingly thrown her way from the stands.
“Proceedings have been opened against Hammarby IF for throwing of objects (Article 16(2)(b) of the Disciplinary Regulations),” UEFA said in a statement.
“Manchester City player Khadija Shaw received a yellow card following her goal presentation for unsporting conduct,” the statement added.
Following the game, City captain Alex Greenwood chided match broadcaster DAZN for failing to mention the incident in a social media post.
The post on X, external said Shaw “antagonised” the home fans and received “stick” from them.
Greenwood replied, "Correction. Travel to Stockholm, score a big goal. Celebrates her goal. Gets objects thrown at her.”
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