Both Arsenal and Liverpool are capable of pushing Manchester City close in what promises to be the most open Premier League title race in recent years.

That is the view of former Tottenham and England midfielder Darren Anderton, though he says Pep Guardiola's men are still the team to beat as they chase an unprecedented fourth successive English top-flight title.

Ahead of Saturday's Premier League fixtures, just two points separated leaders Arsenal and fourth-placed Aston Villa, with City and Liverpool nestled between that pair.

The 2015-16 season, when Leicester City stunned the football world by winning the title under Claudio Ranieri, is the only previous Premier League campaign to feature such a slender gap between first and fourth after 13 matchdays.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal moved four points clear at the summit, at least temporarily, by clinging on for a 2-1 win over Wolves on Saturday, and Anderton believes they and Liverpool can keep things interesting at the top this season.

"Manchester City are going to be involved in it, there's no doubt about it," Anderton told Stats Perform when asked to name his title favourites. 

"Arsenal are obviously still going well and Liverpool have come back this year, so I think it's going to be a little bit more open than it has been in recent years. 

"If you had to ask me, I would expect that Manchester City are going to be the team to beat again. I love Pep, I love the football that they play. 

"Obviously, with Haaland, they've got a goal machine and they're always going to create opportunities and they're always going to keep strengthening and getting better and better. 

"Everyone's got to try and keep pace with them."

Some tipped Anderton's former club Spurs for a surprise title bid when new boss Ange Postecoglou led them to an unbeaten 10-game start to the season, but injuries to key men James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have taken their toll at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent weeks.

Tottenham approach Sunday's meeting with City looking to halt a three-game losing run, having gone down to Chelsea (1-4), Wolves (1-2) and Villa (1-2) despite opening the scoring in each match.

Anderton believes UEFA Champions League football should be the primary aim for Postecoglou's team this season, saying: "I think, with Spurs, we need to get that win to get us going again. 

"If we do, then we can go on another run like we did at the start of the season. For Spurs, I'd love just to see them back in the Champions League. That's the first step. 

"There's no reason why that's not achievable, in my opinion. You might need a little bit of luck and to get players back as soon as possible, but that's definitely a goal that can be achieved."

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised his side as they scored two early goals to down Wolves and open up a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

With closest challengers and reigning champions Manchester City not in action until Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side took full advantage as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard struck in the opening 16 minutes before a nervy ending brought about by Matheus Cunha’s strike.

The Gunners ultimately ran out 2-1 winners on an afternoon where their early goals were the peak of a performance that promised more than it provided.

Having thrashed Lens here 6-0 on Wednesday to ensure safe passage into the last 16 of the Champions League, Wolves proved they were made of sterner stuff and stayed in the contest until the last.

But despite seeing his side labour after racing ahead, Arteta was still left pleased with the performance.

“I can only praise the players,” he said.

“They were excellent. We played against a really good side and generated so much and conceded almost nothing. The scoreline should have been very different. We were very unlucky because we hit the post three times I think.

“At the end we made an error close to the goal – in the Premier League you get punished big time for that. Then at the end, it’s game on. Overall I’m really happy with how he performed again.”

Arteta also backed Oleksandr Zinchenko – the full-back having made a number of minor errors during the game, including losing possession for Cunha’s consolation.

The Ukraine international had earlier set up Odegaard for the crucial second and Arteta was in no mood to criticise the former Manchester City man.

“You have to love him, how he is,” added the Spaniard.

“Every player has strengths and weaknesses. Alex has many more strengths. This happened and it can happen to any player.

“We have to learn from it because there are certain areas where it’s a big no to play, especially after certain things in the previous phase. That’s it. We will get better.”

While Wolves left north London empty-handed, manager Gary O’Neil was pleased that his team did not capitulate after such a poor start.

“When you concede two early goals, you know it might be a long afternoon,” he said.

“We knew we’d suffer against Arsenal because everybody does.

“The first goal was disappointing. There were so many bodies around Saka. For him to wriggle through and for us to look hesitant in the penalty area is disappointing.

“The second goal was a great goal. We should have prevented it, but it happens. We stuck to the plan, tried to be aggressive and maybe didn’t carry as much of a threat as we would have liked, but not many teams do against Arsenal.

“We managed to hang in and create a bit of a scare, and the lads should take a lot from that.”

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho was delighted with his side’s performance after they beat Northampton 3-0 to go back to the top of League One.

Pompey took full advantage of former leaders Bolton’s FA Cup commitments as Sean Raggett headed them into an early lead before Paddy Lane added a goal either side of half-time.

The commanding display wrapped up back-to-back victories following a first defeat of the season against Blackpool last weekend.

“I thought we were excellent from start to finish,” said Mousinho. “Coming off a really professional performance in the week, I thought it was more of the same in the first half.

“We were brave on the ball and we earned the right to play some really good football in the second half. It was a pleasure to watch.

“My only criticism was that we didn’t put the game further out of reach because we had chances and we had opportunities but we didn’t take them.

“I know I sound greedy but you have to be greedy in football and we’ve been there before. We have led 3-0 away from home and suffered a nervy finish so that was the only thing that could have been better.

“It was a really good afternoon and it’s so important to win these games, especially considering what happened this time last week against Blackpool.

“This was a big test because you saw what Northampton did to Blackpool on Tuesday – they won the game and they thoroughly deserved it.

“We knew they would be a good side, they have momentum and they have plenty of good players so to do what we did, in the style we did, was really pleasing.”

Northampton had won their last three games but they were off the pace against Pompey.

Cobblers boss Jon Brady said: “I felt we gifted them all three goals to be honest. The first one, the corner, we’re too loose and not aggressive enough and that’s not us.

“The second one comes from a goal-kick, which is really soft, and the third goal is another poor one so we didn’t do the basics right today.

“We tried to step on and at least in the first half we probed and looked dangerous, Sam (Hoskins) and Kieron (Bowie) went close with a few efforts, and our intention wasn’t to sit back or sit deep.

“We wanted to have a go but Portsmouth are very good side and they’re top for a reason. They haven’t lost an away game since March but unfortunately we didn’t do the basics right and we gave away soft goals.

“If you do that, you’ll find yourselves in a lot of trouble and we suffered today.”

Morecambe manager Ged Brennan believes his side outclassed a lacklustre Wycombe to sail into the FA Cup third round with a 2-0 win.

Eli King and Tom Bloxham were on hand with goals either side of the break to send the League Two team into the next round of the Cup for the second year in a row.

And with victory fresh on his mind, Brennan admitted he was unfazed about his team’s potential top-flight opposition next time out.

“I’m absolutely delighted as I thought the lads were outstanding with the discipline they showed all over the pitch,” he said.

“I thought [Wycombe] ran out of ideas in the end because we were so well organised today.

“I don’t care who we get next or if it’s one of the big boys, as long as it’s good for the club and the fans.”

King opened the scoring in the 38th minute, capitalising on an Adam Mayor corner and heading it home to put his team in front.

Bloxham doubled their lead just before the hour mark, the youngster getting on the end of Michael Mellon’s cross to make it 2-0 and mark a “solid” performance according to Brennan.

“They were two great goals,” he said. “A set-piece, everyone in the box and great header by Eli and a great move for the second goal.

“I thought we played counterattack really well and when we got the ball, we kept possession.

“We looked a proper solid unit and that’s the way we’re going to go from now.”

Wycombe held firm in the opening half an hour of play but were unable to come up with any opportunities to get on top at Adams Park, something manager Matt Bloomfield put down to a lack of energy and intensity.

“There wasn’t enough energy, not enough intensity in our play and not enough personality with the way we want to play,” he said.

“The intensity is the main thing that was missing, which in turn looks lacklustre, looks lethargic.

“The first thing you expect from any football team is to go with intensity and enthusiasm and we didn’t today which was obviously bitterly disappointing.”

Since Wycombe’s 4-1 away demolition of Fleetwood in early October, Wanderers have only won three matches.

And with Brandon Hanlan and Luke Leahy suffering injuries at home to Stevenage last month, Bloomfield’s side have struggled with a lack of inspiration from the bench but are hoping to finally see some light.

“We’re missing some really key players for us who have been great for us this season,” added Bloomfield.

“I really believe that we had enough in the squad to cope with those losses, but results might suggest otherwise.

“We have to keep fighting to improve and we’re looking forward to having one shaft of sunlight for that way through the fog.”

Under-fire Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom insisted he could hold his head up high after a number of fans turned on him following his side’s 5-0 capitulation away to fellow strugglers Burnley.

The odds on Heckingbottom becoming the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season tumbled after a humbling defeat, in which a Burnley side who started the day bottom of the table scored an opener through Jay Rodriguez just 15 seconds in and recorded their biggest top-flight win since 1970.

Jacob Bruun Larsen doubled the lead and, with the Blades reduced to 10 men when Oli McBurnie was sent off before half-time, they crumbled in the second half with Zeki Amdouni, Luca Koleosho and Josh Brownhill helping Burnley end their wait for a home league win this season at the eighth attempt.

United never looked in the game, and fans made their feelings known at the final whistle.

“I bet they’re nearly as angry as me,” Heckingbottom said.

“I’ve had this now since the beginning of September. But the one thing I can say is I can walk out of this stadium with my head held high.

“I know how hard I work for everyone at the club. I won’t change, I’ll make sure the staff do the same. And we continue to give everything we’ve got with what we’ve got. That won’t change. But, as I said the first time I was asked this, you’re asking the wrong person (about his future)…

“Of course if fans start changing, it changes the dynamic. It doesn’t change how I feel or my job. I just said to the players in there, I can walk out with my head held high but you can’t kid people.

“The fans are right to shout, say that wasn’t good enough. I was almost singing along with them at one point.”

Given Burnley were two goals to the good at the time with United barely laying a glove on them, McBurnie’s red card in the first minute of stoppage time was hardly a turning point, but the Scot’s two yellow cards in the space of 10 minutes killed off any hope of a comeback.

“He’s let me down,” Heckingbottom said. “He knows he has.”

Burnley’s first home win and first clean sheet of the season lifted them off the foot of the table, and relieved some of the tension that has been building around Turf Moor.

“I think we were so desperate to do it,” Kompany said. “We felt against (Crystal) Palace was good, against West Ham was good. You don’t know when it’s coming but I felt we always believed it was coming so for us hopefully it’s a starting point.

“The performance today was really good but you have to turn it into results. I just hope with the goals they’ve scored today and the fact we had a lot of goalscorers as well, that’s an important sign with Lyle Foster still not being there. Hopefully of the consistency of doing that will remain.”

Both of Burnley’s wins to date have come against sides they were promoted with during the summer. The challenge of taking points of established Premier League sides remains, starting away to Wolves on Tuesday night.

“I’ll have a glass of red wine tonight and then back on to Wolves, it’s coming on Tuesday,” Kompany said. “When we win there’s only three days to enjoy it. But we go again. It’s the same recipe really.

“I see the boys making progress, they work as hard as the top teams in the league. They don’t get the rewards for it at the moment but now we live towards the Wolverhampton game.”

Thomas Frank said he is not surprised with Neal Maupay after the French striker scored for Brentford during their 3-1 home win over Luton in the Premier League.

Maupay scored his second goal of the season since his loan move from Everton in the summer when he finished from close range past Hatters goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski to open the scoring in the 49th minute.

Ben Mee and Shandon Baptiste also netted for the home side in the second half, either side of Jacob Brown’s 56th-minute reply for Luton.

Afterwards, Bees boss Frank lauded the influence of striker Maupay, who has returned to Gtech Community Stadium after leaving the club in 2019 for Brighton.

“For me I’m not surprised (about the goal),” Frank said. “We were sure that he’ll do well for us because we know him well and he can score goals.

“He’s had to get back into it and in the last weeks he’s played really good. I’m pleased it’s paying off for him.

“He scores goals. That’s a big thing. He’s a good pressing player and link up player when he drops down and finds a solution. As a mentality character he’s good for the group and drives the group.”

Frank’s injury issues continued, with Kristoffer Ajer replaced by Saman Ghoddos in the starting line-up after the central defender suffered a foot injury in the warm-up.

The Danish manager credited the players who stepped up after Brentford bounced back from last week’s late 1-0 home loss to Arsenal.

He continued: “I’m very happy with them. Vitaly Janelt is one of our flexible players (starting at left-back) but Saman stepped in and looked like he’d played at right-back for years.

“It’s incredible that we can turn around with the amount of injuries we have. We have four full-backs out. Big credit to the players.”

Luton manager Rob Edwards was disappointed with how his side started the second half.

He explained: “I felt we gave some early Christmas presents away in the second half and I feel they didn’t have to work too hard for their goals. They had control and they deserved the win.

“We had gone away from giving gifts away – and we had done that in the first couple games of the season.”

Gillingham boss Stephen Clemence hailed his side’s high standards after they cruised into the third round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over League One Charlton.

The Priestfield Stadium came alive in the 26th minute when former Charlton man Macauley Bonne, who made a move to the Gills in the summer, netted against his former club.

Timothee Dieng caught the Addicks defence sleeping again and drilled a low effort into the bottom corner four minutes later.

With a place in the third round secured for a second successive season, Clemence pointed to his side’s relentless work rate.

He said: “I thought we were outstanding from the start, we had a game plan to get after them, how to press them and the lads carried it out fantastically.

“When you start like that you need to make sure you get your nose in front and thankfully we did and to go and score a second soon after was fantastic.

“I thought in the second half we could have gone on and got a few more so that was the message at half time.

“The boys were absolutely fantastic today and they’ve set some high standards for us to keep up to.

“I thought we were in control, we still played some good football but our pressing game was absolutely fantastic. I thought they were all exceptional.

“From my point of view and the players’ we’re happy to be in the next round and we’ll see who we get tomorrow.”

It was a rather different tale for Michael Appleton’s men, who failed to reach round three for the second year in a row.

After an underwhelming display against League Two Gills, the Charlton boss criticised his side’s lack of effort.

He said: “That was a difficult one for me, we were second best in a lot of areas of the pitch.

“Early on in the game, there was probably four or five players who were always second to the ball, always caught between positions, didn’t play forward, weren’t aggressive enough and we paid the price.

“But even coming in at half time, we gave away a couple of poor goals which is one thing, but coming in at half time I’m always positive because we’ve got 50 minutes or so to try and get back into the game.

“We’re very strong normally in the second half of games but we just didn’t do enough.

“We had a lot of territory but I can’t remember the keeper making too many saves, don’t know how many times the ball come into the box and we weren’t there getting the first contact.

“It’s not one that will live long in the memory if I’m being honest.”

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl believes his side’s reaction to losing their lead highlights their growth as the Championship strugglers stunned Blackburn 3-1.

Bailey Cadamarteri’s opener was cancelled out by Sammie Szmodics, but Marvin Johnson and Josh Windass struck in the last 12 minutes to earn the division’s bottom club only their second win of the campaign.

Wednesday had scored in stoppage time in midweek to hold leaders Leicester and their latest late show left Rohl delighted with his side’s progress.

Rohl said: “My team fight until the end and they believe in what we are doing. I’m so happy to take the points today.

“We spoke in the past about what happens if we concede a goal. When you look back to the Millwall game, we conceded a goal and then it was maybe not much energy in the group, but now you see we improve this mentally.

“After the defeat in Birmingham, now we took four points and I think this is a huge step forward.

“I try to show my players every day that we have to believe and that I’m convinced in my players.

“Maybe it’s sometimes helpful to come from some big clubs because then you have a little bit of the winning DNA in yourself and you always believe in the special things you can do.”

To compound Blackburn’s misery, manager Jon Dahl Tomasson was shown a red card following protests to the match officials over an incident involving James Hill and Callum Paterson in the build-up to Wednesday’s second goal.

Blackburn skipper Szmodics faced the post-match interviews in the manager’s absence but could not shed further light on the incident.

“I’ve not seen it,” he said.

“There’s a ref, two linesmen and a fourth official. It’s hard to speak this early after a game. I don’t want to get in any more trouble. The gaffer has got into trouble with it.

“It’s tough at the minute. You don’t know if you can go and speak to referees or not. I’ll let people look back at the goal and make their decision.”

Szmodics, who scored his seventh goal in five games, felt the scoreline was harsh on the visitors.

He said: “I don’t think it should have been a 3-1. We‘ve got back into the game with a goal and it just wasn’t to be today.

“The gaffer said at half time that we created chances. We just needed to take one and in the first half we didn’t. In the second half we got back into it, but it wasn’t our day.

“It was one of the few headers I’ve ever scored. I should have volleyed it but I went down early and managed to get enough power into it.”

“We’ll recover and get to go again.”

Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher was delighted with his side as they fought back to beat Stoke 2-1 thanks to a last-minute winner by substitute Adam Randell.

The Plymouth-born 23-year-old celebrated his 100th Argyle appearance by scoring in the seventh and final minute of stoppage time after Ciaran Clark cleared Luke Cundle’s shot off the line.

Mustapha Bundu’s 43rd-minute near-post strike had earlier cancelled out Tyrese Campbell’s 23rd- minute opportunist opener for Stoke.

Schumacher said: “We got the three points, six from the week and we’re up to 16th and everyone can see how tight it is, so it was massive we got the win.

“From our point of view it’s a brilliant feeling – we have been on the wrong end of the last kick of the game twice this season.

“It’s a killer when it happens to you so we are delighted to get the three points, we are buzzing for our fans to celebrate like that at the death, to celebrate a goal from a local lad at the Devonport End.

“Obviously you feel a little bit for (Stoke boss) Alex (Neil) and their team because they have worked so hard today and probably thought they had a point in the bag.

“But they haven’t and we go on and we’ve won the game so I am really pleased.

“It’s the worse feeling in football when that happens, especially when you feel you’ve played well like we did at Birmingham and against Southampton, and they scored with pretty much the last kick of the game.

“It’s cruel but that’s football. It’s important whether you are up in the game or drawing that you keep going until the very end and so pleased for our players that we did because second half I thought we played really well.

“I felt we were really positive, tried to keep to our style of play and eventually got our rewards.”

Stoke boss Neil said: “It is game management. I didn’t think we deserved to lose the game. Towards the later embers of the game some of our decision making was really poor.

“But that was as many clear-cut chances we have had in a while. If we take a little bit of care, the game could have been done at half-time.

“They (Plymouth) played some nice stuff, they were good in spells but we were a lot more threatening, if you look at the quality of chances we had. The game was there to be won and it is cruel at the end.

“We gave a cheap free-kick away which is unnecessary, the lad was going nowhere and there was a great opportunity to clear our lines and we scuffed it.
“The ball lands in the middle of the pitch and we don’t see that phase of play out.

“We should have cleared the ball, but we need to make sure we make clean contact in the dying embers of the game.

“We needed to make sure they work extremely hard for them to score the next goal and be hard to beat.

“That is something three games ago we had, that is the biggest frustration. We kept four clean sheets on the bounce before these last three games.

“And in those last three games, we have conceded goals in the late parts of the game, especially when we have the opportunity to clear the ball. It is not a hard thing to do.”

Daniel Farke saw two sides to his Leeds team in a pulsating 3-2 win over 10-man Middlesbrough at Elland Road which keeps them firmly in the Championship’s automatic promotion hunt.

Leeds attacked at pace in a frantic first half which saw all five goals scored, but Farke was just as pleased with the way they ground out the victory in the second period.

Farke admitted: “As a manager I liked the second half where we didn’t make mistakes. It was good game management.

“I can see why we are driven by our emotions and sometimes play the risky pass when we should take another option.”

Farke was delighted with his side’s showing against a team he rates as genuine play-off contenders.

He said: “I expected a great game against a tough side, and I judge them as one of our main competitors for the top six.

“It was important to be over-aggressive and fully committed (in the first half) against Middlesbrough, otherwise you are punished.

“The goals were a sign of how desperate we were and how we wanted to win.

“When you give moments away against a side like Middlesbrough, they will punish mistakes. Their first goal we opened up, and the second goal we were not fully switched on.

“Every fan who enjoys football must have enjoyed this game.”

Middlesbrough claimed an early lead as Emmanuel Latte Lath fired home at the near post, cutting in from the left after being set up by Alex Bangura.

Leeds hit back with two quickfire headers from Dan James and Crysencio Summerville as the visitors paid the price for being beaten in the air by two of the home side’s smallest players.

James got on the end of Sam Byram’s deep cross despite the attentions of two defenders and Summerville finished a cross from Archie Gray at the opposite post.

Middlesbrough lost experienced defender Paddy McNair to injury just after the half hour and his replacement, Matt Clarke, gave away the penalty from which Leeds scored their third.

Clarke used his arm to trip striker Georginio Rutter and Joel Piroe scored from the spot.

Latte Lath reduced the arrears with a header from Dan Barlaser’s corner late in the first half but neither side were able to find the target after the break.

Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng denied Patrick Bamford and Piroe with a late double save and Boro’s Sammy Silvera hit a post as the visitors played the final 30 minutes with 10 men following Anfernee Dijksteel’s second yellow card.

A disappointed Michael Carrick admitted his side could have got a point from the game had they taken their chances.

He said: “Disappointed is my overriding feeling. Not with the boys and their performance but with the result.

“We were up against it. We had issues that we need to fix a bit but in general there were loads of good things from it and we let it slip and should have got something from the game.

“We came here and played one of the top teams in the league and gave as good as we got. They look dangerous and can score goals.

“It’s something we have done pretty well lately – defend our goal. We need to do something about it (conceding away from home) to be where we want to be at the end of the season.

“We picked up a couple of setbacks and we had big moments in the game, but we were right in there and we should have got more from the game.”

Carrick admitted allowing Leeds chances in a full Elland Road made it harder for his side.

“In a stadium like this and a team like this they will have moments. In games like this that split second of thinking can be the difference,” he said.

“We were playing against a good team, and you’ve got to respect what they can do.”

Russell Martin enjoyed getting his revenge on Cardiff fans after Southampton stretched their unbeaten run to 11 matches.

Saints boss Martin was subjected to abusive comments by visiting supporters throughout the match.

After celebrating with Saints supporters he displayed four fingers at the Bluebirds fans after the match – in reference to the two back-to-back season doubles he secured against them as Swansea manager.

He said: “I had my time at the end. They had theirs over the 90 minutes so I enjoyed mine for 10 seconds at the end.

“I’m sure there will be people who disagree with that but I choose to feel everything and enjoy that.

“If you want to hammer me for 90 minutes then I’m allowed maybe 10 seconds at the end.”

Southampton claimed a two-goal lead inside 15 minutes thanks to Adam Armstrong’s brace and never looked back.

The striker’s first came at the end of a fine team move as he brilliantly curled into the top corner, before adding his 12th of the campaign by heading in after good work from Stuart Armstrong.

Martin said about his top scorer: “He has so much quality and also a load of attitude. The first goal is quality and the second is his attitude and desire.

“We love him in that dressing room for how he is and how he conducts himself and how he works for the team.

“The goals are a real bonus and he possesses so much quality but it is his intensity he plays at and his willingness to run.”

Southampton threatened to run rampant in the second half but missed a host of chances – with substitute Ryan Fraser failing to add a third despite having six shots.

Martin said: “I’m really happy. I thought we were good today. We started the game so well.

“We should score more goals, that was the only frustration. I thought the lads were incredible in the second half.

“I watched with so much pride and gratitude for what they were doing. It’s been a long week so to produce that level of performance in the second half… [scoring a third goal] wasn’t to be.

“Ryan Fraser has come off the pitch frustrated that he hasn’t scored. It’s not a coincidence that the chances fall to him because he runs at the goal relentlessly.”

Erol Bulut bemoaned Cardiff’s slow start to the match but is looking forward to January to bolster his side to be able to compete with the Championship’s big boys.

“The first 20 minutes was [what went wrong],” he said. “It was not what I was expecting.

“After those 20 minutes we woke up but we were already 2-0 down. We were good but not good enough.

“At the end of the first half if we had scored with [Karlan Grant] I think the second half would be very different.

“We have progressed from the start of the season to today perfectly and we will continue to work hard.

“I hope in the January transfer [window] I can get some quality players in and we can push for more.

“This is the difference between the top level and what we currently have. It is small details.

“We’ve played against relegated Premier League teams, they have quality but they show us where we need to go and how we need to work. We’ll look in January to get to that level.”

Wayne Rooney said his Birmingham squad need to show improvements as he was left frustrated by a “very bad” performance against Rotherham in the Sky Bet Championship as the Blues were held to a 0-0 draw.

Rooney and Birmingham were booed off the pitch after failing to defeat a struggling Rotherham side still winless on the road this season, with minority owner Tom Brady in attendance.

Rooney admitted it was not a good game and his side were fortunate to come away with a point.

“I thought we started the game really well for 20 minutes,” Rooney said.

“But we got sloppy, we got slow, and we created a lot of our own problems.

“We were probably fortunate in the end to come away with a point.

“A lot of things we need to address, basics of the game like heading the ball, it was not there today.”

On whether the current crop of players are good enough, he added: “Today was a really frustrating day.

“My job is to improve them as players so in the next six months we hope there will be changes because you want to bring players in and players will leave.

“It’s important we don’t get carried away we do have a lot of good players but today we should win that game.

“That’s an accountability the players need to understand.”

Rooney believed his team did not win the game because of complacency after a positive start.

“We haven’t won the game because we got complacent,” he said.

“I felt in the first 20 minutes we (found) it easy to get into their final third so the players then felt the game was a bit too easy for them.

“They get sloppy and forget to do the right things.”

Rooney also spoke of the presence of Brady at the game and at the training ground during the week, adding: “Tom was around all the players, and it was great to have him over.

“He was speaking to players individually, so the more he is here the better it is for us.”

Rotherham caretaker boss Wayne Carlisle felt the Millers deserved more than a point.

“I’m pleased with the performance but I’m slightly disappointed that we didn’t come out with the three points,” Carlisle said.

“We wanted a reaction after the Hull game (4-1 loss) and the boys rolled their sleeves up and gave a real Rotherham United performance.

“I’m delighted we were creating changes away from home and putting ourselves in these positions but disappointed we were not taking them.”

Carlisle said this result and the draw with Leeds last weekend can be a building block for his side and that he has a job to do until a new manager is appointed.

“I’ve got a job to do, my most important job is keeping the guys together and now it’s to try and win games of football until someone tells me I’m not doing it”, he added.

Emotional Maidstone boss George Elokobi saluted a ‘blockbuster’ winning goal from Bivesh Gurung as his side stunned League Two high-fliers Barrow in the FA Cup.

The National League South side reached the third round for the first time since their reformation in 1992 and Elokobi believes they fully deserve to be there.

The former Wolves midfielder said after the 2-1 success: “I’m really excited for the football club.

“Barrow showed us respect which was wonderful, but I think we deserved to get through.

“I got emotional after the game but those emotions were for everyone here, the players, the fans and all the staff and the community of Maidstone.

“The whole place is buzzing after that, the whole community is, so let’s see where this result takes us now.

“It’s an incredible achievement, but this is the magic of the FA Cup.

“Now the whole town can go out and enjoy it, and see what happens in the draw tomorrow.

“We had a mountain to climb, but we reached the summit thanks to Bivesh’s goal.

“It was an absolute blockbuster – it was just an excellent hit. As soon as it left his boot I knew the ball was going to fly in. Bivesh is a terrific talent and I’m so delighted for him.”

The non-league outfit probably enjoyed the better of the opening 45 minutes at the Gallagher Stadium.

However, it was Barrow who opened the scoring when Ben Whitfield pounced on a defensive mix-up before tapping home.

The Kent club bagged a deserved leveller thanks to Sam Corne’s drilled strike and there was precious little goalmouth action in the second period until Gurung smashed home from 20 yards with 16 minutes left.

It was a blow for Barrow boss Pete Wild, whose side must now focus solely on their continuing promotion push from League Two.

Wild said: “It’s definitely been a frustrating day at the office.

“Did we do enough to win the game, or maybe did we do enough to have lost the game? I’m not sure, but that’s the FA Cup for you.

“It was a nothing game for the large part, a drab encounter really, and I thought we were comfortable for large periods.

“Their lad goes and pulls a goal out of nowhere, though, and now I’m thinking to myself ‘how did we lose that?’.

“We’ve spent the whole of the second half in their half but I’m frustrated that we didn’t create nearly enough chances.

“We look a bit flat, though that’s not an excuse, and we looked tired, and that’s not an excuse, but when you don’t take or create enough chances like we have today, then you’re bound to leave yourselves susceptible to a result like this.”

Manager Tony Mowbray felt Sunderland ‘dominated’ their 1-1 draw with Millwall despite relying on a late Jack Clarke penalty to rescue a point at The Den.

Kevin Nisbet gave Millwall a deserved lead after a superb delivery from Arsenal loanee Brooke Norton-Cuffy.

However, Clarke scored his 10th goal of the season with 12 minutes left to rescue a point for
the Black Cats, though Millwall’s Tom Bradshaw did have a goal disallowed for offside in the closing stages.

The result means Joe Edwards is still without a win at The Den since taking charge of The Lions while Sunderland are winless in three.

Mowbray said: “I thought we dominated the game, probably from start to finish apart from the last 10 minutes after we scored.

“You would expect us to be like The Alamo and go and get the winner but it was the other way really.

“We don’t look like we are going to score a goal and yet we can control the game. I think they had isolated breakaways, it is what they can do and it is ok.

“I think we dominated for long spells without looking like we were going to score.

“We don’t look like we are going to score a goal, why is that?

“I think it is because we have young attacking players, inexperienced attacking players who are not really ready to play for our team.

“And yet we have to play them and we are playing them and we are not suffering the results but we are trying to develop them and get them up to speed to be able to be a striker in the Championship.”

Jobe Bellingham, younger brother of Real Madrid star Jude, was an unused substitute.

Mowbray admitted he has a duty of care and does not want to overplay the 18-year-old.

The draw leaves Sunderland in ninth while Millwall are in 19th.

Edwards felt his side were always in the game despite enjoying far less possession.

He said: “I thought Sunderland started the game well and then we grew and after we got the first goal I felt there was a noticeable change in the team.

“We looked confident, the fans supported us well and it felt like we were building some nice momentum, although they pretty much dominated possession throughout the game.

“We always posed a threat and we looked confident in our defending.

“The way they use width and the wide players in their team, it causes everyone problems but I felt we dealt with it well.

“When you lead a game for so long and you don’t win it feels disappointing but I think you have to respect that they did have a lot of control of the game.

“In the second half, they mounted a lot of pressure as an away team so for me it is just areas where we can improve. I thought we did so well without the ball.

“We posed a threat on the break and in transition but I think we have just got to keep bridging that gap so we don’t have to play at our max like that just to take a point at home.”

Victor Osimhen’s suitors are running out of time to capture the Napoli hitman as president Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed the Nigerian is close to agreeing a new contract.

Osimhen, 24, has lit up Serie A since arriving in Naples from Lille in July 2020, with his greatest achievement so far scoring 31 league goals as the Azzurri clinched a long-overdue Scudetto last season.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid are reportedly among the clubs keen to fire up their forward lines with the recruitment of Osimhen, who remains hot property despite enduring an injury-ravaged 2023-24 campaign so far.

While a future move to the Premier League or LaLiga is still entirely possible, De Laurentiis on Saturday revealed Osimhen is on the verge of agreeing a new deal at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

He told Gazzetta ahead of Sunday’s clash with Inter Milan: “With Osimhen we are at the stage of signing the contract, the one that has been left pending since last summer.”

Napoli’s other superstar is Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has made a huge impression since making his unheralded switch from Dinamo Batumi last year.

De Laurentiis is even less concerned about the Georgia winger departing Napoli, though, adding: “Kvaratskhelia still has a four-year contract, what’s the point of asking about him now? Let’s try not to be too negative.”

On the showdown with Inter, which continues a baptism of fire for new boss Walter Mazzarri, De Laurentiis said: “We don’t have a left-back. Two are out injured.

“Then we have a new coach, to whom we have given a huge responsibility, because he has had to immediately face Atalanta and Real Madrid. Now we have another tour de force as we play Inter and then Juventus.

“Are two days enough to prepare for Inter, without two full-backs? It seems a bit difficult to me. Then five days to prepare for Juventus… we have to lay all our problems out on the table so we can be objective about them.”

Alessandro Zanoli will face a late check before the match while left-backs Mario Rui and Mathias Olivera are out for three weeks and two months respectively. On Inter’s treatment table are defenders Benjamin Pavard and Alessandro Bastoni.