Jon Dahl Tomasson praised “intelligent” Andrew Moran after the 19-year-old loanee netted his first goals in English football to help Blackburn beat Cardiff 5-2 in the Carabao Cup third round.

The Irishman, on loan from Brighton, lit up a pulsating encounter that started with Jake Garrett’s third cup goal of the season giving Rovers the lead before Callum Robinson’s piledriver levelled matters.

Moran’s influence began when setting up Arnor Sigurdsson to score for the second consecutive game before Kion Etete’s turn and finish brought Cardiff a second equaliser.

Rovers pulled away in the second half with Moran confidently slotting home in the 49th minute before winning a penalty that Runar Alex Runarsson saved to deny Sigurdsson.

Moran curled in a brilliant fourth before setting up Dilan Markanday to stroke home the fifth.

Blackburn boss Tomasson said: “(Moran is) a great player, first of all.

“He scores goals, he can give assists.

“He’s intelligent, his flair on the ball is extremely good, to carry the ball, he’s good to play one or two touches. He works hard for the team.

“A young boy, young man, who is also very driven. He wants to become better, he is very ambitious. So we are very pleased with Andy.”

On his team’s display, Tomasson added: “Great result, great performance. Some of the attacking football we saw today was exceptional, on a high level.

“We scored five great goals. Probably could have had 10. Great to see some of the players who haven’t played that much getting opportunities to get minutes as well. We don’t have the biggest squad so we need everybody up to speed so it was great to see that performance.

“It must be a blow when you concede a goal just before half time. The players dealt with the second half really well, adjusting from conceding that late and showed some exceptional football.”

Cardiff changed their entire starting XI and it showed. But Erol Bulut admitted his priorities lie with the league.

He said: “I said before, in the cup we will try to continue so far as we can. Today was the end for us against a good Blackburn team. They played much, much better than us.

“We were not concentrated enough, not focused enough.

“For me and the club the priority is the league, so that’s why we didn’t bring many players with us.

“But at least we saw today which players we can use in our main team. Today it was only a few, not enough, not as many as I was expecting. But there were a few who can help us in the league.”

West Ham assistant manager Billy McKinlay was pleased his much-changed side were able to come through a tough test at Lincoln in the Carabao Cup.

The Premier League Hammers, who made 10 changes from their defeat at Liverpool on Sunday, were pushed hard by the League One Imps but battled to a 1-0 win.

Only Tomas Soucek remained in the starting XI from the Anfield game and that proved vital as he scored the only goal in the 70th minute.

“I thought we deserved the win, it was a tough night but we got through,” McKinlay said.

“We caused our own problems a little bit and gave them encouragement. In the second half, it was a bit better and we had some good opportunities to create a bit more.

“But we’re delighted to get through.

“As the game goes on you’re always wary that one goal might be the one that wins the game, so we had to get it.

“All in all we are happy and glad to be in the next round.”

On making 10 changes, McKinlay added: “We have got a really strong squad, plenty of players are fighting for the shirt.

“At the moment the boys who are playing in the Premier League probably have possession of that but that can change very quickly.

“If you’re in the team and playing well you keep the shirt and that’s what we want to see.”

Lincoln, who beat Sheffield United in the previous round, were eyeing another upset and things might have been different had Reeco Hackett buried a free header just before half-time.

The Imps were not able to recreate a strong first-half performance but still bowed out with their heads held high.

Boss Mark Kennedy said: “I thought it was a really good game of football from both teams.

“It is fine margins in the end. I was really impressed with West Ham, I’m not going to say the best team lost but we definitely deserved something from the game.

“We knew we had to be at our maximum and hope they’re not.

“I thought everyone who stepped on to the pitch did themselves proud.

“I’m incredibly proud, the players should be very proud of themselves. I thought everyone did themselves justice.”

Mikel Arteta had no doubt Aaron Ramsdale would perform when called upon after the goalkeeper kept Brentford at bay.

Reiss Nelson’s early goal secured a 1-0 victory at the Gtech Community Stadium to send Arsenal through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

But it was two fine saves from Ramsdale in the second half which denied the Bees the chance to get back into the match.

Ramsdale had sat out the last three matches, including Sunday’s north London derby draw against Tottenham, with Arteta preferring David Raya, the summer signing from Brentford.

The Gunners fans sung his name before kick-off and Arteta said: “For sure, he’s been exceptional around the place and especially with the situation.

“We love him, for sure. We know his character and what he brings to the team and we are happy to have him. Every player is very important. Today he had the opportunity to play and he had a really good game.

“I’m really happy. It was two very different halves. In the second they had a more aggressive approach and we were too direct and it became a difficult game.

“When we don’t play that well you need some big blocks in the box and we did that.”

The winning goal came after only eight minutes thanks to a mistake by the recalled Mathias Jorgensen, whose pass back wrong-footed Ethan Pinnock.

Eddie Nketiah leapt on the error, cutting the ball back for Nelson who stepped past a sliding Nathan Collins before neatly finishing past Mark Flekken.

Brentford improved after the break but were frustrated when Ramsdale tipped Yoane Wissa’s snap-shot against a post, and then aimed a fist pump at the home fans behind the goal who had been giving him stick.

“I didn’t see the second part, but I saw the first. It was a great save and crucial for us to win the game,” added Arteta.

Ramsdale then flung himself to his left to deny Frank Onyeka with time running out.

Bees boss Thomas Frank said: “I hate losing so it’s always tough to take but very pleased with the performance. That is the thing we can build on.

“Good performance in the first half and excellent in the second half. I think Arsenal were very lucky to get away with this with the chances we created in the second half.”

Chelsea earned respite from their difficult start to the season under Mauricio Pochettino as Nicolas Jackson’s second-half goal gave them a 1-0 win against Brighton in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Roberto De Zerbi’s high-flying visitors dominated possession for much of the game but home fans witnessed their side put on an effective counter-attacking display at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea had gone three games without scoring, but that run ended when Jackson struck early in the second half after being set up by Cole Palmer, planting a composed finish into the corner to ease his personal struggles in front of goal.

Pochettino made five changes from the side beaten by Aston Villa on Sunday, with Palmer brought in for his first start.

The former Manchester City forward began in an advanced three alongside Mykhailo Mudryk and Ian Maatsen, but was at his most effective when dropping to receive the ball deep, seeking out the critical final-third passes that have eluded Chelsea and meant they have scored just five league goals in six games.

Jackson had an early sight of goal, winning the ball on the edge of Brighton’s box and hitting a left-footed drive that deflected over.

Robert Sanchez was one of three former Brighton players in the Chelsea line-up and twice in the first period the goalkeeper almost gifted his former side the lead, first passing the ball straight to the feet of Joao Pedro who chipped it inches over the bar, then putting Moises Caicedo under pressure in a central position. He was dispossessed by Carlo Baleba, who rolled the ball to Ansu Fati to fire wide from the best opening of the half.

Brighton had enjoyed 66 per cent possession by the half-hour mark, leaving Chelsea to look for openings on the break.

The lively Mudryk ran in behind from Caicedo’s defence-splitting pass, only for Tariq Lamptey to slide in with an expertly timed intervention.

Minutes later, Mudryk turned provider, latching on to Levi Colwill’s forceful tackle that sent the ball spinning upfield and crossing low to the near post for Palmer to side-foot wide under pressure from Igor Julio.

Chelsea had endured their worst start to a season in 45 years but relief looked finally to have arrived five minutes after half-time.

Maatsen received the ball centrally and laid it into the feet of Palmer, who had been a lurking first-half threat playing between the lines. He tucked it in cleverly to Jackson, who wrong-footed Bart Verbruggen to guide home his second goal for the club.

It was just the third time this season that Pochettino had seen his team take the lead, and they should have gone further in front when Mudryk’s energetic midfield pressing won the ball and set Jackson away, but this time the goalkeeper got the best of their duel after spreading himself well.

Home fans thought Jackson had scored the second goal his performance deserved when he slotted home from Palmer’s pass, but the offside flag cut short celebrations.

Brighton had late chances to level, first when Pervis Estupinan collected a raking ball and ran it to the byline, but no one had gambled as his cross fizzed across goal.

Pedro then thumped a volley over the bar from Axel Disasi’s weak headed clearance but Chelsea held on to finally hand Pochettino room to breathe.

Alexander Isak fired Newcastle into the Carabao Cup fourth round at the expense of Manchester City.

The Sweden international struck eight minutes after the break to seal a 1-0 victory for the Magpies – their first over City in any competition in 11 attempts – in front of a crowd of 51,692 at St James Park.

Their place in the draw was reward for a dogged display by a team featuring 10 changes to the one which started Sunday’s 8-0 Premier League victory Sheffield United, but one which was particularly hard-earned after they were given the run-around before the break by Pep Guardiola’s under-studies.

Guardiola made eight changes, three of them to include Mateo Kovacic, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish, and – while having indicated in advance that the competition was the least of his priorities – saw his side dominate for long periods but ultimately fail to turn the pressure they exerted into goals.

With Phillips and Kovacic controlling the midfield battle, the Magpies were absent as an attacking force for much of the first half.

By contrast the link between Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb – making his first senior start – and Sergio Gomez down the City right proved profitable repeatedly.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope was called upon for the first time with 18 minutes gone when Bobb turned smartly on Phillips’ ball to feet and raced towards goal before feeding Julian Alvarez, whose low shot was blocked by the keeper’s boot.

Paul Dummett had to make a perfectly-timed challenge to deny Grealish a clear run at goal and Sandro Tonali threw himself into the path of Kovacic’s goal-bound strike with Newcastle’s inability to retain the ball causing them all kinds of problems.

Alvarez blazed a 28th-minute shot across goal after running on to Bobb’s clever flick from Kovacic’s square ball as the home side chased shadows, although they might have changed the narrative of the first half four minutes before the break.

Joelinton’s interception on halfway allowed Isak to feed Jacob Murphy, who surged forward before firing across keeper Stefan Ortega, who blocked with a leg.

Eddie Howe made a double change before the restart, replacing Lewis Hall and 17-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley, who was also starting for the first time, with Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon and the Magpies instantly had a better balance.

Tonali saw a 48th-minute shot blocked after he, Murphy and Tino Livramento had combined down the right and Newcastle were ahead five minutes later.

Murphy cut inside and found Joelinton, who powered his way into the penalty area before smashing the ball across goal from a tight angle to find the unmarked Isak, who finished with ease at the far post.

In an instant, the atmosphere inside St James’ Park changed with the visitors finding themselves under sustained pressure for the first time.

Grealish curled a 75th-minute shot into Pope’s arms as City responded, but their efforts were tepid and Guardiola was booked by referee Chris Kavanagh as he vented his frustration on the sideline.

His mood did not improve as City’s weak efforts to redeem themselves came to nothing despite Phil Foden’s introduction.

Andrew Moran scored two and set up two as Blackburn overpowered Cardiff 5-2 in the Carabao Cup third round.

Jake Garrett’s composed finish set Rovers on their way in the 13th minute before Callum Robinson marked his first start of the season with a thunderous equaliser.

The 19-year-old Brighton loanee Moran’s first assist came in the 36th minute when his cutback was turned home by Arnor Sigurdsson on his home debut, but the much-changed Bluebirds hit back again through Kion Etete’s brilliant, improvised equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

A second-half Rovers blitz put the game beyond doubt. Moran profited from woeful defending to score his first goal in English football just after the break, before inducing a foul that led to a Sigurdsson spot kick that was well saved.

He doubled his tally and Blackburn’s lead in the 54th minute with a spectacular long-range effort, before feeding Dilan Markanday to register a fifth 15 minutes later.

Rovers have made the fourth round for the second consecutive campaign, having netted 17 times in their three outings in the competition so far this season.

Home debutant Leopold Wahlstedt made a sharp low save early on to deny Etete, but Blackburn clinically hit the front when James Hill’s long pass found Garrett who controlled brilliantly and slotted underneath Runar Alex Runarsson.

Cardiff equalised in the 18th minute when Robinson found space 25 yards out to rifle an unstoppable drive into the bottom left corner.

Harry Pickering flashed an effort just wide of the post soon after and Rovers reasserted control in the 36th minute when a slick counter attack saw Moran cut back perfectly for Sigurdsson to slam home from six yards.

Etete superbly equalised in first-half stoppage time, controlling a pass on the left and holding off two defenders before turning and producing a screamer that flew into the bottom right corner.

But they were put to the sword early in the second half. Runarsson made a sprawling save to deny Markanday but could do nothing in the 49th minute when Moran intercepted a Jonathan Panzo pass and slotted past the goalkeeper.

Moran then tricked his way into the box and was brought down by Ebou Adams but Sigurdsson’s low penalty was well saved by his Icelandic teammate Runarsson who parried behind.

The beleaguered keeper was helpless from the resulting corner though as Moran curled a sumptuous 25-yard drive beyond him in the 54th minute.

Adams denied Semir Telalovic a certain fifth soon after, while Bluebirds debutant James Crole curled on to the roof of the net.

But relentless Rovers hit their fifth in the 69th minute when Moran’s perfectly weighted pass found Markanday on the right who stroked home into the far corner via a post.

Reiss Nelson scored his first goal of the season and Aaron Ramsdale kept a clean sheet on his return as Arsenal beat Brentford 1-0 in the Carabao Cup.

Nelson’s first-half goal, after some dreadful Brentford defending, was enough to send the Gunners through to the fourth round.

Ramsdale was handed a recall after being dropped in favour of David Raya, who joined from Brentford this summer.

Raya had started Arsenal’s previous three games, including Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham, displacing Ramsdale after 52 consecutive Premier League games.

With Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice injured against Spurs to join Thomas Partey, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber on the sidelines, Mikel Arteta made eight changes in total.

The visitors took the lead after only eight minutes thanks to a mistake by the recalled Mathias Jorgensen, whose pass back wrong-footed Ethan Pinnock.

Eddie Nketiah leapt on the error, cutting the ball back for Nelson who stepped past a sliding Nathan Collins before neatly finishing past Mark Flekken.

Brentford were flat for long periods of their home defeat by Everton in the Premier League on Saturday and this was more of the same in the first half.

They would have been two down after half an hour but for the outstretched leg of Flekken which denied Emile Smith Rowe a goal.

The Bees look as though they are starting to miss their striker Ivan Toney, who is still suspended for admitting breaches of gambling rules and is likely to be an Arsenal target when he is available again in January.

But they eventually began to get forward and Vitaly Janelt’s shot was blocked by the diving Takehiro Tomiyasu.

They almost equalised when captain Christian Norgaard beat Kai Havertz in midfield and crossed for Yoane Wissa, whose first-time shot flew just wide.

There was a wobbly moment for Ramsdale when he was almost caught in possession by Wissa, but the ball ran away from the Bees frontman.

But the keeper came up with a fine save midway through the second half, pushing Wissa’s snap-shot against the far post.

Nelson could have had a second when Havertz got clear down the left and played the ball across, but his shot clipped the outside of Flekken’s post.

Flekken saved well from Nketiah at his near post before Ramsdale flung himself to his left to beat away Frank Onyeka’s drive as the Gunners held on.

Everton continued their mini revival after a deserved 2-1 Carabao Cup win at Aston Villa.

James Garner’s first Toffees goal and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s strike fired the visitors into the fourth round.

Boubacar Kamara’s late strike gave the scoreline a flattering look after Everton bossed much of the game against their disappointing hosts.

Villa routed the Toffees 4-0 in the Premier League last month but Sean Dyche’s side have begun to mount their recovery following a wretched start.

Successive victories for the first time under Dyche – and first for a year – will continue to rouse the Toffees. With Luton and Bournemouth next to visit Goodison Park there is the chance to find real momentum.

For Villa, whose last major trophy was the 1996 League Cup, it was another disappointing night for a club which so desperately wants to challenge the elite.

They will continue to remain on the fringes with similar performances as they strive for consistency, having won 1-0 at Chelsea on Sunday.

There was never any sign Unai Emery’s side would build on that result during a sloppy display where they were outfought and overpowered.

Youri Tielemans’ half-volley landed on the roof of the net after seven minutes but that was as good as it got in the first half.

Everton quickly found a tempo which the hosts struggled with and one which, ultimately, forced a 15th-minute opener.

Robin Olsen was put under pressure and his poor clearance landed kindly for Amadou Onana on the edge of the area, before Calvert-Lewin and Arnaut Danjuma worked the ball back to him.

The midfielder then clipped a cute ball through to Garner to lash in from 10 yards with the Villa defence static.

They looked ropey and anxious for the rest of the half as the hosts failed to clear their lines and were unnerved by Everton’s pressing and Danjuma’s direct running.

Only an outstanding reflex save from Olsen stopped John McGinn slicing into his own net six minutes before half time after another Danjuma burst embarrassed Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash.

Two minutes later the goalkeeper denied Calvert-Lewin as he tried to round him, the striker putting the rebound wastefully into the sidenetting.

It was a let-off and one Villa should have capitalised on but Jhon Duran fired wildly over in stoppage time to sum up their wayward first half.

Unsurprisingly Unai Emery had seen enough, replacing Duran, McGinn and Leander Dendoncker with Ollie Watkins, Kamara and Lucas Digne at the break.

But it did nothing to improve the hosts and they self destructed five minutes after the restart.

There was little pressure on Tielemans 40-yards out but his pass sold Konsa short and Calvert-Lewin nipped in to streak clear and roll past the exposed Olsen.

A smart Jordan Pickford save from Moussa Diaby stopped the hosts pulling a goal back immediately but there was no sense of a comeback.

Olsen thwarted Calvert-Lewin just after the hour and it looked like Everton would comfortably see the game out.

Yet, Kamara set up a nervy end with eight minutes left when his deflected strike from 20 yards wrong-footed Pickford to creep in.

The goalkeeper saved from Diaby in stoppage time and Douglas Luiz hooked over during a frantic finish but it was too little, too late.

Dominic Solanke came off the bench to send Bournemouth into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after beating Championship side Stoke 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium.

Striker Solanke netted six minutes after coming on at half-time before Joe Rothwell’s free-kick burst through a crowded penalty area to settle the tie.

It sent the Cherries into the fourth round for the sixth time in 10 seasons, having only managed the feat twice in their first 54 attempts.

Bournemouth made eight changes from their 3-1 defeat to Brighton on Sunday in a week they play three games in seven days.

Stoke made six of their own, after losing to Hull, and all the alterations made for a first half full of misplaced passes, heavy touches and frustration from the stands.

Added to that, neither side had any kind of form to hold onto. The Potters are winless in five in the Championship while the Cherries have only beaten Swansea in the last round under Andoni Iraola.

It took until the 13th minute for either side to have a shot of note, when Milos Kerkez stung the palms of Stoke goalkeeper Jack Bonham with a fierce shot from inside the penalty box.

The crowd was finally sparked into life with eight minutes left in the first half as Bournemouth enjoyed some sustained pressure.

Dango Ouattara produced an outrageous flick to turn Ki-Jana Hoever and earn space in the box but his thrash towards goal was pushed behind.

At the other end, Stoke, who had pressed with good discipline, threatened as Jordan Thompson ended a fine move by curling over before Wesley failed to meet a low cross.

Iraola unsurprisingly wrung the changes at half-time with regulars Solanke and Ryan Christie brought on.

It only took six minutes for top scorer Solanke to find the net.

The former Liverpool forward controlled a low cross from Adam Smith before finishing with a neat swivel for his fourth goal of the season.

Three minutes later, the Cherries were in complete control when Rothwell’s free-kick from the left side of the box escaped everyone’s touch and bounced into the bottom corner.

It was the midfielder’s first goal since arriving from Blackburn before last season.

Christie forced Bonham into a good diving save with a dipping effort from outside the box while Nathan Lowe’s acrobatic effort and Sol Sidibe’s flash across goal in stoppage time couldn’t set up a grandstand finish for Stoke.

The only sour note of the second half for Bournemouth was Solanke’s withdrawal five minutes from time having picked up a knock.

Chelsea earned respite from their difficult start to the season under Mauricio Pochettino as Nicolas Jackson’s second-half goal gave them a 1-0 win against Brighton in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Roberto De Zerbi’s high-flying visitors dominated possession for much of the game but home fans witnessed their side put on an effective counter-attacking display at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea had gone three games without scoring, but that run ended when Jackson struck early in the second half after being set up by Cole Palmer, planting a composed finish into the corner to ease his personal struggles in front of goal.

Pochettino made five changes from the side beaten by Aston Villa on Sunday, with Palmer brought in for his first start.

The former Manchester City forward began in an advanced three alongside Mykhailo Mudryk and Ian Maatsen, but was at his most effective when dropping to receive the ball deep, seeking out the critical final-third passes that have eluded Chelsea and meant they have scored just five league goals in six games.

Jackson had an early sight of goal, winning the ball on the edge of Brighton’s box and hitting a left-footed drive that deflected over.

Robert Sanchez was one of three former Brighton players in the Chelsea line-up and twice in the first period the goalkeeper almost gifted his former side the lead, first passing the ball straight to the feet of Joao Pedro who chipped it inches over the bar, then putting Moises Caicedo under pressure in a central position. He was dispossessed by Carlo Baleba, who rolled the ball to Ansu Fati to fire wide from the best opening of the half.

Brighton had enjoyed 66 per cent possession by the half-hour mark, leaving Chelsea to look for openings on the break.

The lively Mudryk ran in behind from Caicedo’s defence-splitting pass, only for Tariq Lamptey to slide in with an expertly timed intervention.

Minutes later, Mudryk turned provider, latching on to Levi Colwill’s forceful tackle that sent the ball spinning upfield and crossing low to the near post for Palmer to side-foot wide under pressure from Igor Julio.

Chelsea had endured their worst start to a season in 45 years but relief looked finally to have arrived five minutes after half-time.

Maatsen received the ball centrally and laid it into the feet of Palmer, who had been a lurking first-half threat playing between the lines. He tucked it in cleverly to Jackson, who wrong-footed Bart Verbruggen to guide home his second goal for the club.

It was just the third time this season that Pochettino had seen his team take the lead, and they should have gone further in front when Mudryk’s energetic midfield pressing won the ball and set Jackson away, but this time the goalkeeper got the best of their duel after spreading himself well.

Home fans thought Jackson had scored the second goal his performance deserved when he slotted home from Palmer’s pass, but the offside flag cut short celebrations.

Brighton had late chances to level, first when Pervis Estupinan collected a raking ball and ran it to the byline, but no one had gambled as his cross fizzed across goal.

Pedro then thumped a volley over the bar from Axel Disasi’s weak headed clearance but Chelsea held on to finally hand Pochettino room to breathe.

Reiss Nelson scored his first goal of the season and Aaron Ramsdale kept a clean sheet on his return as Arsenal beat Brentford 1-0 in the Carabao Cup.

Nelson’s first-half goal, after some dreadful Brentford defending, was enough to send the Gunners through to the fourth round.

Ramsdale was handed a recall after being dropped in favour of David Raya, who joined from Brentford this summer.

Raya had started Arsenal’s previous three games, including Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham, displacing Ramsdale after 52 consecutive Premier League games.

With Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice injured against Spurs to join Thomas Partey, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber on the sidelines, Mikel Arteta made eight changes in total.

The visitors took the lead after only eight minutes thanks to a mistake by the recalled Mathias Jorgensen, whose pass back wrong-footed Ethan Pinnock.

Eddie Nketiah leapt on the error, cutting the ball back for Nelson who stepped past a sliding Nathan Collins before neatly finishing past Mark Flekken.

Brentford were flat for long periods of their home defeat by Everton in the Premier League on Saturday and this was more of the same in the first half.

They would have been two down after half an hour but for the outstretched leg of Flekken which denied Emile Smith Rowe a goal.

The Bees look as though they are starting to miss their striker Ivan Toney, who is still suspended for admitting breaches of gambling rules and is likely to be an Arsenal target when he is available again in January.

But they eventually began to get forward and Vitaly Janelt’s shot was blocked by the diving Takehiro Tomiyasu.

They almost equalised when captain Christian Norgaard beat Kai Havertz in midfield and crossed for Yoane Wissa, whose first-time shot flew just wide.

There was a wobbly moment for Ramsdale when he was almost caught in possession by Wissa, but the ball ran away from the Bees frontman.

But the keeper came up with a fine save midway through the second half, pushing Wissa’s snap-shot against the far post.

Nelson could have had a second when Havertz got clear down the left and played the ball across, but his shot clipped the outside of Flekken’s post.

Flekken saved well from Nketiah at his near post before Ramsdale flung himself to his left to beat away Frank Onyeka’s drive as the Gunners held on.

Tomas Soucek’s second-half goal ensured West Ham overcame a tough test in the Carabao Cup third round at Lincoln with a 1-0 victory.

This was nothing other than ‘job done’ for the Hammers as Soucek’s 70th-minute strike from a corner booked their place in the next round.

Boss David Moyes made a host of changes to his side but Soucek was one of his Premier League starters who was involved and that proved vital while goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski also made a number of good saves.

League One Lincoln, who were winners at Sheffield United in the last round, gave them a scare and should have led in the first half but they could not produce another upset.

This home tie for the Imps was a reward for that penalty shootout victory at Bramall Lane in August and they had designs on a second shock.

They had to survive a scare in the opening 20 minutes as defender Sean Roughan slipped at the vital moment when receiving a pass, allowing Max Cornet to burst forward.

However, goalkeeper Lukas Jensen got out well to smother efforts from Danny Ings and Said Benrahma.

From that point, the Imps began to cause their visitors some problems, with Reeco Hackett firing a fierce shot from distance straight at Fabianski.

They thought they had taken the lead in the 26th minute as Alex Mitchell turned in Ali Smith’s cross at the far post but he was offside.

Lincoln kept going and should have gone in front just before half-time.

A nice move saw Smith in space on the left and he sent in a perfect cross for Hackett to produce a powerful header that seemed destined to ripple the net but Fabianski somehow palmed it away with a flying stop.

A storm blew through Sincil Bank in the opening 15 minutes of the second half and with the wind at their tails, Lincoln penned West Ham in and they would have fancied their chances of creating something with their direct approach.

But the quality was lacking and as the wind died down, so too did the Imps’ threat.

The Hammers began to take control, though were hardly banging the door down and needed a set-piece to go in front.

Benrahma whipped in a low corner from the left and Soucek prodded home at the near post.

They almost made it 2-0 shortly after as Ben Johnson let fly with 30-yard shot that crashed into the post.

Lincoln went for it in the final 15 minutes in a bid to force penalties and Dylan Duffy tested Fabianksi with a stinging shot from distance, which the keeper met with a full-length save.

West Ham were able to see it out to make it through to the fourth round for the fourth successive year.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb strike helped Liverpool into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup as they came from behind to beat Championship Leicester 3-1.

The hosts were stunned when Kasey McAteer fired the Foxes in front in only the third minute.

But sustained pressure from Jurgen Klopp’s side eventually told as Cody Gakpo levelled before Szoboszlai came off the bench to put them in front with an unstoppable shot in the 70th minute.

Diogo Jota added a third in the 89th minute and it was no less than Liverpool, winners of this competition a record nine times, deserved after they poured forward in response to the early setback, having 27 attempts at goal in all.

McAteer’s early goal remained Leicester’s only shot on target by the final whistle.

Jurgen Klopp had made 10 changes to the side that beat West Ham 3-1 at the weekend to maintain their impressive start to the Premier League campaign but Enzo Maresca, whose side are top of the Championship as they eye an instant return to the top flight, matched him with just as many.

And the in-form visitors silenced the windswept Anfield crowd as a Liverpool free-kick turned into a Leicester goal.

Kostas Tsimikas’ delivery was punched clear and the Greece defender was left in a heap by Marc Albrighton as Yunus Akgun raced clear before slipping the perfect ball into the path of 21-year-old academy product McAteer, who had time to pick a spot for his fifth goal of the season.

A Liverpool response was guaranteed, but Wataru Endo, making his third start since joining from Stuttgart, fired a shot narrowly wide before Harry Souttar blocked Gakpo’s shot after neat passing cut open Leicester’s defence.

The following corner was worked short to find Jota at the far post but the Portuguese forward fell over the ball before Jakub Stolarczyk blocked Ben Doak’s shot as the 17-year-old picked up the pieces.

Doak then went even closer from the next corner, hitting the crossbar on the rebound as Stolarczyk could only parry a shot from Liverpool’s 20-year-old defender Jarell Quansah.

Gakpo thought he had equalised in the 22nd minute as he headed Tsimikas’ free-kick goalwards but Conor Coady – belatedly making his Leicester debut at his boyhood club following injury – scrambled it off the line.

A mistake from Ricardo Pereira led to Liverpool’s next opportunity as helost control inside the area and Harvey Elliott played in Gakpo, but his shot was deflected over.

Liverpool trailed at the break despite having 15 shots to Leicester’s two, but needed only three minutes of the second half to level.

Ryan Gravenberch, making his first Anfield start, fizzed in a pass to Gakpo, who stuck out a leg to control with his back to goal before twisting to find the bottom corner of the net.

Liverpool were firmly on top now and Gakpo should have had a second just before the hour, getting a glancing header on Elliott’s cross but watching it hit the underside of the crossbar and bounce down on to the line before Leicester cleared.

Both managers turned to their benches to strengthen, with Maresca sending on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Patson Daka, while Klopp called on Szoboszlai and Darwin Nunez.

Klopp was the manager to see his moves pay off as within five minutes of coming on, Szoboszlai unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top left-hand corner from the edge of the D.

Liverpool continued to pile on the pressure, and Jota sealed it in the 89th minute as he flicked Quansah’s low cross in off the inside of the post.

Fulham advanced into the Carabao Cup fourth round after they fought hard to beat Norwich 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

Goals from Carlos Vinicius and Alex Iwobi were enough for Marco Silva’s men who responded well after the weekend’s lacklustre 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.

Fulham found success early on down the left flank through Willian and Fode Ballo-Toure, who created a 10th-minute chance for Vinicius that the striker headed over.

Vinicius justified a run out after his winner against Luton two weeks ago and he opened the scoring in the 10th minute.

Willian’s floated delivery found Iwobi at the back stick and he headed it across goal to Vinicius who tapped home.

Silva had called for more chances to be created during games and Fulham did just that through Harry Wilson, Willian and Tom Cairney.

Norwich responded and fluffed a golden chance to level against the run of play in the 19th minute when Przemyslaw Placheta’s driven cross fell kindly to Tony Springett, who dragged his shot wide.

Minutes later Norwich’s whipped corner found the head of towering centre-back Jaden Warner and Marek Rodak saved.

A neat switch from Wilson in the 39th minute resulted in the ball being played back in the other direction to Vinicius who should of doubled his tally from six yards.

The tide changed after half-time and it was Norwich’s turn to put pressure on the hosts.

It started with Sam McCallum who beautifully slalomed through white shirts before firing wide.

In the 51st minute, Kellen Fisher let fly from outside the box but his effort clipped the outside of Rodak’s post as Norwich were denied any rewards for their attacking flurry.

Craven Cottage demanded more and on the hour Silva’s men threw numbers forward in an effort to firm their grip on the tie.

Willian, who was the standout player for the hosts, delivered a floated corner which fell to the unmarked Wilson who sweetly volleyed past goalkeeper George Long before Adam Forshaw managed a last-ditch clearance off the line to keep it at 1-0.

But Fulham doubled their lead in the 72nd minute.

Iwobi drove forward with the ball and combined with Wilson before the Nigerian guided the ball into the bottom corner to open his Fulham account.

But typical of the end-to-end game, Norwich equalised after 75 minutes through Borja Sainz.

The explosive Adam Idah burst away on a counter-attack and found Sainz whose first attempt was denied by Rodak before he managed to bundle the ball into the net to give the Norfolk side hope.

Despite Norwich’s best efforts Fulham held their nerve during five minutes added time to seal victory.

Deadline-day signing Sofyan Amrabat says he only ever wanted to join Manchester United and believes Erik ten Hag’s side can “do something big” this season.

The 27-year-old’s qualities came to the fore during the 2022 World Cup, where his outstanding midfield displays helped Morocco on their historic run to the semi-finals.

Amrabat was linked with moves aplenty after Qatar and numerous clubs expressed their interest in a player that only wanted to leave Fiorentina this summer for one destination.

 

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The midfielder played under Ten Hag at Utrecht at the start of his career and was determined to link back up with him at United as he wrapped up a long-discussed deal at the start of September.

Asked if it was a difficult process waiting to get the move, Amrabat said: “Yes, of course.

“After the last game with the club, it was the Conference League final with West Ham and from that moment, the window started for me.

“A lot of clubs, a lot of speaking, talking, but for me it was clear I wanted Manchester United.

“It was long, long months for me, difficult months for me, but at the end it’s nice on the last day that I signed here and that I’m here is now the most important (thing).”

United paid 10million euros (£8.6m) to sign Amrabat on loan for the season, with the deal including the option to trigger a permanent move.

The Serie A will receive a 20m euros (£17.1m) fee and up to 5m euros (£4.3m) in potential add-ons if that option is taken by Ten Hag’s men.

“I don’t think about that,” Amrabat said of his future beyond this season. “For me, today, I am a Manchester United player.

“The only thing I can do is every day to give everything that I have, to do my best, to try to help the team.

“I hope we have a fantastic season, I hope we can win something and then later we will see what will happen.

“Of course, I would love to stay here, but that’s not important for me. I don’t look too far into the future.”

Amrabat spoke as he basked in the afterglow of an impressive first appearance at Old Trafford, where he helped United beat Crystal Palace 3-0 in the Carabao Cup third round.

“It was fantastic,” he said with a smile. “It was a dream of mine. Since I was a child I worked for this every day and to be here is a dream, it’s fantastic.”

After a small injury delayed his debut, Amrabat finally made his bow off the bench in Saturday’s much-needed win at Burnley before making his first start against Palace three days later.

 

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Those back-to-back victories have lifted the mood around Old Trafford after what had been a challenging start to the season on and off the field for absentee-hit United.

Pressure and scrutiny had grown having lost four of their opening six matches of a season for the first time since 1986, but Amrabat is confident they can kick on and enjoy a successful season.

“I have a lot of confidence because I see that we have so much quality,” he said.

“I think it was a bit unlucky with the injuries we had. Of course for every team it’s difficult if you have a lot of injuries.

“But I see a lot of quality, we have a fantastic coach, we have fantastic fans, so I believe that we can do something big.

“But at the end you have to show it on the pitch, not with talking, not with speaking, you have to work for it and hopefully we can reach something very nice.”

United won the Carabao Cup in their first season under Ten Hag, who described Amrabat as a “warrior” on Tuesday as he started as makeshift left-back due to a string of absentees.

“First of all, when I make a step on the pitch, for me it’s normal that you give everything, that you fight for every metre and give your all for the team,” the Morocco international added.

“Of course you can make technical mistakes, everyone can have a bad game, but I think – at the end – most importantly, you fight for the badge, for the club and that’s the minimum you can do.

“I think, for me, that’s normal and that’s what I try always.

“The manager knows me very well, a long time – maybe seven years ago that we worked together, so it’s a long time.

“But he knows me, I know him, I know what he wants and I try to do that at the best (level).”

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