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Boss Unai Emery believes Aston Villa proved their European credentials after an emphatic 4-1 win at AZ Alkmaar. Leon Bailey, Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins and John McGinn struck as dominant Villa cruised to victory in the Europa Conference League. It was a second 4-1 win in two games – following Sunday’s victory over West Ham – and Villa earned successive Group E triumphs after dispatching last year’s beaten semi-finalists. “If we want to be a contender we have to show every day and when we are playing those matches, we have to show everybody our wishes. I think we did it,” Emery told a press conference. “We are respecting them because they played in the semi-final last year against West Ham. They won last year against Lazio, they won last year against Anderlecht and it’s because they have experiences in European competitions. “I am very happy with the players because I think they have to be mature, responsible and demanding themselves, not only when I’m pushing them. They have to try to increase their own individual and collective level.” Bailey opened the scoring when Villa cashed in on wasteful play from AZ and Tielemans doubled the lead 10 minutes later. Watkins made it 3-0 six minutes after the restart when Bailey’s shot was saved by former Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan. Just five minutes later, McGinn added a fourth when he turned Bailey’s cross in at the near post. AZ improved and pulled a goal back through Ibrahim Sadiq’s fine drive from the edge of the box with 25 minutes left. Home defender David Moller-Wolfe said: “I can only speak for myself, but I’ve never played against such a good team. “I felt when we tried to press them high, they just went in behind us and when we stayed they played in between us. That said, I don’t see why we can’t go to Villa Park in a few weeks and beat them.” Read More Tyson Fury has ‘no doubt’ he will knock out former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou David Moyes defends team selection as West Ham’s unbeaten European run ended West Ham suffer first European loss in 18 matches at hands of Olympiacos

NFL standings based on strength of schedule.

West Ham’s unbeaten European record was reduced to ruins in Athens as they crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Olympiacos. The Hammers came a cropper in the shadow of the Acropolis as they suffered a first loss in Uefa competitions in 18 matches. David Moyes, who led his side to the Europa Conference League title last season, made seven changes for their Europa League Group A clash in the Greek capital. But his selection backfired as a soft goal from Olympiacos captain Kostas Fortounis and an own goal from stand-in Hammers skipper Angelo Ogbonna brought their undefeated run to a halt despite Lucas Paqueta’s late reply. A hostile reception for West Ham was guaranteed at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, with Olympiacos even issuing a warning to their supporters not to throw missiles or target players with laser pens. That plea came after their match against fierce rivals Panathinaikos on Sunday had to be abandoned when a visiting player was hit by a firework hurled from the crowd. With tensions high in Athens – Panathinaikos were also playing at home a few miles away – around 1,600 West Ham fans were bussed in from the city centre to the ground under a police escort to avoid any potential trouble. The local ‘ultras’ did not disappoint, with a huge banner reading “tonight you dine in hell” welcoming the visitors on to the pitch amid a cauldron of noise. Moyes would certainly have found West Ham’s first-half display hard to stomach. The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute when Fortounis turned away from Emerson Palmieri, James Ward-Prowse and Pablo Fornals far too easily, 25 yards out. Fortounis launched an old-fashioned toe poke from the edge of the box which flew past the flat-footed Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal. On the stroke of half-time the Hammers found themselves two behind when Ogbonna suffered his own personal Greek tragedy. The Italian veteran stuck out a foot to block a cross from Brazilian full-back Rodinei, only to help it past Areola into his own net. Moyes will have been having a bad case of deja vu; his ill-fated spell in charge of Manchester United included a 2-0 defeat at the same stadium in 2014. West Ham did at least come out in the second half with more purpose, but a low cross from Emerson was scooped over the crossbar by Danny Ings. Moyes made a triple substitution before the hour mark with Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio entering the fray. Paqueta halved the deficit with a stunning volley from the edge of the box with four minutes left, but despite a late flurry they could not find an equaliser. A victory would have all but secured West Ham’s passage into the knockout stages but now they find themselves with work to do, lying level with Freiburg at the top of the group with Olympiacos two points behind. Read More Former Everton boss David Moyes pays tribute to ‘wonderful man’ Bill Kenwright David Moyes hopes West Ham and Olympiacos fans behave in Greece Man Utd expect to pay further tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton on Tuesday night We’re after seven teams – Unai Emery plays down Villa’s Champions League chances Such a good man – David Moyes hails Sir Bobby Charlton help as fans pay tribute Ollie Watkins continues red-hot form as Aston Villa ease past AZ Alkmaar

Whether you call it Mischief Night, Devil's Night, or something else, it all means one thing: wanton destruction of property.

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Emily Rose GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli forces carried out their biggest Gaza ground attack overnight in their

The baseball icon’s modest Oklahoma home is getting the fractional ownership treatment.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith is feeling the heat on having star rookie running back Bijan Robinson mostly ride pine in last Sunday's road win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He may not have disclosed publicly that Robinson was not feeling well.

Ollie Watkins continued his red-hot form as Aston Villa cruised to a statement 4-1 Europa Conference League win at AZ Alkmaar. The striker netted his 10th goal of the season and fourth in Europe this season on Thursday. Leon Bailey and Youri Tielemans – his first for Villa – put them in control in AZ Stadium after less than 25 minutes. Vangelis Pavlidis wasted the hosts’ best chances but Watkins and John McGinn added more goals after the break in Holland before Ibrahim Sadiq grabbed a consolation. It was the second time in two games Villa had scored four after their 4-1 Premier League win over West Ham on Sunday. Unai Emery celebrated a year in charge on Tuesday and victory underlined the progress his side have made, having been floundering in 14th and three points above the relegation zone 12 months ago. Villa host Alkmaar in two weeks knowing victory would see them take a giant leap to the knock-out stages, especially following an opening 3-2 defeat at Legia Warsaw in September. After two games in Group E, all four teams were locked on three points but Villa moved to remedy that quickly, opening the scoring just 13 minutes in. Watkins seized on a loose pass from Yukinari Sugawara and, while Boubacar Kamara’s ball was cut out, it fell for Bailey to control and rifle in low from the edge of the box. Alkmaar cried handball but the goal stood and 10 minutes later, the hosts were 2-0 down. Another poor pass, this time from Sven Mijnans, went straight to McGinn and his angled pass found Tielemans to bag his first Villa goal. Yet, 90 seconds later, the hosts should have pulled a goal back when Pavlidis fired over with just Emi Martinez to beat after Kamara was dispossessed on the edge of the box. Pavlidis had a goal disallowed for offside soon after but Villa regrouped and extended their lead six minutes after the break. AZ were picked apart by Watkins, Tielemans and Bailey, who saw his shot saved by Matt Ryan but it fell perfectly for Watkins to tap in the rebound. Five minutes later McGinn added a fourth when he turned in Bailey’s low cross at the near post. Sadiq pulled a surprise goal back with 25 minutes left when he latched onto Bruno Martins Indi’s crossfield pass and drilled the ball into the corner from the edge of the box. Tiago Dantas came close to a second, Tielemans deflecting his drive behind, with a comeback never on the cards. Read More West Ham suffer first European loss in 18 matches at hands of Olympiacos Brodie Retallick wins second-row start for New Zealand in World Cup final Ben Youngs ‘so content’ to sign off England career in bronze final at World Cup Sandro Tonali needs ’empathy and support’ after being banned for 10 months Jos Buttler: My future as captain out of my hands as England near World Cup exit Maro Itoje praises ‘courageous’ Tom Curry for reporting Mbongeni Mbonambi

Apparently, a Tennessee Volunteers message board poster knew about the Michigan sign-stealing scandal a year before it was uncovered. You need to hear what Andy Staples had to say about it to get a better grasp of what all happened.

Real Madrid's injuries for Saturday's El Clasico against Barcelona.

MEXICO CITY Mexican bottler Arca Continental said on Thursday its third-quarter net profit rose 7% as it sold

By Yoruk Bahceli and Naomi Rovnick The European Central Bank steered clear on Thursday of signalling any big