List of All Articles with Tag 'foo'

Unai Emery stressed the importance of Aston Villa remaining consistent as the season goes on after the 3-1 win over Fulham. The result at Villa Park saw the midlands outfit make it six wins out of six at home in the Premier League this season and equal the post-war club record for successive top-flight home victories, matching the 13 in a row achieved in 1983. Boss Emery, whose fifth-placed side are a point outside the top four, said: “We are now (on league match) 12 – there are still 26 matches to play. “It’s a lot and of course to be consistent is the most important thing, when you are trying to build and to create a team and a structure and mentality. “It’s the reason of course we can maintain the position like we are now, but it’s going to be very difficult and a challenge. We are going to face each match trying to focus (on) it. “Now we are in the top five, it’s I think a moment to enjoy, to be happy – and to try to analyse, even now winning, how we can improve, how we can keep being consistent.” Marking a return to winning ways in the league after last Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Nottingham Forest, this result was a second home triumph in four days for Villa, with Emery’s men having defeated AZ Alkmaar 2-1 in the Europa Conference League on Thursday to leave them on the brink of qualifying from their group. They were two up at the break against Fulham following an Antonee Robinson own-goal and a 42nd-minute strike from skipper John McGinn, while Ollie Watkins subsequently added a third in the 64th minute for his 11th goal of the season in all competitions. Raul Jimenez, who had seen a shot tipped against a post by Emiliano Martinez early in the second half, pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 70th minute – the former Wolves man’s first Premier League goal since March 2022. Emery said: “At home, we are feeling very good here. We are connected with our supporters, trying to (have) full, positive energy, and… in each circumstance we are trying to adapt, improving the team, the players, our tactical work. I think it is going well. “Here, for example, I think the first half was a very good first half. We created chances, but overall we controlled the game, avoiding the transition. It was fantastic. “The second half was more hard. They scored one goal, had chances and were trying to work, thinking about the possibility to come back, and we avoided it.” Villa resume after the international break with away games against Tottenham and Bournemouth, either side of a Europa Conference League home match against Legia Warsaw, and then host Manchester City and Arsenal in the league. Emery added: “Of course I am happy and I can take my days off as well relaxing with the result we had, with the moment we are now in the table, and in the Conference (League) as well. “But I know full well each match is a new challenge, and I am going to take some days resting, but of course my mind is in Tottenham, and in Bournemouth, and in Legia Warsaw, and in Villa Park again with Manchester City and Arsenal.” Read More Jurgen Klopp hits out at lunchtime scheduling of Liverpool-Man City clash I don’t like English referees – Roberto De Zerbi unhappy after Brighton held We’ve just thrown it away – Steve Cooper frustrated as Forest lose at West Ham Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart lead Britain to Billie Jean King Cup win over Sweden Brighton gift draw to Sheffield United after own goal and red card Aston Villa equal club-record home winning run by sweeping aside Fulham

Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Brentford set up a mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash against Manchester City, but manager Jurgen Klopp is less than impressed with the lunchtime scheduling. The Premier League’s resumption after the international break kicks off with City v Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium live on television in a Saturday lunchtime clash. Klopp has been a long-time opponent of broadcast scheduling, particularly the 12.30pm slot, and he has aired his complaints again. “OK, no-one can say at the moment, but how can you put a game like this on Saturday at 12.30pm?” he said. “Is it the moment where the world pays the most to see a football game? I don’t know if that is the case, I really don’t. “Honestly, the people making the decisions, they cannot feel football, it is just not possible.” The logistics involved in getting players back from South America are well-drilled now and usually involve clubs liaising to charter a jet for all their players to return home together. But a lunchtime kick-off requires extra planning to get them back as early as practically possible, which often involves extra work to get them into one airport at the same time. “You have these two teams who have, all together, about 30 international players. They all come back on the same plane from Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia,” said Klopp. “One game, one plane, they all come back.” Liverpool endured a couple of tricky moments at home to Brentford, but two goals from Mohamed Salah, taking him to 200 in English football, and one from Diogo Jota ensured Klopp’s side leapfrogged Arsenal into second place on goal difference. In becoming the first Reds player to score in each of their first six home matches at the start of a season, Salah joined Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry in having scored or assisted in 15 consecutive Premier League home games. “Exceptional, just exceptional player. Played a super game today and we all know how difficult it is against these tall centre-backs,” added Klopp. “Two players around him, all these kinds of things, how often he kept the ball for us and we could play from there. That was super important and scoring two goals. “We had so many good moments in the first half. We scored (through Darwin Nunez), but it was offside (twice), things like that, and then in that moment, the composure for the first goal is insane. “There is no doubt when the ball is in that area in the end you see it on the scoresheet. So a pretty special player.” Victory ensured the team headed off on international duty with a spring in their step after a difficult week which began with a draw at Luton and got worse with defeat in the Europa League to Toulouse. But in extending their 100 percent home league record to six matches this season, having conceded just twice at Anfield in that time, Liverpool moved into pole position as City’s nearest challengers. “Football is strange. If you would have asked me three days just about the feeling, not about what I know, I am not sure I would talk about the start (to their season),” said Klopp. “But obviously you look at the game, the numbers, the results, most of the time it was OK or better. “A point at Luton didn’t feel great, Tottenham, in the circumstances (a defeat after a controversial incorrect VAR decision) obviously didn’t feel great. “It’s absolutely all right if we just don’t really think about it. Today it was about getting through the game and we did. The boys responded sensationally well.” Brentford head coach Thomas Frank was unhappy with a second-half challenge by Wataru Endo on Christian Norgaard which, on the basis of what has gone before this season, he felt VAR got wrong. “I think this situation, back in the day, never would have been a red card, but in the football we are playing now, with the slow image you can see a clear foot on the leg, four bloody marks on Christian’s leg,” he said. “There is definitely some contact with force.” Read More Unai Emery demands consistency from Aston Villa after victory over Fulham I don’t like English referees – Roberto De Zerbi unhappy after Brighton held We’ve just thrown it away – Steve Cooper frustrated as Forest lose at West Ham Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart lead Britain to Billie Jean King Cup win over Sweden Brighton gift draw to Sheffield United after own goal and red card Aston Villa equal club-record home winning run by sweeping aside Fulham

The father of Liverpool star Luis Diaz said he went “almost 12 days without sleep” and endured long horseback treks through mountain passes as he revealed the details of his kidnapping ordeal for the first time. Luis Manuel Diaz, 58, was released by the guerrilla group Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN) on Thursday, nearly two weeks after he was captured at gunpoint along with his wife near their hometown of Barrancas in northern Colombia. While Cilenis Marulanda was rescued by police within hours, Diaz Sr remained in the hands of his kidnappers and said he was told to remain calm. At a press conference in Barrancas, Diaz Sr said that although “the treatment was good, I didn’t feel very comfortable”. “It was a lot of horseback riding, really hard, a lot of mountains, a lot of rain, too many insects,” said an emotional and weary Diaz Sr, speaking alongside his family near the Colombia-Venezuela border. “I couldn’t sleep peacefully, it was very difficult, almost 12 days without sleep.” Despite the ordeal, Diaz Sr said he had no plans to move away from Barrancas and felt safe in Colombia. The father of the Liverpool forward said he did not understand why the ELN kidnapped him as he was not held to ransom. "My aspirations are to continue in my town because I have my entire family in my town," Diaz Sr said. "The government has given me impressively strong and great support. I trust and have faith that it will provide me security to be in Barrancas." Liverpool winger and Colombia international Diaz had made an emotional appeal for his father’s release after scoring a late equaliser for Liverpool in their 1-1 draw against Luton last weekend The 26-year-old marked the goal by revealing a T-shirt bearing a message in Spanish reading “Freedom for Dad’’ and then made a statement calling for his “prompt release”. Diaz Sr said he spoke to his son after he was safely released by the kidnappers on Thursday and Diaz told him he was “happy” to play in Liverpool’s Europa League match against Toulouse that afternoon. The Colombian police said it had arrested four suspects after investigating Diaz Sr’s kidnapping, while the head of the ELN has admitted it was a “mistake” to capture the Liverpool star’s father. Read More Jurgen Klopp reignites early kick-off row ahead of Man City vs Liverpool clash Mohamed Salah’s stunning Anfield record is making his brilliance appear normal Liverpool vs Brentford LIVE: Latest Premier League updates

LeBron James, a noted Ohio State fan, made sure to work a shot at Jim Harbaugh and Michigan into his post-game answers after Friday's Los Angeles Lakers win.

Discover the largest buyout in college football history as Texas A&M prepares to pay Jimbo Fisher a staggering $75 million after firing him as head coach.

Jamie Carragher was stunned by the “very harsh” penalty awarded to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella was ruled to have fouled Erling Haaland in the box. Haaland converted the penalty to give the champions the lead in the Premier League clash, but Chelsea were furious and insisted Cucurella had actually been fouled by Haaland as they grappled at the back post. Replays suggested that Haaland may have initiated the contact with the Chelsea full-back, before the striker went to ground after Cucurella pulled on his shirt. Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot and although VAR checked the incident, it decided not to overturn the on-field decision. "No, no, no. This isn’t right,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “The VAR has looked the end of the tussle. He needs to look at the start. This is very harsh." "Haaland had hold of him as well. I think that’s what gets him in front of him." Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was also dismayed by the decision, and Haaland took full advantage as he slotted past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. There was a dramatic turnaround before half-time, however, as goals from Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling against his former club gave Chelsea the lead at Stamford Bridge and put the champions in trouble. Manuel Akanji equalised for the visitors before the break at the end of a breathless four-goal first-half. Read More Chelsea’s downward spiral offers stark warning to Man City Jeremy Doku’s brilliance shows Man City’s edge and Chelsea’s key problem Chelsea will be fighting for titles sooner rather than later, says Pep Guardiola

The names feel a throwback to a different time. As the final whistle blew, the players on the pitch for Graham Potter’s Chelsea included Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Cesar Azpilicueta, Hakim Ziyech and Jorginho. A mismatched group who had Chelsea’s worst season for decades can claim few distinctions but they remain the last Premier League side to leave Anfield without Mohamed Salah either scoring or assisting a goal against them. That stalemate was in January and it is starting to look very possible that Salah will complete a year of decisive contributions on home soil. A brace against Brentford had a certain predictability but knowing about Salah’s threat and stopping him are very different things. There is a certain normality to his brilliance. For a 15th consecutive league game here, Anfield’s Egyptian king reigned. For a sixth in a row this season, he scored, and only Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand and Thierry Henry have started a Premier League campaign in similar vein. Not for the first time, Salah is in elite, esteemed company. He is accustomed to rubbing shoulders with the goalscoring greats and he may yet give Erling Haaland a battle for the Golden Boot. A dozen games into the campaign, Salah is already in double figures for top-flight goals. There was a precision to the latest pair: his ninth was both a trademark Salah goal and a high-class team strike. It was a clinical finish after crisp, incisive passing: Trent Alexander-Arnold fed Darwin Nunez who picked out Salah. He, in turn, found the far corner of the Brentford net. It continued the profitable alliance of Nunez and Salah: all nine of the Uruguayan’s Liverpool assists have come for the Egyptian. Salah’s second of the afternoon came as many a player on either side simply stood and watched. They seemed to think the ball was out after a sliding Kostas Tsimikas crossed and an unmarked Salah planted a header past Mark Flekken. Yet the goal stood and it was the start of the second double: Tsimikas, found badly wanting in Thursday’s defeat to Toulouse, got two assists. The second owed more to Diogo Jota, who jinked infield and fizzed in a shot from the edge of the box. It was his sixth goal in his last seven outings at Anfield – Salah is not alone in enjoying home comforts – and Liverpool could have had six of their own. There might have been a hat-trick for their top scorer. Some of Alexander-Arnold’s passing was sublime and Salah volleyed wastefully over from the vice-captain’s cross. Before the deadlock was broken, Nunez had an idiosyncratic double of his own, with two goals chalked off inside five minutes, both for offside and after consulting VAR. The first was marginal, the second altogether clearer. Nunez finished adeptly after intercepting Dominik Szoboszlai’s misdirected shot and then spectacularly with an overhead kick; the offside flag rewarded goalkeeper Flekken, who had saved brilliantly from Virgil van Dijk’s header before Joel Matip headed the ball to Nunez. The striker was excellent; perhaps it was perversely typical that one of his best performances did not bring a goal. For Liverpool, though, there was a win to end what had been, in terms of performances, their worst week of the season. Below par at Luton, rather worse in Toulouse, they had attacking verve, if not always defensive solidity. But perhaps it was understandable Liverpool were too open. A makeshift midfield, shorn of five injured or suspended players, contained a forward, in Cody Gakpo, and a man making a first Premier League start at Anfield, in Wataru Endo. The Japanese rightly survived a VAR check for a red card for a challenge on Christian Norgaard, irritating Thomas Frank, and Brentford, often the scourge of the big six, posed Liverpool problems. They ought to have returned south with a goal to show for their efforts. Quick-witted and sharp of foot, Bryan Mbuemo brought Brentford a menace on the break and, almost, a lead. He latched on to a loose touch by Alexander-Arnold to shoot wide. He raced on to Mads Roerslev’s long pass, in behind the Liverpool defence; Alisson’s expertise in one-on-one situations was required to deflect his shot and allow Alexander-Arnold to clear. Norgaard came close with a volley from Mbuemo’s corner; the imperious Van Dijk also hooked a Norgaard header off the line. Yet their bid for a club record fourth consecutive Premier League win was ended by Salah, just as Liverpool’s record of winning every match at Anfield this season by at least two goals continued. They still average exactly three goals a game on their own turf, with 27 in nine. If it takes a team to forge such statistics, they are helped when they have someone of the consistency and quality of Salah. Anfield is a fortress but, in part, that is the Salah effect. Read More Jurgen Klopp reignites early kick-off row ahead of Man City vs Liverpool clash Liverpool vs Brentford LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Father of Luis Diaz reveals details of kidnapping ordeal

Adam Webster’s own goal condemned Roberto De Zerbi to his worst league run with Brighton as Sheffield United escaped the bottom of the table with a 1-1 draw against 10-man Albion. Simon Adingra had put the Seagulls ahead with a brilliant solo run but Mahmoud Dahoud’s red card saw momentum shift before Webster slid into his own goal. Brighton, who beat European giants Ajax on Thursday, are now winless in the Premier League in six matches, the longest boss De Zerbi has gone without a victory since arriving on the south coast last year. The Blades almost took an unlikely second-minute lead when Gustavo Hamer intercepted Jan Paul van Hecke’s pass across his own box but his header travelled narrowly wide. Four minutes later, Dahoud’s through ball released Ansu Fati who excitingly beat two defenders but his shot lacked power and was easily stopped by Wes Foderingham. The warning was not heeded as two minutes later Adingra picked up the ball 35 yards from goal on the left touchline. He shrugged off two tackles and played a one-two with Facundo Buonanotte before slotting past Foderingham. It was the Ivorian’s fourth goal of the season and the 28th straight league game the Seagulls have scored – the Blades winless in the last 20 Premier League matches they had shipped first. Brighton manager De Zerbi, who had given a call to action to supporters before the match, celebrated by jumping into the crowd in delight. Fati – making his first league start since arriving on loan from Barcelona – again found a gap down the middle to expose but his toe-poke was simple for Foderingham to deal with, before Buonanotte and Billy Gilmour went close. United showed a threat at the end of the first half but George Baldock’s lashed shot was the closest they came to scoring. Joao Pedro shot over almost immediately after coming on at the break, Van Hecke nodded a corner into the ground and over, Kaoru Mitoma’s raid to the byline saw his near-post shot blocked and Dahoud’s effort from range was battered behind. But in the 69th minute, the character of the game changed when Dahoud was dismissed for stamping on Ben Osborn’s Achilles. Referee John Brooks has now given four red cards this season, more than any of his colleague – not that there was any controversy with this decision. Four minutes later and United were level. Jayden Bogle smashed a ball across the face of goal and Webster put through his own goal, with Cameron Archer waiting behind for a tap-in. All of Brighton’s last 16 matches have seen both teams scoring – equalling Everton’s Premier League record – with the 12 since the start of the campaign last achieved in the top flight by Liverpool in the 1966-67 season. Bogle dragged an effort narrowly wide and Luke Thomas blazed over but the Blades could not find a second late winner in a row to follow their stoppage-time success against Wolves. Read More Britain remain at elite level of BJK Cup with victory over under-strength Sweden Aston Villa equal club-record home winning run by sweeping aside Fulham Tomas Soucek heads winner as West Ham come from behind in five-goal thriller Philippe Clement wants longer recovery after European games as Rangers beat Livi Katie Boulter puts Great Britain a win away from BJK Cup progress England will take it slow with Jofra Archer after latest setback – Rob Key

Mohamed Salah continued his remarkable Anfield scoring record with two goals in Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Brentford to bring up his 200th in English football. Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has scored more in the Premier League this season than the Egypt international, who took his tally to 10 by scoring for the sixth successive home game to write another entry in club’s history books. Intriguingly, the pair will meet in a mouthwatering first-versus-second encounter at the Etihad Stadium immediately after the international break in what will be a true test of Liverpool’s title credentials. After a complete midfield rebuild over the summer following a fifth-place finish, the primary aim was to regain their Champions League status, but after eight wins in their opening 12 matches – and a 100 percent record at home in every competition – a different complexion has developed as they have emerged as City’s chief chasers again. After taking 39 minutes to break down a stubborn Brentford, Salah’s double either side of half-time was added to by Diogo Jota’s late strike to put a quick end to questions over a mini-stumble after the draw at Luton and Europa League defeat in Toulouse. In becoming the first Liverpool player to score in each of their first six home matches, Salah joined Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry in having scored or assisted in 15 consecutive Premier League home games. And, while he claimed the plaudits once again, in many ways the architect of the victory was Darwin Nunez, whose rapid development this season continues to impress. The Uruguay international, criticised for his wayward shooting last weekend, had two goals disallowed for offside – one only very marginally by VAR – and provided yet another assist for Salah. His total of nine assists in his Liverpool career have all been for the Egypt international and in the Premier League it is only the third time two players have combined for an individual’s first seven in a campaign – Kevin Campbell for Ian Wright (first 10) and Troy Deeney for Odion Ighalo (seven) the others. His all-round play has improved immeasurably from last season’s erratic performances and, while still prone to the odd aberration, he is gradually morphing into the all-action number nine the team needs. After an early deflected cross was saved at the near post by goalkeeper Mark Flekken, Nunez poked home in the 22nd minute after Dominik Szoboszlai’s shot was deflected into his path. It was not the first time he would have a goal ruled out for offside, although it was the most marginal. When he buried an overhead kick after Flekken had parried Virgil van Dijk’s header it was apparent he had returned from an offside position. Brentford had been limited to counter-attacks but almost snatched a goal when Bryan Mbeumo outpaced Trent Alexander-Arnold, but Alisson Becker got a crucial touch on the shot and Liverpool’s right-back got back to collect. The defender was equally effective at the other end in the 39th minute when he picked out Nunez on the edge of the area and he laid off for Salah to tuck a left-footed shot inside the far post for a goal of brilliant simplicity. A Nunez piledriver, a Salah volley over from Alexander-Arnold’s delicious chipped diagonal pass over the Brentford defence and a perfectly-judged Nathan Collins’ recovery tackle to deny the Uruguay striker a one-on-one with the keeper saw the half end on a high for the hosts. Eighteen minutes into the second half Liverpool benefited from VAR as it ruled Kostas Tsimikas’ cross to the far post had remained in play as there was real doubt cast by Salah’s muted celebrations after heading in. Jota capped a dominant performance with the third in the 74th minute, cutting in from the left to fire home from the edge of the area. Late on Alexander-Arnold hooked away Collins’ goalbound header and Alisson tipped over Ethan Pinnock’s effort from the resulting corner to keep Liverpool ahead of Arsenal on goal difference and add yet more significance to the trip to the Etihad. Read More Brighton gift draw to Sheffield United after own goal and red card Aston Villa equal club-record home winning run by sweeping aside Fulham Tomas Soucek heads late winner as West Ham come from behind to beat Forest Philippe Clement wants longer recovery after European games as Rangers beat Livi Katie Boulter puts Great Britain a win away from BJK Cup progress England will take it slow with Jofra Archer after latest setback – Rob Key

Aston Villa registered their 13th Premier League home win on the bounce as Unai Emery’s men beat Fulham 3-1. Villa were two goals up at the break following an Antonee Robinson own-goal and a strike from skipper John McGinn. Fulham came close early in the second half when Emiliano Martinez tipped a Raul Jimenez shot against a post before Ollie Watkins added a third for the hosts with a 64th-minute finish. Jimenez pulled a goal back for the visitors, but Villa were not to be denied as they equalled the post-war club record for successive top-flight home victories, matching the 13 in a row achieved in 1983. Emery’s side have scored at least three times in each of their Villa Park wins this season, with the total being 23 goals for the midlands outfit across the six games. It was also a return to winning ways in the league after last Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Nottingham Forest, since when they had defeated AZ Alkmaar 2-1 at home in the Europa Conference League. While fifth-placed Villa are a point outside the top four, Marco Silva’s Fulham are 16th after their winless run in the league extended to a fourth game. The home side made a lively start to the contest and after Moussa Diaby had a sixth-minute effort saved by Bernd Leno, another Villa attack moments later saw Watkins’ shot come off Timothy Castagne and referee Simon Hooper award a penalty. However, VAR intervened and with Hooper having surveyed footage pitchside, the handball decision was overturned. Martinez was then called into action to keep out an Andreas Pereira strike, although the flag was up for offside, before Emery’s men pushed forward again and took the lead in the 27th minute. Youri Tielemans, making his first league start for Villa, curled a delivery from the left towards Diaby and the ball went off Robinson into the net – the defender’s second own-goal of the season, having also scored one in Fulham’s win against Sheffield United last month. As Villa sought a second, Matty Cash was denied by Leno, and the advantage was doubled in the 42nd minute as McGinn collected the ball from a Robinson header, took a touch to move away from Joao Palhinha and fired in from just outside the box. Fulham started well after the interval and almost reduced the deficit three minutes in when a Martinez touch diverted Jimenez’s strike against a post, with Willian shooting over on the follow-up. There was also a shot just wide of the near post from Willian, but soon after Villa made it 3-0 as Leon Bailey, just off the bench, crossed and Watkins sidefooted in his 11th club goal of the season in all competitions. Jimenez produced a similar finish, teed up by Robinson in the 70th minute, to open his Fulham account – his first Premier League goal since March 2022. Substitute Carlos Vinicius thought he had scored another for Fulham in the 81st minute when he went around Martinez and slotted in, but he was flagged offside, before the ball hit the Fulham bar off Palhinha and Watkins headed the loose ball wide when looking certain to score – a surprising miss that mattered little come the final whistle. Read More Britain remain at elite level of BJK Cup with victory over under-strength Sweden Brighton gift draw to Sheffield United after own goal and red card Tomas Soucek heads winner as West Ham come from behind in five-goal thriller Philippe Clement wants longer recovery after European games as Rangers beat Livi Katie Boulter puts Great Britain a win away from BJK Cup progress England will take it slow with Jofra Archer after latest setback – Rob Key

Tomas Soucek’s persistence paid off as his late header secured a 3-2 win for West Ham against Nottingham Forest. In the closing stages, the Czech midfielder hit the crossbar and had a header miraculously saved by Forest keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. But Soucek made it third time lucky when he nodded home James Ward-Prowse’s corner to finally see off the visitors. Goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga had put Forest into the lead after Lucas Paqueta fired the Hammers ahead in the third minute. But Jarrod Bowen’s eighth Premier League goal of the season hauled West Ham level before Soucek’s late heroics. Paqueta struck after Nicolas Dominguez’s stray pass across the pitch cannoned off Ibrahim Sangare’s backside. The Brazilian still had plenty to do but his low, accurate finish from the edge of the area comfortably beat the dive of Vlachodimos. Forest were denied an equaliser by a stunning save from Alphonse Areola, who got a powerful hand on a point-blank header from Awoniyi. Moments later Mohammed Kudus led a counter-attack and squared the ball for Paqueta, only this time his control let him down and his tame shot was straight at Vlachodimos. But Forest gradually regained their shape and set about frustrating West Ham, who seemed to rapidly run out of ideas. The crowd began to get restless as sideways pass after sideways pass came to nothing. Even Forest got bored of it eventually, and they hauled themselves level on the stroke of half-time when Sangare won the ball in a congested midfield. Sangare, with probably the first forward pass of the match from either side, played Morgan Gibbs-White through on goal. Gibbs-White’s angled drive was kept out by Areola but Awoniyi was on hand to tap the rebound into and empty net. West Ham came out with more impetus after the break and Kudus had a shot deflected over before Emerson Palmieri fired narrowly wide. Forest should have gone ahead when Awoniyi played a one-two with Elanga only to slice his shot way off target. Instead they got their noses in front just after the hour when Elanga tucked in a low cross from Ola Aina. But West Ham hit back immediately, Bowen meeting Ward-Prowse’s corner with a powerful header past Vlachodimos. Then Soucek took centre stage, first lifting the ball over Vlachodimos only to see it come back off the crossbar before the Greek keeper somehow tipped his downward header over the top. But Soucek struck with two minutes remaining, leaping over team-mate Bowen to meet another Ward-Prowse corner at the far post to seal West Ham’s first Premier League win since September. Read More Philippe Clement wants longer recovery after European games as Rangers beat Livi Katie Boulter puts Great Britain a win away from BJK Cup progress England will take it slow with Jofra Archer after latest setback – Rob Key Rob Key ready to take share of blame for England’s poor World Cup Victor Lindelof: Scoring more goals is next step for Manchester United On this day in 2004: John Toshack becomes Wales boss on five-year deal

Philippe Clement praised Rangers for the way they dealt with a “tricky” trip to Livingston as he called on the Scottish football authorities to consider implementing Sunday evening kick-off times for teams playing in Europe on a Thursday. The Rangers boss watched his team run out comfortable 2-0 winners at the Tony Macaroni Arena less than 72 hours after an energy-sapping 2-1 victory over Sparta Prague in the Europa League. Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibernian and the Ibrox side have all had to contend with playing domestic matches on Sunday afternoons after Thursday night European fixtures this term, and Clement feels Scotland should follow the lead of other leagues by allowing teams more recovery time in such situations. “I think it’s better for Scottish football to do it that way,” said the Belgian. “They do it in Belgium and in other leagues. “People who have never played may think, ‘what is the difference between six hours or eight hours more?’ but it’s a big difference in the recovery of a body, these hours of sleep and recovery because it’s a really short time for players to recover. “We play every three days, we will have a schedule of 12 games in about 38 days (after the international break) so recovery is an important part of it. The food, the drink, the cryo, when to sleep. “It’s important I think in every league that teams that play in Europe on Thursday evening play on the Sunday evening. In a lot of leagues, that’s done so it’s maybe something we can see in the future.” Clement made four changes for the Livingston game and admitted his team selection was influenced by the gruelling impact of the Sparta match. “Yes, because for example, Danilo did 1,300 metres of high-intensity runs on Thursday so if I let him start today I take a risk, for example,” he said. “Of course, I looked at that.” The win at Livingston came courtesy of a first-half goal from Cyriel Dessers and a second-half penalty from James Tavernier, who had missed an earlier spot-kick. Rangers also had first-half goals from Connor Goldson and Ross McCausland – on his first start – ruled out following VAR reviews. “It was a tricky game, with the circumstances with the (plastic) pitch which is not an advantage for us with the football we want to play,” said Clement. “Also kick-off at 12 o’clock after a European night. Also having European success and then playing domestically, it’s sometimes dangerous in the heads of the players. “So the team showed a really good mentality and the right spirit to play a very mature game because we didn’t give away anything and we deserved to win, clearly. “Also when you miss a penalty and a goal is disallowed, sometimes you get in dangerous games for losing points because the circumstances are not on your side. At the end, it’s a very positive afternoon.” Livingston go into the international break after suffering a fifth consecutive defeat. Manager David Martindale – who rued a “disappointing” first-half performance – is unfazed by their current predicament. “This is not an abnormal situation for us,” he said. “Yes, we are bottom of the league on goal difference, but we have gone on spells where we’ve not won a game in five in most seasons. “We just need to get back on track. I am not big on stats or data, it’s about one game at a time and what we can control. Hopefully that will lead to performances, which leads to results.”