Carabao Cup semis set, Southampton close in on Juric, plus team news: football – live | Football

It being Friday, and nearly Christmas, why not have a bash at our Sports Quiz of the Week?

John Brewin

The Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler accepts “critical feedback” from supporters comes with the territory amid his team’s poor run of form.

Albion travel to West Ham on Saturday seeking to arrest a four-match winless run during which the club has dropped from second to ninth in the Premier League.

Sections of the Seagulls’ support vented frustration following Sunday’s 3-1 home loss to rivals Crystal Palace, which followed a defeat at Fulham, sandwiched between draws with Southampton and Leicester.

“I think it is the right thing that the supporters have these expectations because it shows we are ambitious and that is exactly what I want from the club – to create this winning culture and to be ambitious,” Hürzeler said.

“If you try to act with courage and say that’s our goal, then it is also part of it to fail at one time and to be criticised at one time. It is part of the business. It is not a nice business. It is a very honest business. Critical feedback is part of the business and then you have to deal with it.” (PA Media)

Ange Postecoglou is asked about Tottenham’s Carabao Cup semi-final date against Liverpool.

“We’re in it. Which is the main thing. It’s an exciting fixture. We’ll have to beat all of them [Liverpool, Arsenal, or Newcastle]. It’s a great draw for us.”

Postecoglou’s Gladiator reference from last night – “Are you not entertained” – is mentioned.

“Top actor. Aussie … fellow Aussie. Yeah. I genuinely believe that. There’s a big part of our game that is about entertainment … maybe entertainment is the wrong word.

“But you go to a game of football to kind of feel emotions that maybe in your day to day existence you don’t get the opportunity to … exhilarating, anxious … that’s what we love about it. There is a lot of suffering in there, when you’re watching a football game, but if you come out on the right side, it’s an amazing feeling.”

Can they afford to be so gung-ho against Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday?

“I’m not sure what you mean by gung-ho. We’ll play our football. Liverpool are a fantastic side. They’re the stand-out team in the competition [Premier League], but on our day we are pretty good opposition.

“Hopefully Timo Werner will be OK for Sunday. The plan is Destiny Udogie should be OK.”

He isn’t expecting a 0-0 against Liverpool on Sunday, then?

“I’d be very surprised but you never know. They’ve got unbelievable attacking threats, you’ve got to be wary of that, but we’re pretty good at scoring ourselves.”

Lastly, a question arrives on the nature of “Angeball”.

“I’ve got to do things a little bit differently. For us, as a football club, if we’re going to bridge that road to success, we need to do things a little bit differently. It’s not easy but it’s the path we need to choose.”

Eddie Howe is delighted with the “good feeling” in his Newcastle squad as they prepare to face Ipswich tomorrow. The Magpies travel to Portman Road after a 4-0 Premier League victory over Leicester last Saturday and a midweek quarter-final triumph against Brentford in the Carabao Cup.

Newcastle are 12th in the table following a mixed run of form, but Howe believes confidence is building, and that scoring 12 goals in four matches is a factor in that.

He said: “We’re human beings and I think there has been – a slight at times in certain games – confidence issues. But I think you’ve seen a really good feeling within the team in the last two performances. I’d probably say three out of the last four have been really strong, as strong as we’ve seen this season.

“Hopefully that’s a good sign. I think we’re scoring goals again, which is such a confidence builder. Three goals again the other night and possibly could’ve scored more goals from different areas of the pitch, which we haven’t had this season, really.

“We’ve always had that historically, goals from everywhere. I think it’s a really important aspect and it was great to see Sandro (Tonali) pop up with two massive goals for us. I think if you believe you can score goals from a number of sources, areas of the team, that naturally lifts how you feel about yourself.” (PA Media)

“Correct,” Ruud van Nistelrooy says, when it is suggested that Leicester v Wolves on Sunday is a big game for both clubs. Wolves are 19th, Leicester are 17th. Should the Foxes win they would be eight points clear of Sunday’s opponents.

“The situation Wolves are in, and we’re in … for us it’s important to keep developing.

“From the three games [since Van Nistelrooy took over], we’ve had two positive results and one negative. (4-0 against Newcastle last Saturday.)

“It’s important to react on that. It’s more than just the table, where we are, and where the opponent is. It’s the next step in our development in how we want to play and the way we want to act, and also the reaction from the defeat at Newcastle.”

Sarah Bertram has edited together the best and worst moments in football video in 2024:

While Liverpool lead the Premier League table, manager Arne Slot says it is too early to evaluate their title chances.

The Reds have a two-point lead over second-placed Chelsea after 15 games and are six points ahead of Arsenal, with a game in hand over both.

“Judge the table after 19 games (the halfway point) because then everyone has played the same opponents,” Slot told reporters on Friday. “Probably we had a bit of luck, for example Arsenal had a lot of red cards in the beginning of the season, that’s why they dropped points.

“We have now received a red card and we dropped points. We now have Tottenham away which Arsenal had at the beginning of the season, Chelsea already played there.
“Don’t look at it where you were in the season, it is about where you are at the end of the season.”

Liverpool travel to Tottenham on Sunday in what will be a preview of their League Cup semi-final against Spurs. The Dutchman is a fan of Postecoglou and his team, adding he would love to see Spurs win the Europa League.

“I hope, hope, hope he wins a trophy. Not the League Cup but I am completely a fan of his team for the Europa League,” Slot said. “People talk about trophies, trophies, trophies and that is so important.

“For me his brand of football is more important and if he can combine it with winning something that would be so good for football in general because then people can stop talking about ‘is it too attacking?’ How on earth can you play too much attacking football? Every time it is a joy to watch them.” (Reuters)

Fancy seeing how every judge voted in our top 100 men’s footballers poll?

Get stuck in:

I’m seeing a high number of goals caused directly by teams “playing it out from the back” this morning. Two involving Tottenham and one for Chelsea against Shamrock Rovers. Modern football, eh.

Marcus Christenson, Football Special Projects Editor, talks us through the top 10:

Rodri, of Manchester City and Spain, tops the charts in the 100 best male footballers in the world in 2024:

There’s an interview with Jarrad Branthwaite on my telly.

First question: “Jarrad, how much are you looking forward to Christmas?”

Everton Women sign Gago from Nantes

Tom Garry

“This is the most Tottenham thing you’ll ever see,” said Gary Neville on commentary at 3-2.

Just saw the highlights of Tottenham 4-3 Manchester United. LOL

Southampton close in on Juric

Ben Fisher

Preamble