Kilmarnock booked their place in the last eight of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Cove Rangers.
The hosts survived an early scare when Rumarn Burrell’s shot was cleared off the line, before Marley Watkins netted for the second successive game to open the scoring on the stroke of half-time,
Derek McInnes’ side were dominant after the break, though it would take until the 80th minute for the game to be put beyond doubt, Danny Armstrong drilling low beyond goalkeeper Nick Suman.
Kevin van Veen was handed his first start for Killie as McInnes made six changes from the side that defeated Livingston in the cinch Premiership on Wednesday evening.
Corrie Ndaba returned from suspension, while Matty Kennedy, Liam Polworth, Fraser Murray and Rory McKenzie were also handed starting berths.
Michael Doyle and Josh Kerr both returned to the Cove starting line-up, replacing Matthew Shiels and Cameron Stewart from the side that drew 2-2 with Stirling last time out in League One.
Killie had an early penalty shout waved away when Kennedy fell to the ground following good skill from Van Veen.
The visitors came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock after eight minutes, Will Dennis punched Arron Darge’s cross as far as Burrell – who saw his goalbound effort hacked off the line by Murray.
Watkins fired over the bar before dragging a low shot wide as Suman was given a quiet start to the afternoon’s proceedings.
On the rare occasion the lethargic looking Premiership team did threaten it was Van Veen who was their driving force, glancing a header against the top of the crossbar and then stinging the palms of Suman with a drive.
There was little to separate the sides as half-time approached, but the hosts would strike just before the break.
Kennedy’s shot was sent spinning behind for a corner and Ndaba knocked down Polworth’s delivery for Watkins to stab beyond the keeper.
Buoyed by their opener, Killie made the brighter start to the second half and there were chances for Van Veen, Kennedy and Watkins in the 10 minutes following the restart.
The visitors were finding it difficult to muster much of a threat on goal and Darge blazed high and wide of the target as the game approached its final stages.
The home supporters breathed a sigh of relief as Kerr was let down by a heavy touch after William Gillingham had flicked a low cross into his path.
It was a moment that Rangers would be left to rue when Armstrong blasted home shortly after coming off the bench to double Killie’s advantage with 10 minutes remaining.
Kyle Vassell thought he had grabbed a third in added-time when he lifted the ball over Suman but the referee deemed that the keeper had recovered to scoop the ball off the line.
Colorado Rapids v San Jose Earthquakes: Armas sees winning mentality in hosts
Chris Armas believes the Colorado Rapids are already developing a winning mentality, as they bid to continue their strong start to the campaign against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
Colorado sit fifth in the Western Conference standings with 18 points from 11 games after beating New York City FC 2-1 on their travels last week, their fifth win of the campaign.
That is as many victories as they managed throughout the entirety of last season, and another win on Saturday would take them past the 20-point mark, which they required 27 matches to surpass in 2023.
"Often I'm just watching and learning from the best teams and coaches, that could be in our league, it could be around the world, but when the whistle blows we know how to ramp it up," Armas said this week.
"If you have this ability to ramp it up on game day, then that becomes the norm. You can be light-hearted, you can enjoy training, but when the whistle blows out there it is game on.
"You can see that's becoming who we are, that we know our roles and the players are clear on what they do. We hold them to it and they're now starting to hold each other more accountable."
The 'Quakes are bottom of the West with seven points, though they recorded just their second win of the season against Los Angeles FC last week.
Amahl Pellegrino scored in that 3-1 derby win, and he hopes it can be a turning point for the team, saying: "Football is an easy thing when you have confidence.
"To get a huge win with a good performance makes things easier because you start to believe in what you're doing in training. We just have to continue."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Cole Bassett
Bassett recorded a goal and an assist in last week's win over NYCFC, his fifth regular-season match with at least one goal and one assist for the Rapids.
Only three players have ever enjoyed more such games for Colorado in their MLS history.
San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Espinoza
Espinoza assisted two of San Jose's three goals against LAFC last time out, his eighth multi-assist match in MLS, tied for the most of any player since he joined the league in 2019 (with Carles Gil and Mauricio Pereyra).
MATCH PREDICTION – COLORADO RAPIDS WIN
Colorado are unbeaten in 12 straight regular-season home matches against San Jose (six wins, six draws) with the Earthquakes' last win in Commerce City coming in 2013.
This equals the Rapids' longest regular-season home unbeaten run against any opponent, having also gone 12 without defeat versus the LA Galaxy between 2003 and 2009.
With San Jose only recording two wins so far this campaign, the Rapids will be confident of maintaining that impressive record.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids – 48.2%
San Jose Earthquakes – 24.6%
Draw – 27.2%
Iraola sees Manager of the Season nomination as vindication of Bournemouth's work
Andoni Iraola sees his nomination for the Premier League's Manager of the Season award as something for everyone at Bournemouth to be proud of, vindicating their progress in 2023-24.
Bournemouth welcome Brentford to the Vitality Stadium for their penultimate game of the campaign on Saturday, with a top-half finish still on the cards.
The Cherries have already surpassed their previous record points haul in the top flight, accumulating 48 despite failing to win any of their first nine matches under Iraola – a run which led to suggestions he could lose his job.
However, they have been rewarded for sticking with the Spaniard, who is up against Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery in the Manager of the Season voting.
"I think it's something for the club. People think that we have done a very good season and it's good to see yourself get this kind of recognition," Iraola said on Friday.
"I think we still have a lot of room to grow and we have to continue improving because, in the end, the Premier League is very demanding.
"I think the other nominees are on another level, I would say. They are the top four teams in the league.
"It's good that a club like us receives this kind of recognition but in the same way it could have gone to Sean Dyche or Gary O'Neil, they are also doing very good jobs."
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has heaped praise on his opposite number, saying: "He's done well this season. Praise to him and everyone around Bournemouth.
"He had a tricky start and it's just another example that there are a lot of good coaches out there and that football is brutal and unpredictable.
"But the best leaders are there with a calm head and a steady hand – they keep going. They've done well in many ways, definitely."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Dominic Solanke
Solanke has opened the scoring in nine different Premier League games so far this season, more than any other player.
His goals have also been worth a league-high 15 points for the Cherries this term – can he fire them one step closer to a top-half finish?
Brentford – Ivan Toney
Toney has failed to score in any of his last 10 Premier League games for Brentford.
Only in his first 11 Football League appearances for Northampton Town in 2013-14 has he failed to find the net in more consecutive league games for a single team. With time running out to impress England boss Gareth Southgate ahead of Euro 2024, he needs to end his drought.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Brentford's last two Premier League games have seen them lose 1-0 to Everton and draw 0-0 with Fulham. They have not failed to score in three or more consecutive league games since a run of four in March and April 2019.
The Bees have, however, kept a clean sheet in their last two away league games against Bournemouth, last doing so on three consecutive visits between 1991 and 1994 in the third tier.
The Cherries are winless in their last six league games against Brentford since a 1-0 Championship victory back in August 2014, drawing two and losing four.
With little of substance on the line, it would be no surprise to see this one fizzle out into a draw.
Bournemouth have only won their final home league game in one of the last four seasons, beating Millwall in the Championship in 2021-22 but losing their other three in that span.
Brentford, meanwhile, have seen four of their last seven Premier League matches finish level, their only defeat in that run coming at Goodison Park two weeks ago.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 32.6%
Brentford – 39.1%
Draw – 28.3%
Guardiola shrugs off Rodri's Player of the Season snub ahead of Fulham trip
While Pep Guardiola feels Rodri was deserving of a nomination for the Premier League's Player of the Season award, he expects the midfielder to shrug off that rejection and stay focused on the title race.
Rodri was surprisingly omitted from the eight-man shortlist for the league's top individual prize when it was revealed on Thursday, with team-mates Phil Foden and Erling Haaland making the cut.
That is despite the Spaniard playing a key role as City chase an unprecedented fourth straight league title, and three wins from their last three matches will ensure they edge out Arsenal to retain their crown.
Ahead of Saturday's trip to Fulham, where City have a chance to go top of the table before Arsenal face Manchester United on Sunday, Guardiola said there was no doubt over Rodri's importance.
"He has been one of the best. The nominated players deserve it, other players also deserve it. The winner of the trophy will deserve it, and the ones who don't will too," Guardiola said.
"We know what we think of the importance of him, how magnificent and extraordinary he is as a player. He should not be worried about it.
"When I won [Manager of the Season], it's because we won. It's because your team won a title, won games. The award is not for me – I didn't play one minute."
Fulham caused a stir earlier this week when their social media accounts posted a video of some players flying kites during a training session, sparking fears among Arsenal fans that the mid-table side may be 'on the beach'.
Boss Marco Silva, however, insists that is not the case, saying: "They had one moment after training. It's not even a case to be talked about.
"I have been asked, as we say in England, whether the players are going to be on the beach. It's not the case. If my players are a little bit relaxed, I am the first one to put some pressure on them."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham – Rodrigo Muniz
Fulham's recent drop-off in form has coincided with the goals drying up somewhat for Muniz, who will be looking to return to form on Saturday.
He scored eight times in eight Premier League appearances through February and March but has since netted once in his last six – in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last time out at Craven Cottage.
Manchester City – Rodri
Rodri has assisted six goals in his last eight Premier League appearances, including two last week against Wolves.
City have not lost any of their last 47 Premier League games in which the Spaniard has featured, the fourth-longest unbeaten run any player has ever recorded in the competition.
MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN
City have won their last 15 meetings with Fulham in all competitions. It is the joint-longest winning run any team has ever managed against another in competitive English football history, with theCitizens also having 15-game sequences against Bournemouth and Watford.
Fulham have only won one of their previous 15 home Premier League games against City (five draws, nine defeats), winning 2-1 under Chris Coleman in November 2005.
They have also gone three home games without victory, drawing with Crystal Palace and losing to Newcastle United and Liverpool in what represents their worst run on home soil this season.
With City unbeaten in their last 20 Premier League games (16 wins, four draws), it's difficult to see a surprise taking place on Saturday.
Guardiola's champions have been truly rampant in recent weeks, winning their last six league games while netting four or more goals in five of them – against Aston Villa (4-1), Palace (4-2), Luton Town (5-1), Brighton and Hove Albion (4-0) and Wolves (5-1).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham – 15%
Manchester City – 61.7%
Draw – 23.3%
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