Under-pressure Erik ten Hag defended his tactics and his players’ character as Manchester United look to bounce back from a pair of humiliating home defeats.

The misfiring Red Devils are under intense scrutiny after Sunday’s meek 3-0 derby defeat against Manchester City at Old Trafford was compounded against Newcastle.

United lost by the same scoreline as the Carabao Cup holders went out in the fourth round on Wednesday, with their eighth defeat in 15 matches making this the club’s worst start to a campaign since 1962-63.

Defiant Ten Hag said he was a “fighter” immediately afterwards but there have been suggestions that his players lack the same desire to dig themselves out of this current hole, starting with Saturday’s league trip to Fulham.

“That’s not right,” the United said when doubts about his players’ spirit was put to him. “You can’t say that.

“Remember only the fight we showed against Brentford, that (2-1) comeback? If there wasn’t spirit in the dressing room, if there wasn’t characters in the dressing room, you can’t do this.

“I have a good squad and I am convinced of the players in this dressing room.

“These players, we have seen last year, can do a lot better but that is up to me to let them play better.

“I have to take the responsibility to let them play better and I will put every effort in to get this done.”

Ten Hag brushed aside talk of January reinforcements as ownership speculation continues, saying United have already “constructed a good squad” before pointing to their injury issues.

Casemiro has joined the list of absentees after sustaining a hamstring injury against Newcastle that United say will keep him out for several weeks.

Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are among others already lied low and Victor Lindelof will join them unless he can shake off an illness.

“(Raphael) Varane is ready to play, so he will travel with the squad,” Ten Hag said after the 2018 World Cup winner missed the Newcastle match through illness.

“Victor Lindelof has some illness. We have to see if he is ready for tomorrow.”

Absentees have unbalanced United and led Ten Hag to be more pragmatic than he would like this term.

A lot was expected of the Dutchman tactically when he arrived last year after securing success in style at Ajax, but he said after the City defeat that it was impossible to play the same way.

“I thought the explanation from my point of view was totally wrong,” Ten Hag explained. “But I can’t play like Ajax because I had different players.

“So, I came here with my philosophy based on possession but also to combine it with the DNA of Manchester United and combine it with the players, with the competences, the characters of the players.

“That you combine and I think last year we have seen what that was. I think we played very good football last season.”

Ten Hag said “this season the philosophy is not different” as he gave a full explanation of his approach when it was put to him that onlookers have not seen clearly, if at all, in recent games.

“I don’t want to say that,” the United boss said. “I think that is too strong.

“The intention is clear but definitely it is the case that the execution isn’t there but in the moment with so many changes every game.

“We can’t line up the same line-up two or three games after each other. Every time we have to swap.

“Last season was the same with one player, but now we miss often players in the back four and every time we have to adjust.

“That doesn’t help in your routines. Now also the midfield we have to adjust, missing Casemiro, an important player.

“But I never brought up this team (issue). You know why? We have to win and I don’t want to find excuses if we are not winning.

“We have to be more pragmatic but still we have to win. That is the demand and I don’t walk away from that.”

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is unsure if reuniting with former club Tottenham will feel like bumping into an ex-girlfriend because he cannot remember having one.

Pochettino enjoyed five full seasons in charge of Spurs between 2014 and 2019 but is poised to return for the first time as manager of one of their fiercest rivals.

The Argentinian, who believes Tottenham are genuine Premier League title contenders this term, is uncertain how he will be greeted by home supporters on Monday evening.

Yet he insisted a negative response would not tarnish his memories as he laughed off an analogy referencing his love life.

“My goodness,” he replied with a hearty chuckle when the situation was compared to meeting a former girlfriend.

“It’s difficult because I think I am nearly 32 years with my wife and I don’t know even if I had a girlfriend before my wife.

“That’s why it’s difficult to answer that question because I don’t know how you can feel.”

Pochettino led Tottenham to a second-placed Premier League finish in 2017 but was unable to end their long wait for silverware and was sacked five months after reaching the 2019 Champions League final.

Speaking about the reception he expects, the 51-year-old continued: “I’m not going to say nothing at the moment because until Monday we cannot guess what is going to happen then.

“The most important thing is people know that we cannot forget all that we lived together, amazing memories there.

“I am going to respect the people, how(ever) they are going to express, but it’s not going to change my emotion, my view, my feelings about a club that I think we spend an unbelievable journey (with).

“(It is) really special because I am back after four years in a place that we have amazing memories, we created amazing memories together. I think it’s special, I’m not going to lie.”

While Chelsea are languishing in mid-table 10 games into the campaign, unbeaten Tottenham top the table under Ange Postecoglou.

Pochettino feels the north London side are capable of remaining in that position and ending the season as champions.

“Yes, I think so,” he said.

“Ange and the coaching staff, they are doing a fantastic job and then of course very good players, very good team. You can feel they can be a contender.

“Of course it’s early in the season but they are showing the quality to be contenders.”

Philippe Clement railed against the notion that his side could be extra motivated by the prospect of winning a trophy ahead of their Viaplay Cup semi-final against Hearts.

The Light Blues have not won the competition since March 2011 and if they get past the Jambos at Hampden Park on Sunday they will face either Aberdeen or Hibernian in the December final, where the first piece of silverware of the season will be up for grabs.

Clement, unbeaten in three games since taking over as boss from Michael Beale last month, had no time for the idea that his players will have additional hunger when they come up against a side that, coincidentally, they beat 2-1 in the cinch Premiership at Ibrox last weekend.

“I hate this ‘extra motivation’,” said the Belgian. “I want that they are motivated for everything. So, if I think, ‘oh, now they are motivated for the semi-final because we can win a cup’, it’s totally the wrong message.

“They need to be motivated every day, every game to show the best of themselves.

“A football career is so short for them, it goes so fast that they need to be motivated to take the best out if every day, they have the best life in the world and that’s what I want to see from my players. And then the other things follow.”

Clement revealed that defender Ben Davies remains a doubt with a “small problem” after missing the 5-0 win at Dundee in midweek and “there is a chance but no guarantee” that attacker Tom Lawrence will return, while John Souttar, Nico Raskin, Rabbi Matondo and Kemar Roofe remain out.

He also repeated his message to the Rangers fans to leave the “dangerous” pyrotechnics at home in future.

The match at Dundee on Wednesday night was delayed by 45 minutes after the Rangers team bus was held up in traffic and then suspended for 18 minutes after Gers supporters let off a large number of flares that triggered fire alarms under the stand.

The Scottish Professional Football League will liaise with police over the “very concerning” pyrotechnic display and the former Genk, Club Brugge and Monaco boss reiterated his thoughts on the matter.

He said: “I was clear what I said after the game but I will repeat it a last time.

“I loved when we came outside for the warm-up in Dundee, you see a lot of Rangers supporters, a lot of atmosphere, songs, chants, support for the team.

“It gives the team energy. The pyro thing we don’t need. It doesn’t give something extra. It is dangerous. So if they give all the other things I will be a very satisfied manager.

“It is good that there is rules because it is such a dangerous thing. I have seen it a lot in the past but it is good that there are strict rules because we need to avoid danger for people.”

Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth admits the investigation into Sandro Tonali has been “a whirlwind” and a “massive shock” following the midfielder’s ban from football.

Just before the Magpies’ trip to Wolves last Saturday, the Italian was handed a 10-month ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) – which was subsequently ratified by FIFA after he agreed a plea bargain as part of an investigation into illegal betting activity.

Tonali found himself at the centre of the investigation during last month’s international break and Ashworth revealed how quickly it unfolded.

“It was a massive shock, a massive surprise. Dealing with it was new to all of us. It came from nowhere,” he said.

“We first became aware of it when was there a potential allegation on social media. I spoke with his representatives and it just happened really quickly.

“Our first thought was to protect our player, he is part of our family, and to give him the help and support he needed. We wanted to understand exactly what had happened and work transparently with the authorities.

“Sandro wanted to do that from the off as well. It was a bit of a whirlwind really. We got to where we were on Friday (before the Wolves game) where the ban had been signed off and agreed with the Italian federation, FIFA and our own Football Association.”

The ban means that Tonali, who arrived on Tyneside from AC Milan for £55million in the summer, will not be eligible to return to competitive action until August 27, 2024 and Ashworth knows he will be a big miss to the squad.

“Like any player we will miss him of course, he is a top player and a big signing. To contextualise it, it could have been an ACL,” Ashworth said.

“These things happen in football, but obviously when it happens in this context it’s not something you expect. For me, from the minute it happened, you look at yourself.

“What could we have done better? What could I have done better? What are the lessons learned from this? Could we have known? Should we have known? You look at your processes.

“I’ve been doing this for 16 years and nothing like this has happened before. We pride ourselves on due diligence and getting the right characters.

“You have all seen the culture and cohesion in the group is extremely strong, and that’s not by chance.

“We spend an immense amount of time looking at the character as well as the athlete. We have and will continue to review what we have done in the past and will do going forward.”

In addition to his ban, Tonali was fined 20,000 euros and will undergo eight months of therapy as well as carrying out a series of public appearances and manager Eddie Howe confirmed that the 23-year-old is in training.

In his Friday press conference, Howe said: “(Tonali) is training with us and he’s started that lonely – I say lonely, he’s around his team-mates – but we’re playing so many games at the moment that a lot of his sessions will be individual or small numbers.

“He’s started that journey into the 10 months so it’s going to be a real mental test for him to try and come through that period and become a better player, which is definitely our objective as coaches to try and help him.

“It’s going to be difficult for him for sure.”

Ashworth echoed Howe’s sentiments, adding: “Our first port of call is to look after and support him. It’s probably more difficult for him than anyone else.

“We have a programme to support him and thankfully he’s able to train with the team, which is great for his mental well-being.

“We’re putting together a programme of what he can and can’t do over the coming months to get him back flying in August.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has warned that no club is immune from the sort of crisis that has enveloped rivals Manchester United in recent weeks.

City cruised to a 3-0 derby win at Old Trafford last Sunday, and the pressure on Erik ten Hag was then ramped up further after a 3-0 home loss to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday made it eight defeats from their opening 15 games in all competitions.

Guardiola’s side appeared in complete control of the derby as Erling Haaland scored a first-half penalty and then doubled City’s lead just four minutes into the second half, later teeing up Phil Foden to complete the scoring.

But the 52-year-old insisted the win had not been as straightforward as many thought.

“It was not easy,” Guardiola said. “It helped us to score the second goal early (in the second half) and then we had control but it’s never easy. I have a lot of respect for Manchester United.

“The period they have now, we can have it. Nobody is away from these kind of situations. We won the game but that’s all.”

Having been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle in September, City had a rare midweek off this week, which allowed a large delegation to travel to Paris for Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, where they had seven players shortlisted after last season’s treble-winning heroics.

Haaland was beaten to the main prize by Lionel Messi but took the Gerd Muller trophy as the main striker, while City were named club of the year.

Asked if Haaland had been frustrated to miss out on the Ballon d’Or itself, Guardiola said: “I saw him so happy to be a contender, close to Messi, (Kylian) Mbappe and the rest. It was a good night for Manchester City.

“Big congratulations for Messi. Manchester City was there, it is so important because we have not been there many times. We were important there. (Haaland) has all his career ahead of him so he has to see it as a challenge and think he can be back there next year if he helps the team.”

Since returning to Manchester focus has shifted to Saturday’s match against Bournemouth, an opportunity for City to go top, at least temporarily, with Arsenal at Newcastle later in the day and current leaders Tottenham not in action until they face Chelsea on Monday night.

City start the weekend two points off the summit but Guardiola is not worrying about the table at this early stage of the campaign.

“Every season is tougher from when I arrived,” he said. “Better managers, better teams, but this is the challenge,” he said. “What is important is we are still there after 10 games. There are still 28 to play and there is a lot to happen, but the way we are playing we are getting better.”

The Cherries ended their long wait for a first Premier League win of the season with victory over Burnley last weekend and Guardiola said he enjoyed the style of Andoni Iraola’s side and the way they approached Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Liverpool, a 2-1 defeat.

“Of course always after the win they are confident,” Guardiola said. “They competed really well against Liverpool. Andoni is an incredibly well-respected manager in Spain playing in an offensive style. They don’t sit back.

“In Spain he is one of the youngest managers and joining the Premier League is an incredible success. Hopefully he will continue with a good performance.”

Jonas Eidevall admits Arsenal have a “problem” with the lack of diversity in their first-team squad – but believes it is an issue across all of women’s football in England.

The Gunners were heavily criticised last month after their squad photograph for the 2023/24 season contained no players from diverse backgrounds.

Having initially declined to comment on the issue, Arsenal later published a statement admitting it was a “key priority” to improve diversity.

“We acknowledge our current women’s first-team squad does not reflect the diversity that exists across the club and the communities we represent,” it read.

“Increasing participation among young women and girls from diverse backgrounds is a key priority for us at academy level, with specific measures in place to improve pathways and accessibility.”

Eidevall was asked about the widespread condemnation of the picture ahead of Arsenal’s Women’s Super League clash against Manchester City on Sunday.

“I haven’t seen much reaction online but I think where we come from, north London, we are very proud of our community,” he said.

“It is a diverse community. The history of the club, both the men’s first team and the women’s first team has very proud history of players coming from diverse backgrounds as well and made the club very proud of that.

“So, us not having that diversity in the first team women’s today – of course, that is a problem.”

Last year, a report conducted by the BBC estimated that black, Asian and minority ethic players made up a maximum of 15 per cent of those signed to WSL clubs – with Eidevall calling on the whole league, as well as the Football Association, to improve those figures.

“I think women’s football has a diversity problem in that, in getting especially people of colour involved more in football, not only at the top level, but also at the grassroots level and I think we have to work with it but also the FA and other clubs,” he added.

Arsenal’s statement, meanwhile, concluded: “Across all our teams, including our men’s and women’s academies, we’re proud of our players from diverse backgrounds who have contributed to our history, success and culture.

“It’s a priority for the club to continue to drive greater diversity and inclusion and create a sense of belonging for everyone connected to the club.”

Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel insists no one is blaming each other for the shock German Cup exit to third division Saarbrucken but accepts it will take a while to process.

The Bundesliga champions head to Borussia Dortmund for Der Klassiker on Saturday and Tuchel admits their midweek embarrassment “doesn’t make everyday life any easier”.

“It takes some time to digest it. There is no reason to be resigned and point fingers at each other,” he said.

“We were obviously very disappointed. Nobody was shouting or blaming others. We were very disappointed because our goals were clear. We need to put it behind us.

“It is important that we stay together and keep calm. Criticism we have to endure. We know what we’re doing.”

Tuchel brushed off criticism aimed at him and his relationship with the squad.

“You can’t expect eulogies. You obviously get criticism. When you sign on at Bayern, you do so to compete for every title,” he added.

“We know where we are and that we want to be better. I take defeats very personally. We have to stand together and keep going.

“I’m part of a team and a great club. I’m a part of it when we win and a part of it when we lose.

“It’s all good with the internal relationship, otherwise we wouldn’t be capable of playing a season like we’re doing now.

“And a defeat, no matter how painful, won’t change that now. It’s about staying together.”

Tuchel has a number of selection problems to cope with as his second-placed side attempt to extend their two-point advantage over their long-term rivals, currently fourth.

A knee problem sustained by Matthijs de Ligt on Wednesday means he could be short at centre-back with Dayot Upamecano not match fit having not played for a month because of a hamstring injury.

Leon Goretzka is undergoing surgery on a broken hand a fortnight ago, while forward Thomas Muller is suspended.

Tuchel explained: “Despite the importance of the match it is not a Champions League semi-final. We’ve got to think about the season as a whole,” said the former Dortmund coach.

“There’s no thinking about bringing in other people right now. We’ll nurse Upa and hope that he’s back in action quickly. The loss of Matthijs de Ligt really hurts.”

Nevertheless, Dortmund coach Edin Terzic is wary of the threat Bayern still pose.

“I have rarely seen two bad games or two disappointing performances from Bayern in a row,” he said.

“Against us, their senses are always a little sharper than perhaps against one or two opponents in the Bundesliga. Now there’s probably a little bit of anger added to it.”

Barcelona boss Xavi admits he and his players are “raging inside” after losing El Clasico, but is determined to get back on track against Real Sociedad.

Jude Bellingham scored twice – including a dramatic stoppage-time winner – as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Barca 2-1 last weekend.

The England midfielder struck a stunning equaliser after 68 minutes at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium and then settled his first El Clasico with a close-range volley in the dying moments.

The home side had led at the interval through former Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan’s early goal, but the defeat dropped them four points behind their fierce rivals, who top LaLiga on goal difference from Girona.

Xavi’s men face a tough task to return to winning ways when they travel to fifth-placed Sociedad, who have won seven of their last nine games in all competitions.

“This will be a difficult test,” Xavi said in quotes reported on the club’s official website.

“(Sociedad manager) Imanol Alguacil does a wonderful job, he gets intensity and good football out of his players. As for us, we need to make higher demands of ourselves and keep humbly working to cut down the four-point difference on the leaders.

“And this game is the ideal scenario to demonstrate that we can do it. We always pursue excellence. FC Barcelona never settles for anything else.

”We need to reset at a difficult ground. We’re angry, we’re raging inside, but we have to make amends for our mistakes. It’s the small details that matter, we can’t afford to have any more lapses in concentration.”

Xavi will be boosted by the return to fitness of midfielder Pedri following a hamstring problem, the Spain international having not featured since scoring in the 2-0 win over Cadiz on August 20.

“We have a healthy squad,” Xavi added. “I am happy with the work and willingness of all the players. We have players that are hungry to win.

“And having Pedri back is really good news for the team. He is a capital player for getting us to play the way we want to.

“We have so many different options in this team. (Ronald) Araujo and (Jules) Kounde can both play, but I’m very happy with (Joao) Cancelo. He is a physically and mentally strong player.

“Raphinha and (Robert) Lewandowski are both looking good. But Frenkie de Jong is still feeling pain despite being able to train with the group.”

Arsenal supporters may now be accustomed to packing the Emirates Stadium for women’s matches but the experience of playing in front of tens of thousands remains “surreal” to veteran Jen Beattie.

The Glaswegian returned for a second spell with the Gunners in 2019 having previously won a league title, two FA Cups and a pair of League Cups in a four-year stint between 2009 to 2013.

On Tuesday, Arsenal announced 40,000 tickets have already been sold for their Women’s Super League encounter with defending champions Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on December 10 – a figure which is becoming a regular occurrence rather than any kind of novel development.

Despite the large attendances becoming more routine, Beattie admitted to the PA news agency: “They’re still exciting. I don’t think it will ever not be.

“I mean I’m 32, I’ve been in the game for a long time, I’ve played in front of crowds that aren’t that big, so to still be a part of it now and to see the crowd numbers growing and becoming consistent is surreal, to be honest.

“But it’s credit to the club, the way that they’ve pushed the funding behind the marketing, behind games, and of course, the fans that have bought into what we’re trying to do.

“I don’t think selling out the Emirates will ever become normal for me. It will be just as surreal and just as exciting every single time. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”

The numbers speak for themselves. On October 1, Arsenal set a new WSL attendance record of 54,115 when they played Liverpool at the Emirates in their league opener, following that up with over 35,000 against Aston Villa two weeks later.

Including the upcoming Chelsea contest, each of Arsenal’s WSL matches at the Emirates Stadium since the start of the 2022-23 season – after several members of the squad lifted the Euro 2022 trophy with England – have generated crowds of at least 35,000, the club also ticking off a first sell-out at the stadium for last season’s Champions League semi-final.

The PA news agency understands Arsenal have also experienced a 314 per cent year-on-year increase in total ticket sales for women’s games between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

Beattie can uniquely speak to what her club is doing behind the scenes. In 2022, the cancer survivor signed an extension that also saw her adopt a dual role which involves mentoring academy players and working with Arsenal’s commercial and partnerships teams.

She said: “It’s important for them to see how much the women’s side actually want to be involved in those big decisions, making the staff aware [that] we really value having an impact, because we care about it.

“I think that men’s football went on at such a fast growth so many years ago, but we wanted to kind of tailor it. I think we all just have a responsibility that we’re part of the big change that’s happening.

“There are so many similarities to men’s football, but there are so many differences, and I think it’s about things we want to make different as well. We don’t want to completely emulate the men’s game.”

Arsenal skipper Kim Little and vice-captain Leah Williamson have also been active in consultations about next year’s plan to move the WSL and Women’s Championship into an independent ‘NewCo’, which will result in a restructure of power in a move similar to the Premier League’s 20-club governance model.

Beattie, meanwhile, has been serving as a Scottish FA and McDonald’s grassroots ambassador, and believes striking the right balance between enjoyment and opportunity is pivotal when it comes to keeping girls in the game past their primary school years, when a 2022 Women in Sport survey found 43 per cent who once considered themselves ‘sporty’ drop out.

She added: “It is still a very male-dominated sport, but I think as long as fun is the number-one aspect, making it not too stressful, I think that’s what keeps kids in it, and creating a pathway up to professionalisation (and) giving support to schools, to education.

“As long as there’s a pathway and an opportunity for kids to stick to, that’s the most important thing.”

:: Jen Beattie was speaking at the annual Scottish FA Grassroots Awards in partnership with McDonald’s Fun Football. The awards recognise volunteers who are dedicated to making a real difference to community football in Scotland.

Mikel Arteta insists there is no point comparing the modern Premier League to past seasons as the Arsenal boss claims the quality at the top is “unprecedented”.

The Gunners travel to Newcastle on Saturday evening knowing victory could move them to the summit, with leaders Tottenham not in action until Monday.

Just four points separate the current top five, with former Arsenal head coach Unai Emery’s Aston Villa continuing to keep pace with more established sides such as Liverpool and reigning champions Manchester City.

Newcastle sit sixth, but have not lost in the league since September 2 as the pool of teams competing for the major honours continues to grow.

“What has happened in the last five years is unprecedented,” Arteta said on the eve of taking his side to St James’ Park.

“It never happened with the amount of points and level of the teams. Now it’s the amount of teams with that level that is increasing and increasing.

“That’s why comparing to the past in this league is a waste of time. It’s very different to what it used to be, and that puts the demands of what we do every single day in a different scope.”

Arsenal remain unbeaten in the league, but suffered a 3-1 loss at West Ham in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Captain Martin Odegaard came off the bench late on to score a consolation goal as he aims to overcoming a nagging hip complaint.

“We have tried to offload him a little bit because he had a little issue that he was grumbling with,” Arteta explained.

“He felt much better in the last few days, and we gave a few minutes against West Ham which was good to see, and his contribution was really good – if he’s fine he will be ready.”

Meanwhile, Arteta hinted defender Ben White could be the next of his key players to sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium.

White will make his 100th appearance for Arsenal on Saturday having joined from Brighton in 2021 and Arteta is pleased with how the 26-year-old has developed under his tenure.

“We are always trying to keep the squad in a healthy position in any way, and the club and Edu especially are working on that,” he replied when asked about a potential new contract for White.

“I think he’s progressed in the right way in the last few years. He had a little bit of a difficult start, which is normal because it was a big jump with different expectations.

“He started to play as well in certain different positions, but I think he’s shown a lot of determination and courage to overcome that.

“I think he has a big personality, I think he copes with pressure really well, he has a lot of quality, he gives us different positions and he’s been a key player for us.

“He’s a really good character in his own way and the way he is, the way he presents himself, but he loves football. The way he trains every day, the way he applies himself is top and we need players like him.”

Robinhood of Suriname will meet Jamaica's Cavalier Football Club in the final of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup as they bettered Dominican Republic side Moca FC 3-2 in a penalty shootout following a 1-0 victory in their second leg semi-final clash at Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion in Paramaribo on Thursday.

With Moca holding a one-nil lead entering the decisive leg, Franklin Singodikromo found Robinhood's all-important strike moments before the final whistle to even the series 1-1 on aggregate. Goalkeeper Jonathan Fonkel then made two saves in the shootout to secure Robinhood will contest the Caribbean Cup showpiece, and, in the process, earned its first Concacaf Champions Cup berth since 1994.

Moca FC can still qualify for the 2024 Champions Cup, but they will have to get by Jamaican club Harbour View FC in the Caribbean Cup third-place fixture.

Robinhood started off by pinning the visitors back early and often, with Dimitrio Andro missing on a pair of shots in the 15th and 23rd minutes. Prior to that, Quiliano Stedenburg hooking a shot wide in the 21st.

Tuur Don heading right at Moca's goalkeeper Odalis Baez in the 32nd.

Robinhood continued to apply pressure and a deep cross from Jamilhio Rigters in the 52nd from the left wing nearly resulted in an own goal.

But as time went by, the Moca backline remained resolute and kept the Robinhood attack at bay.

Just when it looked like Moca were going to finish the job, Robinhood brought the home fans to their feet with a dramatic goal in the third minute of second half stoppage time. This, as Singodikromo wiggled away from a trio of defenders and fired past Baez to even the series at 1-1 and force a penalty shootout.

From the spot, Robinhood proved the better of the two sides, with Fonkel making two stops to help the home side emerge victorious.

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz has trained this week but manager Jurgen Klopp will allow the player to decide whether he wants to be involved at the weekend.

The Colombia international’s father is still missing after being kidnapped last week and although there have been suggestions in South America he may soon be set free the 26-year-old has understandably had a difficult few days.

“He was in training two days ago, yesterday he had a session and will be part of the team (training),” said Klopp ahead of Sunday’s trip to Luton.

“We must wait. If he feels right, he will be here and train with us. The session he had with us, you can see when he is with the boys he is fine, he is OK, but you could see he didn’t sleep a lot.

“We have to see how he is and we go from there. The news from Colombia gives us a little bit of hope. We are waiting for the really good news but that’s it pretty much.

“I cannot say what we will do because we just wait where we can pick up the boy from and go from there.

“But it’s all about him, if he makes himself available or not, and I will not force anything.”

The Michael Ricketts-led Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) administration has once again found itself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, as their integrity has again been called into question by stakeholders.

This, as Beach Soccer Jamaica demanded an explanation for why its application for membership was turned down, while another recently formed entity “that has never operated or been involved in beach football in Jamaica, has been accepted as a member by the Board of the JFF.”

Beach Soccer in a letter addressed to general secretary Dennis Chung said it complied with all the JFF’s request to submit various documents and at no time based on all email responses where there any indication from the country’s governing football body that there were outstanding documentation.

In fact, Beach Soccer in its statement pointed out that they were “never officially provided with the Constitution or any other document that detailed the required submissions,” and, as such are disappointed with the outcome.

“It is with great dismay and shock that we learned in the news media that another recently formed entity that has never operated or been involved in beach football in Jamaica, has been accepted as a member by the Board of the JFF. It is disheartening that this new entity was equally incorporated after the June 30, 2023, deadline for being in existence as stipulated in Article 83(ix) of the JFF constitution.

“We demand an explanation of why our documents were not accepted by the Board of the JFF or why we were considered non-compliant when prior to this decision, we were never advised that we had not met any of the requirements. We note that included in the leadership of the alternative Beach Football Association, which was accepted, are two current members of the JFF Executive,” Beach Soccer’s statement said.“This is a serious breach of your obligation to us as a stakeholder in the JFF, which has unfairly resulted in our organization being disenfranchised for the upcoming election congress, and is an affront to good governance, and appears discriminatory.

“Your actions have left us with no alternative than to report this serious dereliction of duty to the CFU, the CONCACAF, and FIFA for their intervention and as such we have copied them herein,” it added.

Meanwhile, Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron, chairman of the Real Solid Action (RSA) –the team behind Raymond Anderson, who will challenge Ricketts for the JFF presidency on January 14 –conveyed their discontent with how the JFF has handled the stakeholder agreement for Pillar Three for the upcoming elections.

The elections are constitutionally due this year but the decision to move it to early next year, was made to give other stakeholders, particularly those in Pillar Three to apply for acceptance. Only the Past Players’ Association, the Beach Football of Jamaica Limited and the Jamaica Coaches Association have been accepted from Pillar Three.

The deadline for application closes on December 20, and that will allow other stakeholders in that section to apply.

The Jamaica Football Referees Association, ISSA, PFJL and Intercol are the other stakeholders in Pillar Three.

The JFF constitution was changed to allow 56 delegates to vote, up from 13 in previous elections.

“Pillar Three was introduced specifically to recognize the supporting and most important segment of our football landscape to ensure that the representation at the highest level reflects the view of the majority of the stakeholders participating in football.  

“We are of the firm belief that the process to engage the stakeholders was not treated with the requisite due process and importance to ensure they were properly registered,” Cameron’s release said.

“The JFF has been aware of what is required to engage all 56 voting members, but its failure to communicate same has been met with a possibility of them being disenfranchised. We believe there has also been a major breach of the code of ethics which has just been adopted by the JFF again underlying the challenges of the organization,” it noted, while requesting that the issues be resolved as quickly as possible. 

Kyrell Lisbie has his sights set on an FA Cup upset when eighth-tier Cray Valley face Charlton at The Valley – where his father Kevin scored a hat-trick in the Premier League to beat Liverpool 20 years ago.

Cray Valley Paper Mills Football Club, to give them their full title, are five steps below the Sky Bet League One Addicks in the pyramid  – but less than four miles separate the two Greenwich teams, who have plenty of local connections.

Kevin Lisbie made more than 150 appearances for Charlton, with one of his most memorable coming when he bagged a Premier League hat-trick in the 3-2 win over Liverpool during September 2003.

Jamaica international Lisbie later had spells at Colchester, Ipswich and Leyton Orient, before he spent two seasons with Cray Valley, playing in the 2019 FA Vase final at Wembley.

Shortly after turning 16, Kyrell made his debut for the Millers’ first team when replacing his father as a substitute in a London Senior Cup tie during April 2021.

Following an unsuccessful six-week trial trial at West Ham, he and twin brother Kyreece were taken on by Watford at under-18 level. After being released by the Hornets, Kyrell joined Welling United on a short-term deal in January 2023, before then returning to Cray Valley in August.

The 19-year-old winger scored twice in the 5-2 fourth qualifying round win over Enfield Town, which sent the Isthmian League South East Division side into the draw for the first round proper.

With seven goals in the competition so far, Lisbie is in the race for this season’s Mitre Golden Ball Award, which recognises the top scorer in the FA Cup and gives players lower down the pyramid the opportunity to compete against Premier League stars.

Lisbie’s jubilant reaction to the first round draw went viral – with him and Kyreece, now in Brentford’s B squad, having almost one million combined followers on TikTok.

However, come kick-off for Sunday’s televised tie at The Valley, the teenage forward will be fully focussed on helping the Millers produce their own bit of FA Cup magic for the archives.

“The mentality is to go out there and try to face what is in front of us. We know the quality that Charlton have and we know that it is going to be a tough battle,” Lisbie told the PA news agency.

“It was an amazing draw, with how close the two teams are to each other and everything else. I feel like it is written in the stars that we go out there and perform.

“They are a good team, but the beauty of the FA Cup is you just never know what the result will be.

“The boys have fully deserved it. It is going to be a special day and occasion.

“There have been a few upsets and I just can’t wait for it.”

Lisbie is in no doubt about how “massively important” the continued support of their father, 45, has been for him and his twin brother on their own footballing journey, which has not always been smooth after they were released by Orient after Under-14s.

“My dad has always been there with the work we have put in, off the pitch too with hill runs or 5k runs – we have done them all with him,” he said.

“It is a credit to him because he has never put any pressure on us or really forced us to kind of follow in his footsteps.

“He has always just let us be and whenever we come to him, he is always willing to help us become better because he knows what it takes.”

Kyreece Lisbie also had a spell alongside Kyrell at Cray Valley.

After leaving Watford at the conclusion of the 2021/22 season, Kyreece joined Brentford B. In June, he signed a one-year contract extension with the west London club.

The twins have used their popular social media accounts to chart both the lows and highs of a young footballer’s career path.

“There is not always ‘ups’ – and me getting released from Watford was not pleasant, but it is to show the work that it takes to get into clubs like Watford and the (different) routes, which for some kids will be a lot easier than others,” Kyrell said.

“The things which me and my twin post try to kind of document that, (showing) this is what it takes and the hard work, the dedication and also the noes.

“Being told you are not good enough at something you spent thousands of hours investing in is difficult, but that is how me and my twin have kind of got quite popular on TikTok because a lot of young footballers can relate to hearing that.

“We are just trying to show our journeys and to inspire kids to show that you can get to where you want to be.”

Tottenham’s new technical director Johan Lange officially started work on Wednesday, but boss Ange Postecoglou will not be banging on his door demanding a squad full of “24 world-class players” any time soon.

Spurs are next in action on Monday against London rivals Chelsea, who took their spending under Todd Boehly beyond the £1billion mark with several additions this summer, including midfielder Moses Caicedo for £100million.

While Tottenham’s signings have hit the ground running, Chelsea continue to flatter to deceive and have won only three times under Mauricio Pochettino in the Premier League this season.

Postecoglou was asked if he would like a £1billion war chest and insisted: “Not necessarily. I’ve always said I’ve never felt it is about just spending money. That’s been proved time and time again.

“Look if you get it all right then you’ve got a pretty strong case, but there’s always a limit to every team. You can’t have 24 world-class players. That will never work, it doesn’t work, its been proven.

“It’s about having a squad that’s balanced, guys that are committed to a cause, guys that maybe aren’t going to play every game, but every time they play they are going to make a huge impact for you because they buy into what you are trying to build.

“Just spending endless money to get the best players has been proven time and time again is not the answer. The answer is to get the right chemistry in your team, in your squad, to have 24 players committed to one cause.

“I don’t think you can do that if you just get the 24 best players in the world. That’s a headache I definitely don’t want.”

A large degree of the focus off the pitch at Spurs right now will be on preparing for the January transfer window with Lange eager to stamp his authority after three years at Aston Villa, where the likes of Emi Martinez, Matty Cash and Ollie Watkins were signed under his watch.

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Tottenham confirmed Lange’s impending arrival on October 9 and he will be joined in north London by Rob Mackenzie.

Mackenzie, who was previously head of player identification at Spurs during the start of Pochettino’s reign, will be chief scout in N17 after he headed up Villa’s recruitment under Lange.

With the former Villa pair in situ along with chief football officer Scott Munn, the current Premier League leaders look well placed for a strong January transfer window where centre-back and a versatile attacker will be priority positions.

“I’ve caught up with Johan,” Postecoglou revealed.

“Nothing too formal. I don’t have the attention span for long meetings mate, so it tends to be just casual chats with people. It’s the best way to get my point across if I need to say anything.

“The good thing is he is in the building now so he’s interacting with all the right people. The bit with me is the easy bit. It’s about setting up the procedures and the structures to make sure he gets the department working the way he wants to get the right outcomes.

“Rob joining will help that. It is important they come in now. The January window, like for every club, is an important one.

“My view on the January one is that if you can get your business done early in the window it certainly is more helpful.

“That’s sometimes out of your control, so having him in is good. I’m sure we’ll have a lot of discussions between now and then and I’m looking forward to working with him.”