25/09/2025

SPORTS THURSDAY | SEPT 25, 2025

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Cardiff topple Burnley in Carabao Cup

Cardiff City’s Omari Kellyman. – REUTERSPIC

the first time since 1977. Wrexham also kept a sec

ond clean sheet of the cam paign to seal back-to-back wins following Saturday’s triumph over Norwich. Wycombe Wanderers continued their

HEAD COACH Brian Barry-Murphy praised Cardiff City’s character as they responded to their first defeat of the season by beating Premier League side Burnley in the Carabao Cup. Yesterday’s 2-1 victory at Turf Moor followed the Bluebirds’ 3-1 League One loss at home to Bradford City on Saturday. Cardiff can now look forward to a first fourth round tie since 2012, when they went on to reach the final at Wembley only to be beaten by Liverpool. “It means a lot to us to play the way we did and bounce back from what was undoubtedly a

disappointing day for us on Saturday,” Barry Murphy told BBC Sport Wales. “It means a lot in terms of how we want to play. I think when you come to play a team in the Premier League, you’ve got two choices: you can either step back and hope for the best or try and take your destiny into your own hands. We were very aggressive in the way we played the game, and the lads were on the front foot right from the first whistle.” Nathan Broadhead netted his first goals for Wrexham to help them beat Reading 2-0 at the Stok Cae Ras and progress to the fourth round for

winning start under new manager Michael Duff with a deserved Cup triumph at fellow League One side Wigan Athletic. Diego Gomez scored four goals – including an astonishing first half hattrick – as Brighton reached the fourth round with a thumping vic tory over League One Barnsley. Fulham also moved into round four with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Cambridge United at Craven Cottage. –Agencies

'UDZ 'DWH :HG Arteta defends tactics Arsenal boss slams ‘handbrake’ criticism M IKEL ARTETA insists Arsenal’s bid to end their trophy drought will not be ruined by his tactics after claims the Gunners boss is guilty of being too cautious. But he responded to the critiism of his game-plan with a stinging rebuttal.

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“I don’t read it but if you tell me that this is the main one (narrative), I would be extremely surprised with my knowl edge and my know-how and how I ana lyse a football game,” he told reporters yesterday. “Because it was impossible for somebody to predict such a dominance from Arsenal throughout 96 minutes, because it never happened in 17 years of Pep (Guardiola) as a manager. “So if the narrative goes somewhere else and we’re talking about domi nance, how can you be dominant against such a team if you have, what was the word? Handbrake? Dominance and handbrake: they are two different words.” It was not the first time Arteta had made conversative selections that were followed by an inconsistent Arsenal dis play. Arteta refused to concede that his line-up may have contributed to the slow start against City. “I respect everybody’s opinion but when I saw everything and I watched it back and all the stats, I was surprised. “We played Eze on the right-hand side. Could he play 90 minutes? That’s a question I put for myself because none of you know the load that he can do. “So it’s easy to say he could have

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Former England stars Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher accused Arsenal of playing with the handbrake on follow ing Arteta’s controversial team selection for Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Manchester City. Arsenal winger Eberechi Eze dropped to the bench, despite Martin Odegaard’s absence, with Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino forming the midfield trio again after they flopped in a 1-0 defeat at Premier League champions Liverpool in August. Arteta’s tactics were in danger of backfiring after Erling Haaland gave City an early lead at the Emirates Stadium. It was only when Arteta sent on Eze and Bukayo Saka at half-time that Arsenal finally took charge. Even then they needed a stoppage time goal from Gabriel Martinelli to res cue a 1-1 draw that left them five points behind leaders Liverpool in the title race. Without a

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trophy since the 2020 FA Cup and having fin ished as P r em i e r League run ners-up for the last three seasons, Arteta is facing mount ing questions about his ability to turn Arsenal into cham pions.

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played from the start. Maybe not. Because he already played two games from the start.” – AFP

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Mikel Arteta. – REUTERSPIC

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“ … Dominance and handbrake: they are two different words.” – Arsenal manager

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