06/01/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | JAN 6, 2026

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Hugo worry for Reds Slot felt unable to risk Ekitike in Fulham draw

Ű BY ROBERT O’CONNOR

A RNE SLOT said he felt unable to risk Hugo Ekitike in Liverpool’s dramatic 2 2 draw at Fulham with his attacking options stretched thin. The striker had an MRI scan before travelling to London which revealed a minor issue and left Slot feeling he had no choice but to leave out the 23-year-old and start instead with Cody Gakpo up front. Deprived of his three main goalscoring threats, his team looked limp in attack and a pale impression of their best. It was Gakpo’s goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time that looked to have earned Liverpool a valuable if unearned comeback vic tory at Craven Cottage and put them in a strong position in the race for the Premier League’s top four, until Fulham’s Harrison Reed struck one of the goals of the season seconds later to deny the champions. Slot was already without Mohamed Salah, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations, and the injured Alexander Isak. Howe hails Guimaraes after skipper sinks Palace EDDIE HOWE saluted inspirational skipper Bruno Guimaraes after watching him drag Newcastle to Premier League victory over Crystal Palace. The Brazil international scored the first goal and made the second in a 2-0 win at St. James’ Park as a tight encounter eventually fell the way of the hosts. Guimaraes’ goal was his seventh of the season and represented his latest significant contribution to a team which has struggled for consistency so far this season. Head coach Howe said: “Bruno is a very special player, a special person, a special character. “He’s very positive, he’s got great energy and today he played a captain’s role because that game was always going to be decided by very key moments in the game and he’s come up with a big one for us, and he’s done it countless times. “Your big players normally decide big games, and today was a big game for us decided by a huge player in our recent his tory. “That’s the type of tight win that we needed to turn to our favour today, a typical Premier League game this year, very, very difficult to get total control of the game. Frank defends Johnson sale THOMAS FRANK defended Tottenham’s decision to sell Brennan Johnson after he watched Mohammed Kudus limp off in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland where they lacked attacking fire power. Frank last week gave the green light to sell last season’s 18-goal hitman Johnson to Crystal Palace for £35 million (RM203m), which is a reduction on the £47.5 million (RM275m) Spurs paid for him in 2023. It is a move that has raised eyebrows given Johnson’s finishing ability and Spurs’ lack of cutting and score against so we had to bide our time and we had to be patient. “We navigated our way through the game really well and I felt the substi tutes made a big difference when they came on. That’s tribute to the squad, really, the strength that we have.” – The Independent SHORTS “I thought Crystal Palace were a very difficult opponent. Every time we’ve played them, it’s been tight, and they’re stubborn and their defensive performances this sea son have been very good. “They’re a tough side to create

ple of yards out to seemingly win it, before substi tute Reed unleashed an outrageous 30-yard drive into the top corner in seventh added minute. “If you’re not part of Liverpool or your don’t follow us every game, you’d think we win it,” said Slot. “But unfortunately I’m experiencing this for months now. “The only chance they got in the first half led to a goal. That’s one thing we usually see with us.” Fulham boss Marco Silva reflected on a match he felt his team ought to have won. “It feels strange to be honest,” he said. “I think we could win the game. We were better in the first half, we controlled Liverpool. “We have to play very aggressively against Liverpool and we scored a brilliant opening goal. What a finish from Harry Wilson. Liverpool didn’t have any chances in the first half.” – The Independent

break, for the first time at Champions League level. “Not a surprise that he then gets but tired. Unfortunately we saw a little bit more (on the scan) and you cannot take a risk. “Florian (Wirtz) is also for the first time expe riencing this programme, and if I don’t have that many players I would like the ones that I do have available and playing as many minutes as possi ble.” Wirtz was passed fit and scored Liverpool’s equaliser to make it 1-1 in the second half, finish ing well after Conor Bradley’s mazy run. Harry Wilson had earlier given Fulham the lead. There would be late drama though as first Gakpo turned the ball in via his thigh from a cou

Ekitike is comfortably Liverpool’s top scorer this season with 11, more than double the tally of the next player on the list Dominik Szoboszlai, and in the first half in west London they failed to register a shot on target. “He felt something during the training session so he went for an MRI scan,” said Slot. “We got the result when we were flying so we were hoping it was just DOMS (delayed-onset muscle sore ness). “Why? Because since Alex has been out he doesn’t play 70 or 60 minutes and sometimes gets a bit of rest. “He has to play 80 or 90 minutes every single game, for the first time in his life at Premier League level, for the first time without a winter

Hosts Morocco, Cameroon reach Afcon quarters

A BRAHIM DIAZ goal sent Morocco through to the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals at Tanzania’s expense yesterday, with Cameroon now standing in the way of the hosts after the Indomitable Lions edged South Africa 2-1 in their last-16 clash. Real Madrid winger Diaz scored once in each of Morocco’s three group matches at the tourna

has been ruled out of the rest of the competition with a calf injury. The goal came after Morocco squandered numerous chances while stretching their unbeaten run to 23 matches – their last loss was to South Africa at the 2024 Afcon. Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, the African player of the year, set up the winning goal as he made his first start in the tournament having recovered from an ankle injury. “The reading of the game is simple: we only started playing in the second half but we hands down deserved to go through,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui. Morocco will now face Cameroon on Saturday (3am) after the Indomitable Lions got the bet ter of South Africa at Al Medina Stadium across Rabat in yester day’s late game. Goals either side of halftime by Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane made the difference for Cameroon against a South Africa team coached by Hugo Broos, the Belgian who led the Indomitable Lions to their fifth continental title in Gabon in 2017. A late rally from South Africa saw Evidence Makgopa pull one back on 88 minutes, but Cameroon nervously held on. “I want to savour this victory first of all. The game against Morocco is still a long way away,” said Cameroon coach David Pagou, who only took over the team days before the tournament began. “We suffered today even though we won, and I think we all need a rest.” – AFP

that sealed a 1-0 victory at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. He is the first Moroccan player to find the net in four consecutive Afcon matches and his celebra tions included holding up a shirt belonging to injured midfielder Azzedine Ounahi. Diaz later dedicated the last-16 victory to his teammate, who arrived at the stadium using crutches and

ment and maintained his goal-a-game record with the 64th-minute strike

Cameroon’s Christian Kofane (left) and teammates celebrate after Kofane scored his team’s second goal during the Afcon Round of 16 match against South Africa at Al Medina Stadium in Rabat yesterday. – AFPPIC

Frank did acknowledge Tottenham would try to bring in reinforcements, adding: “We are really, how can you say, alert. The club really want to see what we can do to strengthen the squad and the team.” Thiago deserves fine run of form, says Brentford boss BRENTFORD head coach Keith Andrews believes Igor Thiago’s form means he deserves to be men tioned alongside some of Europe’s top strikers. The 24-year-old’s first Premier League hattrick in the 4-2 win at Everton means only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and Bayern Munich’s England captain Harry Kane have scored more in Europe’s top five

edge, but the 24-year-old has largely played second fiddle to Kudus this season. However, Kudus was forced off in the 19th min ute with a left leg injury against Sunderland. Even though Ben Davies rewarded Tottenham’s strong first half with a 30th-minute goal, they failed to kick on and, with limited attacking options, Frank watched Sunderland level with 10 minutes left through Brian Brobbey. “We lacked a little extra freshness. I looked at some teams last night. They just put three players on like for like,” Frank said. “Sometimes, you know, the decisions make more sense further down the line and now there was an opportunity to sell a player, which the club hasn’t been that good at in the past.”

leagues this season. After ending a six-match drought in style, he needs just two more goals to become the highest scoring Brazilian in a single Premier League cam paign. “Not bad, is it? I thought the finishes today were outstanding, really clinical, outstanding, calm, confi dent,”said Andrews, whose side are now within four points of fourth place. “A little bit mad he hasn’t scored in a few weeks, but two games ago we played against Bournemouth and he was the basis for us winning the game. “The names you’ve just mentioned (Haaland, Mbappe, Kane) – he’s in pretty esteemed company there, but he’s earned it.”