Newcastle boss Eddie Howe believes referees have become too reliant on VAR after Chris Kavanagh’s horror show in his side’s 3-1 FA Cup win at 10-man Aston Villa.

In the absence of VAR, Kavanagh and his assistant referees seemingly got at least three major decisions wrong in a blundering performance at Villa Park which could easily have cost the Magpies.

Tammy Abraham’s opening goal for Villa was clearly offside, Kavanagh failed to send Lucas Digne off for a shin-high tackle on Jacob Murphy and then the worst decision of all came after the break when Kavanagh and assistant referee Nick Greenhalgh ruled Digne’s handball to be outside the area when it was at least three yards inside.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney called it “one of the worst decisions I have ever seen in football… it’s an absolute shocker”.

The one major decision Kavanagh got right was to send Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot off for taking out Murphy near the centre-circle and that gave Newcastle a platform to fight back against 10 men in the second half.

Sandro Tonali scored from the free-kick which should have been a penalty then added a second with a sweet strike from distance before Nick Woltemade wrapped up the win at the end.

Howe says VAR has given referees something to hide behind.

“I think there’s an argument to say that, because when VAR is there, there’s always a, ‘Well, I won’t give that, but let’s check it’,” he said.

“And I think then your decision-making maybe isn’t as sharp as it may normally have to be so maybe there’s a difference there.

“I’m always torn on VAR. I said this many times because I still love the emotion, even tonight, when a goal is given and you don’t see a flag or a referee, it’s a goal, and no-one’s going to take it away from you.

“That joy that you get in that moment, I still really love and VAR takes it away. But then on the other side, I was wishing there was VAR on the first goal against us, and probably throughout that game.

“I think it does give accurate results. It does make the game more concise in terms of decision-making and those moments, you have to respect that they’re worth their weight in gold, especially for us today, when we’re on the wrong side of it.

“So I’m still very much torn on it.

“The officials don’t make any (wrong) decision on purpose. It’s what they think at the time. But with without VAR, I thought there was a lot of errors.”

Howe was pleased with how his players kept their cool amid a host of decisions going against them.

“I thought the players did really well to control their emotions, to stay calm, not let it affect our performance negatively.

“And that’s not easy to do in that situation where you feel aggrieved, so I think that certainly helps our performance in the second half.”

A fortnight ago, Villa boss Unai Emery said VAR was “unfair” after it cruelly intervened to deny a goal they scored in a Premier League defeat to Brentford.

But the Spaniard admitted: “Today VAR makes sense. VAR is necessary to help the referees.”

He added: “We played a very competitive match. I was so, so happy about us in the first half. With the red card, and Newcastle scoring, it was more difficult for us.”

LONDON (AP) — Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned by the Kremlin with a rare and lethal toxin found in the skin of poison dart frogs, five European countries said Saturday.

The foreign ministries of the U.K., France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said analysis in European labs of samples taken from Navalny’s body “conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine.” The neurotoxin secreted by dart frogs in South America is not found naturally in Russia, they said.

A joint statement said: “Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer this poison.”

The five countries said they were reporting Russia to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for a breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention. There was no immediate comment from the organization.

Navalny, who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests as President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe, died in an Arctic penal colony on Feb. 16, 2024, while serving a 19-year sentence that he believed to be politically motivated.

“Russia saw Navalny as a threat,” British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said. “By using this form of poison the Russian state demonstrated the despicable tools it has at its disposal and the overwhelming fear it has of political opposition.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot wrote on X that the poisoning of Navalny shows “that Vladimir Putin is prepared to use biological weapons against his own people in order to remain in power.”

The European nations’ assessment came as Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, attended the Munich Security Conference in Germany, and just before the second anniversary of Navalny’s death.

She said last year that two independent labs had found that her husband was poisoned shortly before he died. She has repeatedly blamed Putin for her husband’s death. Russian officials have vehemently denied the accusation.

Navalnaya said Saturday that she had been “certain from the first day” that her husband had been poisoned, “but now there is proof.”

“Putin killed Alexei with chemical weapon,” she wrote on She said Putin was “a murderer” who “must be held accountable.”

Russian authorities said that the politician became ill after a walk and died from natural causes.

Epibatidine is found naturally in dart frogs in the wild, and can also be manufactured in a lab, which European scientists suspect was the case with the substance used on Navalny. It works on the body in a similar way to nerve agents, causing shortness of breath, convulsions, seizures, a slowed heart rate and ultimately death.

European officials said they had a high degree of confidence in the assessment that Navalny died from epibatidine poisoning. Asked why the results had taken so long, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that it had been “a complicated process.”

Wadephul said “no one but Putin’s henchmen will be able to say in detail what happened on Feb. 16, 2024, in the Russian penal colony. But it is clear that Russian authorities had the possibility, the motive and the means to administer the poison to Navalny.”

Navalny was the target of an earlier poisoning in 2020, with a nerve agent in an attack he blamed on the Kremlin, which always denied involvement. His family and allies fought to have him flown to Germany for treatment and recovery. Five months later, he returned to Russia, where he was immediately arrested and imprisoned for the last three years of his life.

The U.K. has accused Russia of repeatedly flouting international bans on chemical and biological weapons. It accuses the Kremlin of carrying out a 2018 attack in the English city of Salisbury that targeted a former Russian intelligence officer, Sergei Skripal, with the nerve agent Novichok. Skripal and his daughter became seriously ill, and a British woman, Dawn Sturgess, died after she came across a discarded bottle with traces of the nerve agent.

A British inquiry concluded that the attack “must have been authorized at the highest level, by President Putin.”

The Kremlin has denied involvement. Russia also denied poisoning Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian agent turned Kremlin critic who died in London in 2006, after ingesting the radioactive isotope polonium-210. A British inquiry concluded that two Russian agents killed Litvinenko, and Putin had “probably approved” the operation.

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Associated Press writers John Leicester in Paris, Mike Corder in The Hague and Philipp Jenne in Munich contributed to this report.

We asked readers where their favourite Chinese restaurants were in the county in celebration of the Year of the Horse

Celebrations for the Lunar New Year will begin on Tuesday (February 17). In celebration of the coming Year of the Horse, we asked readers for their top picks for Chinese cuisine in Cambridgeshire.

The Lunar Year, based on the traditional Chinese calendar, begins with the first moon after the winter solstice. It is an important event celebrated throughout East and Southeast Asia.

Cambridgeshire has plenty of Chinese restaurants dotted around the county that you could visit to celebrate the Lunar New Year. If you are new to the area or want to try somewhere different, you might struggle to choose just one restaurant.

CambridgeshireLive asked its readers to share their favourite Chinese restaurants to help narrow down your options. Here are the three food spots that got the most votes.

Cinta

Location: 12 Post St, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, PE29 2BA

Taking third place in our survey is Cinta in Godmanchester. Many customers have praised the restaurant for its “absolutely fantastic” food, service, and atmosphere, with some going as far as to say it is the “best Chinese around”.

The restaurant serves a range of Chinese favourites as well as Malaysian options if you fancy something different. However, if you are thinking of visiting Cinta for Lunar New Year, you might want to book early, as the restaurant can get quite busy soon after opening.

Jade Fountain

Location: 42-46 High St, Sawston, Cambridge, CB22 3BG

Sawston is a village just outside of Cambridge that is lucky to have a few great food spots. As well as a range of coffee shops and several pubs, the village is home to Jade Fountain, described as a “beloved gem”.

Customers mention the ‘delicious’ food and the restaurant’s many gluten-free options. Many people love the taster menu, which lets you try a range of dishes.

The Welcome

Location: 2-4 East St, St. Ives, PE27 5PB

Whether you want to dine in on Lunar New Year or fancy enjoying some restaurant-quality food from the comfort of your own home, The Welcome can do both. The restaurant has an extensive a la carte menu featuring a variety of Cantonese and Malaysian dishes.

The Welcome also offers a buffet menu at £30.90 per person, ideal for those wanting to try a bit of everything. You can get any of the dishes for takeaway to enjoy at home.

Cuba’s annual cigar fair, which was set to be held the last week of February, has been postponed organizers said Saturday, as the island faces blackouts and severe fuel shortages brought about by a U.S oil embargo.

In a statement, the cigar fair’s organizer, Habanos S.A. said it decided to postpone the iconic event to “preserve its high standard of quality.”

Habanos S.A., a joint venture between the state-owned company Cubatabaco and international firm Altadis, holds the global monopoly on Cuban cigar sales.

Every year, the company hosts the annual Habanos Festival, a key event for cigar aficionados and distributors worldwide, where attendees tour tobacco plantations, participate in auctions and witness the latest in craftsmanship.

The statement by Habanos S.A. did not set a new date for the 26th edition of the cigar fair.

Last year, the event closed with an auction in which $18 million was paid for a batch of highly coveted, hand rolled cigars. The company last year also reported record sales of $827 million.

Several cultural events, including a book fair, have been postponed in Cuba this month as the island grapples with the most severe fuel shortages and power blackouts in years.

In late January, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country that sold oil to Cuba, as Washington puts more pressure on the island’s communist leadership to implement political and economic reforms.

Cuba imports about 60% of its energy supply, and had long relied on Venezuela and Mexico for much of its oil.

But shipments from Venezuela were canceled in January following the removal of that nation’s then-president Nicolas Maduro in a U.S. military raid, a move that also resulted in greater U.S. oversight over Venezuela’s oil industry.

Shipments from Mexico stopped in mid-February following Trump’s tariff threat.

Earlier this week, three Canadian airlines canceled flights to Cuba after the island’s government announced there would be no jet fuel for planes seeking to refuel at Cuba’s airports. Other airlines have maintained their flights to the island but will be refueling their planes with stopovers in the Dominican Republic.

The fuel shortages have also hurt tourism on the island, with some agencies canceling trips as the government shuts down some hotels, and relocates tourists in a bid to save electricity.

Tabacuba, a state-run tobacco company, lamented the postponement of this year’s cigar fair in a statement, saying it had come about due to “the complex economic situation that the nation is facing, as a result of the intensification of the economic, commercial and financial blockade” imposed by the United States.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Doctors Without Borders has announced the suspension of some operations at one of Gaza ‘s largest functioning hospitals after patients and staff reported seeing armed, masked men roaming parts of the building.

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis is one of the territory’s few functioning hospitals. Hundreds of patients and war-wounded have been treated there daily, and it was a hub for Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in exchange for Israeli hostages as part of the current ceasefire deal.

The comments by the aid group, which is also known by its acronym MSF, are a rare announcement by an international organization about the presence of armed men in or near medical facilities in Gaza since the war began over two years ago.

MSF said in a statement all its noncritical medical operations at Nasser Hospital were suspended due to security breaches that posed “serious security threats to our teams and patients.”

“MSF teams have reported a pattern of unacceptable acts including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients and a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons,” it said.

While the suspension occurred in January, it was first disclosed in MSF’s “frequently asked questions” section on its website. It’s unclear when the post was made, but the site said it was updated Feb. 11.

MSF said it made the difficult decision after an increase of patients and staff seeing armed men in parts of the hospital compound since the U.S.-brokered October ceasefire was reached. The gunmen were seen in areas where the group didn’t operate.

Attacks on health facilities

MSF said it wasn’t able to indicate the armed men’s affiliation. It said it had expressed concern to the “relevant” authorities, without elaborating, stressing that hospitals must remain neutral, civilian spaces. It said its concerns were heightened by previous, deliberate Israeli attacks on health facilities.

Throughout the war, which began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, including Nasser, accusing the militant group of operating in or around them. Hamas security men often have been seen inside hospitals, blocking access to some areas.

Some hostages released from Gaza have said they spent time during captivity in a hospital.

While Hamas remains the dominant force in areas not under Israeli control, including Nasser Hospital, other armed groups have mushroomed across Gaza as a result of the war, including groups backed by Israel’s army in the Israeli-controlled part of the strip.

Nasser Hospital staff say that in recent months it has been repeatedly attacked by masked, armed men and militias, despite police presence there.

Police to be deployed

The Hamas-run Interior Ministry, which oversees police in Gaza, said officers would be deployed to secure hospitals and rid them of armed presence. It said it was implementing stricter measures to ensure patients’ safety.

While international law gives hospitals special protections during war, they can lose this immunity if combatants use them to hide fighters or store weapons, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Still, there must be plenty of warning to allow the evacuation of staff and patients before any operations take place. If harm to civilians from an attack is disproportionate to the military objective, it is illegal under international law.

Aid groups and rights organizations say Israel has decimated Gaza’s health system, forcing most hospitals to shut down while heavily damaging others. During the war, Israeli forces raided a number of hospitals, detaining hundreds of staff.

Israel also has targeted the police in Gaza.

A weakened medical system

MSF said it will continue supporting critical services at Nasser Hospital, including inpatient and surgical departments for patients with traumatic or burn injuries. However, it is ending support to the pediatrics and maternity wards, including the neonatal intensive care unit. It has also indefinitely suspended its outpatient consultations for 3D burn screening and mental health, as well as other services.

Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the records department at Gaza’s Health Ministry, said MSF’s suspension would have a significant impact as hundreds of patients are admitted to the maternity and burn wards daily. He said the ministry would take over maternity patient care, but said burn victims won’t have many options.

Israel has been cracking down on aid groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including MSF. The group is one of more than three dozen that Israel has banned from operating in the strip for failing to comply with new registration rules.

MSF says Israel’s decision will have a catastrophic impact on its work in Gaza, where it provides funding and international staff for six hospitals and operates two field hospitals and eight primary health centers, clinics and medical points. It also runs two of Gaza’s five stabilization centers, helping children with severe malnutrition.

The toll of war

While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the fragile ceasefire has been seen almost daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing 591 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza health officials.

Israel’s military on Saturday said its troops “eliminated” a person in northern Gaza who crossed the line dividing the territory and approached them.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said the overall Palestinian death toll from the war is at least 72,051.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants. Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed.

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Magdy reported from Cairo.

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Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

They got some joy at last. Their scrum, completely dominant, was key and their big runners took them deep into Scotland’s 22. The resistance held, but only for so long. Ford’s lovely delayed pass sent Arundell in. Quite a half for the wing.

Ford narrowed the gap to seven points soon after as England threatened to build up a head of steam. Their respite was dismantled in quick order when Scotland struck for their third score.

It was wonderful Russell invention once again that sparked it, the fly-half scampering down the short side, skipping past Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill and managing to kick through in the process of falling over.

Ellis Genge was in the back field and seemingly in control of the situation only to slide and let the ball fall loose. White was on to him like a shot and touched down for a smash-and-grab that sickened England. Russell added the extras – a 14-point game now.

Arundell’s calamity came just before the end of a pulsating half when he took Steyn out in the air. A second yellow meant a 20-minute red – England were in deep trouble.

The visitors’ scrum superiority brought them three more points early in a second half that began without Ritchie on one side and Underhill. Both injured. On came Fagerson and Tom Curry and away we went.

England’s one area of joy was the scrum and their muscle in the set-piece saw Ford narrow the gap early in the second half. These were moments when Scotland had to dig deep.

England were getting on the front foot, but the Scottish defence held. More than that, they frustrated England. Going nowhere in the hosts’ 22. Ford opted to take an easy three with a drop goal in front of the posts.

It backfired. Fagerson was out like a bullet from a gun and charged down the kick, then scooped up the loose ball and fed Jones who galloped away with Scottish delirium ringing in his ears all the way.

Russell banged over the conversion and, incredibly, the underdogs were ahead by 18 with a bonus point in the bank.

England emptied their bench, brought on any amount of heavy hitters, but could only manage a late, late try for Earl, converted by Ford. Scotland’s lead was 11 – and to the utter ecstasy of the home fans, it stayed that way.

The six-part docuseries explores the real life story of notorious serial killer known as the ‘Killer Clown’ and is streaming free now.

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A “harrowing” true crime documentary examining disturbing offences has viewers finding it difficult to continue watching – and it’s available to stream without charge.

ITVX has discreetly released a six-part documentary series on its platform, investigating the genuine account behind “Devil in Disguise”.

John Wayne Gacy: The True Story features “distressing scenes” as it examines the life of infamous American serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

Known as the Killer Clown, Gacy murdered young men and boys during the 1970s. Operating undetected between 1972 and 1978, he preyed upon young men, sexually assaulting numerous victims before killing them and concealing their bodies in a mass burial site beneath his residence.

Currently available on ITVX, John Wayne Gacy The True Story chronicles his offences following the vanishing of a teenager, which prompted investigators to visit his property, reports the Mirror.

ITV describes it: “This chilling documentary reveals the true story behind ‘Devil in Disguise,’ exposing the shocking police failures that surrounded the crimes of John Wayne Gacy.”

The opening episode takes audiences back to 1992 when Gacy participated in an uncommon on-camera interview. Featuring real-life testimonies, the unsettling programme will appeal to true crime enthusiasts.

One viewer on TikTok described it as essential viewing, writing: “I nearly missed this one.”

In the video, the true crime enthusiast explained: “To be honest with you I’ve scrolled past this about 4 times because I thought thought it looks the same as the Devil in Disguise series and I’ve only just realised it’s actually a documentary.”

One viewer remarked: “Been on a whilst but it’s very bad crime wise. I found it hard to finish tbh.”

Another commented: “Watched it absolutely fantastic. Harrowing what happened.”

A third person said: “Absolutely brilliant series.”

The programme was described as “harrowing” with one Facebook user writing: “I watched both the documentary and drama versions both really interesting, still so many unanswered questions especially in the documentary.”

Another viewer said: “Definitely worth watching!” A third responded: “Oh I’ve binged watched this on itvx.”

The documentary series accompanies the crime drama ‘Devil in Disguise’, which also premiered on ITV and ITVX earlier this year. Though initially broadcast in the US, the programme is a dramatisation rooted in actual events.

The series was described as follows: “Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy peels back the twisted layers of Gacy’s life whilst weaving in heartrending stories of his victims; exploring the grief, guilt, and trauma of their families and friends; and exposing the systemic failures, missed opportunities, and societal prejudices that fuelled his reign of terror.”

John Wayne Gacy: The True Story and Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy are both available to stream on ITVX.

Gregor Townsend has made four changes, with George Turner, Nathan McBeth, Gregor Brown and Jamie Ritchie coming into the starting XV. McBeth makes his first Six Nations start. Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe are still omitted from the squad.

Scotland starting XV: 15 Tom Jordan, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Jamie Dobie, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 1 Nathan McBeth, 2 George Turner, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Gregor Brown, 5 Scott Cummings, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 Rory Darge, 8 Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: 16 Dave Cherry, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Williamson, 20 Matt Fagerson, 21 George Horne, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Darcy Graham.

Steve Borthwick has made two changes to his starting side from last week. Luke Cowan-Dickie and Maro Itoje come in for Jamie George and Alex Coles. Fin Smith replaces Marcus Smith in the 23 shirt.

England starting XV: 15 Freddie Steward; 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 1Tommy Freeman, 2 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Henry Arundell; 10 George Ford 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 5 Ollie Chessum, 6 Guy Pepper, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl.

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Fin Smith.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has admitted his new-look Newcastle team is still searching for its identity as he targets FA Cup glory.

Newcastle head for Aston Villa in the fourth round on Saturday still dealing with the on-field fall-out of Alexander Isak’s £130m departure for Liverpool and the arrivals of Anthony Elanga, Aaron Ramsdale, Malick Thiaw, Jacob Ramsey, Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa which surrounded it.

Howe said: “The words ‘patience’ and ‘understanding’, they’re rarely accepted, I think, in football management when you’re talking about your team. People want clarity on where you are, they want to know whether you’re good or bad. In the middle isn’t accepted.

“Don’t get me wrong, we could have done better and there are certainly things that we could improve, but I think longer term we’ll be better for it if we can work through this season and this period.

“The biggest thing is to find a clear identity and a clear way of playing, and then we can see what the future looks like with this team. If it’s positive then that could be a great thing.”

Tuesday night’s 2-1 Premier League win at Tottenham eased some of the pressure on Howe and his players after a disappointing run of results, although the departure of Spurs boss Thomas Frank the following day and Sean Dyche’s exit from Nottingham Forest 24 hours later highlighted the precarious nature of management.

Losing to the team 13th in English football’s third tier represents a new low in Burnley‘s season just as renewed optimism was starting to creep in.

Burnley‘s remarkable 3-2 come-from-behind win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday was their first victory in 16 Premier League games. The gloom started to lift slightly.

Parker’s side showed real fight and spirit at Selhurst Park, which made his decision to make nine changes to his team for the visit of Mansfield all the more baffling.

“When you don’t go through to the next round there will always be questions asked about that [team selection] but I don’t think that was the main factor today,” Parker told BBC Sport.

“We lacked a little something in those final moments. That was where we have fallen way short today.”

Burnley are not the first, nor will they be the last, Premier League side to ring the changes for a cup game against lower opposition.

But having been dumped out of the League Cup by Cardiff City back in September, the FA Cup was the supporters’ only chance to distract themselves from looming relegation.

“It is embarrassing, the changes he made. Play your strongest team. He made nine changes, and the second half was embarrassing,” former Burnley defender David Unsworth said on BBC Radio East Lancashire.

“It is an embarrassing afternoon for Burnley. It gives the owner a decision to make now. He has to listen to the fans, they are not happy.

“For the first time I have witnessed all home ends of the stadium booing and disgruntlement. The owner has a decision to make.”

Chairman Alan Pace, the leader of the club’s owners ALK Capital, isn’t the most popular at Turf Moor either at the moment.

This week he angered fans when, during an interview with BBC Football Focus, he dismissed fan concerns as coming from those who “just play this game on a computer somewhere”.

He went on to liken those same fans to three-year-old toddlers having a tantrum.

Pace used Saturday’s programme notes to clarify his words, writing: “I did not intend for my words to upset, but I did mean what I was trying to say which was that, just because some are upset, does not mean that things are dire and without hope.”

Many Burnley fans will be hoping Pace calls time on Parker’s spell in charge, though the former Premier League midfielder said he is confident is his own position at the club.

“I am very comfortable in my position at this present moment in time. We have lost a game of football today against a team we should be beating,” Parker told BBC Sport.

“We had numerous chances. Of course you are always going to judge a result and today is a bad one, we take the flak for that, the team and myself.”