US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that an Iranian official behind an attempt to ​assassinate Donald Trump in 2024 has been killed by the US military.

The US president was the subject of two assassination efforts that year while running for the White House, one of which involved a sniper’s bullet grazing his ear.

Here’s what we know about the other alleged plot.

Iran latest – Warship sunk

Trump’s revenge on alleged plotter

Mr Hegseth said Mr Trump had the “last laugh” after the US forces killed an unnamed Iranian official who led an effort to ​assassinate him.

He told reporters during an operational briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday: “Also, yesterday, the leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed.

“Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh.”

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The defence secretary said eliminating the author of the alleged plot was not the initial focus of the war “by any stretch of the imagination” and insisted Mr Trump had never made it a priority for the Pentagon.

He said he and others ensured “that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list” but he admitted, as far as the conflict was concerned, “this is not a mission accomplished situation”.

What do we know about the man behind the plot?

In November 2024, the US ​justice department charged an Iranian man, Farhad Shakeri, 51, over an alleged effort by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ⁠to assassinate Mr Trump, then the president-elect.

Merrick Garland, the US attorney general at the time, said in a statement that Shakeri was “an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked by the regime to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran’s assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump”.

The justice department says Shakeri told law enforcement he was tasked on 7 October 2024 with providing the IRGC with a plan to kill Mr Trump but he didn’t intend go through with the plan within the timeframe set by the Iranians.

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Two other men, Carlisle Rivera, 49, and Jonathon Loadholt, 36, both from New York, were also charged, having allegedly been “recruited as part of that network”.

Shakeri, Rivera, and Loadholt were charged with murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and money laundering. Shakeri was also charged with two terror offences and other offences.

Tehran has denied accusations it ⁠targeted Mr Trump and other US officials.

Trump ‘got him’ first

Mr Trump referred to the alleged Iranian plot on Sunday when asked about the joint US-Israel operation that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“I got him before he got me,” he told ABC News.

Police found over 600 weapons at the house in Littleport, as well as bomb making manuals, Nazi flags and images of child abuse

A man with an obsession for weapons and a fascination with Nazi Germany has admitted to terrorism-related offences in court. Paul Page, 52, of Littleport, was discovered to have over 600 weapons, including landmines, grenades, rifles and ammunition, according to the police.

The Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) stated that Page also possessed explosive substances and guides on how to create explosives and manufacture firearms. In 2023, officers from Cambridgeshire Police were investigating allegations that Page had downloaded images of child abuse.

During a search of his home, officers found Nazi flags, Second World War weapons and chemicals. The unrelated investigation into child abuse by Cambridgeshire Police revealed more than 250 illegal images on Page’s devices.

In August 2023, he was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. A separate investigation was then conducted by ERSOU into items retrieved from an outbuilding at Page’s property.

Detectives from ERSOU’s Counter Terrorism Policing unit determined that Page had collected over 600 weapons and other militaria associated with Nazi activity during the war.

Police stated that whilst much of this was legal memorabilia, he was in possession of prohibited items including landmines, grenades, rifles and ammunition. A book which was seized contained instructions on how to construct a sub-machine gun, and component parts of firearms, bullet casings and shells were also recovered.

Additionally, several chemicals were found that, when combined, could serve as precursor materials for the manufacture of explosives. Page had also downloaded a prohibited document containing instructions on how to create viable explosives.

Despite having an email address referencing numbers associated with Adolf Hitler and a tattoo linked to white supremacy, Page denied possessing an extreme right-wing mindset during police interviews, according to ERSOU. On Monday (March 2), he pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to a series of offences, including two counts of possessing a document or record likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, ERSOU reported.

Page also admitted to two counts of possessing an explosive substance, four counts of possessing a firearm without a certificate, two counts related to the possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of prohibited ammunition and possession of ammunition without a certificate.

Hannah Wilkinson, head of ERSOU said: “Throughout our investigation, it was clear that Page had a fascination with Nazi Germany and World War Two, the clearest indication being the flags draped in his outbuilding.

“Of real concern to us was the combination of dangerous chemicals, the banned documents on how to create firearms and explosives, and Page’s clear obsession with weapons. Working closely with force colleagues in Cambridgeshire, our teams seized a significant amount of physical and digital materials which were examined by experts and identified to be a severe risk.

“Our specialist teams are dedicated to tackling the threat of terrorism in the eastern region, and I’m thankful for all their work throughout this investigation.” Page was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on May 1.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a defeat for the Trump administration, a federal judge in New York ruled Wednesday that companies that paid tariffs struck down last month by Supreme Court are due refunds.

Judge Richard Eaton of the U.S. Court of International Trade wrote that “all importers of record’’ were “entitled to benefit’’ from the Supreme Court ruling that struck down sweeping double-digit import taxes President Donald Trump imposed last year under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Eaton also wrote that he alone “will hear cases pertaining to the refund of IEEPA duties.’’ The ruling offers some clarity about the tariff refund process, something the Supreme Court did not even mention in its Feb. 20 decision. Trade lawyer Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding and a former U.S. trade official, said he expects the government to appeal or “seek a stay to buy more time for U.S. Customs to comply.″

The federal government collected more than $130 billion in the now-defunct tariffs through mid-December and could ultimately be on the hook for refunds worth $175 billion, according to calculations by the Penn Wharton Budget Model.

Eaton was ruling specifically on a case brought by Atmus Filtration, a Nashville, Tennessee, company that makes filters and other filtration products, claiming a right to a tariff refund.

On Monday, another federal court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to slow the refund process. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit started the next phase in the refund process by sending it to New York trade court to sort out.

Now the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency must come up with a way to process the refunds. Customs routinely refunds tariffs when there’s been some kind of error, but its system was “not designed for a mass refund,″ said trade lawyer Alexis Early, a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. “The devil will be in the details of the administrative process.″

____

Anderson reported from New York.

AP Writer Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this story.

The DWP has confirmed it will review eligibility for the mobility part of PIP alongside the daily living element, with the review to conclude by autumn 2026

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that the mobility component of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be reviewed alongside the daily living element, as part of the UK Government’s welfare reforms. The review will be co-produced by Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, along with disabled groups and charities, and is set to be completed this autumn.

During the recent State Pension and benefits uprating debate in Parliament, Sir Stephen confirmed that the review will be published before 2027, following a suggestion from Conservative MP Rebecca Smith that it would not be available until next year.

Sir Stephen stated: “I am co-chairing a review of PIP that will conclude by the Autumn of this year; she (Rebecca Smith) said that she did not think that the review would happen until 2027, but it will conclude by the Autumn of this year.”

Those PIP claimants who are awarded the higher rate of the PIP mobility component can transfer some or all of the payment to lease a new car, wheelchair-accessible vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme.

Recent figures from Motability Operations – the company behind the life-changing Motability Scheme – reveal that there are now 815,000 customers across the UK, including approximately 80,000 residing in Scotland, reports the Daily Record.

Currently, there are over 3.2 million Blue Badge permit holders across the UK, including more than 235,700 in Scotland. DWP figures also reveal that just over 3m PIP claimants receive either the standard or higher rate of the mobility component.

This comprises 1,961,029 claimants receiving the higher payment award, worth £77.05 per week and 1,111,219 on the standard award rate of £29.20 per week. There are currently nearly 3.9 million people claiming PIP across England and Wales – all Scots have now been transferred to Adult Disability Payment.

In a written question to the DWP, former Labour and now an Independent MP, Rachel Maskell recently asked what steps it is taking with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to co-produce policy changes to mobility allowances’ of PIP.

In a written response, Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, said: “The PIP mobility element is in scope of the Timms Review, which aims to ensure PIP is fair and fit for the future.

“We will co-produce the Review with disabled people, and their organisations to ensure lived experience is at the heart of its work. We will provide an update shortly. We will not make changes to PIP eligibility, including for the mobility element, until the Review has concluded.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to reform the Motability Scheme during the Autumn Budget. These reforms include ending the VAT relief on top-up payments, a one-off voluntary payment required to lease more expensive vehicles on the Scheme, and the application of Insurance Premium Tax on leases.

Tax changes will not significantly affect vehicles that have been extensively modified for wheelchair users, or existing leases, and Motability will continue to supply vehicles at no extra cost to the value of eligible disability benefits.

Paul Quinn, 51, is accused of raping the woman at a remote embankment near the M61 motorway bridge between Little Hulton and Farnworth back in 2003.

A trial at Manchester Crown Court was told Quinn had avoided justice, and that instead, security guard Andrew Malkinson went to prison for 17 years for a crime he had not committed.

John Price KC, prosecuting, said: “It is the prosecution’s case before you, as you may have realised, that Andrew Malkinson was the victim of a most terrible miscarriage of justice, one of the worst there has been.”

He told the jury of seven women and five men that DNA evidence showed that it was Quinn and not Mr Malkinson who raped the woman back in 2003.

The trial opened at Manchester Crown Court (Image: Anthony Moss)

Quinn, who wore a black jumper and white shirt in the dock, listened in silence as Mr Price opened the case.

Mr Price said the real rapist was a stranger to the victim when he attacked on the morning of Saturday, July 19, 2003, by dragging her from Cleggs Lane down the embankment.

She was found around an hour afterwards by a witness from Farnworth who had been out walking his dog before work, with blood on her face and her clothing in a state of “disarray”.

Mr Price said testing showed the woman had been raped twice, after having been strangled until she was unconscious and beaten about the face.

The witness took the victim to his home in Farnworth and called the police straight away, and she was taken to Royal Bolton Hospital.

The jury was shown images of the injuries to the left side of the woman’s face, which the prosecution says Quinn had inflicted on her.

Mr Price said that her attacker appeared to have fractured the woman’s left cheekbone after she was already unconscious.

He told the jury they would later have to think for themselves about why he had done this.

Speaking to a police officer, PC Deborah Davidson, she described her attacker as a “Gypsy type, muscular, dark hair, off-white shirt, hanging off.”

In a formal statement, she described her attacker as “male, white, olive-skinned” with a “shiny, hairless chest” and dark brown to black, thick hair.

She said his accent was “local to Bolton with a slight trace of another accent”.

A later witness statement the woman gave to police said that the attacker had told her he had a gun

Her statement said: “As I got towards the end of the railings where the houses start, I heard a male voice coming from the wooded area. ‘I think you should come into the bushes, I have a gun pointed at your head’.

“The voice sounded very close and was a local accent.”

She said that as she walked away to the motorway bridge, she felt an “almighty force” behind her and remembered sliding down the grass embankment.

The jury was shown an e-fit image published back in July 2003 of a man based on the description the woman had given.

Mr Price said the now 51-year-old Quinn would have been 29 years old at the time of the attack and showed the jury a series of photographs taken of him between 1994 and 2006.

He said Quinn “strenuously” denied being the rapist when he was finally arrested and interviewed by the police in December 2022, and said he did not know the woman.

Mr Price said it was agreed by both the victim and defendant that “she was a stranger to him, and he was a stranger to her”.

But the prosecutor told the jury that back in 2003, Mr Malkinson, then a security guard at the Ellesmere Shopping Centre in Walkden, was the man arrested in connection with the crime.  

This was after two police officers, who had seen Mr Malkinson earlier that summer, felt he matched a description of the attacker given to them by Detective Inspector Joanne Rawlinson.

Mr Malkinson was then 37 years old and was “white with very noticeable tan, olive skin”.

But the victim had previously told police she had managed to scratch the right side of her attacker’s face and believed he should have a mark showing this.

Despite Mr Malkinson appearing to “strikingly” match the description the victim gave when police officers spoke to him at the shopping centre, he had no such scratch mark.

At the time, Mr Malkinson had recently started staying at a flat with a fellow worker on Aspinall Grove, Little Hulton, not far from where the attack had happened.

Mr Price told the jury that all the indications showed the woman had been assaulted by a “local man, who knew the area”.

Mr Malkinson was found at a Salvation Army hostel in Grimsby after having told his flatmate he had “had enough” with troubles with people he used to live with and was moving to the Netherlands.

The jury heard how this “sudden departure” only added to the suspicion around him, and he was arrested and taken to Crescent Police Station in Salford.

Mr Price said both the victim herself and another witness provided very detailed descriptions of the attacker and the “conspicuous” way he was dressed with an open white shirt.

He said that the location where the victim was “swept down the embankment” just before she crossed over to Farnworth showed he was “not only a local man”.

Mr Price said: “He was also one who knew of this obscure location, a man with prior knowledge of its existence and accessibility, someone who, as he followed her, knew she was soon going to reach it and so timed his attack to coincide with her passing close to somewhere he knew he might easily, forcibly and swiftly take her out of sight and away from the road.”

The prosecutor told the jury how both the victim and two witnesses each picked out images of Mr Malkinson and identified him as the attacker when shown by the police.

Mr Malkinson was tried for rape at Manchester Crown Court in 2004, found guilty and ultimately spent more than 17 years in prison before his release in December 2020.

Mr Price said the identification of him made by the witnesses was “honestly made” but was mistaken.

He said the further evidence, including DNA evidence, “proves” that Quinn and not Mr Malkinson was the real rapist.

Mr Price said there was also further evidence to show how the attacker’s appearance more closely matched that of Quinn’s.

He told the jury that this evidence included “none of the intrinsic weaknesses which existed in the evidence used, wrongly, to convict the innocent Andrew Malkinson”.

Mr Price said the Quinn’s defence would invite the jury to consider whether Mr Malkinson was in fact the real rapist and that it was up to the prosecution to prove it was Quinn.

Quinn, of Whipton Barton Road, Exeter, denies two counts of rape, one count of attempt to strangle, and one count of assault, intending to cause grievous bodily harm.

The trial, before Mr Justice Robert Bright, continues.

Regime change isn’t what it used to be. Donald Trump himself had talked it up as a reason for attacking Iran.

In a White House briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt talked it all the way back down.

It took until day five of the military action for the White House to lay out its objectives: destroy Iran’s navy; destroy its ballistic missile capacity; ensure its proxies in the region can no longer harm Americans; and ensure it can never obtain a nuclear weapon.

Follow the latest updates on the conflict with Iran

“Regime change” and what comes next for the Iranian people were conspicuous by their absence.

There was no statement of intent to support a popular uprising in Iran, nor was there any sign that a US mechanism was under consideration to make it happen.

“We hope that freedom rests in their hands,” said Leavitt, referring to the Iranian people without any hint of how “freedom” could be achieved.

She didn’t rule out the use of ground troops but said they weren’t part of the plan.

Asked about reports the Trump administration was considering Kurdish forces in the hope of inspiring a popular uprising in Iran, she responded that such a suggestion was “completely false and should not be written”.

When she talked “victory”, she talked US interests.

“Victory will be determined by the commander in chief,” she said, “once the goals and the objectives that we have repeatedly laid out are fully realised”.

She didn’t put a timeframe on the military action but said the focus was on a “quick and effective” success.

Read more:
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Spain’s PM not mincing his words over Trump’s war on Iran

Between Wednesday’s military and political briefings, it’s clear the Americans are content with their level of success.

Secretary of state Marco Rubio had said on Monday that the US military action was triggered by Israel’s plan to attack Iran.

It had promoted suggestions that President Trump was bounced into a pre-emptive strike by Israel’s intent.

On Trump’s motivation to launch strikes, Leavitt said he acted on a “good feeling” that Iran was going to strike US assets and personnel in the region.

The countdown continues for Sunderland’s biggest music event of the year – Radio 1’s Big Weekend.

Parts of the venue have already been fenced off and works are underway to bring the event to life, which is set to see some of the biggest names in music descend on our region.

This week, the BBC have confirmed how you can buy tickets for the weekend.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend?

Radio 1’s Big Weekend will take place over three days – May 22, 23 and 24.

Where is it being held?

The Big Weekend is being held at Herrington Park, in Sunderland this year. If you aren’t familiar of where that is, the park can be found opposite iconic landmark Penshaw Monument.

The last time it was held in the region was in 2019, in Middlesbrough, and it was held in Herrington Park in 2005.

Headliners back then included the Foo Fighters and The Black Eyed Peas.

How much are tickets?

Ticket prices have this week been confirmed – here’s how much you’ll need to pay to get in.

Friday

General admission – £34.50

VIP admission – £86.00

Saturday

General admission – £44.50

VIP admission – £106.00

Sunday

General admission – £44.50

VIP admission – £106.00

Where can I buy tickets?

The tickets will be available to buy via Ticketmaster, and you can find the ticket link by going on the BBC website.

When do they go on sale?

The ticket sale dates are staggered.

Tickets for Friday, 22 May will go on sale at 9am on Friday (March 6).

Tickets for Saturday and Sunday (May 23 and 24) will go on sale on March 11.

Are tickets allocated by region?

Yes – the BBC say they have been put into three ‘pots’.

The first pot, which is 30% of tickets, are allocated to Sunderland residents.

A further 60% are for the wider North East including County Durham, Newcastle, Gateshead and Northumberland.

Then, the final 10% will be available to the rest of the UK.

Can I go to all three days?

No. It has been confirmed that you can’t buy tickets for all three days.

You can buy a maximum of two tickets per person per day.

You are allowed to go on Friday and either Saturday or Sunday, but not both.

Are there age restrictions?

Yes, there are age restrictions.

You can only attend on Friday if you are 18 or over.

No restrictions are placed on Saturday or Sunday, but anyone aged 15 or under must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

What is the line-up?

Unfortunately, a full line up for the three day event has not yet been revealed.

Previous headliners have included the likes of Sam Fender, The 1975, Harry Styles and Billie Eilish.

Dr Zakariya Waqar-Uddin, known as Dr Zak, was tragically found at the bottom of Huntcliff in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, on May 21, nine days after he went missing from his home in Lancashire.

The 44-year-old, who grew up in Euxton and was a GP in Chorley, was due to visit the dentist and travelled to Teesside, where a flat he had was up for sale. 

He also worked as a GP at Buckshaw Village Medical Group and Standish Medical Practice.

However, Dr Zakariya’s family did not hear from him, and he was reported missing. On May 21, coastguard teams sadly discovered his body. 

An inquest at Teesside Coroners’ Court, sitting at Middlesbrough Town Hall, heard how Dr Zakariya died from multiple traumatic injuries due to a fall from a height. 

His mother, Patricia Waqar-Uddin, who attended the inquest alongside other family members, described her son as “charming, helpful, and very compassionate to all whom he met”. 

She said he had “no airs and graces” despite his successful career and was the “best son any parents could ever hope for in life”. 

The inquest, held on Tuesday (March 3) heard how Dr Zakariya had previously suffered from some stress following the breakdown of his marriage and the dissolution of his GP partnership. 

However, two months before his death, there was no mention of any mental health concerns when he spoke with a dermatologist. 

The inquest heard how his mother had tried to ring him on the day he left his home, but that his phone was switched off, and she could not confirm whether he had been to the dentist. 

After he was reported missing, a search was launched across Teesside after his dark purple Volkswagen Touran was found, before his body was found on May 21.

Dr Zakariya was identified through his dental records, and there were no significant toxicology findings, a report confirmed.

Daughter Jasmine ‘will make Zakariya extremely proud’

Dr Zakariya’s former partner, Laura Jane Dunning, fought back the tears as she paid tribute to him during the inquest, saying he was “charismatic, had a warm smile, and a very good sense of humour”. 

Ms Dunning said Zak, whom she married in October 2016 and shares daughter Jasmine, now eight, with, said she took comfort in the fact Dr Zakariya knew she was “well and happy”. 

She said: “I am distraught and I am very sad that Jasmine has lost her father.

“She will continue to be loved and cherished, and I know she will make him extremely proud. 

Dr Zak (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“I hope Zak found his peace, and I thank him for the many happy times we had together.”

During the inquest, Coroner Bailey had to consider whether Dr Zakariya had intended to take his own life, but this was ruled out.

Ms Waqar-Uddin told Coroner Bailey that her son was not agitated when he left his home and did not believe he intended to take his own life. 

She said there was no communication about intent left at his home and that he was also applying for jobs: “He had too many plans for the future.” 

Coroner Bailey recorded a narrative conclusion, saying: “Dr Zakariya was found dead at the bottom of Huntcliff in Saltburn on May 21. 

“It is not known how or when he exited the top of Huntcliff.”

‘We will miss him deeply’

In a statement, Ms Waqar-Uddin said Dr Zakariya was more than his profession and treated his patients with the “same care and respect he gave to his family”.

She said: “On social media, there were more than a thousand tributes to him when his death was announced.

“He often spoke of the joy and satisfaction being a GP brought to him.

“To us, he was the best son any parents could ever hope for in life, and we will miss him deeply for the rest of our lives.

“He was grateful to his youngest brother, Yusuf, for the love and support he extended to him despite living and working 6,000 miles away.

“To Yusuf, on Zakariya’s and our behalf, we say thank you, son. We are so proud of you. Proud that you were there and supported Zakariya, and was a kind and loving brother to him.

“He cared and loved his daughter Jasmine, but missed her greatly, so much so that the pain of not seeing her became unbearable for him.

“Some in the medical profession need to have a more compassionate and caring approach. 

“As one doctor said to Zakariya, ‘the trouble with you Zak, is that you actually care for the patients, whereas I just care about the money’.

“One patient wrote: ‘Dr Zak was a brilliant GP. The medical profession and humanity are the poorer for his passing.’

“In conclusion, Zakariya deserved a long and fulfilling life. He gave so much to us, his parents and to his patients, and we will miss him deeply.”

The display is a 13-inch panel that Apple calls Liquid Retina. It’s the same technology as the MacBook Air, though it lacks Apple’s ‘True Tone’, which adapts the display colours to your environment to help with eye strain. It is also fractionally smaller than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch base model of the MacBook Pro, but that gives it an advantage in portability, weighing the same as the MacBook Air at 1.2kg.

Battery life is said to be up to 11 hours for browsing the web or 16 hours for streaming video, while connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6. The MacBook Neo runs macOS 26 Tahoe, which is the latest software version, matching the more expensive MacBooks.

Why does it matter?

I’ve reviewed Apple MacBooks for the last decade, and I used them for the decade before that. The announcement of the MacBook Neo is huge, not only because it makes Apple’s laptops accessible to a wider range of people, but also because it will reinvigorate the budget end of the laptop market in terms of competition.

I’ll be honest, I never thought Apple would hit the £600 price bracket for a laptop, which is actually £500 when you take into account the education discount available to students and teachers. The company has always positioned its MacBooks as premium products compared to Windows laptops, with fancy designs, better performance for creatives, and longer battery life.

Manchester City weren’t good enough against Nottingham Forest as they fell seven points behind Arsenal with a game in hand after a 2-2 draw

With 30 minutes left of Manchester City’s game with Nottingham Forest, Pep Guardiola was ready to twist. Impatient after Nottingham Forest’s equaliser and an average showing from his starters, the coach had Nathan Ake and Jeremy Doku ready to come on.

Then City did what they do worse than nearly every team in the league and scored from a corner. To make it even sourer for Arsenal, it was their old nemesis Rodri who got on the end of Rayan Ait-Nouri’s corner and powered his header into the net.

City’s Ballon d’Or winner absolutely loved it, pumping his fists repeatedly in front of the family stand to celebrate the goal. It was his first in the Premier League since the final day of the 2023/24 season when it helped to crown the team champions, and without this goal they would have stood less chance of chasing Arsenal down this year.

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The goal, and the celebration, lifted the noise at the Etihad after an evening where the team had toiled. They hadn’t been at their best despite Antoine Semenyo neatly giving them a first-half lead with a clever finish for his 12th goal of the season.

It was niggly rather than nice as City were unusually wayward on the ball and slow in attack. If they were going to survive, they needed a watertight defence.

That ended when Morgan Gibbs-White backheeled through the legs of Ruben Dias and past a stunned Gigio Donnarumma early in the second half, leading to Guardiola feeling the need to twist. Rodri’s goal was the vindication of sticking with the same players that have pulled City back into this title race after results at United and Tottenham left them feeling low.

Even that wasn’t enough though. City were punished again for sloppy play as Elliot Anderson smashed one in from outside the box, curling it around Marc Guehi and past Donnarumma to once again silence the crowd. This time Guardiola twisted, with Abdukodir Khusanov and Doku coming on, but the damage had been done.

Haaland and Rodri had penalty claims, Sels did brilliantly to tip over a Semenyo free-kick and Savinho’s shot was cleared off the line with the last kick of the game. A messy end for a messy night, and not the performance or the result City needed to kick off a critical month for their season.

City know they can play much better than this, whoever is on the pitch. They are going to need to if they are to have any hope of catching Arsenal in their final nine matches.

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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.