Former Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho starred in Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa, with Liam Rosenior full of praise for his outstanding performance at Villa Park

Liam Rosenior heaped praise on Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho after the Blues’ triumph over Aston Villa. The west London boss highlighted the winger’s reaction in team meetings as a positive, in great contrast to how Garnacho’s spell at United under Ruben Amorim ended.

Rosenior’s side demolished Unai Emery’s team 4-1 at Villa Park, despite falling behind inside two minutes. Joao Pedro produced an outstanding hat-trick following Douglas Luiz’s early strike, whilst Cole Palmer also got on the scoresheet.

It was former Manchester United star Garnacho who attracted considerable attention at the final whistle for an impressive display, however. Rosenior pointed out that his player had been frustrated by his recent lack of game time and praised Garnacho’s work on the training ground after he registered an assist in Wednesday night’s win.

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Speaking post-match, the head coach was emphatic in his verdict after the winger vindicated his prediction of an excellent performance. He also praised the Argentine’s attitude following the huge win. “He’s outstanding. He was outstanding,” Rosenior said.

“I’ve had a lot of conversations with him. I said in there, I knew he’d play well tonight because of how he has been training the last ten days and two weeks. He’s been disappointed not to play and he should be.

“In a positive way, he’s shown that in his training and the meetings we’ve had. Not just going forward but defensively, Matty Cash is a top full back and he did a job on him.”

Rosenior’s praise of Garnacho’s professionalism continued in his press conference. “That’s normally what happens. When you’re professional, you do everything right on the training pitch,” he said.

“He’s really impressed me the last few weeks. He’s impressed me the most while he’s been out of the team, because his reaction to being out of the team is professionalism.

“The intensity that he’s trained at, it’s no coincidence that he’s going to perform like that today. That’s the most pleasing thing for me, he deserved that today. He should have got a goal, but he was in the right position, and I loved how unselfish he was to set up the goal for Joao.”

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Rosenior also expressed admiration for Pedro. When questioned about the forward’s performance by Joe Cole, Rosenior immediately described the Brazilian international as “scary”.

The Chelsea manager commented: “His mentality as well, he’s a warrior. He’s a fantastic footballer, but he’s strong and he’s physical.

“We’ve worked a lot with him about his positioning in the box. Two of his goals I’m delighted with because they’re in the six-yard box and that’s where strikers get goals.

“We know he’s an outstanding player and for me, he’s got even more to go, which is even better for us.”

It was tense. On the touchline Hürzeler and Arteta exchanged words and even when it was announced there would be just three minutes of added time, in a half which had been stop-start, that led to more boos from the Brighton supporters.

Remarkably Arsenal were in front with an XG – expected goals – of just 0.01 (for that Saka shot). But they had that precious lead and marshalling by Gabriel, taking on even more responsibility in the absence of the injured William Saliba, they had been defensively sound enough. Even if Brighton had undeniably been the better team.

In midfield it was a struggle for Arsenal. Declan Rice had recovered, having had to come off against Chelsea, but both he and his central partner, in particular, Martin Zubimendi look desperately in need of a rest – which hopefully Saturday’s FA Cup tie against League One Mansfield Town will afford them. Surely Arteta has to trust Christian Norgaard more?

Brighton’s dominance continued but they were struggling to create opportunities with passes and crosses over-hit even though it felt like they were in control. After Saka blazed over, after doing well to work some space, Arteta acted with a double change: on came Kai Havertz and, maybe, to rile the home support even more, Leandro Trossard.

Before that Raya was finally extended, diving low to repel Rutter’s half-volley after which he went down injured claiming he had hurt his shoulder. It was the second injury he had “suffered” leading to chants of “cheat, cheat, cheat”.

Brighton went close. Substitute Yankuba Minteh worked his way to the byline with his low cross deflected behind. It could have gone anywhere. Then Mats Wieffer headed weakly into Raya’s arms.

Arsenal needed to stabilise and did through pressure of their own, earning corners and forcing Brighton back and forcing an error from Baleba. Substitute Kai Havertz had a run at goal but the midfielder recovered and blocked.

For Brighton Jack Hinshelwood’s final involvement was to badly miscue a header, high over the crossbar, when he was well-placed to equalise. He gave way to Danny Welbeck.

At the other end and maybe Trossard should have settled it only to slice badly wide, leaving Arteta with his face in his hands as the tension unsurprisingly grew, the fatigue kicked in and more substitutions were made.

Havertz could have ended Brighton’s resistance but Verbruggen saved and the seven minutes of added time were met with cheers from Brighton.

“Arsenal, Arsenal,” implored their fans, fully aware of the score in Manchester and as Brighton laid a late desperate siege. The boos were there again at the final whistle. As were Arsenal’s celebrations, even more when the City score came through.

Paul Scholes aimed a dig at caretaker manager Michael Carrick after Manchester United’s Premier League defeat to Newcastle United.

Carrick suffered his first defeat since returning to Old Trafford as his United team were beaten 2-1 at St James’ Park.

Newcastle looked set for a difficult evening when Jacob Ramsey was sent off in the first half but the hosts then took the lead through Anthony Gordon’s penalty.

United were not behind for long, however, and equalised on the stroke of half-time through Casemiro’s header.

The Red Devils, unbeaten since Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim in January, were expected to make their numerical advantage count in the second half but were frustrated by a spirited Newcastle.

A stalemate looked inevitable until substitute William Osula curled home a brilliant goal to earn ten-man Newcastle a dramatic 2-1 win.

The victory sends Eddie Howe’s side up one place into 12th while Manchester United stay third, level on points with Aston Villa who lost 4-1 to Chelsea.

A number of pundits and a large section of United fans have been calling for Carrick to be given the job permanently following his impressive impact on the team.

Manchester United legend Scholes has voiced his concerns about his former teammate getting the job, however, and recently named Carlo Ancelotti as the ‘perfect’ candidate.

Taking to Instagram following United’s defeat at St James’ Park, Scholes said: ‘Michael has definitely got something special about him… cos Utd have been crap last 4 games… night.’

Carrick said he was ‘bitterly disappointed’ after Manchester United suffered their first Premier League defeat since January.

‘We are not happy the way we played tonight,’ he said. ‘The way the game panned out we had it in our hands largely but credit to Newcastle and they way they approached it.

‘We knew it would be tough but we navigated the game to a position where we could kick on but we didn’t. Bitterly disappointed really.

‘I don’t think it was the 10 men, we just didn’t play good enough. We can’t make excuses for that. We all take responsibility for that.

‘It was just the quality of the performance, it wasn’t character or wanting to win, it’s easy to throw that just because you don’t win a game of football.

‘Newcastle deserved to win tonight, it hurts me to say that. That is how it was. We need to get back to work and be better for the next game.

‘We’ve lost one game, we haven’t played well enough but in the grand scheme of things we are in a decent position. Tonight hurts but we will be better for the next one.

‘You have to get back at it, work hard and do the things we did to win the games we’ve won. We can do that, we are a good team, tonight wasn’t for us.

‘We have to learn from it and get better for it. We had a lot of praise lately and the boys deserve it, this doesn’t change how we approach the next game. We’ve got everything to play for.’

Red Devils goalkeeper Senne Lammens added: ‘It was nowhere near good enough.

‘We scored our goal just before half-time and it was really important to give us a good feeling going into half time.

‘When we step out on the pitch for the second half it needs to be better, I think our mentality needs to be better. In every aspect it was not our game today.

‘I’m not sure what we were lacking. Every team has those games, but you can’t put it like that you always have to perform, especially here.’

Manchester United now have the weekend off but return to Premier League action on March 15 against top-four rivals Aston Villa.

Newcastle, meanwhile, face Manchester City in the FA Cup this weekend before a huge Champions League knockout game against Barcelona.

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Instability in the Middle East, as the United States and Israel wage war with Iran, means that a World Cup play-off clash has been placed in doubt due to the impact on travel and administration

Iraq’s ability to continue its ambition to qualify for the World Cup has been plunged into doubt, following the outbreak of war in the Middle East. Iraq are scheduled to compete in a play-off later this month, but now face a number of significant travel issues that could see them stopped in their tracks.

The United States and Israel’s strikes in Iran have seen the nation target US military bases in neighbouring countries, with the likes of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain being targeted. That has seen air travel almost grind to a halt in the region.

Iraqi Airways and the Ministry of Transportation have informed their national team that the country’s airspace will remain closed for ‘at least four weeks’. It is reported that around 40 per cent of the squad would be left unable to travel.

Iraq are set to face the winners of Bolivia vs Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 31, for a place at the World Cup in the same country, the United States and Canada. However, Mexico does not have an embassy in Baghdad and alternatives in Qatar and the UAE are now closed.

A number of Iraq’s players and backroom staff are yet to receive visas for Mexico or, additionally, the United States, where a training camp in Houston, Texas, had been planned.

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In a statement, the Iraq team confirmed they remained in communication about facilitating arrangements, with the side’s manager, Graham Arnold, unable to leave the UAE currently. The situation continues to be monitored.

The statement read: “The Iraqi National Team management confirms that it received official confirmation from FIFA today regarding the intercontinental playoff match qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

“The match is scheduled to take place in Monterrey, Mexico, on the 31st March. Furthermore, the team’s management clarifies that it continues to communicate with FIFA about the arrangements for the national team’s participation in the intercontinental playoff in light of recent security developments in the Middle East.

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“FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are fully aware of every development regarding our team’s situation. Because of airspace closures, our head coach, Graham Arnold, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates.

“In addition, several embassies remain closed at the present time, preventing several professional players, technical and medical staff members from obtaining entry visas to Mexico.

“We assure our loyal supporters that we remain in close contact with both FIFA and the AFC, who are keeping tabs on the situation.”

It is also reported that Iraq are the most likely team to benefit should Iran withdraw from the World Cup. They are the next highest-ranked team based on results from the Asian Football Confederation qualifying tournament.

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Blood supplies can be ‘lifesaving’ and the NHS has called for donors of a specific type to come forward amid low stocks

The NHS has made an urgent call for people in Cambridge with a rare blood type to come forward and donate. It comes amid warnings that supplies are under pressure.

NHS Blood and Transplant has appealed to B negative donors in Cambridge to book an appointment as soon as they can or walk in to the Cambridge Donor Centre at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Officials say there are 267 appointments still available this week at the donor centre.

Gerry Gogarty, Director of Blood Supply, said: “Right now, B negative stocks are at risk of running low. With this blood type, just a slight rise in hospital demand or one or two patients suddenly requiring a high number of units, can put significant extra pressure on supplies.

“We are calling on existing B negative donors to come forward and donate, and more people with this blood type to become regular donors and help secure the lifesaving supply of blood to patients in the months and years ahead.”

Only two per cent of the population have B negative blood, making it one of the least common types. Patients with the B negative blood type can only receive B negative or O negative blood. This means that low stocks of B negative can also impact emergency O negative supplies.

Existing B negative donors will be given priority access to appointments and are urged to call 0300 123 23 23. New donors who already know they are B negative can now add it when they register, allowing them to be prioritised.

Those with B negative blood are also asked to encourage family members to register and book an appointment to donate as they are 30 percent more likely to have this blood type than the general population.

Donating a unit of blood takes just an hour and each donation can save up to three lives. Men can give blood every three months and women every four months. Hospitals across England need more than 5,000 blood donations every day to ensure they have the blood they need to treat patients.

Bruno Fernandes, who gave away the spot-kick, then delivered a free-kick that was nodded in by Casemiro just before the interval and United’s skipper remained a creative threat throughout, with Aaron Ramsdale forced into several fine saves. The visitors piled on the pressure as the second half ticked on but were ultimately undone by a superb curling finish from substitute William Osula following a fast break. Relive the action as it happened below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis.

Now in its fourth year, the trial has expanded significantly and currently operates in around a third of London boroughs. Rental e-scooters are available in 11 boroughs: Camden, City of London, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster.

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.

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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.