Blasphemy! A wee club in the north-east threaten sir Alex Ferguson's dominance!

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English Club Groups

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[TD]Group D:[/TD]
[TD]Group E:[/TD]
[TD]Group H:[/TD]
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Inter[/TD]
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Newcastle[/TD]
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Juventus[/TD]
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Leeds[/TD]
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Schalke[/TD]
[TD]
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Milan[/TD]
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Blackburn[/TD]
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Bayern[/TD]
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Chelsea[/TD]
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Sevilla[/TD]
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Zeljeznicar[/TD]
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Aberdeen[/TD]
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Galatasaray[/TD]
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FH[/TD]
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Anderlecht[/TD]
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Wisla[/TD]
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Mark Lawrenson European Super Cup preview

28 August 2026
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​
It is a proud day for England as Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers meet tonight to decide the 2026 European Super Cup winner. The season has barely began and the rivals clash for an amazing third time! Blackburn won the first game in a 2-1 friendly but Newcastle were quick to respond with a convincing 4-1 victory for the English Community Shield.

Team news:
Blackburn - Stefanos Angelidis ineligible; Luo Hán suspended; Savio Barreto injured (twisted ankle)
Newcastle - None

Weather report:
Dry, 13°C

We will be with you after a quick commercial break from Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège!

 
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Mark Lawrenson European Super Cup watch

28 August 2026
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19' Goal!! 1-0 Mikael Lampi
21' Lars Persson (Blackburn) Yellow Card
21' Goal!! 2-0 Jim Priestley
45+2' Half Time
46' Laurie Smith (Blackburn) Yellow Card
55' Goal!! 3-0 Silvio Ibáñez
57' Patricio Espinoza (Blackburn) Yellow Card
66' Goal!! 3-1 Michael Maldonado
75' Goal!! 4-1 Aubrey Mashishi
77' Lars Persson (Blackburn) Sent off - Second Yellow
83' Goal!! 5-1 Silvio Ibáñez
90+2' Full Time

FINAL SCORE: Newcastle United 5-1 Blackburn Rovers

Well it was quite a battering. Newcastle will be happy with the class they showed today and that makes it two trophies for 2026/27 already! Blackburn will need to work on discipline. It's 2 red cards from 2 finals against Newcastle and another second place... Let's take a look at match stats and individual performances:
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European Super Cup 2026 - holders Newcastle!
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Not had a chance to read through the last day of posts yet but this is great. So in depth and you're banging the updates out so quickly. Loving Messi at Oxford too! If you can continue the amount of effort you're putting in, this will be one epic story!
 
fuelledbypassion

Thank you, I just have too much time at my hands with unemployment :) We'll see how epic it can be as other contenders will need to pick themselves up and offer some kind of challenge to make it at least a little interesting... for it hasn't been in a while :(

I was surprised to see Messi go to Oxford, he's having his fourth season there after spells with Man City, Leeds and Q.P.R. Managed 17 league goals last season but I feel this will be his last one as he's 39 now. Good he's thinking about management once his playing days are over.
 
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Premier League
Round 3

Saturday 29th August 2026:

Leeds - Middlesbrough 4-1
Pöyry (36), Herrera (54), Rivière (76), Messina (90+1); Touré sent off (40), Hart (42)
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Sunday 30th August 2026:

Chelsea - Everton 2-0
Simon (8), Edu (90+3)
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Liverpool - Manchester United 1-0
van Bremen (90)
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Blackburn and Newcastle games postponed

League Table:

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PUBLISHED: 23:01 GMT, 30 August 2026 | UPDATED: 23:06 GMT, 30 August 2026

The Kop remembers Glory days again!

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What a determined display by the lads today! Manchester United came with what is praised as one of the best attacks in the League but were met by a resilient defense. We were prepared for everything they could throw at us and despite sitting deep for the majority of the game our counters showed some bite.

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Who's that 7. Van Bremen?​

As the minutes rolled the Devils became increasingly nervous and with so many experienced players their energy levels dropped a grade. The Kop was first class again giving the lads immense support and we looked all set to hold off for a valuable point. But it wasn't over yet.

Sir Alex bemoaned losing world class midfielder Shola Shoretire to injury with 5 minutes to go and I have little doubt Manchester United fans will agree but after seeing Mork injury cost us our previous game I'd say it's merely a balancing touch of destiny. Not to mention we also had a casualty just before half time.

Left wing back Heimir Snær Ólafsson had to make do in the heart of defense and was exceptional. To complement a masterful performance he showed great confidence to run up the pitch in the 90th and take a long throw in. Van Bremen didn't have as many chances as he would have wished during the match but he got in the right position to nod the ball home and Anfield errupted to cap a game we will savor for quite some time.

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90' and Anfield erupts!​
 
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These articles from former players are a great touch. Keep up the good work, I'm enjoying the read :)
 
Cvetanovski marshals a balanced Chelsea side to top spot after August
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Tony Cascarino Commentary
Last updated at 11:24PM, August 30 2026

Despite a big number of flair footballers one cannot say this Chelsea side is about glamour. The defense is not impenetrable. Unlike most their opponents they are yet to book a convincing win. And still they find themselves occupying top spot after August.

New manager Marcelino has managed to get the most important thing off his squad - balance. Chelsea can play amazing football. They can score. They can defend and see out games. But there isn't a club in the whole world who can do all these at the same time. Even Newcastle count on high level of scoring - but they can afford to shrug off defensive duties and Chelsea can't.

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Promising start for Marcelino​

There are plenty of signs Chelsea could go on to achieve something great this season. 3 games into the season all areas of the team have shown they are capable of producing when it is required. Goalkeeper Courtois excelled and defender Martinez pulled a man of the match performance in the away 1-1 draw against Manchester City - a game Chelsea could have easily lost. Striker Palmer selflessly assisted twice for the home victory over Crystal Palace. His colleagues at the front Simon and Edu grabbed a goal each against hard working Everton. Marcelino can be happy with all of them hitting top form so early.

He has one man to thank the most. World class centre-back Marjan Cvetanovski has been nothing less than inspiration. He commands defense with ease and also finds himself in goalscoring positions. Never shy of a tackle and exceptional in the air, Marjan will be key to Chelsea's chances of silverware this year.

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Cvetanovski instrumental for Chelsea​

Marcelino can be happy with the strong start and confident to keep going as Chelsea can still improve their game. Scorelines could be more convincing but that is not a major concern at this stage. As long as Cvetanovski leads the defense, the Blues may not need a bucketload of goals to rake in points.
 
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August Watch

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Premier League Table

The Contenders:

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Chelsea (1st; 7pts; +3) lead the race although drop points away to Man City.
0 Current first team injuries.

Newcastle (2nd; 6pts; +7) look to blow away the competition but are yet to face any serious opposition. They could go top of the league if they win their game in hand.
0 Current first team injuries.

Blackburn (3rd; 6pts; +5) also keep 100% record, have a game in hand and are the only team yet to concede.
2 Current first team injuries:
Savio Barreto (DC) 3-8 days (twisted ankle)
Amos Obi (ST) 6-7 weeks (fractured wrist)

Liverpool (4th; 6pts; +1) suffer a surprise loss but grab a late winner against Man Utd.
2 Current first team injuries:
Badji Soumbounou (AMRL/ST) 3-4 weeks (sprained ankle)
Eirik Mork (MC/ST) 2-3 months (torn hamstring)

Manchester United (6th; 4pts; +5) make an indifferent start winning one, drawing one and losing one of their first 3 games.
2 Current first team injuries:
Martyn Flint (D/WBR) 12-14 days (twisted ankle)
Walter Blasi (MLC/AML) 2 months (torn hamstring)

Leeds (7th; 4pts; +3) also drop 2 points but have a game in hand.
1 Current first team injury:
Brian Shea (WBL/AML) 2 months (torn hamstring)

Other teams to watch:​

Manchester City, Everton and Arsenal remain in touch with the summit.
Birmingham and Tottenham suffer a very poor start and will want to net some points ASAP.

August Player of the Month:
Santiago Bernal (Newcastle)
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August Young Player of the Month:
Mike Pritchard (Sheffield Wednesday)
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August Manager of the Month:
Dimiter Hristov (Newcastle)
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Leading Goalscorers:
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Premier League
Round 4

Saturday 12th September 2026:

Manchester United - Newcastle 2-3
Wilshere (16, 78); van der Vaart (31), Bernal (45, 54), Thomas sent off (75)
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Sunderland - Chelsea 1-1
Maher (38); Gabriel (84)
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Oxford - Blackburn 1-5
Draxler (74); Maldonado (18), Persson (31, 67), Josué (48), Aguilar (70)
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Crystal Palace - Liverpool 0-1
Wilson (64)
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Sunday 13th September 2026:

Stoke - Leeds 0-3
Pöyry (37), Le Gac (pen 49), Herrera (57)
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League Table:

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Time to keep our heads down and work hard

Gary Neville
Published at 7:41PM, September 12 2026

I'll start with the positives. We did well to push the reigning champions and really gave it a go. Until Jackie's first there was only one side on the pitch and it wasn't Newcastle. I was impressed we managed to keep them from shooting for more than 20 minutes and that's something we can build on.

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Looking at the positives - good start​

What happened after was a lesson we should learn from. Newcastle came at us all guns blazing and we got back to the inconsistent football which saw us finish sixth last season. Some extra training sessions on defending set pieces are required and I am sure the coaching team is already redesigning the schedule.


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Wilshere brace not enough​

I know a lot of the fans out there are raging we couldn't capitalize when they went down to 10 men. You can call it bad luck, poor judgment, I don't care. Getting an injury with no subs left when we are chasing an equalizer is beyond us. Let Newcastle ride their luck - it will only last so long.


It's tough to concede 3 at home but we cannot afford to let negative emotions creep in. I agree with all the noises for a positive start the current position in the table is disheartening. Alright. It didn't happen. Move on! Let's keep our heads low and forget about the title. The recipe is hard work and patience. Do that and the rest will follow.
 

Sam Thomas must not be judged on red card

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Rob Lee
Published at 7:55PM, September 12 2026

Newcastle manager Dimiter Hristov has offered sympathy to a devastated Sam Thomas. Hristov insists the youngster will come back stronger after serving his suspension and he'll be itching to prove a point. Thomas was understandably downbeat and apologetic after offering Manchester United a chance back into the game with his dismissal with 15 minutes to go while the score was a comfortable 1-3 - a chance they nearly took after clawing one back to make the traveling Geordies bite their nails.

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Scoreboard at Old Trafford​

Hristov remained calm despite no subs left and no specialist right wingback on the pitch. He switched deep-lying playmaker Toase to fill the gap and let Antonio Undiana handle the midfield on his own. A bold move which nearly paid back in the final minutes as Newcastle pushed on in search of a fourth instead of waiting to see the game out. Old Trafford sent us away with "Riding your luck again" chants but they should remember one forges his own luck. And ever since their second goal we had 5 shots to their measly 1.

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Fergie plays a part in Thomas red decision​

It will be interesting to see how Thomas picks himself up though. It's been a while since Hristov trusted so young player with a regular first team spot and it's clear Sam will need at least another season under his belt before he can consistently deliver what is expected of him. I say let the lad take his chance. It is up to him to prove himself or move out on loan in January.
 
Blackburn on track - could this be our season?
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By Kevin Gallacher...................8:20 PM Saturday 12th September 2026 in Sport
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Last season we had out best point tally since 1995 and best ever in a 20-club Premier League. Despite fears we might lose our star players before Neil Lennon has had a chance to get the best out of the team, Neil did well to only sell full back Alexi Pfister and replace him with on-loan Stefanos Angelidis.

It's paying back. We are top of the league on goal difference and only Newcastle have matched our start. Now it is too early to talk about the title race but I think we are well equipped for this marathon. Looking at our opponents it seems it will be only Newcastle again. And they don't show any signs of slowing down.

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Must take points off these guys​

We managed to lose two trophy finals to them but we can count that as learning curve. The lads might need to take something off them in the League if we are to challenge. I'd take that over a Super Cup.

Could this be our season? If we can start beating Newcastle when it matters and not only in pre-season friendlies, that could just be the case.

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Can we do it again?​
 
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English Title Contenders European Watch

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Tuesday 15th September 2026

Group A
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Chelsea - Galatasaray 4-0
Martinez o.g. (1), Palmer (33), Benoist (41), Cvetanovski (51)
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Schalke - Inter 3-4

Group D
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Sevilla - Newcastle 1-5
Quiros (75); Aravena o.g. (4), Dong Dexin (26), Pilar (42, 69), Leomar (77)
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Milan - FH 2-1

Wednesday 16th September 2026

Group E
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Blackburn - Juventus 3-0
Aguilar (17), Boccaccini (26), Maldonado (79)
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Anderlecht - Zeljeznicar 2-0

Group H
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Wisla - Leeds 1-2
Piszchek (17); Aspinall (83), Herrera (90+2)
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Aberdeen - Bayern 1-3

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Thursday 17th September 2026

Group I
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Manchester United - Nordsjælland 4-0
Traore (14), Connery (42), Shoretire (43), Wilshere (83)
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Olympiakos - Sion 0-1​
 
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Premier League
Round 5

Saturday 19th September 2026:

Newcastle - Liverpool 3-1
Priestley (11, 59), Bernal (90), Rush sent off (86); van Bremen (74)
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Blackburn - Birmingham 5-1
Boccaccini (5), Aguilar (31, 58, 72), Osti (88); Gueye (55)
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Chelsea - Tottenham 2-1
Simon (61, 90+2); Pacak (84)
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Leeds - Oxford 4-1
Herrera (29), Le Gac (36), Jovetic (49), Chumak (55); Munk (50)
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Manchester United game postponed

League Table:

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Newcastle see off right wing back curse again!

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Rob Lee
Published at 7:00PM, September 19 2026

For the second Premier League game in a row we see our right wing back receive two yellow cards. This time it was Andreas Rush. The reaction from the players was encouraging again as they played even better with ten men on the field and got a third goal to strip Liverpool of any hope of a late comeback.

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What's going on at RWB?!​

Twice in a row will inevitably raise questions and manager Hristov had to answer them in the post match press conference. He was adamant there is nothing wrong with his tactical instructions and went further to praise his players for persisting with them despite facing punishment:

"Our game is based on recycling possession as quickly as possible and my wing backs have a key role at that. The moment you see me telling them to hold off will be the moment we are bulking under pressure and that simply won't happen."

To his credit Hristov refused to criticize the referee and accepted committing too many fouls is bound to bring some extra yellow cards in a game. He opted to analyze that in the perspective of the game though.

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Rude? What about Liverpool's tackling?​

"You saw Liverpool were also willing to lead a physical battle. They got more yellows than us. Saying we were rude would be harsh and unfair to our players. It was a question of who wanted it more and I have no problem with that. I congratulated their manager for testing us and he told me he thought they were lucky to escape a second yellow."

Hristov reserved some praise for key players.

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Priestley bags PoM with a brace​

"I think Bernal is our leading scorer now. What he can do in the air is unbelievable, we are lucky to have him. You know I count on goals coming from every player on the pitch and defenders participating in set pieces is instrumental. I thought Priestley was amazing, too, but let's not forget all the hard work Lampi threw out there. I'm not worried he didn't score. He deserved to grab a goal and I'm sure he will very, very soon."
 
Bench management vital to netting extra points
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Tony Cascarino Commentary
Last updated at 11:11PM, September 19 2026

Chelsea's depth in attack has been talked about a lot. Some pundits emphasized on how difficult a task Marcelino has at his hands with keeping such a big number of stars happy on the bench. Given Chelsea's history with managers they certainly have a point. So far Marcelino has shown little desire to pick his players on reputation.

His substitutes today were a little teaser what Chelsea could do if the players behave professionally and don't heap unnecessary pressure on the manager. Laurent Simon came off the bench to replace unlucky Benoist and this 56th minute change had a massive impact on the score - 2 shots, 2 goals. Including a dramatic last-gasp winner.

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Devastating effect off the bench​

Marcelino manages his resources in a pragmatic manner. He won't throw in a couple stars for the sake of giving them play time. Each sub is needed and brings something new to the pitch, looking for a particular result to be met. Marcelino will be interested with Simon's post match interview, though. "I am more than happy to be an impact sub...", said the Frenchman, but his body language hinted at the opposite. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to finish the sentence: "... for now."

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They can fire Chelsea up the table. Or fire the manager.​

It will be interesting to see if Marcelino can hold on with his pragmatic approach without disturbing dressing room morale too much. If he can do that, Chelsea have the resources to go far. If he doesn't... well, Chelsea's history with managers might kick in one more time.
 
English Title Contenders Cup Watch

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Third Round

Tuesday 22nd September 2026

Chelsea - Bristol Rovers 7-1
Diallo (5, 64), Papak (45), Viviano (50), Gutiérrez (72), Palmer (76, 85); Connolly (86)
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Cardiff - Newcastle 1-3
Boulila (16); Dong Dexin (19, 46), Toase (77)
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Brighton - Blackburn 0-5
Boccaccini (41, 90+2), Aguilar (60, 66), Angelidis (69)
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Liverpool - Southampton 0-2
Zima (41, pen 58)
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 Wednesday 23rd September 2026

Leeds - Manchester United 1-2
Herrera (16); Amadou (21), El Alagui (57)
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