Pakistan Test cricketer Abid Ali has undergone angioplasty after he was diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome on Tuesday and was rushed to hospital during a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match here. 
 
The 34-year-old Central Punjab player had complained of chest pain twice while batting against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the UBL Cricket Ground here. Abid was unbeaten on 61 when he returned to the dressing room.

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On Wednesday, the cricketer posted a video from the hospital bed, and said, "I am thankful to God as I am faring well. I request all of you to pray for me as I have a small medical procedure tomorrow. So I request all my family members, fans and all my well-wishers to pray for me." 
 
"A stent has been placed in Abid's blocked coronary artery in an angioplasty surgery,&nbsp;a second stent will be placed. After the medical procedure, the cricketer will be kept under observation at the intensive care unit of the hospital," a geo.tv report said on Wednesday. 
 
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had said in a statement that, "Abid was taken immediately to a cardiac hospital where he was diagnosed as a case of Acute Coronary Syndrome. He is under the care of Consultant Cardiologist who is liaising with PCB medical team regarding further treatment. He is currently stable. It is requested to respect his and the family`s privacy at this time."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-the-selectors-call-former-india-pacer-feels-bcci-was-behind-virat-kohli-being-sacked-as-odi-captain-438994">Not the selectors' call: Former India pacer feels BCCI was behind Virat Kohli being sacked as ODI captain</a> 
 
Abid Ali returned to play for his domestic side Central Punjab after a brilliant outing in the two Tests against Bangladesh. He scored 133 and 91 in the two innings of the first Test in Dhaka and was awarded the 'Player of the Match'&nbsp;in Pakistan`s eight-wicket win. 
 
In the second Test, he scored 39 in Pakistan's only innings as the visitors secured a thrilling innings win by eight wickets to finish a clean sweep. He finished as the highest run-getter in the series and took home the 'Player of the Series'&nbsp;award.

Pakistan Test cricketer Abid Ali has undergone angioplasty after he was diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome on Tuesday and was rushed to hospital during a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match here.

Pakistan Test cricketer Abid Ali has undergone angioplasty after he was diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome on Tuesday and was rushed to hospital during a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match here. The 34-year-old Central Punjab player had complained of chest pain twice while batting against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the UBL Cricket Ground here. Abid was unbeaten on 61 when he returned to the dressing room. ALSO READ: ICC Rankings: Labuschagne dethrones Root to become No. 1 Test batter, Babar reclaims top spot in T20Is On Wednesday, the cricketer posted a video from the hospital bed, and said, "I am thankful to God as I am faring well. I request all of you to pray for me as I have a small medical procedure tomorrow. So I request all my family members, fans and all my well-wishers to pray for me." "A stent has been placed in Abid's blocked coronary artery in an angioplasty surgery, a second stent will be placed. After the medical procedure, the cricketer will be kept under observation at the intensive care unit of the hospital," a geo.tv report said on Wednesday. Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had said in a statement that, "Abid was taken immediately to a cardiac hospital where he was diagnosed as a case of Acute Coronary Syndrome. He is under the care of Consultant Cardiologist who is liaising with PCB medical team regarding further treatment. He is currently stable. It is requested to respect his and the family`s privacy at this time." ALSO READ | Not the selectors' call: Former India pacer feels BCCI was behind Virat Kohli being sacked as ODI captain Abid Ali returned to play for his domestic side Central Punjab after a brilliant outing in the two Tests against Bangladesh. He scored 133 and 91 in the two innings of the first Test in Dhaka and was awarded the 'Player of the Match' in Pakistan`s eight-wicket win. In the second Test, he scored 39 in Pakistan's only innings as the visitors secured a thrilling innings win by eight wickets to finish a clean sweep. He finished as the highest run-getter in the series and took home the 'Player of the Series' award.

Pakistan Test opener Abid Ali undergoes angioplasty after being diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome

Virat Kohli-led India is in South Africa and are gearing up for the three-match Test series opener versus the Proteas, starting on December 26 in Centurion. Before the national side left for SA, Indian cricket saw a new controversy take place after Rohit Sharma became the limited-overs captain, with BCCI sacking Kohli as the ODI skipper.

After Kohli lost ODI captaincy, having already resigned as the T20I captain, his explosive press conference left many stunned. During the presser, he denied being asked by the BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly to reconsider his decision of stepping aside as the T20I skipper (as selectors were reportedly keen on having only one leader in white-ball formats) and also stated that he didn't have any prior communication with the selectors before being sacked as captain in the 50-over format.

Speaking about the whole incident to&nbsp;Khaleej Times, former cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar has slammed Ganguly and said that he had no business to speak on behalf of the selectors.&nbsp;

"It’s very unfortunate, the whole thing. I think it should have been handled more professionally by the cricket board. The thing is that Ganguly had no business to speak on behalf of the selection committee. Ganguly is the president of BCCI. Any issue about selection or captaincy, it’s the chairman of the selection committee who should speak,” Vengsarkar said.

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He further asserted, "Ganguly spoke about the whole thing, obviously Virat wanted to make his case clear. I believe it should have been between the chairman of the selection committee and the captain. A captain is selected or removed by the selection committee, that’s not Ganguly’s jurisdiction at all."&nbsp;

"Yes, things should change now. Kohli, you have to respect him, he has done so much for the country, so much for Indian cricket. But how they dealt with him, it must have definitely hurt him," Vengsarkar added.&nbsp;

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After Kohli's presser, Ganguly had made it clear that BCCI won't comment any further on the matter for the time being. At present, India is on South Africa tour and more outside noise -- due to the captaincy change row -- will dent the national side's chances of winning the upcoming three Tests and equal number of ODIs in the rainbow nation.

The onus, however, will remain on Kohli who will have to perform in all cylinders as his terms with the BCCI is far from ideal in the present scenario.

Virat Kohli-led India is in South Africa and are gearing up for the three-match Test series opener versus the Proteas, starting on December 26 in Centurion. Before the national side left for SA, Indian cricket saw a new controversy take place after Rohit Sharma became the limited-overs captain, with BCCI sacking Kohli as the ODI skipper.

Virat Kohli-led India is in South Africa and are gearing up for the three-match Test series opener versus the Proteas, starting on December 26 in Centurion. Before the national side left for SA, Indian cricket saw a new controversy take place after Rohit Sharma became the limited-overs captain, with BCCI sacking Kohli as the ODI skipper. After Kohli lost ODI captaincy, having already resigned as the T20I captain, his explosive press conference left many stunned. During the presser, he denied being asked by the BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly to reconsider his decision of stepping aside as the T20I skipper (as selectors were reportedly keen on having only one leader in white-ball formats) and also stated that he didn't have any prior communication with the selectors before being sacked as captain in the 50-over format. Speaking about the whole incident to Khaleej Times, former cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar has slammed Ganguly and said that he had no business to speak on behalf of the selectors. "It’s very unfortunate, the whole thing. I think it should have been handled more professionally by the cricket board. The thing is that Ganguly had no business to speak on behalf of the selection committee. Ganguly is the president of BCCI. Any issue about selection or captaincy, it’s the chairman of the selection committee who should speak,” Vengsarkar said. ALSO READ | Not the selectors' call: Former India pacer feels BCCI was behind Virat Kohli being sacked as ODI captain He further asserted, "Ganguly spoke about the whole thing, obviously Virat wanted to make his case clear. I believe it should have been between the chairman of the selection committee and the captain. A captain is selected or removed by the selection committee, that’s not Ganguly’s jurisdiction at all." "Yes, things should change now. Kohli, you have to respect him, he has done so much for the country, so much for Indian cricket. But how they dealt with him, it must have definitely hurt him," Vengsarkar added. ALSO READ | Sourav Ganguly should've learnt from Greg Chappell episode: Ex-selector on BCCI-Virat Kohli row After Kohli's presser, Ganguly had made it clear that BCCI won't comment any further on the matter for the time being. At present, India is on South Africa tour and more outside noise -- due to the captaincy change row -- will dent the national side's chances of winning the upcoming three Tests and equal number of ODIs in the rainbow nation. The onus, however, will remain on Kohli who will have to perform in all cylinders as his terms with the BCCI is far from ideal in the present scenario.

Ganguly had no business to speak on behalf of selection committee: Vengsarkar on BCCI-Kohli captaincy row

Olympic bronze medallist India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 4-3 in a pulsating third-fourth place play-off match to win the bronze medal at the Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament here on Wednesday.

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Congratulations to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MenInBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MenInBlue</a> for clinching the 3rd place in the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021. 🏆 
 
Well played, team 🇮🇳.👏🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HeroACT2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HeroACT2021</a> <a href="https://t.co/j7UDwYoins">pic.twitter.com/j7UDwYoins</a>
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India, who were the defending champions along with Pakistan in the last edition of the tournament in Muscat, will return with a consolation prize after having lost to Japan 3-5 in the semifinals on Tuesday.

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India took the lead in the very first minute through vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh before Sumit (45th), Varun Kumar (53rd) and Akashdeep Singh (57th) struck a goal each.

Pakistan's goals were scored by Afraz (10th), Abdul Rana (33rd) and Ahmed Nadeem (57th).

It was India's second win over Pakistan in the tournament after having beaten the same opponents 3-1 in the round-robin stages.

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Coming into the tournament as hot favourites and having topped the round-robin stage with an unbeaten record, the Indians would be disappointed to return with a bronze.

In the summit clash late on Wednesday, South Korea will play Japan.&nbsp;

Olympic bronze medallist India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 4-3 in a pulsating third-fourth place play-off match to win the bronze medal at the Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament here on Wednesday.

Olympic bronze medallist India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 4-3 in a pulsating third-fourth place play-off match to win the bronze medal at the Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament here on Wednesday. Congratulations to the #MenInBlue for clinching the 3rd place in the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021. 🏆 Well played, team 🇮🇳.👏🤩#IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2021 pic.twitter.com/j7UDwYoins — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 22, 2021 × India, who were the defending champions along with Pakistan in the last edition of the tournament in Muscat, will return with a consolation prize after having lost to Japan 3-5 in the semifinals on Tuesday. ALSO READ: Japan stun India 5-3 to set up title clash against Korea in Asian Champions Trophy India took the lead in the very first minute through vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh before Sumit (45th), Varun Kumar (53rd) and Akashdeep Singh (57th) struck a goal each. Pakistan's goals were scored by Afraz (10th), Abdul Rana (33rd) and Ahmed Nadeem (57th). It was India's second win over Pakistan in the tournament after having beaten the same opponents 3-1 in the round-robin stages. ALSO READ: Asian Champions Trophy: Harmanpreet Singh strikes twice as India beat arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 Coming into the tournament as hot favourites and having topped the round-robin stage with an unbeaten record, the Indians would be disappointed to return with a bronze. In the summit clash late on Wednesday, South Korea will play Japan.

Asian Champions Trophy: India beat arch-rivals Pakistan 4-3 in bronze medal face-off

Virat Kohli-led Team India are set to commence their three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the African nation, on December 26 with the first Test in Centurion. Ahead of the series, Kohli &amp; Co. are well aware that they have a brilliant chance to win their first-ever Test series on South African soil as the current No. 1 Test team had missed out on winning the&nbsp;2018 series in SA, losing it 2-1 despite being competitive.

Ahead of the series opener, Master Blaster is all praise for young Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj. Siraj, who made his Test debut during the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, has had a dream start to his career in whites. In Australia, he ended as India's highest wicket-taker (13) whereas he returned with 14 scalps (second-most among Indians) in the India-England Tests in the United Kingdom, early this year. Hence, all eyes are once again on him for the SA series.

"There is spring in his legs and that is what I like to see. His run-up… you can see he is full of energy. And he is one of those bowlers… when you look at him, you cannot figure out whether it’s the first or the last over of the day. He is coming at you all the time. He is a proper fast bowler and his body language is so positive. That is what I like. He is a fast learner," Tendulkar told veteran sports journalist Boria Majumdar on the show 'Backstage with Boria'.

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Siraj will be on cloud nine hearing Tendulkar's words of praise for him. The 27-year-old speedster will be eager to contribute with the red cherry once again in the upcoming South Africa Tests. Along with Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, Siraj will like to lead the national side to a memorable series win in the African nation.&nbsp;

Kohli &amp; Co. will be confident of their pace unit, along with able spinners, and will look to challenge the Dean Elgar-led Proteas.

Virat Kohli-led Team India are set to commence their three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the African nation, on December 26 with the first Test in Centurion.

Virat Kohli-led Team India are set to commence their three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the African nation, on December 26 with the first Test in Centurion. Ahead of the series, Kohli & Co. are well aware that they have a brilliant chance to win their first-ever Test series on South African soil as the current No. 1 Test team had missed out on winning the 2018 series in SA, losing it 2-1 despite being competitive. Ahead of the series opener, Master Blaster is all praise for young Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj. Siraj, who made his Test debut during the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, has had a dream start to his career in whites. In Australia, he ended as India's highest wicket-taker (13) whereas he returned with 14 scalps (second-most among Indians) in the India-England Tests in the United Kingdom, early this year. Hence, all eyes are once again on him for the SA series. "There is spring in his legs and that is what I like to see. His run-up… you can see he is full of energy. And he is one of those bowlers… when you look at him, you cannot figure out whether it’s the first or the last over of the day. He is coming at you all the time. He is a proper fast bowler and his body language is so positive. That is what I like. He is a fast learner," Tendulkar told veteran sports journalist Boria Majumdar on the show 'Backstage with Boria'. ALSO READ | Not the selectors' call: Former India pacer feels BCCI was behind Virat Kohli being sacked as ODI captain Siraj will be on cloud nine hearing Tendulkar's words of praise for him. The 27-year-old speedster will be eager to contribute with the red cherry once again in the upcoming South Africa Tests. Along with Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, Siraj will like to lead the national side to a memorable series win in the African nation. Kohli & Co. will be confident of their pace unit, along with able spinners, and will look to challenge the Dean Elgar-led Proteas.

He's coming at you all the time: Sachin Tendulkar all praise for Indian youngster ahead of SA Tests

Juventus&nbsp;took advantage of Atalanta's goalless draw at Genoa with a 2-0 win over Cagliari which inched them closer to Serie A's Champions League places, as Salernitana's trip to Udinese became the season's first coronavirus-related casualty.

Moise Kean's header five minutes before the break and Federico Bernardeschi's precision finish after a break-away late on at the Allianz Stadium moved Juve to within four points of fourth place in Italy's top flight, currently occupied by Atalanta.

A fourth win in five matches means Massimiliano Allegri's side end 2021 on a high but it was another in a long line of underwhelming performances from the Old Lady of Italian football, who sit fifth nine points behind league leaders Inter Milan ahead of their home clash with Torino on Wednesday.

After the winter break they face a true test of their ambitions for the season, with matches against Napoli, Roma, AC Milan and Atalanta all coming by mid-February.

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"If we get to the end of February with the same gap between us and the first four places as now I'll be happy," Allegri said to DAZN.

“You can't win all your matches with your direct rivals so from then on they'll have to play each other while we have a simpler calendar.

Juve were missing Paulo Dybala and Federico Chiesa in attack and rarely clicked going forward, while a troubled away side can wonder what might have been with better finishing.

Twice in the second half Cagliari, who are in the midst of a full-blown crisis after failing to muster a league win since mid-October, failed to put away gilt-edged chances following sloppy defending from the hosts.

Under-fire Cagliari coach Walter Mazzarri could hardly believe his eyes when, picked out completely alone on the hour mark by Raoul Bellanova's perfect low cross, Dalbert somehow shanked wide with the goal at his mercy.

And eight minutes later Joao Pedro, just about the only bright sport for the Sardinian side this season with his nine Serie A goals, headed straight at Wojciech Szczesny from point-blank range.

Bernardeschi's first goal in Serie A since July 2020 late on condemned second-from-bottom Cagliari to their third defeat on the bounce, although one that was less humiliating than the previous two 4-0 thumpings.

<h2>Covid strikes Salernitana</h2>

They are a point behind Genoa, who didn't have a single shot on target as they held a curiously off-form Atalanta team now winless in three and sweating the fitness of striker Duvan Zapata after the Colombian limped off in the first half at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

The biggest news of the day came earlier at Udinese, as the match with Salernitana officially went ahead despite health authorities in Salerno requesting the away side not leave for northeastern Italy.

The match was eventually abandoned 45 minutes after the official kick-off time of 1830 local time (1730 GMT), with the Udinese players remaining in the Dacia Arena's dressing rooms knowing their opposition was not going to show up.

Before the game Udinese's Pierpaolo Marino expressed annoyance at Salernitana not showing up due to two cases in the squad when just over a year ago his club had sent a team to Lazio despite having seven players and former coach Luca Gotti out with Covid infections.

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However Salernitana sporting director Angelo Fabiani was unmoved, saying the club had organised a charter flight for those who had tested negative but were contacted by health authorities, who banned the whole team from travelling as they had to isolate as contact cases.

"If we're banned by the authorities from travelling, what are we supposed to do?" Fabiani asked.

Salernitana now await the ruling from the football authorities regarding the result and whether the match will be rescheduled.

However the head of the Italian FA said on Tuesday that they will be kicked out of Serie A if a buyer for the club is not found by December 31, as they are owned by Lazio chief Claudio Lotito and ownership of multiple clubs in the same division is not allowed.

Juventus took advantage of Atalanta's goalless draw at Genoa with a 2-0 win over Cagliari which inched them closer to Serie A's Champions League places, as Salernitana's trip to Udinese became the season's first coronavirus-related casualty.

Juventus took advantage of Atalanta's goalless draw at Genoa with a 2-0 win over Cagliari which inched them closer to Serie A's Champions League places, as Salernitana's trip to Udinese became the season's first coronavirus-related casualty. Moise Kean's header five minutes before the break and Federico Bernardeschi's precision finish after a break-away late on at the Allianz Stadium moved Juve to within four points of fourth place in Italy's top flight, currently occupied by Atalanta. A fourth win in five matches means Massimiliano Allegri's side end 2021 on a high but it was another in a long line of underwhelming performances from the Old Lady of Italian football, who sit fifth nine points behind league leaders Inter Milan ahead of their home clash with Torino on Wednesday. After the winter break they face a true test of their ambitions for the season, with matches against Napoli, Roma, AC Milan and Atalanta all coming by mid-February. ALSO READ: League Cup: Eddie Nketiah hat-trick helps Arsenal enter semi-finals "If we get to the end of February with the same gap between us and the first four places as now I'll be happy," Allegri said to DAZN. “You can't win all your matches with your direct rivals so from then on they'll have to play each other while we have a simpler calendar. Juve were missing Paulo Dybala and Federico Chiesa in attack and rarely clicked going forward, while a troubled away side can wonder what might have been with better finishing. Twice in the second half Cagliari, who are in the midst of a full-blown crisis after failing to muster a league win since mid-October, failed to put away gilt-edged chances following sloppy defending from the hosts. Under-fire Cagliari coach Walter Mazzarri could hardly believe his eyes when, picked out completely alone on the hour mark by Raoul Bellanova's perfect low cross, Dalbert somehow shanked wide with the goal at his mercy. And eight minutes later Joao Pedro, just about the only bright sport for the Sardinian side this season with his nine Serie A goals, headed straight at Wojciech Szczesny from point-blank range. Bernardeschi's first goal in Serie A since July 2020 late on condemned second-from-bottom Cagliari to their third defeat on the bounce, although one that was less humiliating than the previous two 4-0 thumpings. Covid strikes Salernitana They are a point behind Genoa, who didn't have a single shot on target as they held a curiously off-form Atalanta team now winless in three and sweating the fitness of striker Duvan Zapata after the Colombian limped off in the first half at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. The biggest news of the day came earlier at Udinese, as the match with Salernitana officially went ahead despite health authorities in Salerno requesting the away side not leave for northeastern Italy. The match was eventually abandoned 45 minutes after the official kick-off time of 1830 local time (1730 GMT), with the Udinese players remaining in the Dacia Arena's dressing rooms knowing their opposition was not going to show up. Before the game Udinese's Pierpaolo Marino expressed annoyance at Salernitana not showing up due to two cases in the squad when just over a year ago his club had sent a team to Lazio despite having seven players and former coach Luca Gotti out with Covid infections. ALSO READ: Player welfare not taken seriously: Liverpool's Jordan Henderson reacts as PL continues amid Covid scare However Salernitana sporting director Angelo Fabiani was unmoved, saying the club had organised a charter flight for those who had tested negative but were contacted by health authorities, who banned the whole team from travelling as they had to isolate as contact cases. "If we're banned by the authorities from travelling, what are we supposed to do?" Fabiani asked. Salernitana now await the ruling from the football authorities regarding the result and whether the match will be rescheduled. However the head of the Italian FA said on Tuesday that they will be kicked out of Serie A if a buyer for the club is not found by December 31, as they are owned by Lazio chief Claudio Lotito and ownership of multiple clubs in the same division is not allowed.

Serie A: Juventus thrash Cagliari 2-0, Salernitana-Udinese game suspended due to COVID-19 cases

Second-placed Sevilla were held to a 1-1 draw by Barcelona on Tuesday (December 21), allowing Real Madrid to take a five-point lead in La Liga.

Ronald Araujo scored shortly before halftime to earn Barcelona a draw against 10-man Sevilla, a result that will help&nbsp;La Liga leaders Real Madrid.&nbsp;Second-placed Sevilla are five points behind the leaders, with Carlo Ancelotti's men due to face Atletico Bilbao on Wednesday. Xavi's Barcelona missed out on fourth place and dropped to seventh, 15 points behind Real Madrid.

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Papu Gomez put Sevilla ahead after half an hour after connecting with an Ivan Rakitic cross from a corner, but Uruguayan defender Araujo equalised just before half time in Seville.

After Jules Kounde was sent off in the 64th minute for throwing the ball at Jordi Alba, the hosts played the last 30 minutes with one man down. Despite having chances, Barcelona failed to capitalise, with Gavi putting a header wide outside and Ousmane Dembele hitting the post.

Barcelona controlled the first half, had better ball possession, and had at least two scoring chances in the opening 30 minutes. But Sevilla made the most of their one chance in the first half, with Gomez smashing home a thunderous shot.

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After Kounde was sent off for a petulant display following a fight with Jordi Alba on the touchline, Sevilla had to go to damage-control mode. For the unversed, Kounde threw the ball at Alba's face after being shoved by the Barcelona defender.

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez told reporters, "I honestly think that today we lost two points. We played better and deserved to win. I feel that is evident in our improvement."

"We were unlucky. They score in a set piece play but we had many more opportunities. The result, a draw away against a great team like Sevilla, is not bad. But it is a point that is not enough for us as we are trying to move up in contention. We let this win slip away from our hands," he added.

Second-placed Sevilla were held to a 1-1 draw by Barcelona on Tuesday (December 21), allowing Real Madrid to take a five-point lead in La Liga. Ronald Araujo scored shortly before halftime to earn Barcelona a draw against 10-man Sevilla, a result that will help La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Second-placed Sevilla were held to a 1-1 draw by Barcelona on Tuesday (December 21), allowing Real Madrid to take a five-point lead in La Liga. Ronald Araujo scored shortly before halftime to earn Barcelona a draw against 10-man Sevilla, a result that will help La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Second-placed Sevilla are five points behind the leaders, with Carlo Ancelotti's men due to face Atletico Bilbao on Wednesday. Xavi's Barcelona missed out on fourth place and dropped to seventh, 15 points behind Real Madrid. ALSO READ: League Cup: Eddie Nketiah hat-trick helps Arsenal enter semi-finals Papu Gomez put Sevilla ahead after half an hour after connecting with an Ivan Rakitic cross from a corner, but Uruguayan defender Araujo equalised just before half time in Seville. After Jules Kounde was sent off in the 64th minute for throwing the ball at Jordi Alba, the hosts played the last 30 minutes with one man down. Despite having chances, Barcelona failed to capitalise, with Gavi putting a header wide outside and Ousmane Dembele hitting the post. Barcelona controlled the first half, had better ball possession, and had at least two scoring chances in the opening 30 minutes. But Sevilla made the most of their one chance in the first half, with Gomez smashing home a thunderous shot. ALSO READ: Player welfare not taken seriously: Liverpool's Jordan Henderson reacts as PL continues amid Covid scare After Kounde was sent off for a petulant display following a fight with Jordi Alba on the touchline, Sevilla had to go to damage-control mode. For the unversed, Kounde threw the ball at Alba's face after being shoved by the Barcelona defender. Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez told reporters, "I honestly think that today we lost two points. We played better and deserved to win. I feel that is evident in our improvement." "We were unlucky. They score in a set piece play but we had many more opportunities. The result, a draw away against a great team like Sevilla, is not bad. But it is a point that is not enough for us as we are trying to move up in contention. We let this win slip away from our hands," he added.

La Liga: Second placed Sevilla held 1-1 by much improved Barcelona

Ever since the BCCI announced Rohit Sharma as the limited-overs captain, sacking Virat Kohli as the 50-over skipper, there has been a huge outrage in world cricket. While many thought things might not be at its best between Hitman and Kohli, the latter cleared the air in an explosive presser ahead of India's departure for South Africa.

While many have reacted to Kohli's statements, where he has openly denied having any prior communication before being removed as ODI captain and also of not having been told to reconsider quitting as T20I captain by BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly, former India pacer Atul Wassan has claimed that it must have been the board's decision to remove Kohli as the ODI captain and not the selectors'.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/made-him-my-obsession-ashwin-reveals-how-he-got-the-better-of-steve-smith-in-202021-ind-aus-series-438982">Made him my obsession: Ashwin reveals how he got the better of Steve Smith in 2020/21 IND-AUS series</a>

Wassan told on CNN News 18, "I think Virat wanted to carry on till the 2023 World Cup, and they have done well in one-day cricket. We have not won any big trophy but generally we have done well. He is the premium one-day batter in the world. It could have been handled better and there was no need to jump to an immediate reaction."

He further asserted, "Unless the board wants to send out a signal, that 'Virat… ok, enough is enough. You are not doing well and we haven't won much, so this is a penalty’. That's what happened. It is not the selectors' call; it is the board's decision."

"It's a culmination of many things, and the biggest factor is Virat's form. That has contributed. If Virat was doing well and even if India did not win, nobody would have touched him, and also Ravi Shastri's moving out. They worked really well. With Ravi Shastri going out and a new style of thinking coming in… Rahul Dravid is a no-nonsense guy. He would call it right away. And probably that rankling of what happened with Anil Kumble as well."

"All these things got piled up to point where people said, ‘alright, let us look forward’. Virat would feel that he has been hard done by. A collective thought must have circulated among the top brass. They must have thought that this is the right time to clip Kohli's wings so that he isn't allowed to what he likes, and especially with Ravi no longer being there," added Wassan.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-shouldve-learnt-from-greg-chappell-episode-ex-selector-on-bcci-virat-kohli-row-438933">Sourav Ganguly should've learnt from Greg Chappell episode: Ex-selector on BCCI-Virat Kohli row</a>

2021 hasn't been very kind to Kohli. While he hasn't been able to break his century-drought, he couldn't even lead India to an ICC title in the WTC final as well as in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Moreover, he also lost captaincy in the white-ball formats and will now look to start afresh in the upcoming three Tests between India and South Africa in the African nation, starting on December 26 in Centurion.

Under Kohli, India have won a Test series in Australia and also have an unassailable lead in the five-match series against England in the United Kingdom. Hence, the 33-year-old will now look to lead India to their maiden series win in whites on South African soil and silence the outside noise, being against him in the aftermath of the ODI captaincy row.&nbsp;

Ever since the BCCI announced Rohit Sharma as the limited-overs captain, sacking Virat Kohli as the 50-over skipper, there has been a huge outrage in world cricket.

Ever since the BCCI announced Rohit Sharma as the limited-overs captain, sacking Virat Kohli as the 50-over skipper, there has been a huge outrage in world cricket. While many thought things might not be at its best between Hitman and Kohli, the latter cleared the air in an explosive presser ahead of India's departure for South Africa. While many have reacted to Kohli's statements, where he has openly denied having any prior communication before being removed as ODI captain and also of not having been told to reconsider quitting as T20I captain by BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly, former India pacer Atul Wassan has claimed that it must have been the board's decision to remove Kohli as the ODI captain and not the selectors'. ALSO READ | Made him my obsession: Ashwin reveals how he got the better of Steve Smith in 2020/21 IND-AUS series Wassan told on CNN News 18, "I think Virat wanted to carry on till the 2023 World Cup, and they have done well in one-day cricket. We have not won any big trophy but generally we have done well. He is the premium one-day batter in the world. It could have been handled better and there was no need to jump to an immediate reaction." He further asserted, "Unless the board wants to send out a signal, that 'Virat… ok, enough is enough. You are not doing well and we haven't won much, so this is a penalty’. That's what happened. It is not the selectors' call; it is the board's decision." "It's a culmination of many things, and the biggest factor is Virat's form. That has contributed. If Virat was doing well and even if India did not win, nobody would have touched him, and also Ravi Shastri's moving out. They worked really well. With Ravi Shastri going out and a new style of thinking coming in… Rahul Dravid is a no-nonsense guy. He would call it right away. And probably that rankling of what happened with Anil Kumble as well." "All these things got piled up to point where people said, ‘alright, let us look forward’. Virat would feel that he has been hard done by. A collective thought must have circulated among the top brass. They must have thought that this is the right time to clip Kohli's wings so that he isn't allowed to what he likes, and especially with Ravi no longer being there," added Wassan. ALSO READ | Sourav Ganguly should've learnt from Greg Chappell episode: Ex-selector on BCCI-Virat Kohli row 2021 hasn't been very kind to Kohli. While he hasn't been able to break his century-drought, he couldn't even lead India to an ICC title in the WTC final as well as in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Moreover, he also lost captaincy in the white-ball formats and will now look to start afresh in the upcoming three Tests between India and South Africa in the African nation, starting on December 26 in Centurion. Under Kohli, India have won a Test series in Australia and also have an unassailable lead in the five-match series against England in the United Kingdom. Hence, the 33-year-old will now look to lead India to their maiden series win in whites on South African soil and silence the outside noise, being against him in the aftermath of the ODI captaincy row.

Not the selectors' call: Former India pacer feels BCCI was behind Virat Kohli being sacked as ODI captain

R Ashwin recently reacted to former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri's words of praise for Kuldeep Yadav during the 2018/19 Australia tour. Back then, Ashwin had played a key role in India's 31-run win over Tim Paine-led Aussies in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in Adelaide, with 6 scalps in the match. However, injury ruled him out of the remainder of the series as Kuldeep got a chance in the final Test, in Sydney.

Impressing one and all, Kuldeep achieved a five-fer in the drawn fourth and final Test; a feat not yet achieved by Ashwin in Australia. Thus, then head coach Ravi Shastri had labelled Kuldeep as India's No. 1 overseas spinner.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/felt-crushed-r-ashwin-recalls-ravi-shastris-huge-praise-for-kuldeep-yadav-during-2018-19-australia-tour-438692">Felt crushed: R Ashwin recalls Ravi Shastri's huge praise for Kuldeep Yadav during 2018-19 Australia tour</a>

To this, Ashwin recently reacted to Shastri's remark and told in an interview with The&nbsp;Cricket Monthly, "I hold Ravi bhai in high esteem. We all do. In that moment, though, I felt crushed. Absolutely crushed. We all talk about how important it is to enjoy your team-mates' success. And I was happy for Kuldeep. I have not been able to get a five-for but he has a five-for in Australia. I know how big it is. Even when I have bowled well [at other times], I haven't ended up with a five-for. So I am genuinely happy for him. And it's an extremely happy occasion, to win in Australia."

"But if I have to come and partake in his happiness, and the success of the team, I must feel like I belong there. If I feel like I am being thrown under the bus, how am I supposed to get up and come for a party to enjoy the team's or team-mate's success? I went back to my room and then I spoke to my wife. And my children were there. So we were able to, you know, shrug it off, and I still made it to the party, because, end of the day, we had won a massive series," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-contemplated-giving-up-the-sport-r-ashwin-admits-to-have-thought-of-retirement-between-2018-20-438664">I contemplated giving up the sport: R Ashwin admits to have thought of retirement between 2018-20</a>

Now, former Indian cricketers Saba Karim and Nikhil Chopra have reacted to Ashwin's remark. Speaking on his YouTube channel&nbsp;Khelneeti, Karim said,&nbsp;"Very difficult to maintain a healthy team environment when such things come out (Ashwin's statement on Shastri). Rahul Dravid's role will be very important. Captain shouldn't feel under pressure because of such developments."

On the other hand, Chopra stated, "Shastri labelled Kuldeep Yadav as the best overseas spinner. While at times you need to say these things to give confidence to a player, you need to ensure you don't disrespect other members of the team. Ashwin must be disappointed. You cannot have different treatments for different players."

At present, Ashwin is gearing up for India's upcoming three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the African nation, starting from December 26 in Centurion. The 35-year-old wily off-spinner, who warmed the bench during the England Tests in the United Kingdom, will be eager to contribute with both bat and ball and guide India to their first-ever Test series win in the rainbow nation.&nbsp;

R Ashwin recently reacted to former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri's words of praise for Kuldeep Yadav during the 2018/19 Australia tour. Back then, Ashwin had played a key role in India's 31-run win over Tim Paine-led Aussies in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in Adelaide, with 6 scalps in the match.

R Ashwin recently reacted to former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri's words of praise for Kuldeep Yadav during the 2018/19 Australia tour. Back then, Ashwin had played a key role in India's 31-run win over Tim Paine-led Aussies in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in Adelaide, with 6 scalps in the match. However, injury ruled him out of the remainder of the series as Kuldeep got a chance in the final Test, in Sydney. Impressing one and all, Kuldeep achieved a five-fer in the drawn fourth and final Test; a feat not yet achieved by Ashwin in Australia. Thus, then head coach Ravi Shastri had labelled Kuldeep as India's No. 1 overseas spinner. ALSO READ | Felt crushed: R Ashwin recalls Ravi Shastri's huge praise for Kuldeep Yadav during 2018-19 Australia tour To this, Ashwin recently reacted to Shastri's remark and told in an interview with The Cricket Monthly, "I hold Ravi bhai in high esteem. We all do. In that moment, though, I felt crushed. Absolutely crushed. We all talk about how important it is to enjoy your team-mates' success. And I was happy for Kuldeep. I have not been able to get a five-for but he has a five-for in Australia. I know how big it is. Even when I have bowled well [at other times], I haven't ended up with a five-for. So I am genuinely happy for him. And it's an extremely happy occasion, to win in Australia." "But if I have to come and partake in his happiness, and the success of the team, I must feel like I belong there. If I feel like I am being thrown under the bus, how am I supposed to get up and come for a party to enjoy the team's or team-mate's success? I went back to my room and then I spoke to my wife. And my children were there. So we were able to, you know, shrug it off, and I still made it to the party, because, end of the day, we had won a massive series," he added. ALSO READ | I contemplated giving up the sport: R Ashwin admits to have thought of retirement between 2018-20 Now, former Indian cricketers Saba Karim and Nikhil Chopra have reacted to Ashwin's remark. Speaking on his YouTube channel Khelneeti, Karim said, "Very difficult to maintain a healthy team environment when such things come out (Ashwin's statement on Shastri). Rahul Dravid's role will be very important. Captain shouldn't feel under pressure because of such developments." On the other hand, Chopra stated, "Shastri labelled Kuldeep Yadav as the best overseas spinner. While at times you need to say these things to give confidence to a player, you need to ensure you don't disrespect other members of the team. Ashwin must be disappointed. You cannot have different treatments for different players." At present, Ashwin is gearing up for India's upcoming three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the African nation, starting from December 26 in Centurion. The 35-year-old wily off-spinner, who warmed the bench during the England Tests in the United Kingdom, will be eager to contribute with both bat and ball and guide India to their first-ever Test series win in the rainbow nation.

'Difficult to maintain....' - Former Indian cricketers react to R Ashwin's remark on Ravi Shastri

India achieved their second Test series win over Australia in their own backyard during the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Despite not having the services of Virat Kohli (due to paternity leave) after the first Test, which India lost by 8 wickets, the Ajinkya Rahane-led Indian team pulled off an upset over Tim Paine-led Aussies to win the series 2-1 Down Under.

During the series, India managed to keep Steve Smith at bay -- despite him scoring a century in the third Test -- as the wily off-spinner R Ashwin got the better of the former Aussie captain on three occasions. Recently, the 35-year-old spinner Ashwin opened up on his duel with Smith and how he managed to keep him quiet with the bat for most part of the epic series.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/difficult-to-maintain-former-indian-cricketers-reacts-to-r-ashwins-remark-on-ravi-shastri-438965">'Difficult to maintain....' - Former Indian cricketers reacts to R Ashwin's remark on Ravi Shastri</a>

Speaking to&nbsp;ESPN Cricinfo, Ashwin said, "I made him (Steve Smith) my obsession for about six months, not just two weeks or three weeks. Just footage, just watching different matches. The most recent series they played (before India toured Australia in 2020-21) was New Zealand. I went through every single day's play. I would go on to my app and check - how many runs was (Marnus) Labuschagne batting on when Will Somerville came on to bowl? Which ball did he hit over the cow corner?"

"As a spinner, you need to be very precise in Australia. Every run you give must be on your own terms. So whenever Marnus Labuschagne steps out, he hits the ball over cow corner for an offspinner, or he hits it over mid-off. It's very rare through long-on. And he doesn't have a flat sweep, he has a lap sweep, like a paddle. All these shots have a trigger. And it's very fine. If you don't know or if you've not seen enough footage, you cannot pick these things up. And with Steve Smith, his batting is very momentum-driven. Most of his batting comes from his hands, so my whole idea was to disturb his hands through the series. He's got certain hand-movement patterns. You have to pick them and be able to bowl in a way that disturbs his hand pattern. So I bowled with different load-ups, different speeds, different run-ups and all that. I realised I kind of got to him," Ashwin further elaborated.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-contemplated-giving-up-the-sport-r-ashwin-admits-to-have-thought-of-retirement-between-2018-20-438664">I contemplated giving up the sport: R Ashwin admits to have thought of retirement between 2018-20</a>

With no Kohli for the last three Tests, many experts and former cricketers hadn't given Team India any chance going forward after the Adelaide Test drubbing. Nonetheless, the likes of Rahane (MCG Test ton), Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar stood tall in various crucial junctures to bail India out and come from behind to win the series 2-1. Ashwin, in particular, was one of the key players for India, ending as the side's second-highest wicket-taker (11) after Siraj (13).

At present, Ashwin is gearing up for India's upcoming three-match Test series versus South Africa in the African nation. The first Test commences on December 26 in Centurion.&nbsp;

India achieved their second Test series win over Australia in their own backyard during the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Despite not having the services of Virat Kohli (due to paternity leave) after the first Test, which India lost by 8 wickets, the Ajinkya Rahane-led Indian team pulled off an upset over Tim Paine-led Aussies to win the series 2-1 Down Under.

India achieved their second Test series win over Australia in their own backyard during the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Despite not having the services of Virat Kohli (due to paternity leave) after the first Test, which India lost by 8 wickets, the Ajinkya Rahane-led Indian team pulled off an upset over Tim Paine-led Aussies to win the series 2-1 Down Under. During the series, India managed to keep Steve Smith at bay -- despite him scoring a century in the third Test -- as the wily off-spinner R Ashwin got the better of the former Aussie captain on three occasions. Recently, the 35-year-old spinner Ashwin opened up on his duel with Smith and how he managed to keep him quiet with the bat for most part of the epic series. ALSO READ | 'Difficult to maintain....' - Former Indian cricketers reacts to R Ashwin's remark on Ravi Shastri Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Ashwin said, "I made him (Steve Smith) my obsession for about six months, not just two weeks or three weeks. Just footage, just watching different matches. The most recent series they played (before India toured Australia in 2020-21) was New Zealand. I went through every single day's play. I would go on to my app and check - how many runs was (Marnus) Labuschagne batting on when Will Somerville came on to bowl? Which ball did he hit over the cow corner?" "As a spinner, you need to be very precise in Australia. Every run you give must be on your own terms. So whenever Marnus Labuschagne steps out, he hits the ball over cow corner for an offspinner, or he hits it over mid-off. It's very rare through long-on. And he doesn't have a flat sweep, he has a lap sweep, like a paddle. All these shots have a trigger. And it's very fine. If you don't know or if you've not seen enough footage, you cannot pick these things up. And with Steve Smith, his batting is very momentum-driven. Most of his batting comes from his hands, so my whole idea was to disturb his hands through the series. He's got certain hand-movement patterns. You have to pick them and be able to bowl in a way that disturbs his hand pattern. So I bowled with different load-ups, different speeds, different run-ups and all that. I realised I kind of got to him," Ashwin further elaborated. ALSO READ | I contemplated giving up the sport: R Ashwin admits to have thought of retirement between 2018-20 With no Kohli for the last three Tests, many experts and former cricketers hadn't given Team India any chance going forward after the Adelaide Test drubbing. Nonetheless, the likes of Rahane (MCG Test ton), Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar stood tall in various crucial junctures to bail India out and come from behind to win the series 2-1. Ashwin, in particular, was one of the key players for India, ending as the side's second-highest wicket-taker (11) after Siraj (13). At present, Ashwin is gearing up for India's upcoming three-match Test series versus South Africa in the African nation. The first Test commences on December 26 in Centurion.

Made him my obsession: Ashwin reveals how he got the better of Steve Smith in 2020/21 IND-AUS series

Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick as a much-changed&nbsp;Arsenal&nbsp;marched into the League Cup semi-finals by beating Sunderland 5-1 on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old striker is out of contract at the end of the season and gave potential suitors in the January transfer window a reminder of his predatory prowess in front of goal.

Nicolas Pepe and Charlie Patino on his debut were also on target for the Gunners as the match went ahead at the Emirates without any restrictions on crowd numbers despite London mayor Sadiq Khan declaring a "major incident" in the English capital due to spiralling coronavirus infection numbers.

Arsenal&nbsp;were one of just eight sides in Premier League action last weekend as the wave of Covid cases caused by the new Omicron variant decimated the English football calendar.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/player-welfare-not-taken-seriously-liverpools-jordan-henderson-reacts-as-pl-continues-amid-covid-scare-438964">Player welfare not taken seriously: Liverpool's Jordan Henderson reacts as PL continues amid Covid scare</a>

Mikel Arteta made nine changes from the side that thrashed Leeds 4-1, but&nbsp;Arsenal&nbsp;were never in danger of suffering an upset.

Nketiah opened the scoring on 17 minutes as he bundled the ball home from close range after Rob Holding's header was parried by Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge.

Pepe remains&nbsp;Arsenal's record signing, but has been dropped down the pecking order this season due to the form of youngsters Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli.

The Ivorian took his rare chance to shine as he exchanged passes with Cedric Soares before seeing his strike deflected past the helpless Burge.

Nathan Broadhead pulled a goal back for League One Sunderland before half-time.

But Nketiah quickly restored&nbsp;Arsenal's two-goal advantage five minutes into the second half, flicking in a Nuno Tavares cross at the near post.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/isl-2021-22-atk-mohun-bagan-trump-northeast-united-attain-maiden-win-under-new-coach-juan-ferrando-438957">ISL 2021-22: ATK Mohun Bagan trump NorthEast United, attain maiden win under new coach Juan Ferrando</a>

Nketiah completed his hat-trick in impressive fashion soon afterwards as he backheeled Pepe's cross beyond Burge.

Arteta then handed the highly-rated Patino his debut 10 minutes from time.

And the 18-year-old rounded off the scoring when he slotted home another Pepe pass.

The other three quarter-finals take place on Wednesday as Tottenham host West Ham, Liverpool take on Leicester and Chelsea face Brentford.

Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick as a much-changed Arsenal marched into the League Cup semi-finals by beating Sunderland 5-1 on Tuesday. The 22-year-old striker is out of contract at the end of the season and gave potential suitors in the January transfer window a reminder of his predatory prowess in front of goal.

Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick as a much-changed Arsenal marched into the League Cup semi-finals by beating Sunderland 5-1 on Tuesday. The 22-year-old striker is out of contract at the end of the season and gave potential suitors in the January transfer window a reminder of his predatory prowess in front of goal. Nicolas Pepe and Charlie Patino on his debut were also on target for the Gunners as the match went ahead at the Emirates without any restrictions on crowd numbers despite London mayor Sadiq Khan declaring a "major incident" in the English capital due to spiralling coronavirus infection numbers. Arsenal were one of just eight sides in Premier League action last weekend as the wave of Covid cases caused by the new Omicron variant decimated the English football calendar. ALSO READ: Player welfare not taken seriously: Liverpool's Jordan Henderson reacts as PL continues amid Covid scare Mikel Arteta made nine changes from the side that thrashed Leeds 4-1, but Arsenal were never in danger of suffering an upset. Nketiah opened the scoring on 17 minutes as he bundled the ball home from close range after Rob Holding's header was parried by Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge. Pepe remains Arsenal's record signing, but has been dropped down the pecking order this season due to the form of youngsters Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli. The Ivorian took his rare chance to shine as he exchanged passes with Cedric Soares before seeing his strike deflected past the helpless Burge. Nathan Broadhead pulled a goal back for League One Sunderland before half-time. But Nketiah quickly restored Arsenal's two-goal advantage five minutes into the second half, flicking in a Nuno Tavares cross at the near post. ALSO READ: ISL 2021-22: ATK Mohun Bagan trump NorthEast United, attain maiden win under new coach Juan Ferrando Nketiah completed his hat-trick in impressive fashion soon afterwards as he backheeled Pepe's cross beyond Burge. Arteta then handed the highly-rated Patino his debut 10 minutes from time. And the 18-year-old rounded off the scoring when he slotted home another Pepe pass. The other three quarter-finals take place on Wednesday as Tottenham host West Ham, Liverpool take on Leicester and Chelsea face Brentford.

League Cup: Eddie Nketiah hat-trick helps Arsenal enter semi-finals

Juan Ferrando got off to a winning start as ATK Mohun Bagan coach after the Kolkata side registered a thrilling 3-2 win against NorthEast United in the Indian Super League game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday. 
 
Ferrando jumped ship from FC Goa to Mohun Bagan after the Mariners let go of Antonio Lopez Habas in a dramatic turn of events over the last week.

During the match, Ferrando looked unfazed by the noise around him and went about his job but was rocked early on as VP Suhair gave NorhEast United the lead in the 2nd minute.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/europa-conference-league-rennes-awarded-3-0-win-after-uefa-fails-to-reschedule-spurs-game-438516">Europa Conference League: Rennes awarded 3-0 win after UEFA fails to reschedule Spurs game</a> 
 
Hugo Boumous (53rd, 76th) scored a brace after Liston Colaco (45th) equalised for Bagan but Mashoor Shereef (87th) got the Highlanders in the game late on. In the end, the Kolkata side held firm and recorded their first win in four matches.

Mohun Bagan now have 11 points from seven games. NorthEast United remain in the ninth spot with seven points from eight matches. 
 
Stung by the early setback, Mohun Bagan upped the ante and should have pulled level but for Manvir Singh who fired over the bar from inside the box.

Roy Krishna had a couple of half-chances thereafter but good reflexes from Mirshad Michu in the NorthEast goal and Krishna`s inefficiency keep the ball in target kept the score to 1-0. 
 
For the Highlanders, seasoned defender Gurjinder Kumar got injured in the 26th minute and had to be replaced by Tondonba Singh. Colaco forced Michu into action with a fierce effort from an angle inside the box but the keeper did well to avert the danger.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-title-race-to-continue-despite-increase-in-covid-19-cases-437618">Premier League title race to continue despite increase in COVID-19 cases</a> 
 
At the other end, Amrinder Singh pulled off a great save to keep Rochharzela's long-range attempt at bay. Colaco then burst through into the penalty box but his take from an acute angle was well saved again by Michu.

The rebound was blocked brilliantly by Khassa Camara off Hugo Boumous. Just when it looked like NorthEast would go into the break with a 1-0 lead, Michu scuffed a goal kick and the ball fell to Krishna who swung in a delightful cross for Colaco to head into the far corner. 
 
After the halftime breather, Mohun Bagan decided to go up a gear and Boumous made it 2-1 soon after the restart to underline their intent.

NorthEast United failed to clear their lines for too long, leading to Subhasish Bose cutting the ball back from the left byline for Boumous to outfox the defender with a lovely piece of skill and tap home.

Juan Ferrando got off to a winning start as ATK Mohun Bagan coach after the Kolkata side registered a thrilling 3-2 win against NorthEast United in the Indian Super League game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday.

Juan Ferrando got off to a winning start as ATK Mohun Bagan coach after the Kolkata side registered a thrilling 3-2 win against NorthEast United in the Indian Super League game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday. Ferrando jumped ship from FC Goa to Mohun Bagan after the Mariners let go of Antonio Lopez Habas in a dramatic turn of events over the last week. During the match, Ferrando looked unfazed by the noise around him and went about his job but was rocked early on as VP Suhair gave NorhEast United the lead in the 2nd minute. ALSO READ: Europa Conference League: Rennes awarded 3-0 win after UEFA fails to reschedule Spurs game Hugo Boumous (53rd, 76th) scored a brace after Liston Colaco (45th) equalised for Bagan but Mashoor Shereef (87th) got the Highlanders in the game late on. In the end, the Kolkata side held firm and recorded their first win in four matches. Mohun Bagan now have 11 points from seven games. NorthEast United remain in the ninth spot with seven points from eight matches. Stung by the early setback, Mohun Bagan upped the ante and should have pulled level but for Manvir Singh who fired over the bar from inside the box. Roy Krishna had a couple of half-chances thereafter but good reflexes from Mirshad Michu in the NorthEast goal and Krishna`s inefficiency keep the ball in target kept the score to 1-0. For the Highlanders, seasoned defender Gurjinder Kumar got injured in the 26th minute and had to be replaced by Tondonba Singh. Colaco forced Michu into action with a fierce effort from an angle inside the box but the keeper did well to avert the danger. ALSO READ: Premier League title race to continue despite increase in COVID-19 cases At the other end, Amrinder Singh pulled off a great save to keep Rochharzela's long-range attempt at bay. Colaco then burst through into the penalty box but his take from an acute angle was well saved again by Michu. The rebound was blocked brilliantly by Khassa Camara off Hugo Boumous. Just when it looked like NorthEast would go into the break with a 1-0 lead, Michu scuffed a goal kick and the ball fell to Krishna who swung in a delightful cross for Colaco to head into the far corner. After the halftime breather, Mohun Bagan decided to go up a gear and Boumous made it 2-1 soon after the restart to underline their intent. NorthEast United failed to clear their lines for too long, leading to Subhasish Bose cutting the ball back from the left byline for Boumous to outfox the defender with a lovely piece of skill and tap home.

ISL 2021-22: ATK Mohun Bagan trump NorthEast United, attain maiden win under new coach Juan Ferrando

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said player welfare is not being taken seriously enough following the Premier League`s decision to continue playing despite a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Ten league games have been postponed this month due to outbreaks and 90 new COVID-19 cases were detected among players and staff in the past week, but clubs agreed on Monday to fulfil the busy festive fixture schedule.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/europa-conference-league-rennes-awarded-3-0-win-after-uefa-fails-to-reschedule-spurs-game-438516">Europa Conference League: Rennes awarded 3-0 win after UEFA fails to reschedule Spurs game</a>

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders said it was "absurd" to play twice in four days while missing a number of key players due to COVID-19 and injuries, while Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said players` health and safety was at risk.

"I am worried about player welfare and I don`t think anybody takes that seriously enough, especially in this period, when COVID is here," Henderson told BBC Sport.

"There is no communication with players in terms of what they think ... I think (players) need to be a part of the conversation because, ultimately, we are the ones that are going out and feeling it and playing it.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-title-race-to-continue-despite-increase-in-covid-19-cases-437618">Premier League title race to continue despite increase in COVID-19 cases</a>

"We will try to have conversations in the background and try to have some sort of influence going forward, but at the minute I don't feel the players get the respect they deserve in terms of having someone to speak for them independently."

Liverpool next host Leicester City in the League Cup quarter-finals later on Wednesday and Leeds United in the Premier League on Sunday.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said player welfare is not being taken seriously enough following the Premier League`s decision to continue playing despite a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said player welfare is not being taken seriously enough following the Premier League`s decision to continue playing despite a surge in COVID-19 cases. Ten league games have been postponed this month due to outbreaks and 90 new COVID-19 cases were detected among players and staff in the past week, but clubs agreed on Monday to fulfil the busy festive fixture schedule. ALSO READ: Europa Conference League: Rennes awarded 3-0 win after UEFA fails to reschedule Spurs game Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders said it was "absurd" to play twice in four days while missing a number of key players due to COVID-19 and injuries, while Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said players` health and safety was at risk. "I am worried about player welfare and I don`t think anybody takes that seriously enough, especially in this period, when COVID is here," Henderson told BBC Sport. "There is no communication with players in terms of what they think ... I think (players) need to be a part of the conversation because, ultimately, we are the ones that are going out and feeling it and playing it. ALSO READ: Premier League title race to continue despite increase in COVID-19 cases "We will try to have conversations in the background and try to have some sort of influence going forward, but at the minute I don't feel the players get the respect they deserve in terms of having someone to speak for them independently." Liverpool next host Leicester City in the League Cup quarter-finals later on Wednesday and Leeds United in the Premier League on Sunday.

Player welfare not taken seriously: Liverpool's Jordan Henderson reacts as PL continues amid Covid scare

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