Gary O’Neil hails ‘humble’ Marcelino Nunez after stunner in Ipswich victory
Boss Gary O’Neil paid tribute to humble Ipswich midfielder Marcelino Nunez after his sensational goal inspired a 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Leicester – but admitted he wanted him to pass at first.
Sindre Walle Egeli showed Premier League quality with a smart left-footed finish to break the deadlock after 62 minutes for Ipswich before 19-year-old Olabade Aluko earned Russell Martin’s Leicester a deserved leveller five minutes later with a back-post header.
However, ex-Norwich midfielder Nunez fittingly had the final say in the meeting between two former Canaries team-mates after he rifled home off a post from outside the area in the 71st minute before he produced a wonderful 50-yard lob in stoppage time.
On the second goal by Nunez, one of only two players to start after Saturday’s 2-1 victory at home to Sunderland, O’Neil said: “I didn’t think it was the best decision to be honest!
“Neither did Chuba (Akpom) or Sindre who were clean through on goal, but as long as you can put it in the goal no one can argue, so good decision in the end!
“The last two performances Marcelino has been excellent. Two great goals, unbelievable energy that he has, never stops and unbelievably humble kid that works and works.
“You need them in your group and two big moments of quality to add to that which changed the game for us.
“He is in a good spot and need to keep him going. We need to keep him going for the weekend and it is now a big push to get everyone going on Sunday (at Manchester United).”
(Getty)
Jamie Braidwood26 August 2026 20:40
Mikey Moore and Dom Solanke fire Tottenham into lead over Charlton
Scratch that: Mikey Moore is making the most of his chance before the big-money arrivals of Omar Marmoush and Savinho and has fired Tottenham ahead against Charlton. A cracker. Moments later, Dominic Solanke gets his first of the season to double Tottenham’s lead over the Championship side.
(PA)
Jamie Braidwood26 August 2026 20:33
Carabao Cup scores: Everton lead, Newcastle back level
Thierno Barry has scored his second goal in two games to give Everton the lead at Preston in David Moyes’s return to Deepdale
Newcastle fell behind to Isaac Price’s free-kick for West Brom, but have equalised through debutant Bazoumana Toure.
It’s goalless between Tottenham and Charlton, as well as between Bradford City and Burnley.
(PA)
Jamie Braidwood26 August 2026 20:29
Birmingham skipper apologises to fans after Brentford hammering
Birmingham captain Christoph Klarer apologised to the fans who walked out during their chastening 6-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Brentford.
Demarai Gray’s equaliser, after Callum Wilson struck just six minutes into his full Bees debut, was the only thing St Andrew’s had to cheer all night as the visitors ran riot, with Nathan Collins scoring two headers and Aaron Hickey, Mikkel Damsgaard and Igor Thiago all on the scoresheet.
When Thiago scored the fifth supporters started streaming for the exits and those that remained made their feelings clear at the final whistle.
“It’s a really painful evening for us as a team, short in every department. They were clearly on a different level to us, a different dimension,” said Klarer.
“We were never going to match the quality but we have to put up a fight, we can’t fall apart and the goals in the first half were too easy.
“They are a team flying high but we were below our level on many aspects. It wasn’t good enough from any of us and we can only apologise to the fans.”
Brentford ran riot (PA)
Sport staff26 August 2026 20:20
Today’s transfer news: Jackson to Villa, Nico to Newcastle, Sarr to Liverpool?
- Liverpool are considering Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr as their search for a new winger continues
- Aston Villa are set to sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea after agreeing a total package of £65m for the striker
- Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez by his representatives
- Newcastle have announced the signing of midfielder Nico Gonzalez from Manchester City in a £52m deal
- Manchester City have signed Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for £85m in a record Premier League price for a teenager.
- Atletico Madrid have insisted there is “zero per cent chance” they sell Arsenal target Julian Alvarez to Barcelona this summer
Jamie Braidwood26 August 2026 20:01
Frank Lampard pleased to cast eye over Coventry squad
Frank Lampard used Coventry’s 4-2 EFL Cup win at Plymouth to run the rule over his squad ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Hull.
Goals by Taiwo Awoniyi, Jack Rudoni, Ephron Mason-Clark and Victor Torp enabled City to ease away from their League One hosts, who levelled after 54 minutes following goals by debutant Oliver Irow and substitute Xavier Amaechi.
Lampard said: “You have always got to enjoy a win but at this point it is also looking at performance and individual and collective performances.
“We made a lot of changes and so for me it’s good to have a look at players that we didn’t start at the weekend (Friday) and are pushing for places.
“I expected it to be difficult, it’s not an easy place to come. It was a great start to the game, two really good goals, high quality goals.”
(PA Wire)
Sport Staff26 August 2026 20:00
Reminder of the Carabao Cup ball numbers before tonight’s draw
Michael Jones is doing the live updates from Tottenham v Charlton (London derby, I guess?) and you can follow that, here.
Carabao Cup ball numbers after pre-draw
1 AFC Bournemouth (home tie)
4 Crystal Palace (home tie)
5 Manchester City (home tie)
6 Manchester United (home tie)
11 Brighton & Hove Albion
26 Wolverhampton Wanderers
27 Bradford City / Burnley
28 Newcastle United / West Bromwich Albion
29 Tottenham Hotspur / Charlton Athletic
30 Preston North End / Everton
32 Fulham / AFC Wimbledon
Jamie Braidwood26 August 2026 19:44
The rest of the Carabao Cup draw will take place later
We’ll get the full Carabao Cup third-round draw following the conclusion of tonight’s games. We can’t have all the excitement in one go, after all.
Jamie Braidwood26 August 2026 19:27
Arsenal and Aston Villa away… the rest at home
Jamie Braidwood26 August 2026 19:25
Jamie Braidwood26 August 2026 19:24