Thursday’s briefing: Liverpool and Tottenham bid to join Newcastle in final

Newcastle booked their place in the Carabao Cup final after finishing the job in style against Arsenal in the semi-final second leg.

Their opponent at Wembley will be decided on Thursday as Liverpool try to overturn a slender first-leg deficit against Tottenham.

Elsewhere, Leeds stretched their lead at the top of the Championship while Cristiano Ronaldo outlined his plans for life after 40.

Newcastle book Wembley spot

Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon fired Newcastle to a second Carabao Cup final in three years as the Magpies secured a thumping aggregate win over Arsenal and moved a step closer to ending their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.

Thursday’s briefing: Liverpool and Tottenham bid to join Newcastle in final

Anto Cacace to defend IBO title against Leigh Wood on May 10 in Nottingham confirmed

Murphy and Gordon struck either side of half-time to seal a 2-0 victory over the Gunners at St James’ Park, to go with their win by the same scoreline at the Emirates Stadium last month, to book a Wembley showdown with either Liverpool or Tottenham.

Timely matter for Slot

Liverpool boss Arne Slot thinks his side would have had an easier time turning their Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham around if the second leg was played the week after the first.

A gap of 30 days between the two legs – an enforced changed due to the extended Champions League format – has allowed Tottenham to bolster their squad with the signings of defender Kevin Danso and forward Mathys Tel.

Slot, whose side lost 1-0 at Spurs, said: “Not that it matters a lot but if you play one week later you face exactly the same team and with all the injuries Tottenham had last time it would have been a bit more in our advantage – although we lost against the ones that were fit that time.

“If you reach the semi-final against Tottenham you know it is going to be a difficult one – but I think we will be better than the last time.”

Leeds extend lead

First-half strikes from Joel Piroe and Jayden Bogle helped Leeds stretch their advantage at the top of Championship to five points with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Coventry.

The Whites were a class above Frank Lampard’s side who came into the game on the back of four successive wins.

Coventry could only blame themselves for being two goals down at the break when Piroe’s expertly taken finish made Ellis Simms pay for his mistake before Bogle was handed a gift by goalkeeper Oliver Dovin.

Leeds could have had more but for Dovin, who denied Manor Solomon, Piroe and Largie Ramazani, as the league leaders cruised to a sixth successive clean sheet in all competitions and extended their unbeaten run to 14 games.

Ronaldo’s dream

Cristiano Ronaldo says it is his “dream” to own several clubs in the future as he celebrates his 40th birthday.

The Portugal superstar has given no indication whatsoever of retiring yet and continues to represent his country as well as playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

However, he has revealed he does not see himself coaching or managing, but instead having his own stable of clubs.

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense to be director of a club. If I can be a club owner, why would I be a manager, sporting director or CEO?,” told Portuguese television station Canal 11.

“That is a dream of mine and I am sure I’ll be a club owner. And I’ll tell you more. I hope to have not just one club, but several clubs.”

City Ground outing for England

Nottingham Forest’s City Ground is being lined up to host Thomas Tuchel’s England in a friendly this June, the PA news agency understands.

The new head coach kicks off his reign with a World Cup qualification doubleheader at Wembley next month before rounding off the season with a pair of summer fixtures.

England head to Andorra for a Group K game on June 7 before playing a friendly that PA understands the Football Association plan to take to the City Ground in Nottingham.

The final details are yet to be signed off, but Senegal will reportedly be the opponents in a June 10 fixture.

What’s on today

Liverpool will aim to keep their bid for three successive League Cups alive when they take on Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, trying to overturn their 1-0 deficit.

Arsenal and Manchester City go head-to-head in a crunch semi-final in the women’s League Cup while there are a host of top European clubs in action in various cup competitions.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim faces the media ahead of Friday’s FA Cup tie with Leicester, whose boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will also speak.