Reds cruise, Chelsea squeeze through in League Cup

London, August 24 

Daniel Sturridge scored twice as Liverpool strolled into the League Cup third round with a 5-0 win at Burton Albion on Tuesday, while Chelsea edged third-tier Bristol Rovers 3-2.

Divock Origi, Roberto Firmino and Sturridge all scored as Liverpool, last season’s beaten finalists, crushed Championship side Burton, who are managed by ex-Liverpool midfielder Nigel Clough.

Michy Batshuayi marked his full Chelsea debut with a brace against Bristol Rovers, while Victor Moses was also on target as manager Antonio Conte enjoyed a third straight competitive win.

Premier League sides Crystal Palace, Everton, Hull City, Swansea City and Stoke City also went through, Peter Crouch scoring a hat-trick for Stoke in a 4-0 win at Stevenage. But Watford and West Bromwich Albion were both taken to extra time by third-tier opposition, the former drawing 1-1 at home to Gillingham, the latter held 2-2 at Northampton Town.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp handed a debut to Cameroonian centre-back Joel Matip and welcomed back Senegalese winger Sadio Mane following a shoulder injury at Burton’s Pirelli Stadium.

Man United will be Bastian’s last European club

Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger says he will not play for another club in Europe despite being unable to seal a place in the squad under new manager Jose Mourinho.

Schweinsteiger, who is yet to make a first team appearance for United this season, has been made to train with the club’s reserves and would be sold after Mourinho signed French midfielder Paul Pogba from Juventus, according to media reports.

“MUFC will be my last club in Europe. I respect other clubs, but Manchester United was the only one which could make me leave Bayern Munich,” Schweinsteiger said on Twitter.

Since moving to Old Trafford from Bayern Munich last year, the German, who announced his retirement from international football last month, was limited to 18 league appearances in his first season due to regular injuries and poor form.

Schweinsteiger and Germany forward Lukas Podolski, who also ended his international career earlier this month, will be honoured with a farewell match against Finland in Moenchengladbach on August 31. — AFP, Reuters