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Thursday’s briefing: Nottingham Forest and Tottenham looking for new bosses

Nottingham Forest are seeking their fourth head coach of a turbulent season after sacking head coach Sean Dyche, while Tottenham are also in the market for a new boss after parting company with Thomas Frank.

Manchester City kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal with a comfortable home win against Fulham and Liverpool became the first side to win at Sunderland this season.

Aston Villa boosted their top-four hopes with victory over Brighton – for whom James Milner equalled the Premier League appearance record – and Arsenal Women stayed on course for the Champions League quarter-finals after a 4-0 first-leg play-off win at Leuven.

Managerial merry-go-round in full swing

Nottingham Forest sacked head coach Sean Dyche after just 114 days in charge following a goalless draw with Wolves.

Forest’s failure to convert any of their numerous chances against the Premier League’s bottom side left them three points clear of the relegation zone and searching for a fourth head coach this season.

Dyche’s departure came less than 24 hours after Tottenham sacked Thomas Frank following their 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Tuesday.

Mikel Arteta hailed Frank as “extraordinary” after he was dismissed by Arsenal’s arch-rivals but admitted: “We’re all vulnerable to the sack.”

Frank was sent on his way by Spurs after just eight months in charge, meaning they are likely to have a new man in the dugout for the visit of Arsenal in the north London derby a week on Sunday.

Man City move within three points of leaders Arsenal

Erling Haaland celebrates scoring with his Manchester City team-mates

Erling Haaland, second left, celebrates after moving joint-fourth on Manchester City’s all-time scorer’s list (Martin Rickett/PA)

(Martin Rickett)

Erling Haaland moved joint-fourth on Manchester City’s all-time scorer’s list as Pep Guardiola’s side overpowered Fulham 3-0 to turn up the heat on Arsenal.

Haaland netted his 153rd City goal, moving him level with Colin Bell, in a comfortable victory at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday that trimmed the Gunners’ Premier League lead to three points.

Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring as he continued his superb start in City colours while Nico O’Reilly was also on target in a one-sided contest played in persistent rain.

Virgil van Dijk’s second-half header was the only goal at the Stadium of Light, where Liverpool became the first side this season to win at Sunderland, while Brighton’s James Milner equalled Gareth Barry’s record of 653 Premier League appearances in his side’s 1-0 defeat at former club Aston Villa.

Last-gasp Motherwell dent Rangers’ title charge

Stephen Welsh celebrates scoring for Motherwell against Rangers

Motherwell’s Stephen Welsh, centre, celebrates his last-minute equaliser against Rangers (Steve Welsh/PA)

(Steve Welsh)

Ragged Rangers’ Scottish Premiership title hopes suffered a damaging blow as Stephen Welsh’s late leveller gave 10-man Motherwell a deserved 1-1 draw at Fir Park.

Midfielder Nico Raskin gave the visitors an early lead at a sodden Fir Park – the first goal the Steelmen had conceded at home since October – before Motherwell’s Lukas Fadinger was sent off when his yellow card for a foul on Mikey Moore was upgraded by VAR.

But in the final minute Welsh, back for a second loan spell from Celtic, drove in a dramatic leveller to leave Rangers five points behind leaders Hearts, who visit Ibrox on Sunday.

Celtic closed to within a point of Rangers after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s stoppage-time goal on his debut clinched a 2-1 home win against Livingston.

Arsenal put one foot in Champions League last eight

Belgium Women’s Champions League Soccer

Arsenal’s Frida Maanum, second left, fired a brace in her side’s comfortable Champions League win (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP)

(Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Arsenal put one foot in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Champions League with a 4-0 away victory over OH Leuven in the first leg of the play-off round.

In a repeat of their final fixture of the league phase, the holders took masterful charge of the tie with commanding victory to all but assure passage.

The damage to Arsenal had come in losing two of their first three European matches this season – at home against Lyon and away at Bayern Munich – which left them outside the top four automatic qualification spots.

In Belgium though they showed a determination not to allow the defence of their title to slip from their grasp, a double from Frida Maanum and a goal each from Olivia Smith and Alessia Russo ensured the second leg would largely be a formality.

What’s on today?

Arsenal will bid to regain their six-point advantage at the top of the Premier League when they play at Brentford in the only top-flight fixture.

In the Women’s Champions League, Manchester United, who progressed through qualifying for the first time this season, take on Atletico Madrid in Spain in the first leg of their knockout round play-off.

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