Arsenal 1-0 Leeds United: Reiss Nelson goal sends Gunners into fourth round
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta “shouted a lot” at half-time to inspire an improved performance that helped the Gunners beat Leeds United and progress to the FA Cup fourth round.
Leeds dominated before the break, with Patrick Bamford hitting the bar with one of United’s 15 first-half efforts.
Arsenal were excellent in the second half and Reiss Nelson scrambled home to secure a second consecutive win.
The Gunners will visit Bournemouth in the next round later this month.
Arsenal keeper Emiliano Martinez said Arteta was “really angry” at the break and striker Alexandre Lacazette told BBC One: “The manager shouted a lot. He was not happy because we knew they’d play like this and we didn’t respect what he had said.”
The hosts had the majority of the second-half chances, with Lacazette clipping the crossbar with a free-kick.
“Now I’m really pleased but we saw two different teams – one in the first 30 minutes, and another after that,” said Arteta.
“I tried to tell them exactly what they were going to face and after 32 minutes we had won one duel, I think. We changed our attitude, desire and organisation at half-time and then we were completely different.
“Sometimes they have to experience themselves how tough and how hard it is going to be. I watched a lot of Leeds games and they battered every team every three days. It was good for my players to learn and to suffer on the pitch.”
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa will see the game as a missed opportunity for the Championship leaders – especially after their first-half performance – although he can now focus on promotion and ending the club’s 16-year absence from the top flight.
Arsenal manage to turn it around
Arteta said in the build-up that Arsenal had to take the FA Cup “very seriously” and become “addicted” to winning, naming a strong team.
They came into the game on the back of one of their most impressive performances of the season. They were excellent in the first half of their 2-0 win over Manchester United on New Year’s Day, although faded after the break.
This was the exact reverse.
The 13-time FA Cup winners were abject in the first half – with only 37.2% possession and one shot on target – and could have been out of the game before half-time.
BBC pundit Alan Shearer said Arsenal “turned up in the first half and thought ‘we don’t have to run around'”.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “The first half was just so flat. Was it a lack of effort? It looked that way.”
Whatever was said by Arteta at the break worked perfectly and they were a team reborn in the second half.
Nicolas Pepe fired over a shot just seconds after the restart as they immediately expressed their intent. Lacazette forced a save from Illan Meslier and then struck the bar with a free-kick.
Lacazette had a hand in the goal as his cross was deflected by Gaetano Berardi into the path of Nelson, whose scuffed shot just went in.
“The emotions are high,” said Nelson after scoring his second goal of the season. “They played well in the first half. Leeds are a great team and they pressed us, we didn’t expect it. We got the goal in the end and that is the most important thing.
“This will give us confidence to go forward.”
There was only one winner from the moment Nelson scored and substitute Gabriel Martinelli drew a good save from Meslier with a 20-yard drive.
The hosts did have a scare when VAR checked whether Lacazette should be sent off for violent conduct after appearing to kick out at Berardi but he escaped punishment.
Leeds will take heart into promotion bid
Bielsa said he was taking the cup seriously, although handed debuts to two players – French teenage goalkeeper Meslier and 20-year-old defender Robbie Gotts – both of whom did well.
They are nine points clear of third-placed Brentford in the Championship and hoping to avoid a repeat of their late-season collapse from last year.
Based on this performance – and a rowdy away following of 8,000 fans – they would be a wonderful addition to the Premier League.
In the first half at Emirates Stadium they were magnificent, dominating possession and territory, creating plenty of chances and putting Arsenal under constant pressure whenever they had the ball.
They looked nothing like a Championship team away from home against a “big-six” side.
Bamford had three shots in the opening 10 minutes before smashing the crossbar after playing a one-two with the lively Jack Harrison.
Harrison had a 20-yard curling effort saved by Martinez and after 17 minutes Leeds boasted seven shots to Arsenal’s one.
The pressure kept on coming. Ezgjan Alioski drove a shot just wide and then his header was kept out by the busy Martinez.
They must have wondered whether they would be made to pay for missing their chances – and they were.
Their performance dipped in the second half as Arsenal upped their game, and they never looked like mounting a comeback after Nelson bundled home.
“What we needed to do in the match is repeat what we did in the first half,” said Bielsa.
“The first half was very, very positive for us. In the second half the control of the match changed a lot.
“In the first half we pressed the opponents’ defence more and were able to attack fast. We couldn’t do that in the second half.”
Man of the match – Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal)
Match stats – Arsenal win two in a row for first time since October
- Arsenal have won eight FA Cup games against Leeds – only against Wolves and Chelsea (nine each) have the Gunners won more matches in the competition.
- The Gunners remain unbeaten in their last seven matches against Leeds (W6 D1), since a 3-2 defeat at Highbury in the Premier League back in May 2003.
- Leeds have won just one of their last 12 FA Cup matches away from home against top-flight opposition (D3 L8), a 1-0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford back in January 2010.
- That was their only clean sheet in their last 19 FA Cup games against top-flight sides.
- Arsenal have won back-to-back matches for the first time since October (against Standard Liege and Bournemouth), which was also the last time they kept consecutive clean sheets.
- Reiss Nelson has been directly involved in four goals in his last four starts for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in all competitions – two goals and two assists.
- Leeds attempted 15 shots in the opening 45 minutes against Arsenal, the joint most shots the Gunners have faced in the first half of a game this season.
What’s next?
Arsenal visit Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday (12:30 GMT), while Leeds host Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship at 15:00.
Derby County 2-1 Charlton Athletic: Jason Knight gives 10-man hosts much-needed win
Jason Knight’s first goals in professional football were enough to give 10-man Derby a much-needed win over Charlton.
The hosts took an early lead when teenager Knight bundled home at the back post but soon found themselves reduced to 10 men when Krystian Bielik was sent off for a poor challenge on Conor Gallagher.
Knight looked to have made the points safe for the Rams, who went into the game on the back of seven matches without a victory, with a composed finish from Max Bird’s cross.
The Addicks pulled one back from the penalty spot through Lyle Taylor, after Curtis Davies felled Gallagher in the area, and Derby were then indebted to a great double save by goalkeeper Ben Hamer from Ben Dempsey and Taylor.
Victory moved Phillip Cocu’s men up to 17th in the table, two points and two places above Charlton.
It was a timely boost for the Rams, who will be able to call on the services of England’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney for the rest of the season.
Despite playing against 10 men for over 70 minutes the Addicks only really threatened in the final 10 minutes of the game, and have won just once in 13 matches to slip to seven points above the relegation zone.
Derby could give a debut to Rooney in Thursday’s home game against strugglers Barnsley, while Charlton visit play-off hopefuls Swansea on the same night.
What the managers said
read the full info here Derby boss Phillip Cocu: “I am extremely proud of how we performed. The discipline, how we defended and how we still played football with 10 men, we showed great character. The players stepped up today.
“Jason Knight had a fantastic game. Max Bird played like he’s been in the team for five years. It’s fantastic to see. Morgan Whittaker came on too and he made an impact.
“Rooney has so much quality and experience, so I am glad he is here. He is fit and would be ready to go, but needs a few games to build his minutes up.”
Charlton boss Lee Bowyer told BBC Radio London: “We were poor from start to finish. We were out-battled and out-fought. We were second to all the second balls.
“We got what we deserved – nothing from the game. We weren’t good enough. It’s as simple as that.
“We got in to so many good areas but our quality with our final ball was very, very bad. We kept hitting the front man.
“Too many people were hiding. It wasn’t good.”
Tottenham appeal against Son Heung-min’s red card in defeat by Chelsea
Tottenham have appealed against the red card shown to Son Heung-min in the loss to Chelsea on Sunday, manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed.
The South Korean was sent off in the second half of the 2-0 defeat after VAR ruled he had kicked out at Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger.
Spurs are waiting to find out if Son will be available for the Boxing Day game with Brighton.
“I hope Son is not punished five times,” Mourinho said.
“One time was the foul that Rudiger did on him. The second is to be sent off. The third would be not to play against Brighton. The fourth not to play against Norwich and the fifth not to play against Southampton.
“So I hope to be punished twice is enough, he doesn’t deserve for the third the fourth or the fifth.”
It is the second time Son has been sent off this season after he was dismissed in the 1-1 draw with Everton on 3 November.
Son was dismissed in that game for a tackle that led to Everton midfielder Andre Gomes suffering a serious ankle injury but it was overturned by the Football Association.
However, Mourinho thinks it should be Rudiger’s reaction to Son’s challenge that is coming under scrutiny, and not Son’s action.
“I hope the Premier League is still the Premier League and will always be the Premier League and I think the focus should be on Antonio Rudiger and not on Son,” Mourinho said.
“I’m not speaking about the racism incident, this is another thing. I am speaking about that incident, the red card.
“In the Premier League I love there is no space also for what Rudiger did. Stand up and play man. This is the Premier League.”
Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion: Wilfried Zaha rescues Palace point
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said Wilfried Zaha has improved the mental side of his game after the forward rescued a point against rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.
Zaha smashed in an equaliser from the edge of the box for injury-hit Palace, who toiled for 70 minutes and trailed to Neal Maupay’s fine finish into the top corner shortly after half time.
Ivory Coast winger Zaha – the second-most fouled player in the Premier League this season, behind Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish – was impeded five times at Selhurst Park.
But he kept his composure to score his sixth goal against the Seagulls, who paid for failing to take their chances when on top.
“Wilf is doing extremely well mentally because things happen in the game – taunts from the crowd and little fouls off the ball – which he isn’t allowing to upset him as he might have done before,” said Hodgson, who was marking his 100th match as Palace manager.
Palace’s recovery extended their unbeaten run to four games, as the point moved them above Arsenal into ninth place; Brighton are 13th.
“It was an incredibly gusty performance, full of character and determination because when they took the lead you could not say it was unjust,” said Hodgson.
“But for us to stay in it with all the problems and ending up playing with a central midfielder [James McArthur] at left-back against a very good team like Brighton [was impressive]. Brighton’s performance was as good as any team we’ve seen here at Selhurst Park this season.”
Brighton manager Graham Potter told BBC Sport: “Apart from a five-minute spell, we were really good and controlled the game. Of course, we didn’t get the second goal. We played really well but one action from a top player does you.”
Brighton pay the price again
It was a familiar tale for Brighton – dominating possession, creating chances and failing to win.
They played like the home team in one of the Premier League’s more unusual derbies, which developed in the 1970s because of a rivalry between the two clubs’ managers at the time – Terry Venables at Palace and Alan Mullery at Brighton.
Most of Brighton’s efforts in the first half were from long range, as Palace held them at arm’s length.
Aaron Mooy curled wide from outside the box, while Yves Bissouma and Pascal Gross had efforts from distance saved.
They had a strong penalty appeal when Jairo Riedewald clipped Martin Montoya as the full-back was shooting – but after a long delay for a video assistant referee review, nothing was given.
It was more of the same after the break and Albion’s goal involved some fine football. Bissouma sprayed a ball out right for Leandro Trossard, who volleyed a cross – which Gross diverted into the path of Maupay, with the forward scoring for a third consecutive game.
Davy Propper, Maupay, Bissouma, Trossard and Montoya all had shots saved as Brighton looked to end the game.
“In the Premier League you know if you don’t get a second goal – and the home crowd get behind the team – the environment changes,” said Potter.
They were made to pay when Zaha crashed in the equaliser. With Palace then looking the more likely winners, Potter brought on defenders Shane Duffy and Bernardo for midfielders in the closing stages to see the game out.
“We could always look to improve and do something better but you have to hold your hands up to the quality of the strike,” said Potter.
“They were putting balls into the box and we could have dealt with that better. But we created a lot of opportunities. There is lots to take forwards in a positive way.
“We dealt with it [Palace’s play] OK but not well enough because they scored. We kept them as quiet as we could but not enough.”
Palace snatch a result again
If Brighton seemed to be following a familiar story, so too did Palace.
Only Watford, who are bottom of the table, have scored fewer than Palace’s 15 Premier League goals. The Eagles’ total number of shots this season – 161 – is lower than anybody else in the top flight, and yet they are in the top half.
Hodgson said before kick-off that he was experiencing the worst injury crisis he has had at the club, with six first-team players out. “The team you see tonight is the team we can field,” he said – and added that he hopes to sign players in January.
After a first half in which his side failed to create a single chance, Hodgson brought on James McCarthy at half-time for Riedewald, who had been making his first Premier League start since February 2018.
Their first shot – excluding a Christian Benteke cross which hit the crossbar – did not come until the 68th minute, with Max Meyer missing the target. Yet in the final 22 minutes, they had 11 shots.
Zaha was Brighton’s nemesis again. Luka Milivojevic crossed from the right and James Tomkins headed the ball down to the Ivory Coast international, who controlled the ball and cut on to his left foot before smashing a shot into the near top corner of the net.
From that stage on, Palace were the more likely winners. Benteke – who has scored one goal for Palace since April 2018 – forced three saves from Mat Ryan, while Jordan Ayew shot over from outside the box.
“We got the tactics wrong. We were determined to take the game to them and play on the front foot but it didn’t work because they played around us and we didn’t win the ball back as we thought we might,” said Hodgson.
“We shored things up in the second half by bringing Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew into a deeper position. We gave Brighton the wing space more than the central space and we restricted them largely to shots from distance.”
Man of the match – Davy Propper (Brighton)
‘Palace will need to change’ – analysis
Former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison on BBC Radio 5 Live: “I like what Brighton are doing. A new manager has come in and they’re playing exciting football – but I don’t think that is [ever going to be] Crystal Palace.
“Under Roy Hodgson, they are never going to change. Hodgson is really good at what he does; he sets them up to be hard to beat and they play a lot on the counter-attack.
“But when they lose Wilfried Zaha – and it’s going to happen either in January or the summer – they are going to have to change their style of football because they aren’t going to have Zaha there who can win a game individually.”
Match stats – Hodgson joins Dowie and Warnock club
- Crystal Palace are unbeaten in four Premier League games (W2 D2), after losing four out of five before that.
- Brighton are unbeaten in three Premier League games for the first time since January (W1 D2).
- Roy Hodgson oversaw his 100th game as Crystal Palace manager in all competitions (W37 D24 L39), becoming the third manager to reach the milestone for the club in the 21st century, after Iain Dowie (123 games) and Neil Warnock (146 games).
- Neal Maupay’s opener for Brighton was the first goal Crystal Palace conceded in 329 minutes of Premier League action.
- Maupay has scored in each of his past three Premier League appearances, as many as his previous 13 in the division.
- He is only the second player to score for the Seagulls in three consecutive Premier League games, after Glenn Murray in November 2017.
- Pascal Gross has provided 14 assists in the Premier League for Brighton, twice as many as any other player for the club.
What’s next?
Both sides are in Premier League action on Saturday at 15:00 GMT. Crystal Palace are away to Newcastle, with Brighton hosting Sheffield United.
West Ham 1-3 Arsenal: Gunners gain first win under Freddie Ljungberg
Arsenal came from behind to end their nine-match winless streak as Freddie Ljungberg enjoyed his first victory as interim manager at the expense of his former club West Ham.
Eighteen-year-old Gabriel Martinelli marked his full Premier League debut by side-footing an equaliser which cancelled out Angelo Ogbonna’s deflected first-half opener at London Stadium.
Within nine minutes, Nicolas Pepe had curled a magnificent second into the top corner and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired in a third.
The salvo turned the game on its head and piled the pressure on West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini, whose side have taken four points from their past nine league games and conceded three times in three successive home games.
The Hammers remain a point above the relegation zone in 16th and face a trip to third-bottom Southampton on Saturday. Arsenal move up two places to ninth.
Arsenal recover from dismal start
Arsenal’s victory was all the more remarkable because until Martinelli added to the seven goals he has scored in cup competitions this season, the visitors had been utterly woeful.
Club officials had spoken before kick-off about the improved atmosphere triggered by Ljungberg’s appointment as Unai Emery’s replacement but it appeared this game would end in frustration, just as the previous two had done under the Swede.
The visitors were bereft of confidence and mild boos from the travelling support accompanied the end of a first half in which their side failed to have a shot on target and went behind when Ogbonna’s header bounced in off Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
True, they did not have much luck. Hector Bellerin was injured in the warm-up and when Kieran Tierney was helped off in obvious pain with a shoulder injury sustained in a seemingly innocuous tangle with Michail Antonio, Ljungberg had lost both his first-choice full-backs in the space of half an hour.
Nevertheless, it was pitiful stuff and when Aubameyang surged down the right wing and sent over a cross that flew over everyone and straight out for a throw-in on the other side of the pitch, it was symptomatic of a club apparently heading nowhere fast.
‘Nerveless’ Martinelli rewards Ljungberg’s faith
It was 1977 when Arsenal last went 10 matches without a win. With an away Europa League game against Standard Liege followed by a home encounter with Manchester City to come, at the interval it was not beyond the realms of possibility that the 12-game barren sequence from 1974 was going to be threatened.
With Alexandre Lacazette and David Luiz on the bench, it was two of Arsenal’s most inexperienced players who sparked the change in fortune.
Ljungberg had obviously seen enough of Martinelli in two substitute appearances to trust the Brazilian with his first league start. The reward was a nerveless finish when his side needed it most. Sead Kolasinac provided the cross but there was still a lot to do for the Brazilian, who steered a first-time effort into the corner.
Emery paid a club record £72m for Pepe in August. With one league goal all season, the Frenchman has not really lived up to his billing but his goal here, a curling shot into the right-hand corner of David Martin’s net, was perfect in its execution.
Aubameyang made certain of a win few would have anticipated 10 minutes earlier when his clinical finish took his tally for the season to 13. It disguised the fact he had been a virtual spectator for the first hour.
At the final whistle, Ljungberg ran to applaud the visiting fans, knowing he had given his own chances of replacing Emery a significant boost.
What now for the unhappy Hammers?
When they beat Chelsea 1-0 nine days ago to end their own winless sequence, it appeared West Ham were on an upward curve.
The combination of boos and thousands of empty seats that accompanied the final whistle on Monday underlined the truth of the matter.
West Ham are perilously close to dropping into the relegation zone, something the club cannot countenance after moving to the 60,000-capacity London Stadium.
Even if Pellegrini survives this defeat, if West Ham lose again at Southampton on Saturday the calls for his dismissal will become piercingly loud.
This was the third home game running in which they had conceded three goals.
The Hammers were not particularly convincing when they were in front. Once they lost the advantage, the lack of confidence so clear in Arsenal’s play transferred to theirs.
Record signing Sebastien Haller was left on the bench and even when he was introduced 20 minutes from time, he made no noticeable impact.
Man of the match: Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)
‘Like a Duracell battery’ – what they said
Arsenal interim boss Freddie Ljungberg told BBC Sport: “The players have belief and tried to move the ball with more tempo. West Ham got tired.
“The players ran their socks off and fought. I believe in them. When I could see them put their shift in, I could see the quality. I thought ‘it is here for the taking’.
“Martinelli did amazingly. He is like a Duracell battery, he keeps going. Laca [Alexandre Lacazette] is a tremendous player but I had to make a tough decision.”
West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini told BBC Sport: “For 60 minutes there was just one team on the pitch. But football can be like this.
“We made mistakes in moments of defending. The problem was a lack of patience and quality to decide the game with a second goal and we made important mistakes in defence.
“The pressure for me is exactly the same if we win or lose. When you don’t have results things are more difficult. If I had not seen the team play the way they did in the first 65 minutes, I might have doubts [about his ability to turn things around].
“After Southampton at the weekend we have a break. We must try to recover as quickly as we can and we must try to win those three points.”
Rare Arsenal recovery away from home – the stats
- West Ham have lost three in a row at home in the Premier League for the first time since August 2015.
- Arsenal came from a half-time losing position to win a Premier League away game for the first time since October 2011 (5-3 v Chelsea).
- Gabriel Martinelli is Arsenal’s fourth-youngest scorer in the Premier League (18 years 174 days), after Cesc Fabregas, Serge Gnabry and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
- Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been involved in 12 goals in his past 11 Premier League London derbies (nine goals, three assists).
- Since his Premier League debut in February 2018, Aubameyang has scored 43 goals in the competition, a joint-high along with Jamie Vardy.
What’s next?
Arsenal conclude their Europa League group phase campaign at Standard Liege on Thursday (17:55 GMT), still needing a draw to be sure of qualification before entertaining Manchester City at Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday (16:30). West Ham visit Southampton on Saturday (17:30).
London Bridge survivor: ‘I saw things I will never unsee’
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An American academic has given a graphic account of the moment the London Bridge stabbing attack began, saying it “felt like a warzone”.
Bryonn Bain told the BBC that victim Jack Merritt had been the first person to confront Usman Khan when he launched his knife assault during a prisoner rehabilitation conference on Friday.
“I saw people die, I saw things that I will never be able to unsee,” he said.
Vigils have taken place for Mr Merritt, 25, and second victim Saskia Jones, 23.
Two women and a man were also injured in the attack before Khan was shot dead by armed officers on London Bridge – the two women are still in hospital in a stable condition.
Prof Bain said former offenders attending the University of Cambridge-linked conference “stepped up and intervened” to tackle Khan, and people at Fishmongers’ Hall owed their lives to the actions of those who had previously spent time in jail.
He said two men from his performance poetry workshop immediately ran towards shouts from elsewhere in Fishmongers’ Hall in the City of London as the attack began, and as shouts grew louder he also went to assist.
“That’s when I ran down and saw the scene unfolding there,” he said. “I was able to see the attacker.”
He added: “It felt like a warzone… it felt like total chaos.”
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Prof Bain said course co-ordinator Mr Merritt was “the first line of defence”.
“I want to honour him,” Prof Bain said of Mr Merritt. “I want to honour his father’s wishes which have been explicit to not have his life be used for political purposes to ramp up draconian policies, because that’s not what he was about.”
Mr Merritt’s father criticised newspaper coverage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s pledge to review the early release of convicted terrorists.
Writing in the Guardian, David Merritt says his son “would be seething at his death, and his life, being used to perpetuate an agenda of hate that he gave his everything fighting against”.
The article calls for a justice system that focuses on rehabilitation, rather than revenge, and criticises indeterminate sentences, saying his son worked for “a world where we do not lock up and throw away the key”.
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Met Police
Jack Merritt was a co-ordinator of the Learning Together programme and Saskia Jones a volunteer
Prof Bain added: “I want to make sure that as much as possible that we uphold the heroes of the day, were formerly incarcerated people, some of the folks who are often easiest to dehumanise.
“They stepped up and many of the folks in that space would not be here today if it weren’t for these guys who did time in prison and literally saved lives.”
In other developments on Monday:
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended his response to the attack after Mr Merritt’s father criticised newspaper coverage of Mr Johnson’s pledge to review the early release of convicted terrorists
- Mr Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn attended a vigil at the Guildhall near London Bridge to honour those caught up in the attack
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the best way to defeat the hatred shown in the attack was to focus on the values of hope, unity and love
- BBC News learned the attacker, Usman Khan, 28, had been under investigation by the security service MI5 since his release from prison last year, but given one of the lowest priorities. He had been convicted of a terrorism offence in 2012
- As part of his release conditions, Khan was obliged to take part in the government’s desistance and disengagement programme – which aims to rehabilitate those involved in terrorism
Vigils for the victims of the attack were also held in Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University, which Ms Jones had previously attended.
Mr Merritt and Ms Jones both studied for masters degrees at the University of Cambridge’s institute of criminology and had been taking part in an event for its Learning Together programme – which focuses on education within the criminal justice system – when they were killed.
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PA Media
The family of Jack Merritt take part in a vigil at the Guildhall in Cambridge
Mr Merritt, from Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, was a co-ordinator of the Learning Together programme and Ms Jones, from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, a volunteer
The victims’ families paid tribute to their loved ones at the weekend.
Ms Jones’s family said their daughter had a “great passion” for supporting victims of criminal justice.
In a statement, Mr Merritt’s family described him as a “talented boy” who “died doing what he loved”.
Toby Williamson, chief executive of Fishmongers’ Hall, praised the bravery of his staff who intervened to stop the attacker, hailing their actions as “extraordinary things done by ordinary people”.
Mr Williamson told how Polish chef Lukasz suffered five wounds to his left-hand side as he fended off the knifeman with a narwhal tusk during “about a minute of one-on-one straight combat” – allowing others time to escape danger.
A group of hall staff, ex-offenders, prison and probation staff are believed to have drawn Khan out on to London Bridge where he was subsequently shot dead by armed police.
The Metropolitan Police said in an update on Monday night that detectives were continuing extensive inquiries but had so far found nothing to suggest other people were involved in the attack.
‘Minimal risk’
Khan, who admitted preparing terrorist acts in 2012, was released from prison in December 2018 after serving half of his sentence.
The BBC understands Khan was formally under investigation by MI5 as he left jail but placed in the second-to-bottom category of investigations as his initial risk to the public was thought to be minimal.
This was consistent with the grading given to most other people convicted of terrorism offences as they go back into the community under a release licence.
A low level of prioritisation is assigned to offenders such as Khan because their release comes with a strict set of licence conditions.
These conditions theoretically provide suitable monitoring and oversight, such as alerts if they contact other suspects or travel outside an approved area.
Khan, the BBC has learned, was on the highest-level of such community monitoring. The overall package, in theory, relieves pressure on MI5 so the security service can focus on more immediate threats.
Friday was the first time that Khan, who wore a GPS tag, had been permitted to travel to London since he left prison. The BBC has been told that – earlier in the year – Khan was refused permission to travel to Stoke-on-Trent, which is where he grew up, in order to attend a social event.
The prime minister said on Sunday that 74 people jailed for terror offences and released early would have their licence conditions reviewed..
Police said two terror-related arrests following Friday’s incident, in Staffordshire and north London, were not directly connected to the London Bridge attack.
It came after the UK’s terrorism threat level was downgraded on 4 November from “severe” to “substantial”, meaning that attacks were thought to be “likely” rather than “highly likely”.
Uber loses licence to operate in London
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Uber will not be granted a new licence to operate in London after repeated safety failures, Transport for London (TfL) has said.
The regulator said the taxi app was not “fit and proper” as a licence holder, despite having made a number of positive changes to its operations.
Uber initially lost its licence in 2017 but was granted two extensions, the most recent of which expires on Monday.
The firm will appeal and can continue to operate during that process.
London is one of Uber’s top five markets globally and it has about 45,000 drivers in the city. Overall, there are 126,000 licensed private hire and black cabs in the capital.
If its appeal is unsuccessful, some think Uber drivers would move over to rival ride-sharing firms such as Bolt and Kapten.”There would be competition that would fill that void quite quickly,” Fiona Cincotta, a market analyst at City Index told the BBC.
Why won’t Uber get a new licence?
TfL said it had identified a “pattern of failures” in London that placed passenger safety at risk.
These included a change to Uber’s systems which allowed unauthorised drivers to upload their photos to other Uber driver accounts.
It meant there were at least 14,000 fraudulent trips in London in late 2018 and early 2019, TfL said.
The regulator also found dismissed or suspended drivers had been able to create Uber accounts and carry passengers. In one example, a driver was able to continue working for Uber, despite the fact his private hire licence had been revoked after he was cautioned for distributing indecent images of children.
Helen Chapman, director of licensing at TfL, said: “While we recognise Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “I know this decision may be unpopular with Uber users, but their safety is the paramount concern. Regulations are there to keep Londoners safe.”
‘I feel safe using Uber’
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Donna Stevens says her experiences of using Uber in London have “always been positive”.
In her job as a carer she often works late, so regularly uses the service. “The drivers are friendly, courteous and professional. I can’t afford to get a metered taxi.”
She says that if Uber were to go, she would probably have to go back to using public transport late at night, which does not make her feel safe.
However, another reader, Kay, says she would not be sad to see Uber go.
“I complained a couple of months ago about a driver who made me feel so uncomfortable I abandoned the ride and walked home in the dark at 11 o’clock at night instead of staying in his cab.”
She says Uber gave her a £5 credit but did not apologise. “How is it OK to employ drivers that make women feel unsafe?” she says.
Is this the end of Uber in London?
Uber lovers in London, fear not! The company’s cars will not suddenly disappear from the capital’s streets.
Uber is going to appeal against this decision so a magistrate will have to decide whether Uber is fit to hold a licence in London, or not.
A decision from a magistrates court could take weeks or months and unless the court decides otherwise, Uber will retain its licence during this period too.
When TfL decided not to renew Uber’s licence in 2017, the company addressed some of the issues raised by TfL back then and then a magistrate later granted Uber a new licence.
On the face of it TfL is standing tough against perceived failings by Uber. But in effect it is letting the courts decide, at a later date, whether Uber should have a licence, or not.
What does Uber say?
Uber said the decision was “extraordinary and wrong”. It said it had audited every driver in London over the past two months and strengthened its processes.
Boss Dara Khosrowshahi tweeted: “We understand we’re held to a high bar, as we should be. But this TfL decision is just wrong. Over the last 2 years we have fundamentally changed how we operate in London.”
According to Uber, 24% of its sales come from just five cities, including London. The others are Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and São Paulo in Brazil.
In a public filing, it said: “Any inability to operate in London, as well as the publicity concerning any such termination or non-renewal, would adversely affect our business, revenue, and operating results.
“We cannot predict whether the TfL decision, or future regulatory decisions or legislation in other jurisdictions, may embolden or encourage other authorities to take similar actions even where we are operating according to the terms of an existing licence or permit.”
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In May, hundreds of Uber drivers in London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Glasgow staged a protest against the firm over pay and conditions
What do others say?
Business lobby group the CBI said customers valued Uber, and encouraged both sides to find a resolution.
But the Unite union – which believes Uber has unfairly taken business from black cab drivers – welcomed the news.
“Uber’s DNA is about driving down standards and creating a race to the bottom which is not in the best interests of professional drivers or customers,” said Jim Kelly, chair of Unite’s London and Eastern cab section.
Where else has banned Uber?
Uber has faced pressure from regulators around the world over the way it treats its drivers, competition concerns, and fears about passenger safety.
The US firm pulled out of Denmark in 2017 because of new taxi laws that required drivers to have fare meters and seat sensors.
Bulgaria and Hungary both stripped Uber’s right to operate following pressure from local taxi unions.
And in May, the ride-hailing firm pulled its UberXL service in Turkey without saying why.
What happened in London in 2017?
TfL first declined to renew Uber’s licence in September 2017, again over safety concerns. Back then it cited Uber’s approach to carrying out background checks on drivers and reporting serious criminal offences.
Uber’s use of secret software, called “Greyball”, which could be used to block regulators from monitoring the app, was another factor, although Uber said it had never been used in the UK.
However, TfL granted Uber a 15-month licence extension – later extended by two months – conditional on it making improvements to its business.
TfL can offer licences of up to five years, but it has been more stringent of late.
In July, Indian ride-hailing company Ola got a 15-month agreement for its entry into the London market, while ViaVan got a three-year licence renewal.
see Would you be sad to see Uber go in London? Or would you just move on to another ride-hailing app? Share your reactions by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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Rape-accused Joseph McCann ‘caught on CCTV at hotel’
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PA Media
CCTV images allegedly showed Joseph McCann at the Phoenix Lodge Hotel in Watford on 25 April
A man accused of rape was caught on camera at a hotel just before one of his alleged victims smashed him over the head and escaped, a court heard.
Joseph McCann went into the Phoenix Lodge Hotel in Watford on 25 April, leaving two women in a car outside, the Old Bailey was told.
He was allegedly captured on CCTV entering the hotel wearing a tracksuit and a baseball cap.
Mr McCann, 34, from Harrow, denies 37 offences against 11 victims.
After going into the hotel, he held the front door open and glanced repeatedly outside while rapping on the window of the reception desk to speak to staff, the court was told.
He then told his alleged captives to get out of the car and smile as he put his arms around them.
Instead, one of them, a 25-year-old woman, grabbed a bottle of vodka and hit him over the head with it before running for help, jurors heard.
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Met Police
Joseph McCann is accused of 37 offences against 11 alleged victims, including children
The trial continues.
Unai Emery: Arsenal manager given public backing but ‘things need to improve’
Unai Emery has been offered public backing by the Arsenal hierarchy, but warned results must improve.
Emery’s position is under scrutiny after a run of just two wins from their last 10 Premier League games.
However, Arsenal head of football Raul Sanllehi and managing director Vinai Venkatesham say they have no immediate plans to make a change of manager.
“We firmly believe Unai is the right man for the job,” they told Arsenal staff at a meeting.
“We are as disappointed as everyone else with both our results and performances at this stage of the season.
“We share the frustration with our fans, Unai, players and all our staff as they are not at the level we want or expect. Things need to improve to meet our objectives for the season.
“We are all working intensively behind the scenes to turn things around and are confident we will.
“We never take our fantastic support for granted. We hope we can all stick together and get behind the team in this challenging period, as together we are stronger.”
Xhaka ‘hurt’ by hostile criticism
Meanwhile, Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka says he has been hurt by the “extreme hostility” directed towards him from the supporters, but has promised to prove his worth.
Xhaka, 27, was stripped of the club captaincy after being involved in an angry confrontation with home fans during the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on 27 October.
The Switzerland midfielder has not played for the club since.
“It was very hurtful and frustrating,” Xhaka told Swiss newspaper Blick.
“I can’t understand a reaction like that even now, especially the vehemence of it and the extreme hostility directed against me.”
Xhaka was booed as he walked off the pitch as he was substituted against Palace, prompting him to cup his ear, take his shirt off and head straight down the tunnel to the dressing room.
“When my shirt number lit up on the fourth official’s panel and our own fans broke into gleeful jubilation, that hit me very hard and really upset me,” he added.
“Insulting and swearing at your own captain will cause upset and a bad atmosphere for the team you are actually supposed to be supporting; that makes no sense to me and weakens the team’s spirit.”
Arsenal manager Emery said last week that he was unsure whether the midfielder would play for the club again, adding that “he was not ready” to return for Saturday’s match at Leicester, which the Gunners lost 2-0.
Xhaka, though, says he is fully committed to the club and is ready to move on from the incident.
“I’ve been 100% behind the club and my role as a player since I came here,” he said.
“I’m proud to be playing for this big club. I’ll continue to stay positive, give my all to an even greater extent and prove that I’m an important part of this great team.
“Last week in particular was a very special, emotional experience for me but I’m doing very well again, I’ve trained well this week and am looking forward to my next assignments.”
Troy Parrott: Tottenham teenager will stay in Republic squad for Denmark game
Mick McCarthy says uncapped Tottenham teenager Troy Parrott will stay in his Republic of Ireland squad for the vital Euro 2020 qualifier against Denmark.
The 17-year-old, who has played only one competitive game for Tottenham, was named in an extended squad last week.
The Republic boss revealed on Monday that Parrott will make the cut when the squad is reduced on Thursday.
“I can confirm Troy will be on the list,” McCarthy told the Football Association of Ireland website.
“I spoke to [Republic of Ireland Under-21 manager] Stephen Kenny at our monthly manager’s meeting in Abbotstown on Monday and told him that Troy and Aaron Connolly will be with the senior squad next week.”
The Republic host New Zealand in a friendly four days before the crunch 18 November contest against the Danes.
“Troy has been pushing for this step up for some time now and I look forward to seeing him on the training ground ahead of the New Zealand game. I hope he pushes me to include him in that game,” added McCarthy.
The Republic boss said he was optimistic injury doubts Darren Randolph, Glenn Whelan and Matt Doherty would all be fit after speaking to all three players.
Whelan and Doherty both had to be substituted because of injury during their clubs’ games at the weekend while keeper Randolph has missed Middlesbrough’s last three matches because of a thigh injury.
“I have been in touch with all three players and they assure me they are confident of being fit to play against Denmark,” said McCarthy
Veteran Whelan was substituted in the first half of Hearts’ Scottish League Cup semi-final defeat by Rangers on Sunday because of a hamstring issue while Doherty was forced off during Wolves’ Premier League draw against Arsenal after suffering a recurrence of a knee problem.
The Republic boss was pleased to see Robbie Brady get more game time for Burnley over the weekend after his injury problems this season while David McGoldrick was back in action in the same encounter as he helped Sheffield United clinch a 3-0 victory.
A Republic win on 18 November should be enough to secure them a spot at Euro 2020 although McCarthy’s side will need a 2-0 victory to qualify if Switzerland pick up only four points from their final two games against Georgia and Gibraltar.