Thursday’s briefing: Man City knocked out of Champions League by Mbappe magic

Manchester City crashed out of the Champions League as Kylian Mbappe showed he is the Real deal with a hat-trick in a 3-1 play-off round win.

As holders Real Madrid progressed with a 6-3 aggregate victory, Liverpool – who will play Benfica or Paris St Germain in the last 16 – drew 2-2 at Aston Villa to open up an eight-point lead in the Premier League. Second-placed Arsenal have a game in hand.

Troubled Manchester United, meanwhile, revealed the pay-off sums for former manager Erik ten Hag and sporting director Dan Ashworth as co-owner Avram Glazer insisted the club is not for sale, while Shamrock Rovers are preparing for their shot at history on Thursday night.

Mbappe magic dumps City out of Europe

Kylian Mbappe turned on the style as his hat-trick dumped Manchester City out of the Champions League.

Mbappe’s treble powered the holders to an impressive victory at the Bernabeu in the second leg of their play-off tie and an overall 6-3 aggregate success.

Nico Gonzalez pulled one back for City in added time after an Omar Marmoush free-kick hit the crossbar.

City boss Pep Guardiola told TNT Sports: “After we conceded the goal in the first action we did not defend well. We have to accept it. The best team won.

“This is the first year we did not make a good Champions League season. We have to fight next season to be here again.”

Villa draw extends Liverpool lead

Liverpool moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after a thrilling 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.

Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead after 29 minutes – his 39th goal contribution of an incredible Premier League season, with 24 goals and 15 assists from 26 games – but Villa led at the break through Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins.

Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled 16 minutes after the break and Darwin Nunez should have secured all three points for Arne Slot’s side, but the Uruguayan skied over with the net gaping.

Slot said: “It was not his best leg, he’s right footed, of course, but it was still a big chance. I think we were all disappointed, but it’s normal that a player that missed a chance like this is always a bit more disappointed than the rest.”

Arsenal have a game in hand and can cut the gap to five points by beating West Ham at home on Saturday, before Liverpool travel to Manchester City on Sunday.

Glazer pledge to keep United control

Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer has insisted the Premier League club will not be sold.

On the day United’s latest accounts showed they paid a total of £14.5million to get rid of manager Erik ten Hag, sporting director Dan Ashworth and other members of football staff, Glazer was questioned on the future of the club in Miami.

Asked by Sky Sports whether he would sell the club, Glazer said: “No.”

United earlier confirmed that the pay off to Ten Hag and his staff was £10.4m, with Ashworth’s exit costing £4.1m in terms of his departure and acquisition from Newcastle in the first place.

Relegation rivals share spoils

Plymouth hit back to deny Luton victory in a Championship basement battle that ended 1-1.

Jacob Brown gave bottom side Luton a 55th-minute lead but Maksym Talovierov equalised as both teams remained in the relegation zone.

Hatters manager Matt Bloomfield is still searching for a first victory since replacing Rob Edwards as their miserable winless run extended to 11 matches.

What’s on today?

Shamrock Rovers are seeking to create history by becoming the first League of Ireland club to reach the last 16 of a major European competition.

Rovers beat Molde 1-0 in the first leg of their Conference League play-off in Norway last week when Michael Noonan, aged 16 years and 197 days, became the youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history.

Setting up a last-16 tie against Belgian side Cercle Brugge or Polish outfit Legia Warsaw would take Shamrock close to the mark of receiving eight million euros in UEFA prize money.

A busy night of Europa League play-off action includes Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce defending a 3-0 first-leg lead at Anderlecht.