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BELGRADE: Serbia appointed former Real Oviedo manager Veljko Paunovic as their new national team coach on Thursday, following Dragan Stojkovic’s resignation after a shock home defeat by Albania this month.
Stojkovic stepped down after Serbia’s 1-0 loss to Albania in a World Cup qualifier that left their direct qualification hopes in tatters, with the team sitting third in Group K behind England and Albania.

The Serbian Football Association moved quickly to secure Paunovic, who guided the country’s Under-20 team to World Cup glory in 2015, as they scramble to salvage their campaign with two matches remaining.
Paunovic led Oviedo’s promotion push as they returned to LaLiga after a gap of 24 years but the club sacked the 48-year-old this month as they struggled in the top flight and won two games to sit 17th when he left.
“Veljko Paunovic has shown from day one that he puts the interests of the national football team above all else,” Branko Radujko, the Secretary General of the Football Association of Serbia, said in a statement.
“His priority was not a contract or financial terms, but to immediately make himself available to the Football Association of Serbia and take over the team at such an important moment.”
With England having already topped the group, Serbia can no longer qualify directly but remain in the hunt for a playoff berth.
Paunovic faces the immediate challenge of matches against England on November 13 and Latvia three days later.
“The results of these two matches will in no way affect Veljko Paunovic’s status in the future,” Radujko added.
“We will continue discussions about his long-term contract after the end of these matches, regardless of their outcome.”

LIVERPOOL, England: Second-string Liverpool were thumped 3-0 by Crystal Palace as Ismaila Sarr struck twice for the visitors in the League Cup on Wednesday, booking the London side’s spot in the quartefinals and piling more misery on Arne Slot’s struggling side.

Holders Newcastle United dispatched Tottenham Hotspur 2-0, Arsenal beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0, Manchester City came back to down second-tier Swansea City 3-1 and Chelsea edged past Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-3 in other fourth-round ties.

Slot rested most of his regular starters — as did the other major Premier League clubs — leaving Liverpool to suffer their sixth loss in seven games across all competitions.

The match at Anfield was fairly even before Sarr scored in the 41st minute when Liverpool defender Joe Gomez attempted to clear the ball but teed it up instead for the Senegalese player, who unleashed a blistering shot past keeper Freddie Woodman.

In a torrential downpour that matched the Reds fans’ mood, Sarr doubled Palace’s lead seconds before the break when he latched onto a lovely reverse pass from Yeremy Pino.

Liverpool were reduced to 10 men when Amara Nallo was sent off in the 79th minute for taking down Justin Devenny, his second red card in two senior appearances.

Pino added to Liverpool’s misery with the visitors’ third goal in the 88th minute.

“It’s not of Liverpool standards to lose six out of seven,” Slot told Sky Sports.

Asked if Saturday’s Premier League game at home to Aston Villa was a must-win, Slot said: “Every Liverpool game is a must-win.”

The night marked the first time Liverpool had lost a domestic cup match at Anfield by three goals without scoring since February 1934 in a 3-0 defeat by Bolton in the FA Cup.

It was also the league champions’ third loss to Palace this season.

“I don’t know how often this happens when you play the champions three times within three months, and you win three times. So credit to the players,” said Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

Holders Newcastile down Spurs

Newcastle reached the last eight thanks to goals from Fabian Schar in the first half and Nick Woltemade in the second to oust Spurs in an electric atmosphere at St. James’ Park.

“Really pleased, I think when you make the (eight) changes that we did, you hope to see a performance that’s in line with our identity and our expectations, and I thought we got both today,” said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

“It’s most important the attitude is right from minute one and there’s that will to win that you need, and we had.”

Arsenal’s 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri broke the deadlock in the 57th against Brighton at the Emirates when he latched onto a pass from Myles Lewis-Skelly and fired into the bottom corner.

Bukayo Saka doubled the Gunners’ lead in the 76th minute when he pounced on the rebound from a Jason Steele save.

“A very special evening for obvious reasons,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said. “We made 10 changes, we played players that have never played together.

“Two debuts for Max (Dowman, who is 15) and Andre (Harriman-Annous, 17). That feeling is unique.”

Championship side Swansea stunned Pep Guardiola’s City — who are 28 places above them in England’s football pyramid — when Goncalo Franco struck in the 12th minute.

But Jeremy Doku equalized with a deflected effort just before halftime, Omar Marmoush put City ahead in the 77th when he broke free from a defender and fired into the roof of the net and Rayan Cherki wrapped up the win with a goal in added time.

Chelsea looked poised to thrash Wolves as goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Estevao gave them a 3-0 lead at Molineux. But the hosts showed some life late on with a goal from David Moller Wolfe after Tolu Arokodare had got one back.

Chelsea’s Liam Delap was sent off in the 86th but his teammate Jamie Gittens made it 4-2 three minutes later before Moller Wolfe got his second of the night in added time.