Fulham equal 88-year record, hit six goals past Birmingham City

Fulham players celebrate after scoring against Birmingham City. (Photo: Reuters)

Fulham became the first English side to score six goals or more in three successive matches for 88 years as they thumped Birmingham City 6-2 on Tuesday (January 18). Fabio Carvalho struck two for the Championship leaders who were 4-1 up by halftime while Neeskens Kebano, Tom Cairney and Antonee Robinson were also on target.

Utterly lethal. #FULBIR pic.twitter.com/crMg16TBGv

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) January 18, 2022

A Mark Roberts own goal began the rout. Fulham also beat Bristol City 6-2 on Saturday while Reading were thrashed 7-0. The last English club to achieve the feat was Chester City in the 1933-34 season.

Portugal opens another inquiry into Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s citizenship

The Portuguese prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday it has opened an investigation into the granting of citizenship to billionaire Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich - a week after a separate authority launched an inquiry of its own. Russian-born businessman Abramovich was granted Portuguese citizenship in April 2021 based on a law offering naturalisation to descendents of Sephardic Jews, who were expelled from the Iberian peninsula during the medieval era of the Inquisition.

There is little known history of Sephardic Jews in Russia, although Abramovich is a common surname of Ashkenazi Jewish origin. Last week, an internal inquiry by the Institute of Registries and Notary, which provides nationality services, was opened amid criticism from some activists, commentators and politicians who say the law must be reviewed as they believe it is being used by oligarchs to get a foothold in the EU.

The justice ministry said that inquiry was a standard process. Now the prosecutor’s office has opened its own investigation, a spokesman told Reuters, adding that it was being carried out by Lisbon`s criminal investigation department. He did not explain what had triggered the inquiry.

A spokesperson for Abramovich was not immediately available for comment. Last week his representatives said he and his staff ‘welcome any review as it will only demonstrate the citizenship was obtained in accordance with the rules’.

(with Reuters inputs)