Football News, Transfers, Opinion - talkSPORT

I played against Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard but one midfielder was better than all three

Natasha Everitt — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:26:09 +0000

Kevin Nolan faced a number of incredible midfielders during his career, but one stands out above the rest.

The West Ham midfielder turned Hammers first-team coach played in the Premier League and the Championship between 1999 and 2015.

Nolan saw first hand just how good the Premier League’s iconic midfielders could be

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Playing alongside and against some of the best talents in football will no doubt be helpful now he’s bringing through the next generation of talent at the London Stadium.

But for Nolan, amongst all of the English top flight’s legends, three fellow former midfield stars stand out as being the best the Premier League has seen.

The former Bolton and Newcastle star joined Andy Goldstein and former striker Darren Bent on Drive on Thursday’s show and was tasked with naming his best Premier League XI.

As well as picking his midfield, Nolan also revealed the one star he believes stands head and shoulders above the rest.

“Roy Keane, [Paul] Scholes,” he said, as he began to reel off his three-man midfield.

After telling Bent and Goldstein how witty the latter, former Man United star was and how ‘good of a lad’ he is, the Liverpool-born coach went on to name his third and final midfielder.

“Them two and then, obviously, none other than Steven Gerrard who I think was the best.”

When asked by Goldstein if he means Gerrard – who scored 186 goals for Liverpool in 710 senior appearances – is the best midfielder we’ll ever see in the Premier League, he replied: “Yeah, for me.

Nolan made 401 Premier League appearances

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Nolan says Liverpool legend Gerrard was the best opponent he faced

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“I just think he could do anything, he had everything, you know the holding one, you could play him out on the right, he could be at right-back, he could be the attacking one.

“Playing against him was just so difficult. I mean look, we haven’t even mentioned [Frank] Lampard, [Patrick] Vieira and all these in this. But Steven had something which I don’t think any of the others [had].

“He had everything and I don’t think all the others had everything.”

Bent suggested Yaya Toure for his three in the middle, but Nolan says that while he thought the ex-Man City man was a star, he preferred the type of battles he had against his top three.

“I sort of relish more a Roy Keane battle, if you like, than a Yaya,” he said. “I mean, Roy could run over you, don’t get me wrong, but he was like hard, tough, sort of that sitting one and I’d be that attacking one trying to get one over on him.

“Whereas Yaya and Steven, one minute they’re there the next minute I’m like ‘where’s he gone?!'”

Nolan will return to the dug out alongside David Moyes this weekend following the international break, as the Hammers take on Burnley at Turf Moor.

Mikel Arteta reveals three Arsenal stars face late fitness test for Brentford clash

Lee Davey — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:06:46 +0000

Mikel Arteta hopes to call upon captain Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Ben White for Arsenal’s trip to Brentford.

The trio were injury doubts ahead of the trip to the Gtech Community Stadium but are now in contention to feature on Saturday.

Arteta is hoping to have Odegaard, White and Gabriel Jesus back in contention for the trip to Brentford

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Arsenal boss Arteta confirmed Odegaard had suffered a concussion on the eve of the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle causing him to miss the Gunners’ last three fixtures.

Striker Gabriel Jesus played 90 minutes for Brazil in a high-octane clash against Argentina on Tuesday evening after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Arteta told reporters on Friday: “He is available. He played 96 mins in a really competitive match. He had a long flight. I have to see the condition.”

Meanwhile Ben White is closing in on his return to action after missing the win over Burnley with a muscle injury.

“Hopefully if he’s able to train today he’ll be in contention, We’ll find out in the next 24 hours,” Arteta said.

The Spaniard confirmed that Aaron Ramsdale will make his first league start since September with David Raya ineligible to face his parent club.

But Arteta will be without Fabio Vieira who will serve the first of his three-match suspension after his red card against Burnley.

Arsenal head to Brentford on Saturday teatime aiming to keep pace with Manchester City and Liverpool who face each other earlier in the day.

Arteta confirmed Aaron Ramsdale will start in place of the ineligible David Raya

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The Gunners bounced back from their first league defeat of the season with a 3-1 win over Burnley last time out and Arteta will hope his side can kick off a packed schedule with three points at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham quietly building Premier League interest while brother Jude stars for Real Madrid

Phil Spencer — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jobe Bellingham is more than just the brother of a global superstar.

The 18-year-old is a talent in his own right, but has started his career in the sizable shadow of his brother, Jude, who has had a meteoric rise to the top of the game.

Jobe Bellingham is showing that his older brother isn’t the only talent in their family

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Since joining Real Madrid, Jude has become one of football’s elite after winning the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or awards and getting the Golden Boy award, indicating that the 20-year-old is set to dominate football from this point on.

But while Jude is banging in goals for fun in Madrid, Jobe is quietly building some top-level interest of his own.

Troy Deeney spent two years at St Andrews and was able to get a close look at Jobe, but revealed in January this year that he could find it tricky to step out of his brother’s shadow.

Speaking on talkSPORT Drive about Jobe’s potential, Deeney said: “His potential could be whatever he wants.

“The problem for me is that wherever he goes he’s always going to be compared to his brother, isn’t he?

“He’s 17 years old now. His brother, at 17, was playing and dragging Birmingham City through a Championship season so it’s always considered that he’s not doing as well, but my job and my role now is to explain to him that everyone has a different path.

“If he starts doing what he’s capable of when he’s 18, 19, 20, it doesn’t mean that he isn’t any good because he hasn’t gone to a World Cup and ripped it up like his brother has.

“I’m just trying to get him to have patience. It’s difficult with these young kids and Benty [Darren Bent] will tell you, when you’re young you want it now.

Jobe was in attendance at Jude’s Real Madrid unveiling on the same day that he joined Sunderland

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“You can’t see six months down the line, you want to know why you’re not playing next week.

“We’ve got to keep him patient but he’s growing at a phenomenal rate. I think he’s put on about 10kg and is about six-foot-four now and he’s 17, so he’s only going to get bigger and stronger and he’s a talented player as well.”

Like his brother, Jobe Bellingham flew the nest over the summer by leaving Birmingham for a new challenge with Sunderland.

Kristjaan Speakman, now sporting director with the Black Cats, previously held the role of academy manager with Birmingham and therefore knew all about the talents of Jobe – long before the Bellingham name became globally renowned.

Speakman’s role at Sunderland is built on bringing in talented young players, developing them as talents and using that progress to grow the club both on and off the field – something that Bellingham’s arrival encapsulates.

That move to the Stadium Of Light was completed on the same day as Real Madrid announced the blockbuster deal for Bellingham, with Jobe even pictured front and centre at his older brother’s unveiling at the Bernabeu.

But since then, the midfielder has been keen to step out on his own, notably opting to have ‘Jobe’ on the back of his Sunderland shirt, not his surname Bellingham, as is traditional.

Due to Sunderland’s lack of striking options, Jobe started the season out of position as a false nine, a role that saw him score two goals in his first three games for the Black Cats.

Bellingham opted to use ‘Jobe’ on the back of his shirt and has kicked on ever since

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Bellingham is a key man for Sunderland despite being just 18

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Since then, Bellingham has started all 16 of the club’s Championship fixtures, including the clash with boyhood club Birmingham before the international break which saw him refuse to celebrate after giving his new employers the lead.

Given the level of his displays at just 18 years of age, it’s no surprise that top-tier clubs such as Real Madrid are scouting the player, while Tottenham are also believed to be keeping tabs on him.

Talking about Bellingham’s start to life at Sunderland, boss Tony Mowbray said: “He is very mature for his age. He acts like a seasoned pro, and demands standards even in small sided games he wants to win.

“You can see he has a very focused driven thought pattern on where he is going and how he is going to get there. And that is to try to be excellent in everything you do.

“It’s a great mentality. It helps our team to have someone so young.

“He is not in the team because of his name, it is football ability and his competitive edge and athleticism and technique. He works hard every day.

“As coaches we want to protect him in three game weeks so sometimes when he comes off it is to give him a break. We should just enjoy the journey with him and see where he gets to as time rolls on.

“He doesn’t want to be compared with his brother, but we have coaches here who helped his brother as a 17-18 year old. They can gauge where he is, and he has some amazing tools.

Jobe is loving life at Sunderland, a club who are entirely built on developing young players

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“If he listens, works hard and competes like he does he won’t go far wrong. He has confidence and belief and has a good football brain.”

Meanwhile former Arsenal striker and ex-Sunderland manager and chairman Niall Quinn has described the teenager as a ‘breath of fresh air’.

He told Ladbrokes Fanzone: “I’ve watched Jobe Bellingham a lot since he arrived at Sunderland, and if you take him as an individual, it’s as if the stage was just set for him.

“He looks so comfortable playing the game, at such a young age. I can remember being his age, and being afraid to look at the first-team players.

“I’d be cleaning boots and looking down so they wouldn’t look me in the eye! I think it’s phenomenal that somebody his age can come in and be that solid. Not big headed, not flash, just solid.”

Quinn added: “He’s a breath of fresh air. To be like that, at his age, it’s absolutely incredible.”

Premier League transfer news LIVE: Varane likely to leave Man United, Bournemouth to reject offers for Solanke, Brentford want to keep Toney

TalkSPORT — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 09:08:00 +0000

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news, gossip and rumours from the Premier League in talkSPORT’s live blog.

England’s top-flight spent a record £2.36billion on new players in the summer but the search for new players is already underway.

The winter window doesn’t open officially until January 1 but the top clubs are already planning their next moves in order to get a head start.

Follow our live blog below for all the latest news from the Premier League…

Fans overhear Jurgen Klopp call Liverpool academy star ‘Virgil van Dijk 2.0 reloaded’ in training video

Natasha Everitt — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 09:07:17 +0000

One Liverpool academy star has earned seriously high praise from Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool head to Manchester City to resume their Premier League season on Saturday, with Klopp‘s side looking to leapfrog their opponents to go top of the league, live on talkSPORT,

Klopp was singing one star’s praises in particular

X:@TheAnfieldTalk

Before the fixture, Klopp spoke to Sky Sports reporter Vinny O’Connor and the pair’s catch up was posted onto X, formerly known as Twitter.

The duo were heard praising Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton’s performances for England’s Under-21s in their Euro 2025 qualifier over the international break, with them both scoring against Northern Ireland.

But it was defender Jarell Quansah, who also played in that game, that appeared to get the ultimate compliment from the Liverpool boss.

Reds supporters are convinced they heard Klopp say Quansah was the ‘reloaded 2.0’ version of iconic centre-back Virgil van Dijk in the video.

Quansah, 20, only made his first team debut this season.

The Warrington-born centre-back has been with the Reds since 2008 when he joined at the age of 5.

After rising through the youth ranks and making it onto the bench in the first team’s Premier League and Carabao Cup ties, Quansah was sent out on loan to Bristol Rovers in January this year.

The England international made 16 appearances for the League One side, with then-Rovers manager Joey Barton tipping him to go to the very top.

Quansah has successfully made the step up from League One to the Premier League

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“He’s as good on the ball that you’ll need to be in terms of building out from the back,” he told Bristol Live in February. “He’s going to get bigger, he’s going to get stronger, he’s going to get faster. His anticipation of the game is going to be better because more senior games get you that.”

Barton added: “He has an enormous future in front of him.”

He’s since made nine appearances for Liverpool’s first team following the end of that loan, including two starts in the Europa League.

Considering Quansah has only just made his way into the Liverpool first team, to be compared to a Champions League and Premier League winner by one of the best managers in the world shows he must be doing something right!

David Beckham and Wrexham documentaries voted among best but fans don’t seem interested in Lionel Messi edition

Robert Calcutt — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 08:34:40 +0000

Sports documentaries offer fans intriguing insight into some of the world’s biggest stars and teams, and it looks like they’re here to stay.

Action, suspense and drama on pitches, courts and tracks entertain millions around the world as they cheer on their favourite names.

Beckham has been named as the most popular sport documentary

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And people just cannot get enough of it all as a new poll from Betfair has revealed the rising impact of sport documentaries.

It found that around one in five people [19 per cent] admit to watching such programmes on a Saturday night, which is prime time for entertainment shows.

More than half [60 per cent] of people who aren’t sport fans have also admitted to watching a sport documentary.

Furthermore, over a third [38 per cent] of those polled watch them for the exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and the talents’ struggles.

A list of the top 20 documentaries has also been revealed, with the new Netflix series titled ‘Beckham’ taking top spot.

It features extensive footage of the England and Manchester United legend David’s stunning career as well as his relationship with coaches and teammates – Glenn Hoddle is perhaps the one person who didn’t want to see it.

‘Welcome to Wrexham’ is third, as the rise of the Welsh club under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney grips fans from around the country as well as those in America and Canada.

However, there doesn’t seem to be an appetitie for football legend Lionel Messi’s story, though there was an hour long programme shown in the UK called ‘Messi’ before the 2022 World Cup.

Wrexham’s owners have transformed the club and brought in a legion of new fans

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Formula 1 is another sport that captured people’s imagination with a number of films and series being loved, including Senna and Drive to Survive.

It all comes as Betfair prepare to premiere a new production called ‘Serial Winners: Rachael Blackmore’ at Haydock Park Racecourse on 25 November.

One of horsing’s biggest game-changers will be under the spotlight in the mini-documentary, with Blackmore the first ever female jockey to win the Grand National.

In 2021, she rode 11/1 shot Minella Times to victory weeks after dominating at Cheltenham.

Hers is a tale that has inspired many females to look at becoming a jockey to the point where gender is becoming irrelevant in a sport that appeared to once have limited opportunities.

BEST SPORTING DOCUMENTARIES (BETFAIR POLL)

Beckham [Football]
Senna [Formula 1]
Welcome to Wrexham [Football]
Pele [Football]
Alex Higgins: The People’s Champion [Snooker]
Gazza [Football]
Drive to Survive [Formula 1]
Diego Maradona [Football]
Break Point [Tennis]
Stop at Nothing: Lance Armstrong [Cycling]
Sunderland ‘Til I Die [Football]
All or Nothing: Manchester City [Football]
The Test – Australian Cricket Documentary [Cricket]
The Last Dance [Basketball]
All or Nothing: Tottenham [Football]
The Impossible Job [Football]
Full Swing [Golf]
Cheer [Cheerleading]
All or Nothing: Juventus [Football]
Icarus [Cycling]

Manchester United still without Christian Eriksen but handed Rasmus Hojlund boost in injury update

Robert Calcutt — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 23:50:36 +0000

Erik ten Hag has revealed that Christian Eriksen will miss Manchester United’s trip to Everton but Rasmus Hojlund could be set to play.

Both players picked up injuries in the Premier League giants’ 1-0 win over Luton Town in their final game before the international break.

It remains to be seen when Eriksen will return for United

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Eriksen was forced off on the approach to half-time, whereas Hojlund had to be substituted in the latter stages of the victory.

United return to action on Sunday when they travel to Everton, with boss Erik ten Hag providing an update on the injured duo.

“Christian will take a little bit longer,” Ten Hag told the Premier League in regards to Eriksen. “It will take some weeks until he will return.”

As for Hojlund, he said: “Not too bad. Everton will be a close finish but we’re working on that.

There is a chance Hojlund could play against Everton

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“We’re not sure if he can make that but, hopefully, in the next week, he will return to the squad.”

United have endured a fluctuating season thus far but have won four of their last five Premier League matches.

Form across all competitions is a cause for concern though, with Ten Hag’s side losing three of their last five.

Sunday’s clash against Everton will be far from easy, with the home crowd at Goodison Park set to be loud in their protests against their ten-point deduction.

A must-win match away at Galatasaray follows three days later, with United currently bottom of their Champions League group.

Eriksen will be unavailable for the trip to Turkey but it could be the tie in which Hojlund makes a full return to action.

All of the goals he has scored for United since signing in the summer have come in the Champions League, with the Dane netting five.

Mario Balotelli avoids death as he’s involved in terrifying car crash

Jackson Cole — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 23:06:51 +0000

Mario Balotelli has reportedly avoided serious injury after being involved in a terrifying car crash.

The Italian’s vehicle has been destroyed after the road accident, which is understood to have taken place in Brescia in his homeland at 8:30pm.

A figure, which appears to be Balotelli, made his way out of the car and towards an ambulance

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The car was left in a sorry state after the crash

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Medics quickly raced to the scene after being called and a video showing a man which appeared to be Balotelli getting out of the vehicle and slowly walking towards an ambulance.

It’s not known what the cause of the crash was or if the player has suffered any minor injuries.

Balotelli, who now plays for Turkish side Adana Demirspor, is back home while recovering from injury.

The former Manchester City and Liverpool striker returned to Adana Demirspor having previously spent the 2021/22 season there.

The 33-year-old first came to prominence at Inter Milan, spending three years at the San Siro before completing a high-profile move to City in 2010.

He helped City to their first Premier League title in his second season at the club, providing the assist for Sergio Aguero’s iconic title-winning strike.

Balotelli went then joined Inter’s local rivals AC Milan in January 2013 before returning to the Premier League 18 months later by going to Liverpool.

His two-year spell at Anfield was a disaster as he only managed four goals, one in the Premier League.

Balotelli is one of football’s great personalities and was highly rated as a youngster

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But his career has been on a gradual decline since leaving the Etihad Stadium

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The second season as a Liverpool player saw Balotelli join Milan on loan before he went to Nice, where he spent three years.

After Nice he stayed in France to sign for Marseille and has since represented Italian outfit Monza, Swiss side Sion and Brescia in a journeyman career.

He’s never been out of the headlines for his off-pitch antics having infamously set off fireworks in his rented home causing thousands of pounds worth of damage when he was a City player. Balotelli then became the face of a firework safety campaign days later.

The Italy international was also spotted grappling with then-City boss Roberto Mancini during a training ground bust-up.

Liverpool need Darwin Nunez, Jeremy Doku could run riot for Man City but Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz could expose them

Josh Fordham — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 22:30:00 +0000

The Premier League is BACK!

What better way to celebrate the end of another international break than a blockbuster clash between Man City and Liverpool – and you can listen to it all on talkSPORT.

Guardiola has won just seven of his 20 games against Liverpool

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The Premier League heavyweights will go toe-to-toe at the Etihad and if it’s anything like their showdowns in recent years then we are in for a cracker.

Last season, they played each other four times and shared 15 goals across those matches.

They won two games apiece, with City thrashing Jurgen Klopp’s side 4-1 at the Etihad in April in their most recent encounter.

Erling Haaland was not fit that day, but that did not matter as they dismantled their rivals.

Haaland’s fitness is in doubt once again after picking up a knock on the international break, but they already have the blueprint on how to win without him.

So we asked some of our talkSPORT presenters to give their take on how Saturday’s epic clash will go.

Jim White | Co-host of White and Jordan

“The international break is over and we’re back to domestic football. And it all kicks off with Manchester City vs Liverpool.

Liverpool are just one point behind Man City

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“How do we think this will go? Well, both were scoring goals last time out.

“Manchester City were at Chelsea and scored four, but conceded four. And Liverpool, if memory serves me right, got three against Brentford.

“How is it going to go? I can never really see past Manchester City at home, so I’ll take Man City to win it, maybe 2-1.”

Alan Brazil | talkSPORT Breakfast host

“It’s going to be an absolute cracker and I cannot wait, especially after the international rubbish we’ve seen. This is what it’s all about, the Premier League, Manchester City v Liverpool.

“It’s a game Liverpool have to get something from. City will be looking at Arsenal and teams below them thinking, uh-oh, we can’t slip up here.

“I’m going to go 2-2 draw. I think Liverpool will be up for this, I think City are still the best team probably in the world, for me. But Liverpool on the day can really turn it on. And it’s Pep against Klopp, I’m going for a thriller, 2-2.”

Haaland is expected to be fit after picking up a knock on international duty

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Gabby Agbonlahor | Former Aston Villa striker

“This is a big game, they don’t really get bigger than this now in the Premier League.

“These two teams have been at it for a few years now, sharing the league titles between them. I just think Manchester City have got too much.

“I look at Liverpool and I still see some weaknesses around their team. Darwin Nunez is good one week, he’s off it next week.

“At the back, they’re conceding some goals as well. Manchester City are looking complete, they’ve got over their wobble, and I’m going to go for a Manchester City win by two goals to nil.”

Nunez has four Premier League goals so far this season

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Danny Murphy | Former Liverpool midfielder

“Trying to predict this one is really difficult because there’s two factors. One is the injuries and knocks coming back from internationals.

“We don’t know yet, Haaland is a doubt, etcetera.

“The other thing is the attitude of the managers to play those players who might be turning up from South America on Thursday morning.

“I think for Liverpool it’s crucial that you have pace. To score against City and beat City, generally, I think pace is key. Not just pace but energy as well.

“If Liverpool go there and win, it certainly cements their position as a contender again.

Murphy thinks Stones will be key

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“I think it’s a fascinating game because of the quality that’s on show. It’s a little bit disappointing that it’s a 12:30pm kick-off. Only because of the tempo and quality that you want to see the game played at.

“Putting that aside, I think it’s an intriguing game because what City have been doing recently is releasing one of the centre-halves into midfield, whether it be Akanji or Stones, rather than a full-back.

“We saw at Chelsea, if you’ve got pace against them, and there’s a quick turnover, there’s space to run into.

“If Liverpool have Diaz, Salah and Nunez up top, there’s no-one better equipped than utilising space in behind teams than those three.

“The way City play, it’s a great thing to watch. On the flipside, what you’ve got is Liverpool releasing Trent [Alexander-Arnold] into a midfield area from right-back.

“If Doku plays, with his amazing pace and directness, that’s going to cause Liverpool a problem because Konate’s been injured and if Matip plays there and has to cover Trent, with his lack of athleticism against Doku…. So there’s all these little technical things going on.”

Golden boots David Beckham wore on 100th England game could go for five-figure sum at auction

Jackson Cole — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 21:56:00 +0000

David Beckham’s golden football boots he wore when earning his 100th England cap could be sold for up to £10,000.

The adidas 2008 Predators were used by the football icon in a friendly against France in March 2008.

They look set to go for a pretty penny

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England lost 1-0 on a night which saw ‘Golden Balls’ receive a yellow card – Fabio Capello’s first defeat as Three Lions boss on what was his second game in charge.

Stars including Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand also featured in the Stade de France clash, with goalscorer Franck Ribery as well as William Gallas, Claude Makelele and Nicolas Anelka among those to represent Les Bleus.

The boots were produced especially for Beckham and feature embroidered St George’s Crosses, along with his profile on the left shoe.

The names of his then-three children; Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, are also embroidered on the design.

The ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid star’s boots will be sold from December 5 at 1:30pm as part of a wider sporting goods auction by Northamptonshire-based auctioneers Graham Budd Auctions.

A starting bid of £4,600 has also been placed but David Convery, head of sporting memorabilia, estimates that the boots could go for as much as £8,000-10,000.

He told The Sun: “David Beckham is not only an iconic player, but you could also argue that he started the ‘style revolution’ with this type of golden boot.

Beckham could only mark the new boots with a yellow card and a defeat, however

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There’s plenty of demand for Becks’ boots

Graham Budd Auctions

“These boots are already attracting attention on a global stage and we wouldn’t be surprised if they reached or even went beyond their estimated price.”

Potential bidders can find out more online here.

I thought I got through to Ravel Morrison after he starred for West Ham but what he did the next day summed him up

Robert Calcutt — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 20:37:18 +0000

Kevin Nolan has revealed he is one of the many who tried to guide Ravel Morrison through senior football, but to no avail.

Morrison was a highly-rated product of the Manchester United academy and appeared destined for great success in the game.

Morrison was tipped for big things after his emergence in the United academy

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However, the now 30-year-old has played in what many have dubbed a ‘what could have been’ career as he failed to truly apply his talent.

Morrison has been somewhat of a journeyman across Europe and now in the USA for MLS side D.C. United.

The midfielder signed for West Ham from United in 2012 and Nolan was there to witness his talent, but even he couldn’t help the youngster fulfil his potential.

When asked about his quality on talkSPORT Drive, he said: “On the pitch he was unbelievable. Some of the things he used to do, and you look at Lucas Paqueta now and people like him, Jay-Jay [Okocha], he was a very special talent.”

Andy Goldstein recalled his stunning solo goal in a 3-0 win away at Tottenham in 2013 and Nolan added more praise for the then 20-year-old, but then hinted at how his lack of application off the pitch cost him.

A fine solo goal away at Spurs saw Morrison show his quality

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But Nolan was unable to help guide him on the right path

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“In pre-season that year, and this just sums him up, we played at Oxford United and it was me, him and Nobes [Mark Noble] in the middle, and he was unbelievable.

“It was only Oxford, don’t get me wrong, because we were Premier League and they were League One, that’s no thing to Oxford. But he was just, I mean, head and shoulders above everyone.

“We got on the bus after the game and we were like, ‘Rav, that was incredible mate, never seen anything like it for a long, long time. Mate, you’ve got to get your head down, this is going to be your year.’

“He was like, ‘Yeah yeah yeah, no problem, blahdy blah, yeah. I loved it, it’s been great.’ [We said], ‘This could be our midfield three now for this season, you doing what you do, Nobes and me being around you.’ He was just, ‘Yeah yeah yeah.’

“We thought we had him, me and Nobes, all the time he was texting his mate, ‘Yeah pick me up we’re going back to Manchester.’ He didn’t turn in the next day.”

Morrison now features in the MLS for D.C. United

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Goldstein then asked if Morrison would regret failing to live up to his potential, and Nolan replied: “I think he does now. I think if you asked the man he’d put his hand on his heart and he is a truthful lad, I think he would.

“I loved working with him, I thought all he done was just sort of wind me up because of the talent he had, and I think that’s what in the end, where Sir Alex [Ferguson] sort of got rid of him.

“I think Rio [Ferdinand] spoke really highly of him, all those players at that time, [Wayne] Rooney, everyone. But he just couldn’t put all the things that he had on the field, he couldn’t sort it out off the field.

“I think he was just a maverick, that’s probably the best word to describe him, sort of went by his own rules and no one could tell him otherwise. You’d think at some point, ‘Yeah we’ve cracked it, we’ve got him.'”

Morrison made just 24 appearances for West Ham before leaving on a permanent deal to Lazio in 2015.

QPR, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Derby are some of the other English clubs he played for before moving stateside to D.C. United, for whom he has played 14 matches.

Manchester United ‘legends’ team bizarrely featured three players who never played for the club

Lee Davey — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 18:42:50 +0000

A Manchester United legends team that took on a World XI last Saturday fielded three players who never played for the club.

United’s representatives lined up in the dressing room for a pre and post match photo which was later shared on Instagram by former winger Antonio Valencia.

@antoniovalencia2525United’s legends team had a strange look to it ahead of their clash with a World XI side[/caption]

Ex-Red Devils midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba and Mikael Silvestre featured on the left side of the image with Leicester City’s title-winning captain Wes Morgan bizarrely placed behind them.

Morgan, who never played for United, was stood next to Dimitar Berbatov with another player who never wore the famous red shirt, Nathan Dyer, crouching in front.

Former players Wes Brown and Dwight Yorke were also seen on the picture next to former Inter Milan and Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar who was the third player who never featured for the club.

Former United defender Danny Simpson who won the Premier League title alongside Dyer and Morgan crouched at the front of the group with Valencia standing behind him.

Also spotted were Patrice Evra, Jesper Blomqvist and Juan Sebastian Veron on the right of the image.

The match did not go the way of United as they were beaten 8-3 in the Legends Football League clash.

Berbatov showed he still had the magic touch in front of goal and Evra added another of his own but it was not enough to see off a talented World XI.

The Red Devils’ opponents consisted of Florent Malouda, David Trezeguet, Samir Nasri, David James, Robert Huth, Bacary Sagna and man-of-the-match Clarence Seedorf.

Valencia posed with former Argentina and Man United midfielder Veron

@antoniovalencia2525

However, fans were left fuming after Kaka, Didier Drogba and Roberto Carlos failed to turn up at the match.

It’s set to be taken across the world and will restart in India in January after its debut in Dubai.

Liverpool fans all say the same thing as Jurgen Klopp has play fight with Sky Sports reporter

Robert Calcutt — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 18:00:43 +0000

Jurgen Klopp was in a spirited mood on Thursday when he had a play fight with a Sky Sports reporter, and Liverpool fans loved it.

The Reds are preparing for their massive Premier League clash away at Manchester City on Saturday, live on talkSPORT.

Klopp is not afraid his fiery side in games, but showed his playful side on the training ground

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Such a fixture has brought out the explosive side of both clubs, in particular Klopp and his counterpart Pep Guardiola.

However, the former appeared more playful than stressed ahead of the crunch clash when he took training in the days prior.

Sky Sports reporter Vinny O’Connor paid a visit to their AXA Training Ground in Kirkby and was involved in a friendly tussle with the Liverpool boss.

“Thank you for the 12:30 [kick-off]” Klopp jokingly said as he had the journalist in a headlock and gave him a light punch in the chest.

Sky Sports reporter O’Connor was jokingly held in a headlock by Klopp

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The Liverpool boss then gave him a cheeky punch

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Liverpool fans were quick to react on social media and weren’t afraid to admit their jealousy of O’Connor for getting a hug from the boss.

Taking to X, one said: “You got a Klopp hug. Millions of us are v jealous.”

“You got a Klopp hug, you lucky git Vinny,” added a second with two laughing emojis.

An envious third said: “What I would give for that headlock and punch off Klopp.”

“Lucky b******,” a fourth very simply said along with heart emojis.

Speaking on what happened himself, O’Connor said: “He’s in a bit of a playful mood, I think it’s fair to say. Relaxed, but at the same time made a little bit of a reference as to how ‘happy’ he is with the 12:30 kick-off on Saturday as well.

“He came over, had a few words, sort of one little moment that was a potential red card I would argue. But he seemed in pretty good spirits.”

Klopp has been a fan favourite at Anfield amid the success he’s brought and his passion on the touchline, with the German giving his heart and soul for the club.

Saturday’s trip to City will be a huge test of their potential Premier League title credentials this season, with the hosts sitting top.

Liverpool are just one point behind them in second though, with a huge three points up for grabs at an Etihad Stadium that they last won at in the league in 2015.

Liverpool legend says Dominik Szoboszlai reminds him of Steven Gerrard – but he wouldn’t fit in at Man City or Arsenal

Jake Lambourne — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 17:46:08 +0000

Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai is a player in the mould of Steven Gerrard with the youngster capable of doing everything in midfield.

That is the view of club icon John Barnes, who believes the ‘incredible’ summer signing has been the Merseyside outfit’s ‘best player’ so far this season.

Szoboszlai has been one of Liverpool’s standout players so far this season

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The 22-year-old has earned rave reviews since the Reds activated his £60million release clause at RB Leipzig in July.

Featuring in 17 out of Liverpool‘s 18 matches in all competitions so far this term, he has chipped in with two goals and as many assists.

And the Hungary international will be hoping for another dazzling display when Jurgen Klopp’s side face Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Etihad in Saturday’s 12.30pm kick-off, live and exclusively on talkSPORT.

Szoboszlai is part of a new-look Liverpool midfield, who parted ways with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner at the end of the last campaign.

Along with the former Red Bull Salzburg maestro, Liverpool also brought in Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo.

But it is Szoboszlai that has impressed Barnes the most, as he insisted Klopp’s style of play is getting the best out of him, whereas if he was at either Arsenal or Manchester City, he would struggle.

Speaking of the player during his appearance on the Hawksbee and Baker show, Barnes said: “Szoboszlai has been incredible.

“I’d kind of heard about him before, but I’ve never see him and that’s how good the scouting is, because Liverpool sign players who will suit the way Liverpool play.

Reds legend Barnes has been blown away by his performances in the middle of the pitch

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He has stated that the Hungarian reminds him of club icon Gerrard

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“I don’t think he’d suit Man City or Arsenal, and he probably wouldn’t go there!

“But when he came, having never heard of him, from the first time I saw him, he was just incredible, he could play anywhere.

“He reminds me of Steven Gerrard to a certain extent, because you don’t necessarily get box-to-box midfield players who can defend, who can attack, but that’s what he does.

“I’ve been so impressed with him and he’s level-headed, he’s 22, he’s been fantastic. He’s been our best player.”

talkSPORT host and ex-Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan believes that Liverpool are more exciting to watch than Pep Guardiola’s City side.

And Barnes, who was asked whether he’s enjoyed watching the team so far, believes this is due to Klopp’s signings, as he added: “Absolutely! We had our midfield issues last year.

“Of course we knew we had to address them, but the good thing about Jurgen and the trust we have in Jurgen, is that he resisted the urge to sign players just for the sake of it in January, because we needed midfield players.

“And the fans put up with trying to get the right people in, which is what we’ve now done.

Klopp’s side currently sit a point and a place behind leaders City

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“We’re still looking at a No6, [Wataru] Endo has come in, and [Stefan] Bajcetic has been earmarked for that role, but he’s injured, but in terms of everyone else, it’s fine.

“I understand what he’s [Jordan] talking about, because if you look at City, they play a very purist style of football, possession-based, very considered.

“Whereas I would say Liverpool is a mix between City and the way football was 20 years ago – aggressive – where midfield players would get up box-to-box to try and fight.”

He added: “It’s a very exciting brand of football, but you have to say Manchester City is a fantastic team.”

Sign a striker, bolster defence and sell deadwood – what Manchester United need to do in January transfer window

Jake Lambourne — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0000

The January transfer window is looming large.

And after a disappointing start to the season, and with a change of the ownership structure afoot, Manchester United could be tempted to do some wheeling and dealing.

Erik ten Hag’s United side have struggled this season as they sit sixth in the table

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But what should their priorities be?

Bolster the forward line

It is pretty evident that United need to improve their misfiring attack.

The £72million Rasmus Hojlund has served up five Champions League goals, but is still to get off the mark in the Premier League while Marcus Rashford has endured a dramatic downturn in form from last season.

In fact, not a single United striker has scored a league goal at Old Trafford this season – a damning statistic that underlines why Erik ten Hag’s team find it so hard to win games.

In the past United have utilised the loan market in January to varying degrees of success (for every Henrik Larsson there is a Wout Weghorst).

But if they are to stand any realistic chances of finishing in the top four they may have to open the chequebook.

The obvious name on the lips of a lot of United fans is Napoli goal-machine Victor Osimhen, but it is highly unlikely the Italian champions will sell their star frontman mid-season.

Likewise, Brentford have placed a minimum price tag of £80m on Ivan Toney to ensure they keep him at least until the summer, while Evan Ferguson, a player admired by the United hierarchy, has only just signed a new deal at Brighton.

Hojlund is yet to open his account in the Premier League this season since joining from Atalanta

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United target Ferguson recently signed a new deal at Brighton

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United are among a cluster of Premier League clubs tracking Copenhagen wonderkid Roony Bardghji, but it is a risk asking a 17-year-old rookie to come in and ease the goalscoring burden.

Strengthen in defence

There is no hiding the fact United have been badly hit by injuries, particularly in defence and Ten Hag has rarely been able to name the same back four for successive matches.

In the case of Raphael Varane that should not be a surprise as the French World Cup winner has been dogged by fitness issues throughout his career, although the suspicion is that his recent omission from the team is more down to an issue with his manager.

Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo has been on the Ten Hag radar for some time, but it would upset Nice fans if incoming minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe was to raid his French club so soon.

The Red Devils could do worse than look at Bournemouth centre-back Lloyd Kelly, who is out of contract in the summer and wanted by a host of top clubs in Europe as well as the Premier League.

Kelly can also provide crucial cover at left-back, where the absence of Luke Shaw has hit United, and Rashford, particularly hard.

The Red Devils need to bring in a new centre-back no stranger to picking up knocks

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Legs in midfield

The make-up of Ten Hag’s midfield has been all wrong since the very first game of the season against Wolves.

Mason Mount is increasingly looking like a £60m luxury signing United did not need.

Meanwhile, Sofyan Amrabat, another summer addition, needs a runner alongside him to be seen to the best of his ability.

One name high on United’s wish-list is Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana and the Parisian is exactly the type of box-to-box midfielder they need without having to break the bank.

In terms of proven Premier League players, Douglas Luiz would also enhance United’s midfield armoury if Aston Villa could be persuaded to sell.

United are known to be admirers of France international Fofana

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Get rid of the deadwood

After such an underwhelming start to the season it might be quicker to draw up a list of players United should keep rather than look to move on.

Jadon Sancho has clearly kicked his last ball for the club, with his very public spat with manager Ten Hag providing an unhelpful side-show.

United will not get back anywhere near the £80m they paid to sign Sancho from Borussia Dortmund and he is also amongst the highest-paid stars at Old Trafford so a bit of flexibility will be needed on both sides.

Sancho has interest from Saudi Arabia and Juventus while Dortmund have also been closely monitoring his situation.

United would want at least an option to sign him permanently if not an obligation before sanctioning a loan deal.

They would also want the bulk of his wages covered.

Another player the Red Devils need to cut their losses on is striker Anthony Martial, whose contract expires at the end of the season and is also in the sights of Saudi Pro League sides.

Sancho appears to have kicked his last ball for United following his public spat with Ten Hag

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As talkSPORT revealed earlier this week, United will also consider any offers they receive for a seemingly declining Casemiro.

Getting those three big earners off the payroll would help provide funds to rebuild the squad.

Gabby Agbonlahor: Ghanaian MP should be first of many apologies to Manchester United defender Harry Maguire

Robert Calcutt — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 16:53:07 +0000

Gabby Agbonlahor believes that many pundits and fans should follow Ghanaian MP Isaac Adongo and apologise to Harry Maguire.

Adongo had previously debated vice president Mahamudu Bawumia, hinting he scored political own goals in what was also a dig to the United star.

MP Adongo apologised to Maguire whilst speaking in Ghanaian parliament

However, amid Maguire’s resurgence for the Premier League giants, Adongo publicly apologised to him whilst speaking in parliament, with the England international accepting in a reply on social media.

Agbonlahor has previously called for United fans to do the same after the defender faced huge swathes of criticism in recent years.

And now he has once again made such a plea, whilst also calling for fellow pundits to say sorry for their past judgements on Maguire.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast after the viral clip of Adongo this week, he said: “I think jokes aside, and everyone finds that clip funny when he first did it, but when that clip came out, it was disrespectful to Maguire.

Maguire accepted the apology amid his decent season so far for United

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But Gabby believes there should be more saying sorry to the defender

“He would have seen it going around Twitter (now X), everyone was having a dig at him, ‘You’ve got to leave, you’ve got to go to West Ham, you’re awful, you’re this…’

“Everyone was on his case, like there’s so many people that need to apologise to Harry Maguire because his mental health must’ve been all over the place.

“He’s dug deep, he’s got a good family around him, friends, and he’s stuck in there and he’s started playing his best football now. He’s in great form for England and Manchester United, keeping four-time Champions League winner [Raphael] Varane out the team.

“He’s keeping [Victor] Lindelof out the team, [Lisandro] Martinez comes back I’m sure Maguire will still start. So for me, there’s a lot of pundits and fans out there that should be apologising to Harry Maguire.”

Maguire has made 11 appearances for United this season, with starts coming in nine of those across all competitions.

Erik ten Hag’s side have had to deal with injuries in defence but the 30-year-old has proven to be an assured fixture at the back.

He scored their crucial Champions League winner at home against FC Copenhagen and assisted Scott McTominay’s winner in their late victory over Brentford.

Maguire has been rewarded for his efforts with further call-ups to the England team, with the centre-back in contention to play at Euro 2024 next summer.

Abandoned training ground with links to Diego Maradona bought by Ballon d’Or winner with new look planned

Phil Spencer — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 16:36:25 +0000

An abandoned plot of land made famous by Diego Maradona will be reopened after being purchased by Fabio Cannavaro.

The 2006 Ballon d’Or winner revealed over the summer that he had bought the land of the Centro Paradiso, the former training base of Italian giants Napoli.

Cannavaro completed the purchase over the summer and has grand plans

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It was there that the Naples-based side spent almost 40 years as they developed some of football’s biggest talents such as Cannavaro and attracted star names like Maradona who trained there every day for seven years during his time at the club in the 1980s.

Such was Maradona’s reputation at the Soccavo-based training ground, a mural was created on the outer walls depicting Maradona and his daughter Dalma, due to his legendary reputation as someone who would entertain locals with flicks and tricks on the playing field.

The grounds boasted a football pitch, changing rooms and a stadium where eagle-eyed fans could get a glimpse of stars such as Maradona, Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola and Cannavaro in action.

However after opening in 1975, the training base had been left derelict after Napoli were declared bankrupt in 2004.

Cannavaro, renowned as one of football’s greatest-ever defenders, started his career with Naples where he trained on the ground as an academy player before breaking into the first team.

He made 68 appearances for Napoli before moving to Parma in 1995.

But the World Cup winner has always remembered his roots and after purchasing the land, Cannavaro has set about opening a football school to offer something back to the local community where he realised his dreams of being a professional footballer.

Discussing the purchase, Cannavaro said: “I found everything destroyed, in fact I didn’t find anything that was there.

Maradona is a legendary figure for the way he used to entertain the local

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The ground was Napoli’s training ground for nearly 40 years

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A number of legendary players had made their way out of the tunnel

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The once stunning facility has been abandoned for almost 20 years

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It was once home to some of Napoli’s biggest stars

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“The project is to redo the pitch, but also the stadium.

“I want to create a football school for the kids in the neighborhood and for those who want to come.

“It’s not easy to distract young people from cell phones, TVs, consoles and for this reason I want to create something beautiful.

“The timing? I don’t know yet, it’s early.”

In Napoli, Cannavaro started the sort of career that many could only dream of.

Cannavaro plans to open a football school for the community

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As well as playing for Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid among others, the defender won 136 caps for Italy, three league titles and a World Cup for his country in 2006.

When Maradona arrived in Naples in 1984, no team from the south of Italy had won the league before but all that changed with the so-called Saviour.

With Maradona in the side, Napoli won the title in 1987 and 1990 and the stadium was renamed in his honour from the Stadio San Paolo to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona following his shock death at the age of 60 in 2020.

New footage shows ex-Manchester United man Angel Di Maria appearing to spit at Brazil fans ahead of chaotic World Cup qualifier

Jake Lambourne — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 16:19:22 +0000

Angel Di Maria appeared to spit at Brazil fans as he headed down the tunnel in new footage that has gone viral on social media.

Di Maria and his Argentina teammates were on their way back to their changing room amid the ‘bloody’ chaotic crowd trouble ahead of the World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night.

Di Maria looked to have spat at a Brazil fan in the stands after being showered by beer

Instagram @flazoeiro_oficial

The kick-off was delayed by 30 minutes as both sets of fans fought in the stands, with police then intervening with batons.

It led to Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to try and defend the Argentina fans as he attempted to jump into the visiting section.

World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi tried to calm down the situation, before he led his teammates down the tunnel as tempers continued to flare.

And in a video that has been circulating online, Benfica winger Di Maria could be seen in a verbal altercation with a fan.

As he then looked to head inside, he turned up to face the individual one last time, who responded by showering beer over him.

The ex-Manchester United forward’s immediate reaction was to jump up before he seemingly spat at the individual, who wasn’t in shot.

He then quickly left the scene as home fans at the Maracana whistled and waved goodbye to the Argentina squad.

But it was Argentina that would have the last laugh as they inflicted a first ever home World Cup qualifying defeat on the five-time champions.

Di Maria’s angry reaction came as a result of being struck by a drink

Instagram @flazoeiro_oficial

The Real Madrid icon came off the bench as Argentina prevailed as 1-0 winners

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Nicolas Otamendi scored the only goal of the game to help Argentina remain top of the CONMEBOL qualifying table.

As for Brazil, they sit sixth out of ten nations having lost three out of their opening six matches.

Following the fiery fixture, Messi hit out at the Brazilian police, saying: “It was bad because we saw how they were beating people.

“The police, as happened in the [Copa] Libertadores final, were once again repressing the people with night sticks.

“We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, it could have ended in tragedy.

“You think about the families, the people who are there, who don’t know what’s going on and we were more concerned about that than playing a match that, at that point, was of secondary importance.”

Arsenal injury list: Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus close to returns but Ben White joins Jurrien Timber on absentee list

Jack Cunningham — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 16:19:03 +0000

Arsenal are still looking to mount another Premier League title challenge this year after falling short last season, but injuries aren’t helping.

The Gunners have been without new signing Jurrien Timber for the whole season, while Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus have both also had spells out of the side.

Timber damaged his ACL on the first game of the season and is set to be out until well into 2024

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Little niggles to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli haven’t helped, leaving Arsenal stretched in certain areas.

However, there does appear to be some positive news regarding a couple of players.

Arsenal’s injury list and how long they are out for

Jurrien Timber [ACL injury] – unknown

Timber impressed during the Community Shield win against Manchester City before leaving the field just minutes into his Premier League debut.

The Dutchman is currently recovering, but the latest reports from the Netherlands suggest he won’t be playing again until the start of next season.

Gabriel Jesus [hamstring strain] – few days

Jesus asked to come off during Arsenal’s Champions League game away against Sevilla with a hamstring problem.

He was then surprisingly called up by Brazil for the latest round of international matches but played 90 minutes in their 1-0 defeat to Argentina.

Jesus’ return should boost Arteta’s side

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Thomas Partey [unspecified muscle problem] – 6-7 weeks

Partey has struggled with injuries throughout the majority of 2023 and this latest issue looks set to keep him out until 2024.

When fit, the Ghanaian is a key part of Arteta’s team, but these medium-term issues leave the Gunners short in midfield.

Emile Smith Rowe [knee problem] 3-4 weeks

The England international isn’t a regular first-team player anymore but still has the quality to make an impact when called upon.

Unfortunately, he’s out with a knee injury and isn’t expected back until near the end of next month.

Smith Rowe is enduring a frustrating season

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Martin Odegaard [concussion] – few days

Odegaard missed a few games before the international break due to a couple of problems, but he’s overcome those and should be back in the first-team squad imminently.

The Arsenal captain didn’t play against Newcastle because of a hip issue and then suffered a concussion in training, meaning he missed out against Sevilla and Burnley.

Odegaard didn’t play for Norway in matches against Scotland or Faroe Islands during the break but is back in first-team training.

Odegaard has missed Arsenal’s last three games

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Ben White [unspecified muscle issue] – unknown

White is one of Arsenal’s most important players and is involved in nearly every game.

However, he currently has an unknown muscle problem that saw him miss the Burnley match, and Mikel Arteta will hope it’s nothing serious.

White is struggling with a muscle problem

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Why does Jude Bellingham not wear the No.22 jersey anymore? England star takes Zinedine Zidane’s iconic number at Real Madrid

Jack Johnson — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 15:42:42 +0000

Jude Bellingham is taking the world by storm at Real Madrid but he is doing so without his signature number on the back of his shirt.

The now England star first rose to prominence at Birmingham City, coming through the academy and playing for the club aged 16.

The No.22 shirt became Bellingham’s signature

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Bellingham wore the No.22 shirt during that time and the Blues’ head of development has revealed how that number was decided.

Explaining how 22 came from adding the typical shirt numbers of all the midfield roles combined, Mike Dodds told talkSPORT 2: “Like most boys that age, they want to be a No.10.

“And I remember, we sat down with him and we said, we think you’re doing yourself a disservice, we think you can do all of it.

“So we came up with, ‘we think you can be a 22’. His eyes lit up and we knew we had hooked him from then on in!”

When the 20-year-old left Birmingham to join Borussia Dortmund, the number was retired in recognition of his time at the club.

He then took the 22 shirt at Dortmund, however, he decided to not wear the number after heading to Spain this summer.

Why does Bellingham not wear No.22 anymore?

Bellingham changed from wearing No. 22 after joining Real Madrid.

Antonio Rudiger already wears the number for the club meaning the shirt wasn’t available.

So, he decided to take the iconic No.5 shirt at Los Blancos instead, leaving his usual digits behind.

Speaking in a press conference after arriving in Spain, Bellingham explained his decision to change.

He said: “I’ve said in many interviews how much I admire Zinedine Zidane, the legacy he’s had at the club with this number.

Zidane made the No.5 shirt iconic in Madrid

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And Bellingham has taken on the mantle

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“I’m just trying to be Jude, but it’s definitely a bit of a homage to how great he was.

The midfielder hasn’t forgotten about the meaning of his No.22 though, and he mentioned that it is still his number despite not actually wearing it.

“The number 22 has a big meaning for me,” he explained.

“And in my heart, I’m still number 22, just with the number 5 on my back.”

Harry Kane set to break another Bundesliga record by Christmas following stunning start to Bayern Munich career

Jake Lambourne — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 15:32:28 +0000

Harry Kane is on course to break another Bundesliga record with his fairy tale start to life in Germany showing no signs of slowing down.

The 30-year-old has been nothing short of sensational since swapping Tottenham for Bayern Munich in a deal worth more than £100million in August.

Kane has starred for Bayern Munich since linking up with the German giants

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In 16 games in all competitions this season, Kane has chipped in with 21 goals and seven assists, with 16 of his strikes coming in the Bundesliga.

Kane, who has already fired in three hat-tricks this term, is the leading scorer out of Europe’s top five leagues.

His last treble came in the 4-0 win away at rivals Borussia Dortmund, as the Englishman become the first player to register a hat-trick in their first Der Klassiker outing.

And earlier this month, the Three Lions skipper set a new German top-flight record by finding the back of the net 17 times in his opening 11 outings.

Therefore it should come as no surprise that Bayern fans have fallen in love with Spurs and England’s all-time record goalscorer.

While he’s made light work of smashing records on the pitch, he now looks set to break a new one away from it.

According to Kicker, Kane could set a new Bayern record for most shirts sold with his name and number on in a single season – and it may happen before Christmas.

The German news outlet states that the Bavarian outfit are expecting to flog more than 100,000 ‘Kane 9’ jerseys prior to the annual festive day.

No other player in Europe’s top five leagues have scored more than Kane this season

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Kane was a hit with Bayern supporters before he had even kicked a ball, with the club offloading 10,000 shirts on the day of his arrival.

That figure had doubled by the end of the weekend, with the three-time Premier League boot winner more than repaying the fans’ faith in him.

The ex-Leyron Orient loanee is already on course to score the most goals in a debut Bundesliga campaign to break Uwe Seeler’s record of 30 for Hamburg in the 1963/64 season.

Speaking to Channel 4 recently over why he decided to link up with Thomas Tuchel‘s side, Kane said: “It was always something I wanted to do [move abroad].

“I was at spurs for 19-years but always in back of mind wanted to experience a new league, a new culture and team.

“Things in football come together at the right time and Bayern were there and I was excited by the challenge I face going there.

“I’ve really enjoyed it, playing in a new stadium, new fanbase, and I’m happy with how I’ve started.”

Forgotten Premier League striker completes unexpected move to non-league Macclesfield

Lee Davey — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 15:05:41 +0000

Macclesfield have completed the signing of former Everton and Hull striker Oumar Niasse on a short-term deal.

The 33-year-old has been without a club since leaving Morecambe at the end of last season following their relegation to League Two.

Oumar Niasse briefly featured under legendary Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti

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The striker who has represented Senegal nine times will spend the foreseeable future playing in the Northern Premier League.

A statement from the club read: “Macclesfield FC are delighted to have agreed terms to the signing of former Everton and Hull City striker Oumar Niasse on a short term deal subject to league approval.

“Boasting a wealth of experience, Niasse will be able to share his expertise from making over 50 appearances at the highest level.

“The former Senegalese International provides a real threat with his pace and power and adds real quality to Alex Bruce’s squad.

“Everyone at Macclesfield FC would like to wish Oumar every success during his time at The Leasing.com Stadium.”

Niasse is best known for a four-year spell at Goodison Park where he scored eight times in 35 appearances before successive loan spells at Hull and Cardiff.

His time at Everton was marred after falling out of favour with the then boss Ronald Koeman.

After featuring in a bit-part role during his first season at the club, Niasse was not given a squad number ahead of the 2016–17 campaign after being informed by Koeman that he would need to find a new club.

The Dutchman told reporters: “If Niasse likes to play football he needs to leave Everton.”

Niasse joined Hull on loan from Everton in 2017, scoring four times for the Tigers

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Niasse failed to strike a move before the transfer deadline and was subsequently reintegrated into Koeman’s first team set-up and handed a new squad number.

But the striker’s renaissance didn’t last long as he was demoted to the under-23 squad two-months later.

Manchester United injury list: Andre Onana, Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund join Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro on sidelines

Jack Cunningham — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 14:23:00 +0000

It’s been a bizarre season so far for Manchester United, and the injuries are mounting up.

Several players like Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez have barely played a game for the Red Devils this year due to injury, and there are no signs of the problems easing.

Andre Onana is the latest player to join Man United’s injury list

2023 AMA Sports Photo Agency

Erik ten Hag‘s options in defence have been particularly limited, meaning Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire have had to step in.

But there are players missing all across the squad, which, when you are competing on three fronts, isn’t ideal.

Manchester United’s injury list and how long they are out for

Casemiro [thigh injury] – 5 weeks

Casemiro started the 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle but was substituted at half time with a thigh problem.

Ten Hag then revealed he would be out until Christmas, meaning he will miss the remainder of Man United’s Champions League campaign.

Casemiro’s season is falling apart

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Amad Diallo [knee inury] – 7-8 weeks

Diallo sustained a nasty knee problem during pre-season that was expected to keep him out of action until the New Year.

He’s yet to return to training but could play an important role for the Red Devils next year, with Jadon Sancho expected to leave and Antony struggling for form.

Christian Eriksen [knee injury] – 4 weeks

Eriksen is set for a month on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury during the 1-0 win over Luton.

The Dane has been playing in midfield, and with Casemiro also out, there are going to be some tired legs in the centre of the park.

Jonny Evans [hamstring problem] – unknown

Evans rejoined United this summer, eight years after leaving to join West Brom, and he’s already played eight games this season.

However, he was withdrawn against Copenhagen with a hamstring strain after just 16 minutes, and it’s unclear when he will return.

Evans’ injury leaves Man United with very few defensive options

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Rasmus Hojlund [muscle strain] – 3 weeks

Hojlund started the 1-0 win over Luton but was withdrawn ten minutes before the end of the game with a muscle strain.

Man United hope he’s back before the end of November, meaning he shouldn’t miss too many games.

Andre Onana [unspecified problem] – unknown

Onana is the latest player to join Man United’s growing injury list with an unknown problem after leaving the pitch during international duty with Cameroon.

The goalkeeper was substituted in the 81st minute of Cameroon’s game against Mauritius and will now be assessed by the team at Carrington.

Tyrell Malacia [ongoing knee problem] – unknown

Where is he?

Malacia has yet to play a single competitive game this season and has been absent with an ongoing knee problem.

Ten Hag revealed in August that he was only a few weeks away, but the Dutchman is yet to return.

Malacia is yet to play this season

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Lisandro Martinez [foot injury] – 4-8 weeks

Martinez is expected to be out until at least Christmas due to a foot injury suffered at the end of September.

The Argentine has only made six appearances this season, and the Red Devils are missing his passing and aggression at the back.

Luke Shaw [unspecified muscle problem] – few days

Shaw is another who has been absent for some time, but he’s back in full training.

The left-back was one of United’s best players last season, and they are really missing him so his return could be very important.

Shaw hasn’t played since August

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Aaron Wan-Bissaka [ill] – 2 weeks

Wan-Bissaka has only just returned from a hamstring injury, but he’s now picked up a virus.

However, he should be back for either the Premier League return or the Red Devils’ Champions League clash against Galatasaray.

What is the Euro 2024 play-off draw and when will the fixtures be played? Wales face tough challenge to join England in Germany

Jack Cunningham — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:47:30 +0000

The main part of Euro 2024 qualifying is over, but some teams are still fighting for a place.

Twelve countries still stand a chance of making it to UEFA‘s premier international event, and they are now in a play-off situation.

Wales must overcome two opponents to make it to the Euros

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It’s a really tough scenario and only three sides will be successful, leaving nine heartbroken nations.

What is the Euro 2024 play-off draw?

Unlike all previous Euro qualifiers, the 12 teams were selected based on their Nations League performances.

The group winners from all divisions in Leagues A, B, and C were automatically guaranteed a place in this play-off draw.

However, if they had already qualified, it passed down to the next best-ranked side.

League D were not meant to have any nation in the play-offs, but because fewer than four teams entered from one league, Estonia, the top-ranked side in D, got a place.

This new system has seen Norway, Sweden, and Montenegro miss out despite finishing third in their Euro 2024 qualifying groups.

Estonia ended up at the bottom of theirs and got a place, while Georgia were fourth.

Therefore, this new system adds importance to the Nations League and turns Euro qualifying into a straight shootout for a top-two spot.

Erling Haaland and Norway have missed out on the Euros entirely

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These European countries all hope to make it to the Euros

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Euro 2024 play-off teams

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Estonia
Finland
Georgia
Greece
Iceland
Israel
Kazakhstan
Luxembourg
Poland
Ukraine
Wales

Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has a very good chance of making it to the Euros with Georgia

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Euro 2024 play-off fixtures and dates

The draw for the play-off semi-finals has been already made, which means that each team knows their potential route to Germany.

All of the semi-final games will take place on March 21, 2024.

There will then be three play-off finals and they will be on March 26, 2024, with the winner from each advancing to Euro 2024.

Path A: Poland vs Estonia
Path A: Wales vs Finland
Path A final: Wales/Finland vs Poland/Estonia

Path B: Israel vs Iceland
Path B: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Ukraine
Path B final: Bosnia-Herzegovina/Ukraine vs Israel/Iceland

Path C: Georgia vs Luxembourg
Path C: Greece vs Kazakhstan
Path C final: Georgia/Luxembourg vs Greece/Kazakhstan

Robert Lewandowski and co could face a trip to Wales to decide their Euro 2024 fate

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Euro 2024 play-offs: Wales’ path

Wales have been handed a potentially tough test, but it could have been worse.

For one, they are at home for their semi-final game against Finland, and should they win that, they will be at home for the final, which would see them play either Poland or Estonia.

Now, you would assume it will be Poland, given Estonia’s dreadful displays during qualifying, but you never know.

If they are to face Poland, they will be going up against Robert Lewandowski and co, who they faced during their Nations League campaign and lost both games.

The two fixtures were tightly contested, and on another day, Wales would have won both, so they shouldn’t have anything to fear.

And Wales boss, Rob Page, was pleased with the draw.

When asked if this was the best they could have hoped for at a press conference, he said: “Yeah, I think so.

“We’ve got the home leg for the semi-final. We didn’t particularly want to play Ukraine again.

“I am taking nothing away from Finland, it’s going to be a very tough challenge, but we’ve proven we are capable of getting fantastic results, so we are hoping for two big efforts.”

Ireland warned NOT to appoint Roy Keane as manager by Gabby Agbonlahor who hated working under him

Uma Gurav — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:09:04 +0000

Gabby Agbonlahor has warned the Republic of Ireland not to appoint Roy Keane as their next manager.

It was confirmed on Wednesday that Stephen Kenny would be departing after the Football Association of Ireland chose not to renew his contract.

Keane has previously served as assistant manager for Ireland

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The Republic of Ireland failed to qualify for Euro 2024, but the final straw came as they capped off a frustrating year with a draw against New Zealand on Tuesday.

They are now in search of a new manager with Neil Lennon, Lee Carsley and Chris Hughton among the names to have been suggested.

But one candidate who could be in the running has sparked disapproval from talkSPORT’s Gabby Agbonlahor.

After Manchester United legend Keane name was suggested as a potential option on talkSPORT Breakfast, Agbonlahor, who previously branded him as a ‘bitter person’, was quick to make his feelings known.

He said: “I don’t see him becoming Ireland manager.”

Agbonlahor spent time with Keane when the 52-year-old worked as the Villans’ assistant manager at the start of the 2014/15 season.

And he was certain that Keane’s methods of coaching were not the right fit for the Republic of Ireland.

He remarked: “When I was with him at Aston Villa, his style of management now, it wouldn’t work with the players of this day and age.

Agbonlahor warned against Keane’s ‘aggressive’ coaching style

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Ireland are on the lookout for a new boss following Kenny’s exit

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“They wouldn’t be able to handle it. He’s too harsh on players so I don’t think that would happen.”

Agbonlahor added: “Players are different now to 15 or 20 years ago when they could handle the aggressive approach from a coach and a manager.

“Roy Keane would be that manager.”

After retiring as a player in 2006, Keane took on management roles at Sunderland and Ipswich Town.

He also held the post of assistant manager for the Republic of Ireland previously, as well as serving short spells at Villa and Nottingham Forest in the same role.

Keane experienced particular success with Sunderland, taking them from 23rd in the Championship all the way to Premier League promotion in 2007.

But Keane’s management style was not always appreciated and the Daily Telegraph reported that after he resigned from his post at Sunderland in 2008, the players had celebrated his exit – and Agbonlahor’s warning echoes such reports.

The Republic of Ireland are next in action in March where they will compete in friendly matches, but it remains to be seen when Kenny’s replacement will be announced.

Wrexham vs Accrington Stanley ticket row erupts on talkSPORT as Shaun Harvey and Andy Holt phone in

Phil Spencer — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:02:49 +0000

The dispute between Wrexham and Accrington Stanley erupted once again, this time live on talkSPORT!

Hollywood-owned Wrexham travelled to the Wham Stadium at the weekend for their League Two clash – a game they lost 2-0, however it was events on social media that caused a storm and stole the headlines.

Andy Holt, the Accrington Stanley owner, is not too pleased with Wrexham

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With Accrington increasing their ticket prices for all 5,261 fans in attendance – 2,587 of whom made the 75 mile trip up from Wrexham – from £20 to £25 for the match, the Welsh side took to X to announce that they would be reducing their prices by £5 for the return fixture at the Racecourse Ground.

That post was shared at 11am on Saturday morning, hours before the 3pm kick-off, and was liked by Ryan Reynolds, leading it to be viewed almost four million times.

That led Accrington owner, Andy Holt, to share a series of posts on X, taking aim at Wrexham and the Deadpool actor by saying: “Accrington 2 Hollywood 0. I think Ryan Reynolds should cut prices by a tenner. Safe journey home folks, get that on Netflix, Ryan lad.”

With tempers flared between both clubs, Holt was invited to chat with Jim White and Simon Jordan to have his say on the weekend’s fallout, but what followed was a big disagreement between three footballing powerhouses…

Speaking on White and Jordan, Holt said: “Our ticket prices are £20 per game, but when we have a big police bill or expect a big police bill then we increase the price.

“That police bill comes about by the away club’s behaviour – not our behaviour, because we don’t get any police bills.

“So if the cost of selling a ticket is a fiver a ticket because of the increased cost, then it has to be paid by somebody, and I’m not paying it.”

He went on: “I’ve got nothing against Wrexham, the Hollywood owners and the rest of it, but if they think they’re going to get their kicks by tweeting about my club, one of the smaller clubs in the league, just because they’re in a good space, then it’s not going to work.”

Wrexham announced that they’d be reduced tickets for the return clash just four hours before the game

X: WrexhamAFC

Ryan Reynolds liked Wrexham’s tweet which meant it was viewed almost four million times

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Simon Jordan replied: “Andy, I get the irritation about the manner in which they conducted themselves and I get it more in the fact they’ve done it before the game because it can inflame tensions, but what I don’t get is the commercial logic behind creating a situation around an additional cost that comes with a huge benefit.

“If your average attendance is 2,500 per game and an away support is bringing 2,500 down to inflate the revenues you get for the game, you charge £20 and you’re getting 2,000 more tickets than the average club does then you’re already bringing £40,000 of additional revenue in.

“If policing costs are £10,000, you’re still £30,000 better off as a result of them bringing more support than anybody else in the division.”

However Holt came back fighting, saying: “That’s like saying ‘if you bring a lot of fans we’ll reduce the ticket prices’.

Holt was not smiling after seeing Wrexham’s post on the morning of the game

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Accrington Stanley’s chairman shared a rather salty message on social media – although ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ is actually on Disney+…

“If we charge £20 per ticket but the cost of selling the ticket is an extra fiver, we’d then get £15 per ticket.

“Next time you go and see Madonna, put in all of the costs and see if they’ll let you have the ticket for a lower price.

“I don’t know when it was put to them but at the start of the season it was always going to be a high-category game, we go through it with the leagues and that’s how it is.

“They had tickets for weeks in the offices, so they’ve known it [the prices].”

Responding to Jordan saying he understands the logic, Holt replied: “What are you arguing for, then?

“This is how I run a business, so it’s not a fight. I can charge what I want for a ticket – to anybody and everybody. It’s my club.”

The Wham Stadium was half-full of Wrexham fans

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Simon Jordan disagreed with the way that Andy Holt conducted himself

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Asked how Shaun Harvey responded to the row, Holt said: “He just smirked when I called him about it.

“At the end of the day, they didn’t need to post about it and they didn’t need to retweet it to 21million of Ryan Reynolds’ followers.

“It just makes us out to be a thieving club or a club that takes money off fans.”

While Holt and Jordan respectfully agreed to disagree over the handling of the situation, Wrexham’s chief executive Shaun Harvey then joined talkSPORT to have his say on the club’s decision to announce that tickets would be £5 cheaper when the sides face off at the Racecourse Ground later this season.

Harvey said: “I don’t know if you can categorise it as cheeky. We made the decision that that was the action we were going to take in very much the same way as Andy’s entitled to charge the prices that he wants to charge.

“Just for the record, he increased the prices for Accrington fans as well, not just for Wrexham so there’s never been any suggestion that rules have been broken.

Shaun Harvey stood by the mass of Wrexham supporters who traveled to the game

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Wrexham contributed almost half of the overall attendance at the Wham Stadium

X: WrexhamAFC

“We took the decision to reduce the prices by £5 simply to compensate those fans who are having to pay £5 more to watch the game at the Wham Stadium.

“When did we make the decision? Probably Thursday or Friday that week.

“I’m sure we were informed what the ticket prices would be at the start of the season but whether it was explained that it was more than any other game at the Wham Stadium this season I doubt, although I have to reserve my position because I didn’t get the original email.”

However Jordan was quick to respond, saying: “You aren’t taking a commercial decision, Shaun. You’re taking a facetious decision.

“You’re taking revenue away from yourselves to make a point at the expense of Accrington and you know you are.”

Harvey responded: “We made the decision that we felt was appropriate and one that we were financially prepared to stand by,” to which Jordan said: “But you’re doing it at the expense of another football club.

Harvey was accused of virtue-signalling to the Wrexham fans

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Meanwhile Jim White was in his element as he sat back and watched the debate play out

talkSPORT

“You’re being facetious and you’re virtue-signalling to your own fans and the rest of football at the expense of Andy Holt who told you at the beginning of the season.

“You knew it and then you drop it on the eve of the game that you’re going to do something different so that Wrexham look great, Accrington look poor, and you create tension before a game which you know is not very good.”

“Andy’s made conscious decisions as well and Accrington have made decisions to increase the price and we’ve responded in a way that we felt was appropriate,” said Harvey.

“I think we’re as entitled to make our decisions and announce those decisions as Accrington are.

“Social media has been full of the debate in relation to the increase of prices at Accrington long before fans turned up at the stadium on Saturday.

“Our fans have been making the point for a considerable period of time, as have Accrington fans who were also making the point, so this wasn’t just created on the morning of the game, this must have started when the conscious decision was made to increase ticket prices.

While disagreeing with Holt, Simon Jordan also held Shaun Harvey to account

talkSPORT

“We agree with Simon that they shouldn’t have put the ticket prices up.”

Asked if he’ll be keeping the £5 deduction for the clash at the Racecourse Ground, Harvey said: “Absolutely!

“Andy will never be short of letting people know what his opinions are, so I don’t think we need to second guess what his thoughts on the matter were!”

The return game between Wrexham and Accrington Stanley is due to take place on Saturday, March 2 at the Racecourse Ground.

Get your popcorn ready.

The 15 most valuable young players in football from Erling Haaland to Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka

Phil Spencer — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:44:00 +0000

In a world where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated for so long, football is looking for their next big star.

But out of all of the talent around, which players make it into the top 15 on the planet?

Plenty of talented young stars are hoping to fill the void left by football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Of course there are numerous ways to quantify talent, with different players breaking into senior football at different times, but the best of the best have wasted little time in making an impact.

That means that for players like Rasmus Hojlund at Manchester United, there is still work to do if he’s to rub shoulders with the best.

The same can be said for Lamine Yamal at Barcelona or Real Madrid-bound Endrick with the two teenagers facing the prospect of a formative couple of years ahead as they look to really make an impact on the global stage.

For those on our list, adapting to life at the top of the tree has been a breeze.

Each of our 15 players are shining week in, week out in one of Europe’s top five leagues – England’s Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, Spain’s La Liga or the German Bundesliga.

While France’s Ligue 1 isn’t represented, they need not feel bad with global superstar Kylian Mbappe just missing out as a result of being 24 years of age, making him too old for our list of stars aged under 23.

Here talkSPORT.com looks at the best 15 players, ranked in order of their estimated transfer value.

15. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal | £70million)

Martinelli has come on leaps and bounds under the leadership of Mikel Arteta

The Brazil star’s quality performances have been a key part of Arsenal‘s meteoric rise in recent years.

After signing as a relative unknown from Ituano for £6million, few would have predicted how the forward would kick on to become one of the Premier League’s top forwards.

Pace and trickery was always his thing, but now the 22-year-old has added crucial end-product to his game after scoring 15 and contributing five assists for the Gunners last term as they narrowly missed out on the title.

While a troublesome hamstring injury has disrupted the early part of Martinelli’s 2023/24 campaign, Mikel Arteta knows that he’ll be crucial to challenging for the Premier League in the years to come.

14. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli | £74.5million)

The Napoli star has the footballing hopes of Georgia firmly on his shoulders

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Kvaratskhelia is a player with the footballing hopes of Georgia firmly on his shoulders.

After making his name in his homeland, the winger’s big break came with Rubin Kazan in 2019, only for his three-year stay in Russia to come to an end due to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine leading him to join Dinamo Batumi in Georgia.

After just a few months, the talented star joined Napoli and enjoyed a wonderful first season with the club as he scored 12 and provided 13 on the way to the Serie A title.

His form in 2023/24, along with his Ballon d’Or nomination, shows that the 22-year-old is only just getting started.

13. Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen | £74.5million)

German football has a new challenger in town with Xabi Alonso‘s Bayer Leverkusen looking to push Bayern Munich to become top dogs.

Among their many talents is Wirtz, a player who boasts vast experience in spite of his tender years.

The 20-year-old was electric in 2021/22, before a cruciate ligament injury ended his season early and meant that he missed the first half of 2022/23 as well.

However Wirtz has overcome that huge injury blow in emphatic fashion and is now the beating heart of a Bayer Leverkusen side who are challenging for Bundesliga and Europa League glory.

12. Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid | £78.8million)

Tchouameni is part of a new-look Real Madrid midfield trio

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Tchouameni has the potential to be the beating heart of Real Madrid‘s side for years to come.

The French midfielder arrived at the club in 2022 after a successful two years with Monaco and immediately made his mark with 50 appearances for Los Blancos in his debut season.

While the 23-year-old started 2023/24 in typically dominant style, a stress fracture in his foot during El Classico meant his momentum was halted somewhat.

However with Real Madrid building a team that could dominate football for years to come, Tchouameni will be desperate to get back in on the action.

11. Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid | £78.8million)

Camavinga is already one of the best deep-lying midfielders in the world

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Since joining the club from Rennes in 2021, Camavinga has proven himself as one of the best young midfielders in the world.

The France international is one of the best deep-lying midfielder players in world football, an impressive achievement given that he’s only 20 years of age.

With a La Liga title, a Champions League winners’ medal and a Copa Del Rey already under his belt, Camavinga has picked up that winning feeling early in his career.

Given that expectations are relentlessly high at the Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder could have a big role to play in the years to come.

10. Gavi (Barcelona | £78.8million)

The youngest player on our list, which just goes to show the supreme levels of talent that we’re talking about.

The Barcelona starlet graduated from the famous La Masia academy setup and wasted little time in making a big impact.

Despite being just 19, Gavi has already racked up way over 100 appearances for Barcelona, as well as claiming a La Liga and Copa Del Rey trophy.

However after picking up a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury, the Spaniard will be desperate to get himself back to full fitness at the earliest possible opportunity.

9. Moises Caicedo (Chelsea | £78.8million)

Caicedo is starting to show his quality at Chelsea following his £115m move

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The central midfielder was the subject of a hugely intense transfer battle in the summer of 2023 and it’s not hard to see why.

Having made 53 appearances for an impressive Brighton side, Caicedo was involved in a transfer tug of war between Chelsea and Liverpool, with the Blues eventually signing him for £115million.

Since then, the 22-year-old has already proven himself as a key player in west London, forming an exciting partnership with Enzo Fernandez in midfield.

Caicedo has a huge price tag to live up to, but given his performances for both Brighton and Chelsea so far, it’s clear that he has the ability to become one of the world’s best.

8. Rodrygo (Real Madrid | £96.3million)

Rodrygo might be one of Real Madrid’s most important players

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The Brazil international made the move from Brazil to Madrid after joining from Santos in 2019 for a fee worth £39.4million.

Since then, the winger has become a key performer for Los Blancos, showing that he’s much more than just a fresh-faced talent.

Rodrygo looked up to Cristiano Ronaldo as a young fan of Real Madrid, a perfect role model for someone who is looking to reach the top of the game.

But while Ronaldo’s career would be a tough ask for anyone to emulate, Rodrygo is already showing himself capable.

7. Pedri (Barcelona | £96.3million)

Pedri has the makings of a true Barcelona legend.

The Spaniard is one of La Liga’s most exciting players to watch after proving himself as a natural successor to Andres Iniesta in the Barca midfield.

While he actually started his career with Las Palmas, the 20-year-old looks every inch the La Masia graduate and got his first taste of silverware by winning the Copa Del Rey at the age of just 18.

Barcelona are going through a tricky time, but with young talent aplenty, they’ll never be too far away from the top of the game.

6. Phil Foden (Manchester City | £96.3million)

Foden is still only 23 despite being a first team star for years at Man City

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When Pep Guardiola tips you for stardom, you know that the football world is going to be watching your development very closely.

While some might suggest that Foden is yet to reach his peak, his role in Manchester City‘s recent success is clear to see.

The Man City academy graduate has already racked up almost 250 appearances for the club, while also picking up just about every trophy available at club level, including five Premier League titles.

Given that Foden first emerged in 2017/18, it’s easy to forget that he’s just 23 years of age, meaning that on his current trajectory, the midfielder’s record could be out of this world by the time he reaches his 30s.

5. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich | £96.3million)

Bayern star Musiala has no shortage of admirers

2023 Sebastian Frej/MB Media

The German international is well known in England, having spent a large chunk of his football upbringing with Southampton and Chelsea.

However since joining Bayern Munich at the age of 16, Musiala has not wasted any time.

The central midfielder, who can also play on the left flank, made his mark on the first team between 2020 and 2022, before enjoying a sublime year in 2022/23 with 15 goals and 15 assists to his name.

Now playing alongside Harry Kane at Bayern, the 20-year-old has the chance to challenge for major honours on the European stage, not just in Germany.

4. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal | £105.1million)

Saka is the jewel in Arsenal’s crown

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Just when Arsenal fans think that Saka can’t get any better, he finds another gear to slip into.

The winger is arguably the Gunners’ most important attacking player, something that’s shown by Mikel Arteta’s desire to play him in every game possible.

Saka will surpass 200 appearances for Arsenal before the end of 2023 and given his status as a regular for England, he rightly deserves his place among the world’s best young players.

The one thing eluding him so far is major trophies, something that he’ll be keen to add in the coming years.

3. Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid | £131.4million)

Vinicius Jr has the potential to be the world’s best winger

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The Brazilian star is arguably Real Madrid’s stand out player, but more than that, he has been for several years.

While only 23, Vini Jr has been part of the furniture in Real Madrid’s first team since the 2018/19 campaign when he made an immediate impact after joining from Flamengo.

Two La Liga titles, a Copa Del Rey and a Champions League later and the winger has the sort of trophy haul that any young player can only dream of.

With Los Blancos in the process of building for a bright future, there’s little doubt that he’ll be one of the club’s main men in attacking areas for years to come.

2. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid | £131.4million)

The football world is already running out of superlatives for Jude Bellingham

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If you haven’t fallen in love with Jude Bellingham yet, where have you been?

The midfielder’s story is a real tale of ‘hometown here done good’ after leaving boyhood club Birmingham City for Borussia Dortmund and making a success of himself.

In truth, that barely does him justice after joining Real Madrid in the summer and becoming one of elite football’s most in-form players.

Florentino Perez has already suggested that Bellingham is well on his way to becoming a Real Madrid legend – a massive compliment for a 20-year-old who has only been there for a matter of months.

But after winning the Kopa Trophy and the Golden Boy award, there’s a real feeling that it’s only a matter of time until Bellingham can add his list to a glittering list of Ballon d’Or winners.

1. Erling Haaland (Manchester City | £157.7m)

Haaland is on course to break just about every goalscoring record around

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Another player who looks set to scoop the Ballon d’Or – and lots of them.

It feels like Haaland has been around for years and years after hopping from Molde to Red Bull Salzburg to Borussia Dortmund and most recently, to Manchester City.

Each step that Haaland takes in his career falls perfectly into his lengthy stride, with his first season under Pep Guardiola seeing him score 51 goals in all competitions as City won the treble.

With Messi and Ronaldo now out of the way, it seems that Haaland will be a leading contender for all of football’s top prizes – a deserved status given his role as one of football’s greatest ever goalscorers.

All data has been sourced from transfermarkt.

Man City star Erling Haaland spends over £13,000 on train tickets for fans of boyhood club

Lee Davey — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:31:01 +0000

Erling Haaland has splashed out £13,000 on train tickets for fans of his former club Bryne, ahead of their huge fixture on Saturday.

The 23-year-old sensation represented the Norwegian side at youth level and made his first senior appearance in 2015 before moving to Molde two years later.

Haaland began his career at Bryne before moving to Norwegian giants Molde [pictured above] in 2017

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But it appears Haaland still holds much affection for his boyhood club who face a trip to Kristiansand for their play-off game against Start.

Bryne snatched the final play-off place in the OBOS League and now Haaland has showed his generosity to the group of supporters.

With train tickets to Kristiansand costing £52 and 200 supporters set to make the journey, the Manchester City striker has parted with £13,100 to help fans get to the game.

Haaland even went one better by telling fans who opt not to travel by train that he will pay for them to travel by bus.

Byrne’s press spokesman Ole Morten Hobberstad heaped praise on Haaland and told the treble winner that everybody at the club appreciates his kind gesture.

“It’s nice that Erling wants to sponsor a trip for the Bryne supporters, it’s something the whole of Bryne really appreciates,” he said.

“It also contributes to the fact that several people who perhaps did not prioritise it in the first place due to price growth and interest rate increases are now travelling to support Bryne in the promotion qualification.”

Haaland will have the opportunity to tune in to the big game on Saturday night, but not before he takes to the pitch when Manchester City face Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium – exclusively live on talkSPORT.

Haaland will be hoping to add to his two goals in five games against the Reds

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A win for City can put daylight between themselves and second-placed Liverpool who come into the fixture undefeated in the last five games.

But Pep Guardiola’s men have been warned about the pace of Jurgen Klopp’s visitors ahead of the gargantuan showdown between the title rivals.

What is Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Siuuu’ celebration? Portugal superstar sets trend with iconic move copied around the globe

Phil Spencer — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:03:00 +0000

Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in the history of world football.

CR7, as he’s affectionately and corporately known, is one of the most marketable sportspeople on the planet, and his celebration has become synonymous with him.

Cristiano Ronaldo managed to pull out his celebration a few times while back at Manchester United

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It’s an iconic move that has been copied by other footballers and even other sports personalities.

What is Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebration?

After finding the back of the net, the forward typically wheels away towards the corner flag before doing a 180-degree pirouette and landing with a firm stance on the turf.

As he hits the ground, Ronaldo outstretches his arms and bellows ‘Siuuu’, which is Spanish for ‘yes’, with fans often joining in to create a booming noise around the stadium.

His teammates now often join in with the ‘siu’

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What are the origins of Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebration?

The ‘Siu’ celebration was created while Ronaldo was at Real Madrid.

Explaining the celebration in 2019, he said: “I started to say ‘si’, it’s like ‘yes’ when I was in Real Madrid.

“When we would win, everyone would say ‘siiiii’, so I started to say it. I don’t know why; it was natural.

“I was in the USA, and we played against Chelsea [in 2013], and I don’t know where this is coming from – the celebration.

“I just scored the goal, and it just came out. It was just natural, to be honest. Since then, I started to do it more often and I feel like the supporters and the fans see it, and they’re like, ‘Cristiano, siiiiiiuuuu’.

“I’m like ‘wow! People are reminded of me because of it!’ So it’s good, and I’ll continue doing it like that.”

Ronaldo now plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr and the fans there have seen the ‘siu’ plenty of times and will no doubt see it a lot more until he decides to hang up his boots or move somewhere else.

The ‘Siu’ against Chelsea that started it all

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Ricky Hatton: Forget about Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, Liverpool is Man City’s scariest game

Lee Davey — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:53:17 +0000

Boxing legend Ricky Hatton has insisted Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool provide Manchester City with their scariest game of the season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side head to the Etihad for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off – exclusively live on talkSPORT – aiming to leapfrog the reigning Premier League champions into top spot.

Liverpool and City’s rivalry has gained momentum as the pair tussle for domestic honours

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Liverpool come into the game on a five-match unbeaten run and just one point adrift of Pep Guardiola’s leaders.

The Treble winners ran out 4-1 winners at the Etihad in April, but City fan Hatton expects things to be tighter this time round against the Reds, whom he claims to be City’s toughest challengers.

“Obviously when the derby game comes up against Manchester United, derbies are always going to be tough,” the former two-weight world boxing champion told talkSPORT.

“I think [Liverpool] is our toughest game and none more so than this year because Liverpool have hit good form again.

“City’s last game [vs Chelsea] which is probably the best game I’ve seen this season, we were dreadful.

“I’ve never seen us play as bad as that and coming into Liverpool for our next game we need to pull our socks up and get back on track again and Liverpool always seem to do well against City.”

Manchester City are aiming to make history by becoming the first club to win four-consecutive Premier League titles.

City are overriding favourites to lift the title again in May, but Hatton isn’t counting his chickens just yet and expects a resurgent Liverpool to push them all the way.

Hatton calls on City to be at their best against a resurgent Liverpool

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Man City swept Liverpool aside with a 4-1 win at the Etihad in April

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Here is how City and Liverpool compare in the Premier League this season

“It’s always a big game when we play Liverpool. They’re going to push us close this year,” he added.

“If they keep maintaining what they’re doing, then it’s all about confidence. They could be our biggest threat. City are the standout team.

“I think we’d all agree with that. But there’s several teams like your Arsenals, your Chelseas and your Liverpools and your Tottenhams.

“But at some stage over the season, I’d like to think they’d all beat each other and we might pull away.

“But you play your rivals, the teams that will be pushing you and you need to put them to the sword a little bit to send them a message and that’s what City need to do on Saturday.”

Inside unlikely friendship between neighbouring Liverpool and Man City superstars Dominik Szoboszlai and Erling Haaland

Uma Gurav — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:49:08 +0000

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has opened up about his friendship with none other than Erling Haaland.

Manchester City will welcome Liverpool to the Etihad for a crucial top-of-the-table match in the first Premier League fixture following the international break – live on talkSPORT.

The 23-year-old friends will turn into rivals on Saturday 25 November

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City currently sit top of the Premier League having picked up 28 points from their first 12 games – and Liverpool trail them by just one point.

But the match will see some old friends go head-to-head as Liverpool summer signing Szoboszlai reveals a strong bond with last year’s Golden Boot winner Haaland.

The two played together at Red Bull Salzburg from 2019 to 2020 where they won the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup.

Szoboszlai told the BBC: “We got really close because we were both young.”

And he was full off praise for the Norwegian both on and off the pitch, calling him a ‘great player, great guy’.

Szoboszlai, who has just captained Hungary to qualification for Euro 2024, joined Liverpool on a five-year deal in July 2023 for a reported fee of £60million.

The 23-year-old then made the move to the North West of England – and ended up with a rather familiar neighbour.

He said: “(Haaland) has a house and then two houses between us, and then it’s my house!”

Szoboszlai has settled in well to life under Jurgen Klopp

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But now he must go head-to-head with his long-time friend

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Haaland was prolific during his time at RB Salzburg, scoring 29 goals in a year.

And Szoboszlai also flourished at the club – he spent three seasons at the club where he made 56 appearances and scored 16 goals.

He then made the move to RB Leipzig in 2020 where he spent one season out through injury, before settling in well and going on to make 62 appearances for the German side.

And with just hours left on his release clause, Liverpool finally swooped in for Szoboszlai in July.

He has made a strong start to life at the club having scored once in his 12 appearances so far.

And the midfielder has proved his worth, playing more minutes than any other outfield player at Liverpool this season.

Jurgen Klopp has also expressed his delight with the midfielder, who created the most chances of any Liverpool player in his first nine Premier League appearances since Harry Kewell in 2003.

But the Hungarian revealed the news of his transfer to Liverpool came as something of a surprise to his friend, Haaland.

He said: “When I came to sign, it was not official yet.

“I sent him a picture with a Liverpool shirt and he was like, ‘Oh, what’s happening?’

“And I said, ‘Yeah, we’re going to see each other.’

“And he said, ‘Congratulations – the Premier League is crazy!'”

Manchester City vs Liverpool is live on talkSPORT on Saturday 25 November from 12:30pm.

Only two Tottenham players named in Gabby Agbonlahor’s combined XI with Aston Villa

Jake Lambourne — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:27:21 +0000

Just two Tottenham players get into a combined starting XI with Aston Villa ahead of Sunday’s clash in the capital.

That is the view of former Villans striker Gabby Abbonlahor, who believes Unai Emery‘s side boast a better side on paper from the players available.

Fifth-placed Villa go into Sunday’s clash away at Tottenham full of confidence

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Villa go into this weekend’s match in fifth spot – just one point behind Spurs and three points off Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Only the Citizens have scored more [32 goals] than Villa [29 goals] so far this season, with the club – along with Spurs – winning eight out of their opening eight matches.

Spurs have a mini-crisis ahead of the fixture, with James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Richarlison all injured, meanwhile Cristian Romero and Yves Bissouma are ruled out through suspension.

And it is because of this that Agbonlahor has named a Villa-heavy line-up combined from the two teams.

Reeling his team off to co-host Alan Brazil on the talkSPORT Sports Breakfast show, he said: “[Emiliano] Martinez in goal, Matty Cash right-back, [Ezri] Konsa and [Pau] Torres are my centre-halves, [Destiny] Udogie for Spurs as my left-back.

“[Douglas] Luiz, [John] McGinn and [Boubacar] Kamara as my three midfielders.

“Son [Heung-min] on the left, [Moussa] Diaby on the right and [Ollie] Watkins up front.

“So only two Spurs players make my Villa-Spurs XI out of players that are available this Sunday.

This is how the two teams compare ahead of this weekend’s battle in north London

Maddison will be a huge blow for Spurs, with the midfielder out until the New Year

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“Maddison isn’t in there, Van de Ven, Romero, Bissouma – they’re not available. I think everyone would agree with that XI there.”

Such is Agbonlahor’s confidence in Villa, he believes that the Midlands outfit will finish higher than Spurs this season, even when the north Londoners have a full-strength squad.

He stated: “I think they’ll [Villa] finish in the top six. Have you seen the state of the Premier League? I think they’ll finish higher than Spurs.”

And unsurprisingly, Agbonlahor is confident his former employers will get the job done in the capital.

Replying to Brazil’s view that Spurs will earn at least a draw, the ex-Watford loanee remarked: “You don’t think so [Villa to win]?

“So with Spurs’ injuries and their suspensions and the way Villa are playing… you know Villa are only one point behind Spurs? Scored more goals than them.

“I think this is the sort of game that Villa will turn up, and it’s been a great season so far.”

Agbonlahor has named just two Tottenham players in his combined Spurs vs Villa XI

Harry Kane net worth: England and Bayern Munich superstar’s career earnings including whopping wages and lucrative Skechers deal

Jack Johnson — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:25:36 +0000

Harry Kane is one of the best footballers in the world and he has definitely earned the money that comes with that reputation.

The former Tottenham superstar has continued his incredible goalscoring at Bayern Munich after deciding to leave the Premier League in the summer.

Kane is arguably the best striker on the planet

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Kane’s scoring stats have seen him pick up some lucrative sponsorship deals over the years as well as some incredible weekly paychecks.

And talkSPORT.com has taken a look at how much the striker is worth…

Harry Kane net worth

Kane has an estimated net worth of £51million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

England’s all-time top goalscorer was also named as one of the 35 richest people under the age of 35 in the summer.

His net worth is reported to have risen from £42m over the last year, with his wages and sponsorship deals propelling his earnings.

The latest Rich List came before Kane moved from Tottenham to Bayern, meaning his wage of around £200,000-a-week at Spurs was taken into account.

But following his move to Germany, the 30-year-old’s weekly pay has reportedly increased to around £380k-a-week, and therefore his net worth will have grown.

Off the pitch, Kane has also been increasing his income and there’s no surprise that he is one of the richest English players.

Kane’s wage was boosted by moving to Germany

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He also became the face of the Skechers’ launch

Skechers

Kane signed a lifetime endorsement deal with footwear brand Skechers earlier this year.

He was the face of the launch of their first-ever football boots after he chose to end his contract with Nike to create a new partnership.

The paycheck for the deal will consist of many millions, of course, and Kane is delighted to be working with the company.

He said: “I feel like I’ve got seven, eight, nine years left of my career.

“I’m really excited to be working with a team with the same vision — we both know where we want to go in this space and it’s an exciting challenge.”

Kane also has endorsements with Cadbury, Beats, EA Sports, Hugo Boss and Amazon.

He is reported to also have lived in a mansion worth over £15m while also owning a Land Rover CV, a Range Rover Sport, and a Jaguar F-PACE.

What are Everton fan’s protest plans? Toffees supporters plan to show anger towards Premier League after point deduction

Jack Cunningham — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:19:13 +0000

Everton fans, understandably, are very angry with the Premier League after they were deducted ten points for one Financial Fair Play breach.

As a result, the Toffees have united and have plenty of protest plans prepared against the top-flight ahead of the club’s return to action.

Sean Dyche has been left in a relegation battle when his side were clear of danger

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Everton have launched an appeal against the deduction, which has plunged them from midtable safety into the relegation zone.

It’s a tricky situation, and the club’s fans are going to make their feelings towards the Premier League very clear.

What are Everton fan’s protest plans?

Toffee supporters’ protest consists of multiple elements.

The first is a planned meeting outside of the Premier League’s London headquarters on Friday, November 24.

It’s unclear how many Evertonians will be there, but it’s just the start.

On Saturday, November 25, during Manchester City‘s game against Liverpool, live on talkSPORT, a group of Everton fans are planning to fly a plane over the Etihad with a message for the Premier League.

It’s unknown what it will say, but it will be a clear statement for the world.

GettyEverton fans are going to still get behind their team[/caption]

Everton fans have had 38 Thousand "Premier league corrupt" signs printed.

They will hand them out before the Everton vs United game on Sunday and are asking all fans to gold them up including United fans. pic.twitter.com/uDNGd8Wt94
— Paul 𝕏 Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll2) November 22, 2023

Everton fan group the 1878s said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter: “We have had a lot of requests asking for a plane to be flown over Goodison on Sunday, with a message to the PL.

“Due to our kick off time, it will be dark. So instead a plane will fly over The Etihad on Saturday for City v Liverpool which will be watched by millions around the world. Once the banner is made from the company we can release a picture of this.”

Everton then welcome Manchester United to Goodison Park on Sunday, November 26, and it’s going to be an electric atmosphere.

The Toffees plan to roar their side on while also slamming the Premier League at every opportunity.

Thirty-eight thousand cards have been printed off, with the Premier League’s logo and the words ‘corrupt’ underneath them, and fans are expected to raise them in unison.

In total, £40,000 has been collected to fund these demonstrations, and supporters are likely to boo the top-flight’s anthem.

Sky Sports have also been told Everton fans plan to chant ‘Premier League corrupt as f***’ in the tenth minute, report the Times.

As a result, the broadcaster are reportedly going to lower the crowd noise or find some way to distort it.

So Everton fans have plenty of things planned, and that’s probably just the start.

It’s hard to imagine they will stop after one round of protests and are likely to pile even more pressure on the Premier League in the coming weeks.

Alan Shearer gives brutally-honest response to Roy Keane boxing match suggestion

Phil Spencer — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 10:40:11 +0000

Alan Shearer had a strong response to Gary Lineker’s attempts to set up a boxing match with Roy Keane, saying ‘I’m too old for that s***’.

Shearer joined the Match Of The Day host and Micah Richards on The Rest Is Football podcast when he was asked about the funniest thing that someone said to him on the pitch.

Shearer says that Keane threatened to knock him out

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The Newcastle United legend replied: “Roy Keane once said that he was going to knock me out.”

Lineker replied: “You do surprise me, and did he,” to which Shearer laughed: “Come on!”

However Lineker had his colleagues back, saying: “I think I’d back you against him, Al. Even now.

“I think that people would pay to see that. You get all of these celebrity fights now – get the two of you in UFC gloves or boxing gloves…”

However, Shearer was having none of it as he replied: “I wouldn’t. I’m too old for that s***, Gaz!”

Posing the same question to Micah Richards, the ex-Man City replied: “No one was messing with big Mics on the pitch! They were terrified of me.

“The only encounters I had were with Ashley Williams and Clint Dempsey.

“Back in the day, he was at Fulham and I was at Man City. He was playing sort of left wing and I was at right back and I was quite small then, but I had a great leap and I kept winning the ball over him.

Shearer said he was ‘too old for this s***’ when asked about a celebrity boxing match with Keane

YT: The Rest Is Football

Micah Richards then told a funny story about a run-in with Clint Dempsey

YT: The Rest Is Football

“He was just getting frustrated and one of the times I won the ball and he shrugged me like ‘what are you doing’.

“So me being from Chapeltown, I wasn’t having that – there was no chance I was having that!

“I said f*** off and it went back and forth and then he turned to me and said: “You don’t know where I’m from, dawg!

“I just thought, ‘what are you even on about’. It keeps bubbling on because you think ‘next time I see him he’s getting it’ but around that time people did a bit of research and found that he’s a pretend rapper.

“So the next time I see him, I said ‘f*** me, you can’t even rap’ and I just laid into him, saying: ‘who do you think you are, Eminem?’

“I was singing Slim Shady throughout the whole game!”

William Saliba hilariously mistakes former Arsenal defender for Sean Dyche

Lee Davey — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 10:37:43 +0000

William Saliba hilariously mistook a former Arsenal star for Everton boss Sean Dyche during a challenge to identify ex-Gunners stars.

The French defender has been in superb form for Mikel Arteta’s side and netted his first goal of the season in the 3-1 victory over Burnley a fortnight ago.

Saliba was on target for the Gunners in their recent 3-1 win over Burnley

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But it appears that his knowledge of Arsenal‘s past stars does not match up to his on-field talents, after he was handed pictures of former players that donned the famous red shirt.

His quest was to identify as many as possible and, whilst he struggled to identify some of Arsenal’s former heroes, Saliba’s reference to the Everton boss even had himself in stitches.

Saliba guessed correctly for Alex Song, Gervinho, Yaya Sanogo and Andrey Arshavin, but stumbled when tasked with identifying Denilson, Manuel Almunia and Eduardo.

However, the centre-back saved the best for last when a photo of former defender Philippe Senderos appeared.

Saliba squinted as he looked at the screen before uttering: “Is that the coach of Everton?”

After promptly being told his answer was incorrect, the 22-year-old burst into laughter knowing he had made a hilarious but rare error.

Saliba has become a fan-favourite at the Emirates since his integration into the starting eleven at the beginning of the 2022/23 season.

The France star was a key figure as the Gunners’ ran Manchester City to the wire in last season’s title race.

@nbcsportssoccerSaliba was wide of the mark when trying to identify former Gunner Philippe Senderos[/caption]

@nbcsportssoccerBut quickly found the funny side after being told the Swiss defender was not Sean Dyche![/caption]

How well can William Saliba identify Arsenal players throughout the years? pic.twitter.com/9UF3DIWa1z
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) November 22, 2023

A back injury picked up in a Europa League tie against Sporting Lisbon in March ruled him out of key games in the title race which many fans believe was a defining moment in the Gunners’ season.

But it has been business as usual this season for Saliba who has played every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League’s matches and featured in all four of the club’s Champions League ties.

Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai reveals everyone has been saying his name wrong

Connor Andrews — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 10:28:00 +0000

Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai is on track to become a household name, so we should probably all be able to pronounce it right.

The Hungary captain has made an impressive start since he joined the Reds in a £60million move from RB Leipzig this summer.

Szoboszlai has made an impression since his arrival at Anfield

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Szoboszlai enjoyed a fruitful international break, drinking a shot after his masterclass secured Hungary’s qualification for Euro 2024.

The 23-year-old scored two goals and providing an assist in games against Bulgaria and Montenegro to get his country over the line.

He didn’t take long to thrill Liverpool supporters upon his arrival by expressing his love for local hero Gerrard, and taking his no.8 shirt.

Szoboszlai has since played more minutes than any other outfield player at his club this season.

Asked if Szoboszlai had settled quicker than expected in September, Klopp said: “It’s so long ago that he’s here that I’ve forgotten what I thought but since the first minute of training it was pretty impressive.

“That’s how it is. He’s a top bloke, a top guy and it’s easy to step into the team and the dressing room and stuff like this.

“He’s a very naturally confident boy and that helps but it’s super hard work as well and that’s what you see today.”

But now that his name has been regularly spoken around England, the man himself made sure that fans have been saying it right.

Szoboszlai has quickly established himself as a firm fan-favourite

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With the midfielder in his Liverpool kit, the Premier League’s social media team asked how to pronounce his name properly, to which he replied ‘Dominik So-bos-lai’.

There had been some misconceptions over whether the ‘sz’ sounds were pronounced as a ‘sh’ in English, but Szoboszlai has now simply revealed his name is pretty much as it’s written.

Now all that is left is to learn how to spell it without checking…

How many names have you been saying wrong? pic.twitter.com/z6sb9uqEVf
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 22, 2023

Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez comparisons premature but Liverpool star now set to rival Man City ace after Lionel Messi praise

Jack Johnson — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:37:00 +0000

Lionel Messi has thrown praise onto Darwin Nunez amid the striker’s superb start to the campaign for both club and country.

And the Liverpool frontman may now be ready to finally challenge Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, one year after he fell short of comparisons between the two.

Nunez is bouncing back from a poor season last year

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Haaland and Nunez meet this weekend, live on talkSPORT, as the rivals clash for the fourth time since they both arrived in England in the summer of 2022.

The forwards were the Premier League’s big-money deals of that transfer window and they were instantly compared against each other.

However, while Haaland quickly became one of the world’s deadliest goalscorers at Manchester City, Nunez struggled to settle at Liverpool.

The Uruguayan started his first season well but then a red card on his home debut derailed his success, only scoring nine goals during the campaign.

Compared to his Norweigan counterpart, he was a whopping 27 goals behind, as the Man City superstar broke the top-flight scoring record.

That proved that comparisons between the two may have been premature, even to the point that Jurgen Klopp was hoping Nunez wasn’t looking at what Haaland was achieving.

The Reds boss said last year: “Let me say it like this, I think Darwin Nunez would have scored a couple more goals if he had played in the centre of Man City this season.

“I hope it is not in a process where he compares himself with Erling Haaland. Don’t compare, I hope he is not doing that and doesn’t think about that. I don’t see that.”

Nunez has some impressive stats after only six starts

And it seems Nunez hasn’t got caught up on his disappointing first campaign in England.

He has come out of the blocks firing on all cylinders, scoring four goals and providing four assists in 11 games for Liverpool in the Premier League this season.

Haaland does still have more goals and is in fact now one away from becoming the fastest to score 50 in the top-flight, netting 49 goals in only 47 games in total.

But this campaign, he has started double the matches compared to Nunez, meaning the Reds striker having more passes and ball recoveries is extremely impressive.

His impact in all areas of the pitch has seen him become a key player for the Reds, with his incredible speed causing all sorts of issues.

That has led to Nunez getting praise from one of football’s greatest in Messi, who said before Argentina faced Uruguay: “Uruguay are good at rebounding and playing in space on the counter-attack.

“They have excellent players for that like Darwin [Núñez]…”

Nunez’s national teammate and Liverpool legend Luis Suarez has also spoken very highly of him, labelling him ‘one of the best No.9s in the world.’

Nunez in all competitions

Liverpool

Premier League – 4 goals and 4 assists in 11 matches
Carabao Cup – 1 goal in 2 matches
Europa League – 2 goals and 1 assist in 4 matches

Uruguay

Qualifiers: 5 goals and 1 assist in 6 matches

Total

12 goals and 7 assists in 23 matches

Nunez is on his way to becoming Klopp’s key man

AFP

His resilience has been nothing short of superb and the way he has bounced back from falling behind Haaland is impressive.

Klopp has also been speaking about Nunez’s contribution to his side so far this season.

“Outstanding! Outstanding!” he said after Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Brentford.

“Everyone can see; look at him how he kept the ball for us, who would of thought that last year?

“That he could do that for us. [The] standout was Darwin because Brentford wanted long balls so he started the pressing.

“[His] work-rate was insane.”

Nunez’s confidence is sky-high and he now seems ready to step up against Haaland.

And there will not be a better time to prove that he is the real deal than on Saturday afternoon at the Etihad Stadium.

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Tom Lunn — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The Premier League is heating up already and you can play the free predictor game on talkSPORT BET each weekend.

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talkSPORT BET have a free to play football predictor game with £500 cash as the top prize for correctly predicting four scores

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Gabriel Jesus makes shock admission about goalscoring that will worry Arsenal fans

Callum Vurley — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 23:24:36 +0000

Gabriel Jesus has admitted that goalscoring is not his strong point – much to the shock of Arsenal fans.

The Arsenal star has confessed that scoring goals is not one of his better strengths despite being a striker after he fired another blank in front of goal during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Argentina.

Jesus has had a tough time in front of goal lately

Getty

Nicolas Otamendi scored the only goal of the game as the Selecao looked toothless in attack – particularly Jesus, who started the contest.

The 26-year-old’s goal record for Brazil stands at 19 goals in 63 appearances and he has admitted that he does not count scoring as one of his strengths.

“Scoring goals is inevitable (but) it is not my strongest suit,” he told reporters after the match against Argentina.

“I play to score a goal, that’s why I’m in the national team. Scoring goals (again) will happen naturally.”

That might not be what Arsenal fans want to hear, especially considering that they are desperate to sign a striker.

Jesus has scored just once in the Premier League this season in seven appearances, though he has three in three in the Champions League.

The striker signed for the Gunners in 2022 from Manchester City for £45million, scoring 11 times in his debut campaign.

And for his country, he has scored just once in four years – netting the fifth in a 5-1 victory over South Korea in a friendly in June.

Jesus struggled against Argentina for Brazil

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AFPJesus has scored just once in four years for Brazil[/caption]

It has seen concerns grow over Jesus’ goalscoring record while Arsenal have been linked with strikers ahead of the January transfer window.

Ivan Toney is one of the top names Mikel Arteta is looking at, while Chelsea are also keen on the Brentford star.

Jesus has also had his injury troubles over the past 12 months with Eddie Nketiah filling in largely when the forward is missing.

Kai Havertz has also been signed this summer and can play up top, though his goalscoring record is also less than impressive after one goal in 19 appearances.

Referee chief Howard Webb orders crackdown on players waving imaginary cards

Callum Vurley — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 23:09:25 +0000

PGMOL chief Howard Webb has ordered his referees to clamp down on players waving imaginary cards.

The referees head is keen to reinforce strict rules on dissent that were brought in at the start of the season.

Webb is keen to reiterate rules on dissent in the Premier League

He has also warned VAR officials that they must step in if ‘soft’ penalties are awarded, according to The Sun.

Ahead of the return of Premier League action this week after the international break, Webb has laid down the law to his team of referees during a meeting at their Loughborough base.

One of his key points was to reiterate a directive brought in to crack down on player dissent.

At the start of the season, there were a flurry of bookings for players that showed imaginary cards.

However, such a punishment has disappeared in recent weeks with players getting away with the action, something that did not happen earlier in the campaign.

The inconsistency has been pointed out by fans on numerous occasions and has been a point of contention.

Webb is keen to bring back the rule in a move that will see yellow cards likely rack up quickly once again.

He reiterated to his team that a policy put in place in August has to be consistent throughout the season.

Webb wants referees to crack down on dissent

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And the rules of dissent even stretch to the managers, with seemingly more than ever this season

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And the PGMOL chief is also eager to maintain a strong line against dissent in general as they look to battle back against players and managers behaving badly.

There have already been 88 bookings in the Premier League for dissent – Fulham top the list with 11 yellow cards.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag and Fulham manager Marco Silva top the list for most dissent bookings, seeing yelow three times each.

Meanwhile, Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta and Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff have been yellow carded for dissent three times each.

Referees have come under heavy criticism this season already with VAR facing calls to be scrapped.

Wolves have been particularly stung after suffering from three penalties given against them in a row that should have never been taken.

Luis Diaz infamously saw his goal incorrectly ruled offside despite VAR taking a look during Liverpool’s defeat to Tottenham in September.

And Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou recently said that VAR should be stood down until the technology works.

He said last week: “I would [scrap VAR] in its current form. I just don’t think that technology is ready for our game.

“I’ve got zero against goal-line technology. It’s a no-brainer and it works for our game.

“Our game is unique. People say, ‘Let’s get referees explaining their decisions’. Oh my God – seriously? Could you imagine sitting there listening to a referee explaining every decision in the game?”

Man City vs Liverpool is a fascinating tactical battle, believes Danny Murphy, and one key area decides it

Callum Vurley — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 22:49:08 +0000

Former Liverpool star Danny Murphy believes there’s one key area that will decide the outcome of the Reds’ blockbuster clash at Manchester City.

All eyes will be on the Etihad Stadium as Liverpool make the trip to on Saturday lunchtime to take on the Premier League champions, live and exclusively on talkSPORT.

Just a point separates Pep Guardiola’s City, who are top and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool going into the clash

The two Premier League giants are currently tussling it out at the top of the table.

City lead Liverpool by one point at the summit, meaning a win for either side could be crucial – even at this stage of the season.

Speaking ahead of the gargantuan fixture, ex-Liverpool star Murphy looked at how things will pan out tactically and there’s one key area that could be the difference between victory and defeat for both sides.

The key area

“I think it will be a fascinating game because of the quality on show. A little bit disappointing that it is on at half 12.

“But only because of the tempo and quality that you want to see the game played at.

Manuel Akanji is likely to step into midfield against Liverpool

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“Anyway, putting that aside, I think it is an intriguing game because what City have been doing recently is releasing one of the centre-halves into midfield, whether that be [Manuel] Akanji or [John] Stones.”

Liverpool can exploit City with pace

“I think what we saw at [the 4-4 draw against] Chelsea was if you have pace against them and a quick turnover, there is space to run into.

“If Liverpool have [Darwin] Nunez, [Luis] Diaz and [Mohamed] Salah up top, there is no one better equipped in utilising space in behind teams than those three.

“I don’t see City changing at home what they have been doing. One of the centre-halves is released in midfield, which creates spaces.

City are electric on the ball, but Liverpool have plenty of pace and quality going forward

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“They are confident in keeping the ball and scoring goals themselves, the way City play. It is a great thing to watch.”

But City can do the same to Liverpool

“On the flipside, what you’ve got is Liverpool releasing Trent [Alexander-Arnold] in midfield from right-back.

“And if [Jeremy] Doku plays, with his amazing pace and directness, that is going to cause Liverpool a problem.

“If [Joel] Matip plays there and has to cover Trent, there’s a lack of athleticism against Jeremy Doku.

Alexander-Arnold could step into midfield from right-back

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And that hole could be exploited by players like Doku

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“So there are all these little tactical things are going on.”

Listen to full commentary of Manchester City vs Liverpool LIVE and exclusively on talkSPORT

Manchester United could be BANNED from Champions League next season due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ownership of the club

Jackson Cole — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 21:51:19 +0000

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a minority stake in Manchester United could cost them a place in Europe next season.

Britain’s richest man is expected to purchase his 25 per cent stake at Old Trafford in the coming days in a £1.25billion deal that will be greatly appreciated by fans determined to see the balance of power move away from the Glazer family.

The Glazers would still be the majority owners but Ratcliffe would take a more hands-on role at Man United. However, an association with Ratcliffe could land them in a spot of bother

However, Ratcliffe’s ownership of French club Nice could pose a problem for the Red Devils in their pursuit of European football.

Nice are currently second in Ligue 1, a point behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain. If they stay anywhere near the top four at the end of the season then Man United would have to at least match them in the Premier League table to be allowed into the revamped Champions League.

Meanwhile, if Nice were to finish in fourth, then Man United would not be able to enter the Europa League either.

Man United’s only chance of playing any kind of European football would require them to finish sixth, while hoping for Liverpool or potentially Newcastle to win the Carabao Cup – which would see them gain direct entry to the Europa Conference League.

This is because Nice would need to enter the final play-off round for the main competition and risk ending up in the Europa League.

UEFA rules on ‘multi-club ownership’ state that no individual entity “may have control of influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA competition.”

Among the definitions of ‘control’ is “being able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision-making of the club.”

Furthermore, the rules also say that no individual can be involved ‘in any capacity’ or have “any power whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of any other club” participating in a UEFA competition.

Man United are in this season’s Champions League which could see them scoop up to £140million in TV and prize money

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Ineos chairman and CEO Ratcliffe has made it clear that he will have command of the sporting structure at Man United while his stake in the 13-time Premier League winners clearly meets the ‘influence’ standard.

If two clubs under the same ownership umbrella qualify for Europe then only one of them can be entered – although there is a caveat which allows teams to qualify automatically for the Conference League if a sister club is directly entered into the senior competition.

However, the UEFA rulebook makes it clear that priority would go to the club that was ranked highest in its respective domestic championship.

England’s ranking at the top of the ‘access list’ means matching Nice’s finish would see Man United take priority.

This season has already presented a number of challenges for Ten Hag, and potential ineligibility for Europe is the last thing he’ll need

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A UEFA source told The Sun: “As the rules stand, it’s a clear situation. Ineos own Nice and are set to have a significant role in running United.

“Unless the regulations are changed, or Ineos sell one of their stakes, they cannot both play in European competitions, unless one is in the Champions league and the other in the Conference League.”

Ten Hag’s side experienced a horror start to the league season but have won four of their last five, meaning they are currently sixth in the table, five points off fourth.

These rules could also impact Man United’s local rivals, Manchester City with Spanish sister club Girona, run by Pep Guardiola‘s brother Pere, the surprise leaders of LaLiga.

If Girona were to beat teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid to the title then City would have to win the Premier League or win the Champions League – becoming automatic top seeds – to qualify next term.

Manchester United on brink of £110m financial black hole as Sir Jim Ratcliffe nears takeover

Callum Vurley — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 21:33:58 +0000

Manchester United are staring a £110million financial blow which could haunt them over the next three years.

United have so far struggled in the Premier League and only some recent good form has clawed them up to sixth in the table.

United have had their troubles this season under Ten Hag

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And it means Erik ten Hag already has an uphill struggle to qualify for next season’s Champions League with Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City currently the favourites to finish in the top four.

United are already on the brink of exiting the Champions League after a hugely disappointing loss to Copenhagen just before the international break.

It has left them bottom of their group with Bayern Munich to face, as well as a trip to Istanbul to take on Galatasaray – a notoriously difficult venue to get a result at.

But crashing out of the Champions League at this stage and subsequently missing out of the top four will have disastrous effects on the club’s finances, just as Sir Jim Ratcliffe prepares to seal his 25 per cent stake in the club.

The Sun reports the initial cost would be the loss of £8.35m for qualification plus £5m in gate receipts – around about £13.5m.

With total gate receipts included, that figure could reach up to £60m, while United would also miss out on playing at the revamped Club World Cup.

FIFA are expanding the competition in 2025, usually a footnote of the season, and tempting clubs to take it more seriously by implementing a £1billion prize pot.

The tournament will involve 32 teams from across the world, 12 from Europe, with Chelsea, Real Madrid, City and this season’s Champions League winners earning automatic berths.

Ratcliffe is days away from being announced as United’s latest shareholder

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Ratcliffe will also bring Jean-Claude Blanc with him to act as CEO

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The other eight clubs from Europe will be decided by a coefficient table over four years.

But United missing out would cost them around £50m in prize money.

They are currently seventh in the coefficient table but are at risk of tumbling down the order if their current Champions League form continues.

Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent stake at Old Trafford is set to be announced in the coming days.

And that will also bring a raft of changes, including a switcheroo in the CEO hotseat with Richard Arnold making way for Jean-Claude Blanc.

FA to review Defoe transfer to Portsmouth which could lead to major sanctions for Tottenham

Jackson Cole — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 21:10:55 +0000

The Football Association is now looking into allegations of potentially serious breaches of agent rules in a Jermain Defoe’s transfer from Tottenham to Portsmouth.

An investigation by The Times said new evidence shows Spurs dealt with an unlicensed agent while agreeing to sell the ex-England striker to Pompey for £7.5million in January 2008.

Defoe joined Portsmouth in January 2008 before returning to Spurs a year later

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No action was taken by the FA at the time, but the inquiry now extends to a review of evidence uncovered by the newspaper and an attempt to interview former Wembley staff.

The Times reports that during a private hearing concerning the transfer of Defoe from Spurs to Fratton Park it emerged that Defoe, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and then-Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, had all dealt with an unlicensed agent during the negotiations.

Breaches of FA agent rules have previously resulted in point deductions, transfer bans, and suspensions for club officials. In the same year, Luton Town were docked ten points for breaking agent regulations.

The Times claims: “At the arbitration hearing over the Defoe transfer, a panel of three QCs found that Mitchell Thomas, the former West Ham United and Tottenham player and an unlicensed agent, was a central figure in the deal. Thomas was named by the FA in 2008 on a list of agents who had been operating in football without a licence.

“It was also heard that Levy enlisted the services of Stuart Peters, an agent who was licensed, to act for Tottenham but that a representation contract — required under FA rules — did not appear to be in place. Levy agreed to pay Peters about £1 million for his role in the £7.5 million transfer, with agent fees for the transfer totalling more than £1.5 million.”

Tottenham declined to comment but Portsmouth said in a statement: “The signing of Jermain Defoe in 2008 occurred under a previous ownership and those involved in the transfer of the player’s registration from Tottenham Hotspur are no longer at the club, having left many years ago.

“The current board and ownership acquired the club in 2017 from the Pompey Supporters’ Trust and club presidents, who themselves formally acquired the club in 2013.

“The board and the new executive therefore have no knowledge of any negotiations that led to Portsmouth Football Club’s registration of Jermain Defoe in 2008.”

Defoe scored 91 Premier League goals during his Tottenham career

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Agents are permitted to act for a player, or either the buying or selling club, in a transfer but must hold a licence and have a formal representation contract.

The contract between an agent and a player, or an agent and a club, must contain “the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the agency activity”, including details of the commission due.

Regulations from the FA at the time stated that both “players and clubs are forbidden from using the services of an unlicensed players’ agent.”

These rules remain in place today and also state that “a players’ agent shall be permitted to represent a player or a club only by concluding the relevant written representation contract with that player or club”.

The Times reports that a failure to comply with these regulations should be regarded as an extremely serious matter and could potentially lead to heavy sanctions, including a transfer ban, points deduction or even relegation. Meanwhile, agents and players can face anything from a warning or fine to a ban.

It’s also reported that the panel, which included Cherie Blair, wife of former prime minister Tony Blair – concluded in January 2010 that Thomas has been involved in helping Defoe to agree the terms of his move.

The Times says calls made by Thomas to Levy, Redknapp, Defoe and Peters were detailed in the verdict that concluded with an order for Defoe to pay compensation to his former agent, Sky Andrew.

The panel sent its findings to the FA but the governing body confirmed on Tuesday that ‘no disciplinary action was taken’.

But now the FA is set to reopen the case with a plan to obtain a copy of the verdict that was issued by the panel and any other evidence that may not currently be in the possession of the FA.

A statement from the FA read: “We are looking at the case, and as part of that we will be reviewing the arbitration panel award.”

It’s not clear what evidence of the case the FA retains. But the Times says an attempt will also be made to interview any former staff who have have been at the FA at the time in a bid to understand what happened in 2010.

David Lampitt was head of financial regulation but he left to become the chief executive of Portsmouth in April 2010. He is now the chief executive of a tennis data organisation.

Manchester United mocked by Checkatrade with not-so-subtle advert next to Old Trafford

Phil Spencer — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:00:25 +0000

Manchester United have received their fair share of stick this season, but now they’re even being trolled by Checkatrade.

The online business, which links tradespeople with those in need of a particular service, posted a huge billboard just a stone’s throw from Old Trafford to poke fun at their misfortune.

Checkatrade have plastered the picture a stone’s throw from Old Trafford

X: @MikeMinay

The advert pokes fun at the stadium’s poor condition, most notably the roof that has been pictured leaking during heavy rain.

It features a big green tick next to ‘leaky roof’ on the checklist, indicating that they’d be able to fix the issue, as well as a red cross next to ‘leaky defence’.

The advert then finishes with the sentence: “There are some things that even Checkatrade can’t fix.”

While light-hearted in nature, the huge billboard is targeting the believed huge lack of investment made by the Glazer family in recent years, leaving them struggling both on off the pitch.

As well as struggling to compete with fierce rivals Manchester City and Liverpool on the pitch, the run-down nature of Old Trafford means that they’re also struggling in terms of infrastructure, something that Gary Neville said would have been unthinkable during his heyday.

Appearing on the Diary of a CEO podcast, the pundit said: “I used to laugh when I went to Anfield and compared it to Old Trafford.

“I’d always think: ‘They can never catch up, they’re too far behind’.

“They’re building that second stand now behind the goal where the away fans sit.

A lack of investment from The Glazer family has left Old Trafford on its knees

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“The main stand now is towering up. Anfield will be a more modern ground than Manchester United and Old Trafford in 12 months. That is unforgivable.”

For Man United fans, the hope will be that Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s minority investment will start to put things right.

The INEOS owner is set to purchase 25 per cent of the club from the Glazers while taking ownership of sporting matters at the club.

Transfer notebook: Manchester United to copy Chelsea, Roberto De Zerbi to Real Madrid latest, and a power shift in the Premier League

Callum Vurley — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:51:48 +0000

The balance of power in the Premier League appears to be shifting in the wake of a coalition of rebel clubs blocking a bid to ban loans between teams under the same ownership.

Historically votes on such matters would basically be a battle between the traditional ‘Big Six’ sides, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham and the other 14.

Newcastle will be able to sign players on loan from PIF-owned clubs in January

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However, seeing the likes of Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United and Everton join forces with City and Newcastle – who stood to be impacted more than most if the ban had been approved – is a game-changer.

Arsenal vice-chair Tim Lewis, who has long since rallied against sovereign state influence on clubs, was particularly fuming with the defectors at one of the most dramatic Premier League shareholders’ meetings in recent times.

The lack of a ban means Newcastle are now free to raid Saudi teams owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), who are the Magpies’ majority shareholders.

Stars currently registered with PIF-ran clubs include Ruben Neves, whom Toon boss Eddie Howe has admitted being an admirer of, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte.

Manchester United to follow Chelsea plan

Manchester United are ready to follow Chelsea’s model by hiring multiple sporting directors.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is planning a major overhaul of United’s recruitment department once his 25 per cent minority shareholding is formally ratified after being left far from impressed by their recent transfer dealings.

Paul Mitchell and Dougie Freedman are both under consideration for prominent roles in the reshuffle while Paulo Maldini has also been mentioned as a potential candidate.

Ratcliffe could be on his way to United soon

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There is a strong possibility that Ratcliffe hires Mitchell and another transfer specialist to work in tandem with the former Southampton, Tottenham and Monaco recruitment guru.

Chelsea’s £1bn spend in the last three transfer windows has been led by co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, although Winstanley has come under scrutiny for his handling of soon-to-be USA Womens’ team coach Emma Hayes’ contract negotiations.

Everton exit on the cards

Everton could be forced to cash in on midfielder Amadou Onana in January to ease their financial woes.

Onana could be on the way out of Everton soon

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talkSPORT understands Everton are being propped up by potential new owners 777 Sports by as much as £20m per month and the longer their takeover drags on the more likely the Toffees are to turn to the transfer market to raise funds.

Onana is on the radar of clubs including Manchester United and Chelsea and is one of the Merseysiders’ most sellable assets along with Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Brighton cool on De Zerbi links

Brighton remain relaxed about the future of manager Roberto De Zerbi despite fresh interest from Real Madrid.

Real Madrid are linked with De Zerbi

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De Zerbi is on the Spanish giants’ list of possible replacements for Carlo Ancelotti, who is primed to become Brazil’s new boss at the end of the season.

However, Brighton have received no indication from De Zerbi that he is looking to leave the Amex Stadium and, in any case, former Liverpool midfielder and current Bayer Leverkusen chief Xabi Alonso appears to be ahead of the combustible Italian on Real’s shortlist.

As previously reported by talkSPORT Brighton are also protected by a hefty release clause in De Zerbi’s contract.

I was a Liverpool star and Manchester United ‘hatred’ will always outweigh Man City rivalry

Natasha Everitt — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:47:10 +0000

A former Liverpool star has insisted the club’s rivalry with Manchester United has much ‘more hatred’ involved than the one with Manchester City.

The Reds travel to the City’s Etihad on Saturday, live on talkSPORT, with the 2021/22 title rivals going head-to-head in a top of the table clash.

Liverpool and Man City has become a tasty clash in recent years

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Despite being in similar geographical proximity to traditional rivals Man United, Man City had never really been on Liverpool‘s radars until the last decade.

Before being bought by Sheikh Mansour in 2008 and going on to win seven Premier Leagues, three FA Cups, a Champions League and six Leagues Cups since, City hadn’t challenged for trophies for some time and were even in the second tier in 2001/02.

The Reds are also famed for being the enemies of Everton too, with both clubs situated less than a mile apart, so already had a top rival to focus on.

But despite City a few classic title races, including one where they pipped the Merseysiders to the title by one point two seasons ago, ex-Reds Danny Murphy insists the club’s rivalry with City is nowhere near as big as the one with Man United.

That’s despite the Red Devils only winning one trophy since 2017 and barely battling for top spot since 2013.

Joining talkSPORT’s White and Jordan for his regular Wednesday spot, Murphy, who played at Anfield between 1997 and 2004, was quick to give his answer on the debate.

“No,” he replied when asked if the City rivalry was overtaking United’s. “I think there’s been some bigger games in recent years because of them fighting the title out and the games have become more pivotal and monumental in the moment.

“But the rivalry of Liverpool and Man United will always be greater than Liverpool Man City, irrelevant of what’s going on in the league.”

Murphy says the rivalry with Man United is superior

talkSPORT

He scored three goals against Man United during his time at Liverpool, including a very famous free-kick

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Whilst Liverpool and Man City are the only teams to win the Premier League since Chelsea did in 2017, the Reds’ rivalry with the red side of Manchester has been going on for much, much longer.

There’s a reason why some fans of each club regard it as a bigger rivalry than their respective local derbies.

Each club claim supremacy over the other, with United boasting 20 league titles to Liverpool’s 19 and Liverpool for being European champions six times compared to United’s three.

And it’s that history that leads Murphy and Liverpool fans to believe the rivalry with the Red Devils is the biggest.

“There’s more hatred there. There’s more rivalry, it goes back decades that,” he said.

“The Liverpool-City thing would have to grow a little bit more. But, it’s a bigger game for Liverpool in many ways.”

Should Jurgen Klopp‘s side win all three points this weekend, they’ll go above City and top of the league, with Pep Guardiola’s side just one point above them as fans prepare to welcome back Premier League action.

Everton vs Manchester United team news and predicted line-ups: Mount and Antony earn vital chance while goal-shy Rashford leads line

Jack Johnson — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:46:44 +0000

Manchester United travel to face Everton this weekend as they continue to be impacted by injuries to key players.

The Red Devils are aiming to make it three wins in a row with a depleted squad and also pile some misery on Sean Dyche.

Ten Hag has had to deal with many injuries this season

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Dyche’s side come into this game in good form but low spirits after receiving a 10-point deduction over the international break.

That means the Toffees are now in relegation trouble, with a win in their first game back the best way to boost hopes at Goodison Park.

Everton

Dyche only has Seamus Coleman, Andre Gomes and Dele Alli carrying big injuries.

England’s No.1 Jordan Pickford will of course start in goal.

He’ll be behind a somewhat settled back four that includes former Man United player Ashley Young at right back.

James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitaliy Mykolenko make up the defence.

James Garner has been a key piece of Everton’s midfield this season with the question being who will partner him in the holding role.

It looks likely to be Idrissa Gueye after he replaced Amadou Onana at halftime during the 3-2 win over Crystal Palace last time out.

Dyche has some thinking to do now his side are in the bottom three

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Onana has since withdrawn from the Belgium squad with a calf knock, meaning he may not be risked with a start this weekend.

Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil will be on the wings while the Toffees’ top scorer Abdoulaye Doucoure sits in behind the striker.

And that striker will be Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The big man has struggled with injuries all season and hasn’t completed a full 90 minutes since his latest return.

However, he is closing in on full fitness and will play a big part.

Manchester United

Man United have an ever-growing injury list that is impacting them on the pitch.

Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans and Tyrell Malacia are all out while Rasmus Hojlund could also be absent.

Luke Shaw is back in training but this game is likely to be too soon for the left back.

Goalkeeper Andre Onana has also picked up a knock while on international duty but he is expected to be fit to start between the sticks.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka should return at right back with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof playing in the centre of defence with Raphael Varane out of favour.

Diogo Dalot could switch to left-back meaning Sergio Reguilon drops to the bench.

Mount could be handed a start after Eriksen’s injury

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In midfield, Ten Hag has an issue with both Casemiro and Eriksen out.

After Eriksen was substituted with an injury against Luton, he chose Mason Mount over Sofyan Amrabat to come on in his place.

That indicates that Mount will start this time around with Amrabat a sub once again.

Captain Bruno Fernandes will no doubt be starting while Alejandro Garnacho will keep his place out wide.

Marcus Rashford started on the right last time out but is likely to drop into striker with Hojlund’s fitness a question mark.

Rashford netted 30 goals in all competitions last campaign but has managed to find the back of the net just once so far this season.

That will mean Antony comes back into the starting line-up on the wing.

Jurgen Klopp has beaten Pep Guardiola more than any other manager but Liverpool boss struggles at Etihad

Jack Johnson — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:47:54 +0000

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola meet once again this weekend as Manchester City host Liverpool in a huge Premier League clash.

The battle between two of the world’s best managers is always one to behold with their sides becoming rivals over the last few years.

Klopp and Guardiola have had many famous meetings

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They have come up against each other more often than any other opposing boss in their career, with the pair more than familiar after 28 meetings.

Guardiola is often referred to as one of the greatest ever coaches, so to beat him and his incredible Man City team is some feat.

But Klopp seems to be his kryptonite with the German winning more games against him than any other manager.

The Reds boss has beaten Pep more times than he’s lost the 28 meetings between the two, winning 12 and losing 11.

However, despite Klopp’s success against Guardiola, he has struggled when playing at the Etihad in the Premier League.

All but one of his wins have been at home or a neutral venue, with his only away victory coming during his first visit to the blue side of Manchester in 2015.

Liverpool won that game 4-1 but they haven’t travelled home with three points in eight years since.

The Reds have drawn five of the other 13 trips, losing the other eight.

Klopp has a lot more wins against Pep than some great managers

Klopp’s most recent clash with Guardiola came when Man City were closing in on becoming Premier League champions in April.

Pep’s side ran out 4-1 winners, picking up a comprehensive win despite going 1-0 down to pile on the misery for Liverpool who were coming to the end of a poor season.

The last point the Reds collected at the Etihad came in 2022 after a 2-2 draw that saw Sadio Mane score the equaliser.

But despite the record, Klopp will be confident of ending his poor streak on the road this time around.

His Liverpool side are unbeaten in the league since September and are only one point behind their title rivals after 12 games.

A win would take them to the top of the table and make a huge statement to the league.

And if there was one manager that has a chance of finding a way to beat Guardiola at the Etihad, it’s Klopp.

You can listen to EXCLUSIVE live commentary of the game on talkSPORT this weekend!

Harry Maguire gets public apology from Ghanaian MP who mocked him in parliament

Phil Spencer — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 14:52:14 +0000

A Ghanaian MP has apologised to Harry Maguire after using his name to discredit a political rival last year.

MP Isaac Adongo was debating the economic budget when he took aim at Ghana vice president Mahamudu Bawumia by saying that he loved to score political own goals, much like the Manchester United star.

Maguire was given an apology from a Ghanaian MP

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Those comments came during a disastrous 2022/23 campaign for the experienced defender, however this season has been markedly different for Maguire, who has featured regularly for both club and country

It’s that change in fortunes which led Adongo to reference Maguire once again, this time apologising to the footballing superstar while taking another potshot at his political rival.

Speaking in parliament, Adongo said: “If you remember last year I was very quick to compare [vice-president] Mahamudu Bawumia to Harry Maguire.

“Mr Speaker I now apologise Harry Maguire.

‘Mr Chairman, you got very angry when I used your defender as an example.

“Today Maguire has turned the corner, he’s a transformational footballer.

“Harry Maguire is now scoring goals for Manchester United.

“Mr Speaker Harry Maguire is now a key player for Manchester United, as for our Maguire, he is now roaming at the high heavens with a cup in hand.

“Today, Maguire has turned the corner and is a transformational footballer”

Ghanaian MP Isaac Adongo, who ridiculed Harry Maguire months ago for scoring own goals, has apologized to the Manchester United defender.#JoySports pic.twitter.com/WciD3D3SEL
— #JoySports (@JoySportsGH) November 22, 2023

“As for our Maguire, the economic Maguire, he was able to get pensioners to leave their homes and come and parade in the streets.”

Upon his speech, the Man United star took to social media to graciously accept the apology.

He wrote: “MP Issac Adongo apology accepted. See you at Old Trafford soon,” with a shaking hands and smiling emoji.

Saudi Pro League players Newcastle could sign in January to deal with dire injury woes

Josh Fordham — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 14:26:04 +0000

Newcastle are now free to sign players on loan from clubs owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) in January following a Premier League club vote.

The Premier League was defeated in its bid to stop loans between associated party clubs.

Amanda Staveley helped the Saudi-backed PIF take over Newcastle, and is now on the board

It was designed to prevent teams like Newcastle sign players from PIF clubs, following links to Al Hilal’s Ruben Neves.

It needed 14 out of the 20 clubs to vote in favour of the ban, but fell one short with just 13.

It was designed as a temporary measure to stop any moves in the winter transfer window, before a more permanent solution was found in the summer.

Newcastle, Manchester City, Chelsea, Sheffield United, Everton, Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Burnley voted against the ban.

It now means teams like Newcastle, whose owners have multiple clubs, can freely sign players on loan from then.

PIF took over four leading Saudi Pro League clubs in June – Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.

The January transfer window is something that Eddie Howe will keenly be looking at, given the dire injury problems the club have been suffering.

Should they get through their Champions League group, then that depth will be vital for the remainder of the season.

Here are the players that could be signed by Newcastle in January.

Ruben Neves (Al Hilal)

The 26-year-old swapped Premier League club Wolves for the Saudi Pro League in the summer.

Neves has been linked following Sandro Tonali’s 10-month ban for betting.

The Portugal international has already played 177 times in the Premier League and previously been linked to the likes of Arsenal.

Neves can return to the Premier League if Newcastle want to sign him

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Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli)

The winger might be 32 now, but has vast Premier League experience having won five titles for Leicester and Man City.

He left City in the summer having captured the treble and scored 78 goals in 236 games for the club.

For Al Ahli, he has six goals in 14 games so far this season. His competition would be Miguel Almiron on the right.

Almiron picked up a small hamstring injury just before the international break that should not keep him out long, but for cover for the season half of the season Mahrez could be an option.

Mahrez plays at Al Ahli with Roberto Firmino and Allan Saint Maximin

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Sadio Mane (Al Nassr)

The 31-year-old was a Ballon d’Or runner-up in 2022 before he joined Al Nassr in August, to join a glut of former Liverpool players heading to Saudi.

He was a fan favourite at Liverpool where he won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.

Mane spent one season at Bayern Munich, where he was involved in a well-publicised bust up with Leroy Sane, before heading to Al Nassr.

Newcastle are thin on the left with Harvey Barnes out injured, leaving Anthony Gordon to start week in, week out.

Mane joined Al Nassr from Bayern Munich in the summer

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Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr)

Newcastle have had plenty of injuries to contend with in defence this season, and that’s a problem Howe will want to address in January.

Sven Botman (knee), Dan Burn (back), and Matt Targett (hamstring) are all currently out.

One player in a PIF-backed club that may interest the Magpies is Laporte.

The centre-back headed to Saudi in the summer to join Al Nassr from Man City.

Laporte joined Al Nassr from Man City

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Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al Hilal)

Newcastle already have two strong strikers in Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson.

However, both have spent spells out injured this season and loan cover could be useful for Howe.

Mitrovic would be a name that immediately stands out, given his Premier League experience, including three seasons with the Magpies.

The 29-year-old scored 14 league goals for Fulham last season, before forcing a move to the Saudi club.

Mitrovic has 17 goals in 17 games for Al Hilal

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Barnsley expelled from FA Cup as minnows Horsham take place in second round

Phil Spencer — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 14:20:13 +0000

Barnsley have been removed from the FA Cup after fielding an ineligible player in the early rounds of the tournament.

The Tykes fielded an ineligible player for the first round replay with Horsham, a match that they went on to win 3-0.

Barnsley won 3-0 on the night and have since apologised for the administrative error

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The League One side were due to face a trip to Sutton United on December 2 in the second round of the competition, however it’ll now be the Isthmian League Premier Division side who take their place in the next round.

A statement from the FA said: “A Professional Game Board Sub-Committee has removed Barnsley from the 2023-24 Emirates FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player during their First Round Proper Replay against Horsham on Tuesday 14 November 2023.

The FA alleged that the player was ineligible for this replay, as he was not correctly registered and eligible for the original First Round Proper match on Friday 3 November 2023, which constitutes a breach of FA Cup Rule 103.

“Barnsley admitted this charge and acknowledged that the breach had occurred.

“The Sub-Committee’s members ordered that Barnsley be removed from the competition, and that Horsham be awarded the tie and progression to the Second Round Proper.

“Subject to any appeal by Barnsley, Horsham will now play away to Sutton United in the Second Round Proper on Saturday 2 December 2023.”

Barnsley have since issued a statement, saying: “Today the FA has advised us that we will no longer be able to participate in the FA Cup this season.

“An administrative error was brought to our attention regarding the eligibility of a player who played in last Tuesday’s game with Horsham FC.

Meanwhile Horsham will now be looking forward to the second round tie with Sutton United

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“The club has fully cooperated with the investigation and has accepted the FA’s decision.

“We have been in contact with Horsham FC and would like to thank the club and Chairman for their understanding and cooperation throughout this process.

“We would like to apologise to our fans, players and staff for this regrettable error.

“This mistake – although unintentional – falls way below the high standards we set at this club and is simply not what you deserve. We have already conducted a full internal investigation and have subsequently put safeguards in place to ensure this will never happen again.”

Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron 2 date: UK start time, undercard and how to follow as Irish star aims to avenge defeat

Joe Brophy — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 13:41:00 +0000

Katie Taylor will bid to bounce back from her first career defeat when she returns to Dublin to rematch Chantelle Cameron this weekend.

The undisputed lightweight champion saw her undefeated record snapped in surprising fashion when she lost to ‘Il Capo’ in May.

Taylor is under huge pressure in her second meeting with Cameron

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Taylor’s Dublin homecoming had been seven years in the making but her fairytale ending went up in smoke as she lost on points.

Taylor will have a chance to avenge her only defeat when she returns to Ireland for a second shot at Cameron’s undisputed light-welterweight belts.

The ‘Bray Bomber’ is still aiming to become a two-weight undisputed champion but Cameron’s undefeated record now stands at 18 wins and she will prove a fearsome challenge to overcome once again.

Taylor vs Cameron 2: Date and how to follow

This super-lightweight title fight is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 25.

It is being held again at the 3Arena in Dublin.

The main card is due to begin at 7pm, with ringwalks for the main event expected at around 10:30pm.

The fight will be shown live on DAZN in the UK.

Fans can sign up to DAZN for only £9.99 per month to watch the bout live. More details here.

It can be streamed at DAZN.com or via the DAZN app.

DAZN subscribers that have an HD-enabled Sky box can also register to watch the fight on DAZN 1 HD on channel 429 on Sky here.

talkSPORT will have updates throughout fight week and talkSPORT.com will provide the best of the reaction on fight night as well.

Cameron remains unbeaten professionally with Taylor bidding to avenge her only loss

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Taylor vs Cameron 2: Undercard

Subject to change

MAIN EVENT: Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron 2 – for IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO super-lightweight title
Paddy Donovan vs Danny Ball
Gary Cully vs Reece Mould
Skye Nicolson vs Lucy Wildheart – for WBC interim featherweight title
John Cooney vs Liam Gaynor
Zelfa Barrett vs Costin Ion
Thomas Carty vs Dan Garber
Emmet Brennan vs Jamie Morrissey
Giorgio Visioli vs Lee Anthony Sibley

Conor McGregor supported Taylor for her homecoming defeat to Cameron in Ireland

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Taylor vs Cameron 2: What has been said?

Taylor hit has a warning for Cameron ahead of their rematch.

She said: “Loss or failure causes you to analyse things that bit more. That’s certainly been the case with this fight.

“Unfortunately, it has to be that way when you suffer a loss. You are forced to look at every single detail and that is always a good thing.

“I definitely feel like I’m a better boxer now than when I fought her before. Hopefully, I can show what I can do on the night.

“Certainly, it would be one of the best wins of my career in terms of ranking it but, as I said, the next fight is always the most important fight, but this one definitely feels like a must-win fight for me.

“I’m definitely looking forward just to revenge (sic), I guess and making things right.

“A lot of people, I think, are doubting me as well, so I actually love these fights when people are actually doubting me.

“I think this could be one of the greatest nights of my career.”

Taylor vs Cameron 2: Betting Odds

Chantelle Cameron – 21/40

Draw – 12/1

Katie Taylor – 6/4

All Boxing betting odds and markets available at talkSPORT BET.

*odds correct as of 19/11/23

Haven’t got a talkSPORT BET account? Sign up and get triple your returns on your first bet up to £300 – CLAIM HERE

T&C’s: 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet max £5 on any sport single within 7 days of registration, at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. If it wins we Triple (x3) your returns, up to a max of £300 paid in Free Bets, expires in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs Apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly.

Newcastle told to raid Man City and Arsenal in January transfer window with Nick Pope questioned

Phil Spencer — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 13:24:45 +0000

Newcastle have been urged to sign Kalvin Phillips and Aaron Ramsdale by Gabby Agbonlahor.

The Magpies are going into the January transfer window in the hope of closing the gap on the Premier League’s elite by securing Champions League football for a second season in a row.

Newcastle should move to sign Kalvin Phillips in January, says Agbonlahor

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Given the hectic fixture schedule that has come with playing in Europe’s top competition, Eddie Howe‘s side have been struggling with many injury problems – something that has been made worse by the 10-month suspension picked up by Sandro Tonali for betting offences.

As a result, Newcastle are looking to sign a midfielder in January, with Agbonlahor suggesting out-of-favour Man City man Phillips as the perfect solution.

Speaking on The Sports Breakfast, Agbonlahor said: “I think that Newcastle will look at Kalvin Phillips.

“Neves would be amazing for them, he’s a top player, but I do think that Kalvin Phillips would make sense.

“Manchester City don’t really want him.”

Elsewhere Arsenal face Brentford this weekend with Ramsdale set to start due to an agreement in the loan deal which took David Raya to north London.

According to Agbonlahor, Ramsdale will be feeling the pressure with the goalkeeper gearing up for a move away in January.

He said: “It’ll be a tough game and he knows that all eyes are going to be on him because he hasn’t played for so long and this is his chance to shine.

Agbonlahor also suggested a move to sign Ramsdale due to his Arsenal standing

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“There’s a lot of pressure on Ramsdale but he has to go in January. Arteta has made it clear.”

Responding to Aaron Brazil suggesting Bayern Munich or Chelsea as a potential destination, Agbonlahor said: “I’m saying Newcastle.

“It’s Newcastle or Chelsea for me, because Pope’s a top shot-stopper but he can’t play with his feet.

“Every Premier League club near the top has a goalkeeper that can play out from the back and Pope can’t.

“That’s the reason that he’ll maybe miss out on going to the Euros with England, because he can’t play from the back.

“I think that Ramsdale to Newcastle [could happen], but Chelsea, their goalkeeper isn’t great, Sanchez.”

Why have Everton been deducted ten points and can they appeal? Toffees dealt major blow to survival hopes

Jack Cunningham — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 13:16:00 +0000

Everton’s season has been drastically changed after the club was hit with a ten-point deduction.

The Premier League have acted quickly to punish the Toffees, who now face a huge battle to remain in the top-flight.

Sean Dyche could be in a world of trouble

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Everton were sitting well clear of the drop zone, but this sees them sink into the bottom three.

Why have Everton been deducted ten points?

The Premier League have found Everton to have breached their Financial Fair Play rules and have dished out an immediate ten-point deduction.

The top-flight’s profit and sustainability rules are strict regulations that must be adhered to, and an independent panel has found Everton guilty of breaking these.

The club was referred to the panel in March 2023, and they met last month to discuss the findings.

From 2018 to 2021, Everton posted losses of £372million, which is well over the £250m allowed every three years.

In a statement, the Premier League said: “An independent Commission has imposed an immediate deduction of 10 points on Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs).

“The Premier League issued a complaint against the club and referred the case to an independent commission earlier this year.

“During the proceedings, the club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021-22, but the extent of the breach remained in dispute.

“Following a five-day hearing last month, the commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5million, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105million permitted under the PSRs.

“The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.”

Can they appeal?

Sean Dyche’s men have the right to appeal this decision, and they have already started the process of getting it overturned.

The club strongly deny breaking the Premier League’s rules and blame the losses on their new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.

The Toffees don’t feel that a sporting sanction is fair and will attempt to use previous examples, such as fines handed out to the clubs that tried to join the European Super League, to prove their case.

In a statement, the club said: “Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the ruling of the Premier League’s Commission.

“The club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction. The club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence, and the club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course.

“Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process. The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith, and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings. Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the Commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted.

“The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

“Everton cannot comment on this matter any further until the appeal process has concluded.”

Everton are facing a tough remaining games of the season

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What has been said?

Former Arsenal chairman David Dein has called Everton’s 10-point a ‘disaster’ for other clubs such as Manchester City and Chelsea.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the ex-Arsenal chairman said: “One has to differentiate between the Premier League charging and what happens after that.

“It is an independent tribunal, the Premier League actually have nothing to do with the result and the decision.

“The Premier League do the charging but do not do the judgement.

“To me, it seems extortionate but there you are. It could have a knock-on effect at other clubs and that would be a disaster.”

England’s Arsenal and Chelsea starlets dumped out of Under-17s World Cup by Uzbekistan in shock defeat

Natasha Everitt — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 13:10:50 +0000

England’s Under-17s were sent home from the World Cup following a shock defeat to Uzbekistan on Wednesday.

The Young Lions fell to a 2-1 loss at the Jakarta International Stadium, with Man City’s Joel Ndala’s first half goal proving to not be enough to stay in the competition.

Uzbekistan pulled off a serious upset on Wednesday in Indonesia

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Arsenal‘s Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg and Chelsea defender Ishe Samuels-Smith were among those making up the Young Lions’ side for the clash.

Hashtag United star and Chelsea loanee Ted Curd was on the bench, too, but it wasn’t meant to be for the Young Lions.

Ryan Garry’s side had finished their group stage campaign with another 2-1 defeat to Brazil, but got through to the knockout stages on goal difference.

England won the competition for the first time in 2017, beating Spain 5-2 with Nottingham Forest‘s Morgan Gibbs-White and Manchester City‘s Phil Foden amongst those on the scoresheet.

Current England first team stars Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher and Emile Smith Rowe were also in the squad managed by now-Forest boss Steve Cooper.

They then failed to defend their title after being unable to qualify for the last edition of the tournament in 2019.

The 2021 edition of the competition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aside from Wednesday’s victory, Uzbekistan also impressed when they got themselves out of the group stages in the Under-20s World Cup earlier this year.

England were gutted at the final whistle

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Now, despite being ranked 73rd in the world, their Under-17s have reached their first quarter-final since 2011 where they will either face France or Senegal next.

Burnley vs West Ham LIVE commentary: Vincent Kompany aiming to end struggles against Hammers – kick-off time, team news and how to follow

Jack Johnson — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 13:00:41 +0000

Burnley will be aiming to end their woeful start to life back in the Premier League against West Ham, exclusively live on talkSPORT 2.

The Clarets have lost 10 of their opening 12 games this season and they sit at the bottom of the table, below Everton who have been deducted 10 points.

Burnley have not got going in the top-flight

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Vinceny Kompany’s side have also only scored nine goals while conceding 30, with the step up from the Championship proving to be too much.

They now take on David Moyes’ Hammers who bounced back from three straight losses to beat Nottingham Forest before the international break.

Burnley vs West Ham: Terrible at Turf Moor

Burnley have lost all six games at Turf Moor in the Premier League this season.

If they are to lose again this weekend, they would become only the second team in English league history to lose their first seven home games of a campaign.

The Clarets would be the first team to do so since Newport County over 50 years ago in the old fourth division.

It is a record that Kompany will not want during his first stint as a top-flight boss.

The Belgian has already joined Mick McCarthy as the only two managers to lose their first six Premier League home games in charge.

And he’ll be desperate to put an end to the misery in front of the Burnley fans against West Ham.

Kompany’s side have not performed in front of their fans

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Burnley’s only Premier League win so far this season was at fellow promoted side Luton Town in October. They’ve lost each of their last five since then but haven’t lost six consecutive top-flight matches since December 1895.
West Ham have won their last seven Premier League games against promoted sides – their longest such run in the competition – while they’ve also won their last 10 against sides starting the day bottom of the table.

Burnley vs West Ham: Team news

Burnley could see the return of Hjalmar Ekdal who has not played for the club since August.

Manuel Benson is also getting closer to a comeback after not featuring in two months.

The Clarets will remain without Lyle Foster who is taking time away from football to focus on treating his mental health.

As for West Ham, they are set to be without star man Jarrod Bowen.

talkSPORT understands that Bowen’s knee injury will be assessed by a specialist after he was sent home from international duty with England.

Michail Antonio also picked up a knee issue with Jamaica and he could be sidelined for a while.

Midfielder Tomas Soucek was left bloodied while playing for Czech Republic but he should be fit to feature, possibly wearing a bandage on his head.

Bowen is going to be a huge loss for West Ham

West Ham United’s James Ward-Prowse has more assists than any other Premier League player in all competitions this season (9). Five of those have come in 11 appearances in the Premier League, six games quicker than any other Hammers player has reached five assists in the competition (17, Paolo Di Canio).
Only Enzo Fernández (21) has had more shots without scoring so far this season than Burnley’s Luca Koleosho (18). His 18 attempts have an xG value of 1.5, though just three of them have been on target.

Burnley vs West Ham: What has been said?

West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is enjoying playing in the Premier League and Europa League this season.

He told the Hammers’ website: “It’s what we want, play every week in Europe and in the cups as well as the league.

“If we can go, like last season, until the very end, then we’ll fight for everything and be ready for it.

“We’ll prepare our bodies and there’s a lot that’s in our heads too, so we’ll fight for all of it.

“We’ve done a great job so far this season. We have to keep that going now.

“We need to be ready now, in our minds, and the body will follow.”

The Hammers are dealing well with the busy fixture schedule

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Burnley are winless in their last four Premier League meetings with West Ham (D2 L2), with the last two games in 2021-22 both ending in draws.
West Ham have lost seven of their last 10 Premier League away games (W2 D1), conceding at least twice in each defeat. Indeed, since the start of last season only Nottingham Forest (18) have lost more Premier League away games than the Hammers (16).

Burnley vs West Ham: talkSPORT coverage

This Premier League clash will take place on Saturday, November 25.

Kick-off at Turf Moor is scheduled for 3pm.

The game will not be broadcast live on TV in the UK due to the 3pm blackout rule.

talkSPORT 2 will have EXCLUSIVE live coverage of the match.

Commentary will come from Ian Danter and former England defender Micky Gray.

Fulham confident of beating Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United and Tottenham to £30m target

Natasha Everitt — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 12:35:04 +0000

Fulham are confident of signing Brazilian midfielder Andre in January, talkSPORT understands.

The Cottagers are in advanced talks with Fluminense over £30m rated Andre, who has also attracted interest from Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal.

Andre is on Premier League club’s radars

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The 22-year-old first caught the attention of some of English football’s biggest clubs last summer, but Fluminense were keen to keep hold of him until the conclusion of the Copa Libertadores.

The Brazilian giants ended up beating Boca Juniors 2-1 in the final, winning the competition for the first time ever.

Andre played the whole game and claimed his first ever piece of silverware in the process.

Now, though, he could leave the club he joined as a 12-year-old in 2013.

Fulham have seen a dip in form this campaign following last season’s 10th place finish.

The west London club have struggled to cope with the loss of Aleksandar Mitrovic, who left for Al Hilal over the summer. They’ve scored just 10 goals so far.

Andre has scored four goals and recorded three assists in 163 appearances for his current club since his senior debut in 2020.

The midfielder also has three caps for Brazil’s national team. He was included in the preliminary squad for the 2022 World Cup, but made his debut in June this year, coming off the bench to replace West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta against Senegal.

He has also admitted he’s a fan of England’s top flight.

“I follow the Premier League a lot,” he told The Guardian just before his side were crowned champions of South America. “It’s a very competitive league that demands a lot from players. But today my dream is to live day by day here in Fluminense.

“I don’t know what will happen in the future. I have a long contract at Fluminense [which runs until the end of 2026] and I really like being here.

“It’s been 10 years already so it’s where I feel at home. I’m still young, only 22 years old, so there’s no need for me to think too far ahead. I just need to keep doing my best, try to win this trophy and then see what happens at the end of the season.”

Phil Taylor teases new career move with Robbie Williams and hints at I’m A Celebrity appearance

Natasha Everitt — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 11:52:16 +0000

Darts legend Phil Taylor may consider crossing over into another sport following his retirement.

The Stoke-born star called time on playing professional darts in 2018, bringing an end to an illustrious career that saw him win a record 16 World Champions and a record 85 major titles.

The Power has hinted he could still be involved in sport following his darts retirement

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He did return to play at the 2022 World Seniors Darts Championship, though, and has spent the past two years on the Senior Darts Tour.

However, this week, the 63-year-old announced the official finale of his career will come at the World Masters in Sunderland next November.

Taylor joined talkSPORT Breakfast to discuss his announcement and, first of all, Gabby Agbonlahor asked whether ITV’s ‘I’m A Celebrity’ is a natural next step.

The darts legend said: “Yeah I’d love to do the jungle! It’s a challenge, it’s something I’ve never done, yeah I’d do it if they ask me to!”

Breakfast co-host Alan Brazil jokingly asked if he could still do it with his ‘dodgy hip’, to which Taylor replied: “I’ll get it replaced!”

But it turns out ‘I’m A Celeb’ isn’t the only post-darts career move Taylor would consider, as he teased a potential new role in another sport.

When asked by Brazil if he still supports Port Vale, Taylor said: “I am a Port Vale fan! I do look at the Stoke results and I do like them to win.

“I like all of Stoke, Crewe [Alexandra] and Vale to win, if they can. I have a little bet on each Saturday, it doesn’t get paid out very often! But I am a Port Vale fan, yeah, I was only about half a mile from the ground as a boy.

Port Vale are currently 17th in League One

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“My dad was a fan, he used to take me down in them days, lift me over the turnstile because we couldn’t afford pay and then I carried on as being a fan of them, yeah!”

He’s not the only celebrity to root for the League One side – with pop star Robbie Williams being a fan of Vale too.

Football-mad Robbie, who stars in a recently-released Netflix docuseries about his life, has previously spoken about investing in Vale.

Taylor was asked if he would be interested in joining the superstar singer…

“I’m friends with Robbie, he’s not mentioned anything [about investing with him], but if he does ask me then I’d probably consider it yeah!” he said, before joking: “I might actually even get a game… with a dodgy hip!”

Fellow darts star 20-year-old Owen Bates also had talkSPORT presenters in fits earlier this month, with Ally McCoist in particular being beside himself after discovering his banned nickname.

Now, Bates is on the hunt for a new one ahead of next month’s PDC World Darts Championships – and Taylor has given the Exeter arrowman a brilliant suggestion.

“Oh yes,” he said. “How about Psycho? From the Bates Hotel?”

Williams recently admitted he’d want to invest in his boyhood club

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Psycho may have been filmed 42 years before Bates was born, but hopefully he knows the iconic character well, Taylor!

Either way, The Power confirmed he’d be there for the competition’s final.

Tottenham vs Aston Villa: Spurs desperate to halt slip down Premier League table in huge clash – kick-off time, team news and how to follow

Jack Johnson — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 11:41:39 +0000

Tottenham will be desperate to put an end to their slip down the Premier League table when they host Aston Villa this weekend.

Spurs were unbeaten in their first 10 games but they have lost their last two and fell from the top down to fourth before the international break.

Spurs’ dream start has come crashing down

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Life under Ange Postecoglou looked to be perfect, however, his side are now facing their first real test following back-to-back defeats to Chelsea and Wolves.

The Lilywhites will be hoping to get back to winning ways but they come up against Unai Emery who has his Villa side flying and in touching distance of top spot themselves.

Tottenham vs Aston Villa: Title challenge?

Are Aston Villa title contenders this season?

Emery’s men are only three points off Manchester City who sit at the top of the Premier League after 12 games.

Villa have been unstoppable at times throughout an amazing start to the campaign, scoring the second-most goals so far.

Ollie Watkins is firing while the signing of Moussa Diaby looks to be a stroke of genius.

The Villans are also playing in the Europa Conference League but the extra fixtures don’t seem to be taking a toll on their fitness.

A win in London this weekend would move them into the top four, proving that they are well up for the Champions League fight and maybe even a title challenge.

The Premier League’s top five are separated by three points

Having made a 10-game unbeaten start in the Premier League this season (W8 D2), Tottenham have now lost their last two matches. They’ve opened the scoring in both of these defeats, with only four teams ever losing three consecutive Premier League games after scoring first – Blackburn in April 2007, Sunderland in February 2011, Wolves in April 2012 and Leicester in December 2014.
Aston Villa did the Premier League double over Tottenham last season, as many victories as they’d managed in their previous 21 league games against them (W2 D3 L16). They last won more consecutively against Spurs between November 1994 and January 1996 (4).

Tottenham vs Aston Villa: Team news

Tottenham were worried about Heung-min Son’s fitness over the international break, however, he is expected to be okay.

But Spurs will be without James Maddison, Richarlison, Micky van de Ven, Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon who are all out injured.

Destiny Udogie is back after serving his suspension for two yellow cards against Chelsea while Cristian Romero is still banned after a straight red in the same game.

Romero and Van de Ven’s absence means Eric Dier and Ben Davies are likely to start at centre-back again this weekend.

As for Aston Villa, they have no major issues to worry about.

Long-term absentees Emi Buendia, Jacob Ramsey and Tyrone Mings remain out.

Mings released an update on his recovery on Tuesday which allayed fears that the defender was set to retire following his ACL injury.

Villa are fit and firing under Emery

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Tottenham have conceded six goals in second half stoppage time in the Premier League this season, more than any other side. Each of their last four goals conceded have come in added time at the end of the match (2 vs Chelsea, 2 vs Wolves).
Aston Villa have won six of their last eight Premier League games (D1 L1). In fact, since the end of this season’s first international break (16th September onwards), Villa have won more games (6) and picked up more points (19) than any other side in the division.

Tottenham vs Aston Villa: What has been said?

Son picked up a knock during South Korea’s game against Singapore last week but he continued to play and scored a brace in the following match five days later.

The Tottenham skipper then spoke strongly about carrying on despite feeling pain, which shows Spurs fans they won’t be losing their key man any time soon.

He said: “I can’t give up a game just because I feel pain.

“If I can’t run anymore, then I can’t do anything about it but when I can run, I have to give 100 per cent for the team.

“I am fine now, I don’t like to lie down [on the pitch] in the winter.

“At that moment [going down] I couldn’t feel anything on my foot. I’m fine, no injury.”

Son won’t be missing games due to pain anytime soon

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min has scored five goals in six Premier League appearances against Aston Villa. However, all of these strikes have come at Villa Park – only Michael Owen has scored more against an opponent without netting one at home (6 vs West Bromwich Albion).
Only Lucas Paquetá (7) has made more successful through balls than Aston Villa’s John McGinn (5) in the Premier League this season. Three of these have been for Ollie Watkins, with only James Maddison (4 for Richarlison) providing more for a teammate so far this term.

Tottenham vs Aston Villa: How to follow

This Premier League clash will take place on Sunday, November 26.

Kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is scheduled for 2pm.

The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.

talkSPORT will also keep you up to date with all the latest news and reaction.

Premier League ‘big six’ holding up agreement over £900m solidarity package for EFL

Phil Spencer — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 11:39:28 +0000

Premier League clubs are still struggling to reach an agreement over how much each should contribute to the solidarity package for the EFL, talkSPORT understands.

A landmark £900million package has been discussed to support the 72 clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two following a spate of financial issues in recent years.

The Premier League are yet to agree their £900m package for the EFL

The so-called ‘New Deal’ would see top-flights side filter money into the lower divisions over six years and was top of the agenda at Tuesday’s Premier league shareholders’ meeting.

However, the historic ‘big six’ clubs Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham remain reluctant on the idea.

This due to the demands of their smaller counterparts to pay a greater percentage of their revenue into the pot.

The lesser clubs argue that a sliding scale payment system based on sporting merit is unfair and that overall turnover should be factored in.

A vote on the matter is yet to be held and the EFL are said to be becoming increasingly impatient.

The need for financial support comes following the financial struggles of numerous EFL clubs in recent years including Derby County, Reading, Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers.

In June, a report by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee said that if no funding plan was reached soon, then the Government should accelerate bringing in the regulator to impose a deal.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP said: “Unless the football authorities get their act together soon on agreeing a fairer share of revenue, we risk more clubs collapsing, with the devastating impact that can have on local communities.”

Bolton are one of many clubs to endure financial hardship in recent years

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The hope remains that a deal can be struck to bridge the gap between the Premier League and the rest of the football pyramid.

Everton vs Manchester United: Red Devils out to pile on misery following Toffees’ 10-point deduction – kick-off time, team news and how to follow

Jack Johnson — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 11:01:40 +0000

Manchester United travel to Goodison Park this weekend as they aim to pile the misery on Everton following their 10-point deduction.

The Toffees have now dropped down to 19th in the Premier League table following the penalty which was handed out last week.

Dyche will be hoping his side can bounce back from the deduction

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And Man United will look to capitalise on that and build on four wins in their last five league games before the international break.

It won’t be an easy task though, with injuries ripping through the Red Devils and Sean Dyche’s side unbeaten in their last three.

Everton vs Manchester United: Point deduction

Everton were docked ten points by the Premier League for breaching financial rules.

The decision has plunged the Toffees into relegation danger as they are now inside the bottom three.

Profit and sustainability rules allow clubs to lose a maximum of £105million over a three-year period or face sanctions.

Premier League chiefs acknowledged the Merseyside club has not broken financial rules to gain a sporting advantage, but they were still hit with a points penalty.

Everton responded to the decision with an immediate appeal and an official statement revealing their ‘shock’.

But they will now begin their battle to regain the points lost, with a win over Man United the perfect way to reinvigorate fans and players following the disappointment.

Everton have slid from 14th to 19th place in the Premier League

Everton vs Manchester United: Team news

For Everton, Amadou Onana withdrew from the Belgium squad with a calf problem meaning he is a doubt.

Seamus Coleman, Andre Gomes and Dele Alli are the only players ruled out with long-term issues.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has still not played 90 minutes since coming back from his problem, with Dyche taking no risks of another knock.

As for Man United, they are still suffering with a whole host of injuries.

Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Tyrell Malacia are still on the sidelines but Luke Shaw is close to a return.

Christian Eriksen has joined the group of players out injured after picking up a knee issue against Luton before the international break.

And Danish teammate Rasmus Hojlund is also a doubt after suffering a muscle strain during the same game.

Andre Onana and Marcus Rashford were both seen taking knocks for their countries, meaning their fitness is also a worry.

Rashford is one of many injury worries for United

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Everton vs Manchester United: What has been said?

Man United are yet to get their money’s worth for ‘hugely disappointing’ Antony who is still without a goal contribution this campaign.

That is according to talkSPORT host and ex-Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino, who has named the 23-year-old as his ‘flop of the season’.

Speaking on the Weekend Sports Breakfast, Cascarino said: “He’s been hugely disappointing.

“For a player that’s been in the Premier League for a year and not seemingly improved from where he was last year, I would probably go Antony.

“Man United need him to be a really big star for them, they paid a lot of money – £80m for him.

“He’s not lived up to that in any shape or form.”

Antony has been criticised for his performances

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Everton vs Manchester United: How to follow

This Premier League clash will take place on Sunday, November 26.

Kick-off at Goodison Park is scheduled for 4:30pm.

The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.

talkSPORT will keep you up to date with all the latest.

And talkSPORT.com will be running a live blog of the action.

‘Blood all over the place’ – Inside Brazil vs Argentina chaos as ‘out of control’ police and ‘greedy’ authorities cause mayhem

Phil Spencer — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 10:39:41 +0000

South American football expert Tim Vickery has given an insider account of the carnage during Brazil vs Argentina, calling it ‘a brutish and nasty’ affair.

The World Cup qualifier should have been remembered for two of the planet’s top footballing sides pitting their wits against each other, but instead trouble in the stands stole the headlines.

Violent scenes unfolded in the stands at the Maracana as crowd trouble spilled over

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The trouble started during the anthems when fans from both nations started fighting behind one of the goals, leading to Argentina’s players confronting the situation.

Led by captain Lionel Messi, they walked over to where the shocking scenes were unfolding to try and calm the situation, while Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez attempted to jump into the visiting section and defend his compatriots.

One man who was in attendance at the Maracana was South American football expert, Vickery, who suggested that those policing the situation were culpable for making things worse.

Speaking on The Sports Breakfast, Vickery said: “Brazil have never lost a World Cup qualifier at home, so history was made last night and that’s the last fortress to fall.

“I’d love to come back remembering a great game and a classic game, but I can’t – It was brutish, it was nasty.

“There were nearly 70,000 [at the Maracana] and I think that’s part of the problem because there’s no segregation.

“I’m in the Maracana all the time – segregating fans is the easiest thing in the world out there, you just put them in one of the corners, up in the top. It’s quite a good view and then below them you don’t sell the tickets so you have your segregation space.

“But that means that you have a lot of tickets there that you’re not selling.

Police wielded batons as they exacerbated the troubles

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Argentina players ended up trying to intervene to save the supporters who were involved

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“The Brazilian FA haven’t issued a statement on this yet but I think they got greedy. They thought it’s an international game, nothing’s going to happen so lets try and sell all of the tickets.

“They didn’t segregate the fans and it’s even worse than that because the Argentina fans are behind one of the goals and right next to them are the organised group of Brazilian fans with no segregation.

“Brazil has a national organisation of organised supporter groups and they were saying before the game, ‘Don’t do this, it can’t work’.

“This is away to my right when I’m in there, so what happened was that while the national anthems were playing I think we got some scuffles between the fans, not respecting the national anthems – I think that was it.

“What I know is that the police reacted to this – Brazil’s military police who have a track record of doing this – where there’s just a mad baton charge against the Argentina fans.

“I know it’s a difficult situation and that police aren’t responsible for the way that the tickets are sold, but what needed to happen was just a line of separation between the fans because when they went in the batons were flailing and there was blood all over the place.

“Some people have been seriously injured. I was speaking to a journalist next to me who was from Argentina and he went down and said that there were people going to hospital because it doesn’t look good.

“The Argentina fans were backing away because they were being baton charged and that means that the Brazil fans on the other side of them – who had nothing to do with this – they’re worried about being caught in a crush so there’s yellow seats flying all over the place and quite a few Brazil fans hopping over the crash barriers and onto the field.

Supporters were left injured with one journalist saying that many ended up going to hospital

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Tempers even spilled over onto the pitch as the two nations played out a fiery encounter

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“While this is happening the players line up for the national anthem and then the Argentina players line up for what would be the photo, but then ‘hang on a minute, what’s happening over there?’

“They realise that it’s their fans and some of them may well have had family members or mates in there and so they go over and Emiliano Martinez is going berserk because they’re watching their compatriots getting baton-charged by the police who were out of control.

“At that point Messi decides to take them off the pitch because ‘we can’t play like this’.”

After a delay, the match was eventually played with Nicolas Otamendi giving Argentina a 1-0 win, subjecting Brazil to their first-ever World Cup qualifying defeat at home.

Chelsea and Man City among eight clubs who blocked ban on same-party loans

Natasha Everitt — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 10:05:59 +0000

Eight Premier League clubs blocked the proposed ban on teams being able sign players from related clubs on loan this January.

A proposed ban on clubs being able to execute same-party loans was voted on this week, and was narrowly defeated.

Newcastle will be able to bring in players from their sister clubs

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It would have stopped Saudi-owned Newcastle from bringing in players from the Saudi Pro League, with majority owners the Public Invesment Fund (PIF) also owning Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.

But while 12 clubs did vote in favour of the ban, at least 14 teams out of the 20 in the Premier League needed to vote for the motion in order for it to pass, meaning no ban will be put in place.

talkSPORT understands Sheffield United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest all opted to say no to the rule change.

According to The Times, Newcastle were also joined by Burnley in vetoing the motion.

One club chief said there was ‘anger’ among some of those who voted for the ban towards Sheffield United for their stance on the matter. Their owner is the Saudi prince Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud.

The motion for the rule change was introduced after the PIF purchased four Saudi teams over the summer.

Former Wolves player and Al Hilal player Ruben Neves has already been linked with a return to England’s top flight, with Newcastle reportedly preparing to bring him in this January following Sandro Tonali’s ban for breaching betting rules.

This week’s vote also saw a motion on tougher rules on commercials deals with associated parties rejected, with all of the same clubs voting against it except Burnley to result in a 13-7 outcome.

Neves can return to the Premier League if Newcastle want to sign him

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Two years ago, the Premier League decided that every transfer between associated parties involving teams in the league over the value of £1million would be checked to ensure it wasn’t artificially inflated.

That also includes any extra payments from associated parties to club officials, managers or players earning over £1m-per-year.

Lionel Messi and Emi Martinez celebrate wildly with Argentina fans after doing what no one else could to Brazil

Josh Fordham — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:52:53 +0000

The Argentina players celebrated wildly with fans after beating Brazil 1-0 in a night marred by violence.

Lionel Messi and co inflicted a first ever home World Cup qualifying defeat for Brazil on Tuesday night.

Martinez and Messi celebrated wildly after their win over Brazil

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Argentina inflicted a first ever home defeat for Brazil in World Cup qualifying

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A goal from Nicolas Otamendi saw the Brazilians lose for the third straight time, while Newcastle’s Joelinton was sent off in the match.

Messi, Emi Martinez and all the Argentina players were spotted celebrating wildly with supporters after the final whistle in a highly-charged evening.

Trouble started just before kick-off when police clashed with Argentina fans inside the stadium.

Fans spilled out onto the pitch to escape the violence, while some were left bleeding by the clashes.

Players headed over to the incident to try and calm things, while Martinez was spotted trying to protect supporters from the police.

They left the field and came back to start the match 30 minutes later.

“It was bad because we saw how they were beating people,” said Messi.

“The police, as happened in the Libertadores final, were once again repressing the people with night sticks.

Players could only watch on helplessly as they tried to calm the situation

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“We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, it could have ended in tragedy.

Brazil captain Marquinhos said: “We were worried about the families, women and children, that we were seeing in panic up there in the stands.

“Down on the pitch it was hard for us to understand what was going on, it was a very scary situation.”

Furious Lionel Messi confronts Brazil star Rodrygo over ‘coward’ insult after Argentina walk out

Sean O'Brien — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:14:14 +0000

Lionel Messi furiously confronted Brazil star Rodrygo after Argentina staged a walk-out before their World Cup qualifier in Rio de Janeiro.

Argentina captain Messi was seen telling teammates to leave the Maracana pitch as kick-off was delayed by 30 minutes due to crowd violence.

Messi and Rodrigo De Paul exchanged words with Rodrygo on the pitch

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Supporters of the two fierce South American rivals began fighting during the national anthems and police intervened with batons.

Argentine players rushed over to the scene and goalkeeper Emi Martinez tried to defend his compatriots by disarming a police officer.

When the world champions re-emerged from the tunnel, Real Madrid forward Rodrygo reportedly shouted ‘you cowards’ at his opponents.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi rushed over to the 22-year-old and grabbed him by the back of the neck.

According to TyC Sports, Messi said: “We are the world champions, why are we cowards? Look at your mouth.”

Argentina would have the last laugh as Nicolas Otamendi’s second-half header sealed a 1-0 victory.

Speaking afterwards, Messi said: “It was bad because we saw how they were beating people.

“The police, as it already happened in the Libertadores final, were once again repressing the people with night sticks, there were players who had families over there.”

Players could only watch on helplessly as they tried to calm the situation

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It was captain Messi’s decision for Argentina to walk off

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Here’s the moment when Lionel Messi alerted his team to leave saying, “nope. We are not playing under these circumstances. Let’s go.” pic.twitter.com/sAtf0U04Is
— Luis Miguel Echegaray (@lmechegaray) November 22, 2023

La tensión se puede palpar también en el terreno de juego

Messi y Rodrygo tuvieron sus más y sus menos… pic.twitter.com/XhQ4IkMs3w #EliminatoriasSudamericanas
— MARCA (@marca) November 22, 2023

The 36-year-old added: “We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, it could have ended in tragedy.

Emi Martinez tries to defend fans from police and Lionel Messi hits out as violent clashes mar Brazil vs Argentina match

Damian Mannion — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 07:37:06 +0000

Brazil and Argentina’s World Cup qualifier was delayed when a mass brawl broke out in the stands.

Fans of both nations began fighting during the anthems, leading police to charge in to the stands with night sticks.

Argentina players spotted the distressing scenes and immediately ran to their compatriots’ aid

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The Argentina team, led by captain Lionel Messi walked over to where the shocking scenes were unfolding to try and calm the situation, while Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez attempted to jump into the visiting section and defend his compatriots.

“It was bad because we saw how they were beating people,” Messi said afterwards.

“The police, as it already happened in the Libertadores final, were once again repressing the people with night sticks, there were players who had families over there.”

Messi was referencing the game between Argentina’s Boca Juniors and Brazil’s Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro earlier this month.

“We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, it could have ended in tragedy.

The game was delayed by half an hour, with some fans managing to escape onto the pitch and avoid being charged at by police.

One supporter lay down with a bloodied face and was stretchered away, while others responded to police by charging back at them and throwing seats in their direction.

Before the game had kicked off, police and fans clashed

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It’s unclear what triggered the violence, but police were then seen charging into the away fans with night sticks drawn

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Players could only watch on helplessly as they tried to calm the situation

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Some supporters managed to escape danger, while one was seen being led away on a stretcher with blood on him

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Messi then made the decision to lead his team off the pitch, delaying the game

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Brazil captain Marquinhos shared the concerns of their rivals.

“We were worried about the families, women and children, that we were seeing in panic up there in the stands,” he told reporters.

“Down on the pitch it was hard for us to understand what was going on, it was a very scary situation.”

When the game eventually restarted, Argentina recorded a memorable win thanks to a goal from former Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi.

However, the needle didn’t end there as Messi and teammate Rodrigo De Paul exchanged fiery words with Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

Messi and De Paul exchanged words with Rodrygo on the pitch

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It is alleged that when the Argentina players returned, they were labelled cowards, which brought a simple response from Messi.

“We are the World Champions, why are we cowards? Look at your mouth,” broadcaster TYC Sports report.

It was Brazil’s first ever loss at home in a World Cup qualifier and the fact it came against reigning champions – and their bitter rivals – will sting.

Brazil, five-time World Cup winners, have now lost three successive qualifiers and sit sixth in the South American qualifying table.

The loss puts them eight points behind leaders Argentina and in the last spot that guarantees a place at the 2026 edition in America.

Raphael Varane ‘set to leave Man United in summer’ and tipped for move to Italy or Saudi Arabia

Callum Vurley — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 23:07:20 +0000

Raphael Varane is keen to leave Manchester United next summer with his sights set on Italy or Saudi Arabia.

The World Cup winner has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford and has not started in the Premier League since a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in September.

Varane has had a tough season already

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He’s fallen down the pecking order and talkSPORT understands Varane was very unhappy at being dropped for the Manchester derby at Old Trafford last month, which United lost 3-0.

According to The Sun, Varane is planning a departure but Ten Hag will not sanction any exit in January with the squad already depleted.

It means a summer transfer is now the most likely avenue for the former Real Madrid star, who already has plans on his next destination.

talkSPORT also understands that prospective co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will look to move on Varane and midfielder Casemiro.

Contrary to reports in Spain, a return to Real Madrid for Varane is highly unlikely.

Instead, a Saudi swap looks more on the cards where former United stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Alex Telles have already made the move.

But if he wants to stay in Europe, signing for a club in Italy is his most likely destination.

Juventus are keen on a centre-back, as are Inter Milan after losing Milan Skriniar to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer on a free transfer.

Ten Hag will not let Varane leave in January

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United have had a poor season so far defensively

However, matching his £340,000-a-week wages at United might prove a stumbling block for any potential suitor.

Varane has recently fallen behind Jonny Evans in the pecking order at United, who was a shock signing after being released by Leicester in the summer.

However, Ten Hag likes having a left-footed defender at the back while his usual deputy, Lisandro Martinez, is out injured.

Harry Maguire has returned to form and forced Varane out of the side while Victor Lindelof has had to be used as an auxiliary right-back with Aaron Wan-Bissaka sidelined and Diogo Dalot covering for the crocked Luke Shaw.

A source told The Sun: “There’s already interest from Saudi Arabia where Varane could pocket a massive uplift in his wages.

“But he’s also keen on Italy as it’s a league he admires and would love to be a part of.”

Varane joined United in 2021 and the signing was hailed as a marquee arrival after huge success with Real Madrid, including three Champions League titles in a row.

Last season, the Red Devils had one of the best defensive records in the Premier League with Varane partnered with Martinez.

They finished the season with 17 clean sheets, the most in the division and three more than Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal.

However, this campaign has seen a turnaround with United struggling in defence while Ten Hag insisted there was no fallout between him and Varane.

The Dutchman claimed: “It is about tactical reasons why I chose these partnerships. I think Harry and Jonny did well.

“What I said last year, Harry didn’t play a lot, so I was very happy with Rapha’s performances. I have always been happy with his performance.”

Leroy Sane sent off for hitting Austria star in the face during Germany friendly

Callum Vurley — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 22:09:45 +0000

Germany star Leroy Sane was shown a straight red card for pushing Austria’s Philipp Mwene in the face.

Germany were already a goal down to their European neighbours when they walked out for half-time.

Sane reacted furiously after being fouled and hit out at Mwene

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And moments into the second half, Sane saw red as he reacted angrily to a foul from Mwene.

As the 29-year-old went to confront him, the former Manchester City star launched up from the ground and pushed his opponent over.

He did so by pushing both of his hands into Mwene’s face in an aggressive fashion right in front of the referee.

It was the first red card Sane has ever seen in his career, which spans over 400 professional appearances.

It capped off a miserable night for the Euro 2024 hosts as they suffered a 2-0 defeat.

Former Manchester United star Marcel Sabitzer opened the scoring for Ralf Rangnick’s side by netting in the first-half.

Christoph Baumgartner then doubled Austria’s score in the 73rd minute with a sublime chip over Kevin Trapp.

Germany are already in next summer’s tournament as hosts but manager Julian Nagelsmann has come under some pressure following a defeat to Turkey last weekend.

Sane was immediately shown a red card after his moment of madness

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Leroy Sané loses his head!

The German is sent off after pushing both hands into Phillipp Mwene's face pic.twitter.com/xQQisuvDqB
— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) November 21, 2023

But they have been in problematic form for some time now before Nagelsmann took charge.

Hans Flick became the first manager to ever be sacked by Germany after Japan thrashed them 4-1 in September.

After two years in the role, he departed with the second-worst points rate with 1.72 with 12 wins out of 25 games.

At the World Cup in Qatar, they were eliminated at the group stage for the second tournament in a row.

Nagelsmann has somewhat improved their form after a win against USA last month and a draw against Mexico.

But defeat to Turkey and a poor performance to Austria on Tuesday night has seen morale plummet once again.

The ex-Bayern Munich boss signed a one-year deal with Germany after taking the job on 22 September.

It will see him take charge of Die Mannschaft for Euro 2024 with his future likely to be decided based on how they fare.

Players who could cost £100million in 2024 and join Jack Grealish, Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo and others in exclusive club

Jake Lambourne — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 22:00:00 +0000

Football clubs are getting ready to splash the cash once again following a record-breaking summer transfer window.

FIFA revealed in September how over £5.6billion was spent in the summer – an all-time record – with English clubs alone forking out £1.5bn.

Chelsea broke the British transfer record twice in 2023 to land Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo

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In 2023 alone, there have been five transfers that were agreed for £100m-plus, with three of the movers being England internationals.

Chelsea started the year off by bringing in World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a then-British record of £106.8m.

They then smashed that record to land Moises Caicedo from Brighton in a £115m deal.

Meanwhile Arsenal signed Declan Rice for a fee rising to £105m, Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich which could cost the Germans more than £100m and Real Madrid’s transfer for Jude Bellingham may rise to as much as £115m.

And with the January transfer window to open in less than six weeks, you can be sure of plenty more mega-money moves.

A switch mid-season usually comes at a premium with selling side unwilling to part with stars unless it’s for good money.

Here talkSPORT.com takes a look at some of those star-studded names that could join the £100m club.

England duo Bellingham and Rice are two of the biggest movers in 2023

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Kylian Mbappe – Paris Saint-Germain

The 24-year-old is already a member of the exclusive club following his permanent switch to PSG from Monaco in 2018 for £166m.

Mbappe looks set to depart Les Parisiens in 2024 having so far refused to extend his stay in the French capital.

All signs point towards him leaving on a free transfer, with Real believed to be a potential destination.

Los Blancos had a £189m offer rejected to sign him in 2021, but recently rejected claims they are close to finally securing his services.

While they can wait until the summer to land him for nothing, they could make a move for him in the winter window, which PSG could be forced to accept to avoid missing out on a fee.

Should he move for as low as £100m, he would become the first player to move for nine-figures on more than one occasion.

PSG forward Mbappe is one of the world’s best players on current form

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Victor Osimhen – Napoli

One of the world’s most in-demand strikers, the Nigeria international spearheaded Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years last campaign.

He banged in 31 goals in all competitions during the 2022/23 season, and already has six strikes from ten matches this term.

A move to the Premier League has been mooted, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United all understood to be admirers.

talkSPORT revealed in March how Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis had slapped a whopping £150m price tag on the 24-year-old.

And with the centre-forward to become a free agent in 2025, he knows he will have to cash-in on Osimhen soon amid his contract stand-off.

All eyes will be on Osimhen next summer, with Blues icon John Obi Mikel telling his compatriot to make the move to Stamford Bridge.

Napoli star Osimhen is one of the most feared strikers in Europe

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Ivan Toney – Brentford

Another striker who looks set to join a new team is one-cap England international Toney.

Like Osimhen, he too has a deal until 2025, but he appears to be preparing for a new challenge having switched agencies.

Toney is also on Arsenal and Chelsea’s radar, however a January transfer isn’t expected with the Bees desperate to keep him for the remainder of the season.

talkSPORT understands that Thomas Frank’s side are demanding at least £80m, with a potential bidding war to only raise the value of the former Newcastle man.

Asked ahead of the 2022/23 season how much he values Toney at, Frank said: “£100m plus?… What would you pay for a striker that guarantees you 20-plus goals?

“And this is 20 goals for a mid-table club. What can he do in a bigger club?”

Toney is set to return to first team action in the New Year with his eight-month ban for breaching FA betting rules close to coming to an end.

Toney has been heavily linked with a move to Brentford’s London rivals Arsenal

AFP

Evan Fergsuon – Brighton

Yet another striker who has been making waves, the teenager is one of the Premier League’s most talented youngsters.

He has already banged in five top-flight goals this season, which includes a hat-trick against Newcastle in September, to add to his six strikes last term.

Chelsea, who are desperate to bolster their front line, are keeping tabs on the 19-year-old, along with United and Tottenham, who are yet to replace Kane.

Potential suitors were dealt a blow earlier this month when the Ireland international penned a new deal at the Amex Stadium until 2029.

And if a club wishes to prise him away from the south coast, talkSPORT understands they will have to cough up over £100m to tempt the Seagulls into selling.

Ferguson is one of the top rising talents in the Premier League

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Mohamed Salah – Liverpool

The Liverpool legend was reportedly the subject of a world-record bid rising to £215m from Saudi Pro League giants Al Ittihad in September.

It was claimed that the 31-year-old had a £127m-a-year contract on the table to swap Europe for the Middle East.

Liverpool, who also rejected a £150m offer for Salah, were adamant the winger was not for sale, with the ex-Roma forward happy to stay at Anfield.

But rumours of a possible transfer refuse to go away, with Saudi Arabia already plotting a 2024 move for Salah.

With his deal in Merseyside to expire in 2025, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool would be tempted to cash in on Salah next summer.

Liverpool hero Salah is closing in on 200 goals for the Merseyside outfit

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Bruno Guimaraes – Newcastle

One of the top central midfielders in the English top-flight, the Brazilian has dazzled fans since joining the Magpies from Lyon in January 2022.

His performances have led to a host of admirers, with the 26-year-old attracting the attention of Real Madrid.

Newcastle have acted fast in tying the player down to a new five-year contract, with Bruno becoming the highest-paid player in the club’s history.

Though talkSPORT understands that his deal includes a release clause worth £100m.

And should he keep wowing supporters, it won’t be long until a team activates it.

Guimaraes has chipped in with one goal and as many assists in 11 Premier League games this season

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Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich

The versatile Bayern star has impressed since joining the Bundesliga champions from Chelsea’s academy in 2019.

Musiala, who rejected England at senior level to represent his birth country Germany, has no shortage of suitors.

With 35 goals and 25 assists in 139 games for Bayern in all competitions at the age of 20, as well as boasting 25 caps for Germany, Musiala has shown maturity beyond his years.

Bayern have no desire to sell the youngster, but that hasn’t stopped clubs from keeping tabs on the four-time Bundesliga winner.

Liverpool have been linked with the player, meanwhile BILD have claimed that Real and Manchester City are keen on him.

The German news outlet has declared that Los Blancos could make a move for Musiala if they fail in their Mbappe pursuit, while Pep Guardiola is said to have identified him as a potential successor to Kevin De Bruyne.

Bayern star Musiala has no shortage of admirers

2023 Sebastian Frej/MB Media

Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen

Another one of Germany’s crown jewels, the 20-year-old playmaker has gone from strength to strength this season.

Wirtz is one of the main reason’s why Xabi Alonso‘s unbeaten men sit top of the Bundesliga table having won ten out of their opening 11 fixtures.

He has chipped in with six goals and ten assists in 17 games this term – almost double what he achieved in the whole of last campaign.

Tied down at the BayArena until 2027, it will take a monster offer to lure him away in the near future.

But an offer in excess of £100m could just be enough to sway Leverkusen into parting ways with Wirtz.

Wirtz is one of Germany’s hottest prospects having starred for Leverkusen

AFP

Inter Miami deny claims that Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo showdown in Inter Miami vs Al Nassr match has been arranged

Callum Vurley — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 21:38:00 +0000

Inter Miami have denied claims that a showdown between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in a friendly match has been arranged.

Billed as ‘The Last Dance’, it was reported on Tuesday that Inter Miami will face Al Nassr in a three-team tournament, the Riyadh Season Cup, which is also said to include Al Hilal.

Messi and Ronaldo are set to meet again next year

Rex

Should it take place, it’s understood the match will happen in February next year which could see Ronaldo and Messi face-off for potentially the last time in their careers.

The match will go ahead at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh and will go ahead in the same month as Tyson Fury’s mega-fight against Oleksandr Usyk to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

A final date has not been finalised but it’s understood the hope is to stage it before Fury vs Usyk.

However, Inter Miami have poured some cold water on things, saying nothing has been confirmed yet.

The statement read: “Earlier today, an announcement was issued stating that Inter Miami CF is scheduled to play in the Riyadh Season Cup. This is inaccurate.

“The release included statements attributed to team owner Jorge Mas. Mas has made no comments, publicly or privately, in relation to the pre-season tour.

“Since day one, Inter Miami CF has set out to be a global brand. To this end, we have been in conversations to determine our 2024 preseason schedule.

“We look forward to showcasing our players on Inter Miami CF’s first international tour which will be announced in the coming weeks.”

Ronaldo and Messi are arguably the best players of all time

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Saudi Arabia is looking to continue their aggressive expansion into the world of sport, including football, boxing, golf and motorsport.

As for Ronaldo and Messi, the two have had sparkling careers where many have argued they are the best players of all time.

On an individual level, their goal records and trophies are on a different planet.

But in the past 12 months, the two have left Europe behind as they enter the twilight years of their careers.

Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr in December after his contract at Manchester United was ripped up following a fallout with the club.

The Last Dance
مباراة تاريخية تجمع أساطير كرة القدم رونالدو و ميسي

نادي انتر ميامي يلعب ضد نادي النصر في بطولة كأس موسم الرياض…

في المملكة ارينا Feb 2024

It's the last dance of football greatness!
Ronaldo vs Messi clash on the pitch.

Watch Inter Miami FC… pic.twitter.com/3aHtVGtFQI
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) November 21, 2023

While Messi moved to the United States to sign for David Beckham’s Inter Miami after his contract expired at Paris Saint-Germain.

The two superstars did meet in January in a friendly between PSG and the Saudi All-Star XI when Messi was still at the Parc des Princes.

In an exciting clash that ended 5-4 to the French side, Ronaldo netted twice after Messi opened the scores while Neymar missed from the penalty spot.

While Al Nassr and Inter Miami’s clash will undoubtedly be the highlight of the Riyadh Season Cup, Neymar looks set to miss out.

Having signed for Al Hilal in the summer, who are also at the tournament, the Brazilian suffered a serious ACL injury and is not expected back until next season.

Ronaldo and Messi have won 13 Ballon d’Or awards between them, 79 official trophies and 1664 goals for club and country.

Messi won the World Cup last year in Qatar, helping him lift his eighth Ballon d’Or earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo spearheaded Portugal’s Euro-winning squad of 2016, as well as winning the inaugural Nations League in 2019.

Liverpool man Harvey Elliott gets booed at England U21 game despite scoring delightful two goals

Jackson Cole — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 21:21:38 +0000

Liverpool man Harvey Elliott could only briefly silence the boo boys with two brilliant goals for England’s under-21 side.

Elliott’s double helped England to a 3-0 victory over Northern Ireland in their Under-21 European Championship qualifier at Goodison Park.

Elliott’s excellence was loved by his teammates, but not so much by the fans

YouTube @England

Elliott’s first and England’s second came on 52 minutes from a dead ball as he beautifully curled the ball past Northern Ireland goalkeeper Josh Clarke from 25 yards out.

Those in attendance at Goodison Park showed some appreciation for Elliott following his fine finish but he those cheers soon turned to jeers.

The Liverpool ECHO reports that there were boos heard at Everton’s home after it was announced who the goalscorer was, while Elliott was also booed earlier in the match.

Elliott then put Lee Carsley’s side 3-0 up on 80 minutes with a delightful dink after receiving a pass from Tyler Morton, but it’s reported that there were still boos heard after Elliott was announced as the goalscorer.

Stop that Harvey Elliott pic.twitter.com/DwAa7i1RqC
— 𝗜𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗳𝗳 (@Ivan_Schwakoff) November 21, 2023

Harvey Elliott what a goal Morton Assist #LFC pic.twitter.com/c3wBDQMq1L
— BradleyLFC23 (@BradleyLFC23) November 21, 2023

The boos could be due to the fact Elliott plies his trade with Everton’s rivals Liverpool. However, Morton and Jarell Quansah, who also represent the Reds, started the game and did not receive the same hostility.

Morton put the Young Lions ahead in the first half with a drilled finish from the edge of the box.

The result leaves England second in their qualifying group with four wins out of five, their only dropped points coming during a 3-2 defeat to Ukraine, who are top of Group F, in October.

Aston Villa man Tyrone Mings allays retirement fears with rehab video following cryptic Instagram post

Lee Davey — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 20:12:00 +0000

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings says he’s not retiring despite fears over his future in the game after a cryptic social media post.

Mings has been on the sidelines since rupturing his ACL during Villa’s 5-1 defeat at Newcastle on the opening weekend of the season.

Mings was in visible distress as he was stretchered off against Newcastle

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The England international was fitted with a knee brace before being stretchered off in the first half with an injury that is likely to rule him out for the remainder of the campaign.

The 30-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday to post a cryptic message about his recovery, stating he would give supporters further information later in the day.

Mings posted a black and white picture of himself with his head looking to the ground alongside the caption: “Grateful for all your support. I’ll share an update with you all later today.”

Fans were left fearing the worst over the defender’s future in the game.

To add to the intrigue, Mings deleted all but one of his Instagram photos with the only one remaining being an image of him being stretched off at Newcastle.

One fan wrote: “Doesn’t sound positive. Hope I’m wrong.”

Another added: “I hope he doesn’t have to retire.”

A third wrote: “I will cry my eyes out for Tyrone Mings if this is bad news.”

@tyronemingsMings posted the cryptic message to his Instagram account on Tuesday[/caption]

A fourth fan added: “That Tyrone Mings post looks ominous. Game over? I really hope not!”

However, talkSPORT’s Tom Ross revealed that any suggestion Mings is retiring is wide of the mark and the player was at the club’s Bodymoor Heath Training Ground on Tuesday continuing with his rehabilitation as he targets a return to first-team action.

And Mings himself has also moved to confirm he’s got no plans to retire just yet as he posted a video captioned: “Can’t get rid of me that easy! You’re all helping me way more than you realise [purple heart emoji].”

The video shows him undergoing another exercises at a facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as he looks to progress his recovery.

He said in the video: “I just wanted to start things off by saying thank you so much for all the messages people have sent me, I’ve read pretty much every single one.

“The cards, gifts in the post, tweets, everything has been so appreciated and has helped me through this early stage and I just want to share some bits with you as to what I’m up to.”

Mings appeared out of favour at Villa Park after the arrival of Unai Emery in late 2022 but the Three Lions star worked his way back into contention before suffering the injury.

The tough-tackling centre-back has played 166 times for Aston Villa and has been capped 18 times by England.

Edwin van der Sar gives savage reply to Manchester United goalkeeper who called him a hero

Sam May — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:39:38 +0000

Edwin van der Sar gave a brutal response after Manchester United star Altay Bayindir said the Dutch legend is his favourite ever goalkeeper.

Bayindir, 25, joined the Red Devils for £4.3million from Fenerbahce on transfer deadline day but has yet to make an appearance.

Man United legend Van der Sar offered a brutal reply in the way of Bayindir

getty

He joined current No.1 Andre Onana, who also made the switch to Old Trafford from Inter Milan after both David de Gea and Dean Henderson departed.

Bayindir was recently asked about his favourite glovesman in an interview that was posted on social media and waxed lyrical about Van der Sar, who won four Premier League titles and one Champions League crown as United’s No.1.

“My favourite goalkeeper for Manchester United when I was younger, I watched a lot of games of Manchester United, and my favourite goalkeeper, I say this and Edwin van der Sar is a legend, I know him,” he said.

His answer was seen by Van der Sar on social media, and he couldn’t resist this savage response…

The Dutchman said: “Hi Altay, will see you soon in Manchester and we will have a chat about goalkeeping but my favourite is still Andre as you will know!”

Van der Sar is the former chief executive of Ajax, where he worked with Onana, which would explain his love for the Cameroon international who is now a Red Devil.

However, it appears Erik ten Hag may soon give Bayindir his chance to shine between the sticks, with Onana set to head to the Africa Cup of Nationsin January.

Ten Hag recently heaped praise on the Turkish shot-stopper, saying: “He makes a very good impression in training, he’s really developing and progressing.

Bayindir joined Man United in the summer for £4.3m

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“So we’re very happy with that and we are convinced we have the two right goalkeepers in our squad to do the job for us.”

Ten Hag’s side are currently sixth in the Premier League standings, five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham.

Man United return to action when they take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo gives brutal response to ex-starlet who claimed he could’ve been as good as him and Lionel Messi

Callum Vurley — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:34:09 +0000

Cristiano Ronaldo issued a brutal response to his old teammate, Fabio Paim, who claimed he was on a par with him and Lionel Messi.

Recently speaking on a podcast, former Sporting academy graduate Paim said he deserves one of Ronaldo’s Ballon d’Or awards.

Ronaldo did not even know who Paim was

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He went on to state that if he had half the brain of his old teammate, he would be on a par with Ronaldo and Messi.

The podcast has since gone viral and has even reached the Al Nassr superstar, whose scathing response said it all.

“Wtf,” Ronaldo commented on Instagram. “Who is this guy?”

That is quite the statement from the Portuguese icon, who came up through the ranks with Paim at a time when they were both fancied for their potential.

Even Ronaldo thought so, who said after signing for Manchester United: “If you think I’m good, just wait until you see Fabio Paim.”

But the love has clearly gone now after the 38-year-old’s latest barb at Paim.

Speaking on a podcast hosted by PT Clipes, Paim had said: “Cristiano Ronaldo should offer me one of his Ballon d’Ors.

“I went to Sporting when I was seven years old, I grew up there. They were years of glory in which I won everything I could.

Paim was one of Portugal’s most promising talents

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ptclipes (@ptclipes)

“I didn’t reach where I could have reached, but I marked a generation. If people don’t forget it’s because I marked them.

“I said when I was happy that I thought Cristiano Ronaldo could offer me a Ballon d’Or.

“But it was with humility. If I had half of Cristiano’s head, it wouldn’t be him and Messi.

“It would be me, him and Messi and maybe he wouldn’t have won the Ballon d’Or that he has. Maybe one of them was mine.”

Paim had been billed for greatness as a youngster but embarked on a journeyman career instead, which included a loan spell at Chelsea.

Luiz Felipe Scolari bagged the former winger in 2008 but he never made a senior appearance, playing a handful of times for the reserves instead.

He retired in 2018 after playing for clubs in countries including Qatar, Malta and Lithuania and even served time in prison during his career.

Arsenal icon David Seaman picks out game that will determine who is Mikel Arteta’s first choice goalkeeper

Robert Calcutt — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:18:00 +0000

David Seaman has suggested that Mikel Arteta’s goalkeeping selection against Lens will reveal who his true no.1 is at the club.

Aaron Ramsdale and David Raya are both competing for the starting spot in between the sticks at the Gunners this season.

Arsenal’s goalkeeping situation sees two top stars fighting for one spot

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Ramsdale had been first choice for the club since he signed from Sheffield United in 2021 but he has been usurped in recent weeks.

Arteta has opted to start Raya over him instead, with the Spaniard joining on loan from Brentford in the summer.

As per Premier League loan rules, he won’t be able to start against the Bees in their clash this weekend, meaning Ramsdale will return.

However, Seaman suggests that if the England international is then dropped for the Champions League clash against Lens next week, then he is not Arteta’s no.1.

Seaman has plenty of experience in between the sticks for the Gunners, representing them for 13 years as a player

Getty Images - Getty

He believes Arteta’s decision next Wednesday will be a telling one

Getty

“If Aaron goes in at the weekend, then he’s left out for the next game, then we know who Mikel’s number one is,” he told BBC Sport.

“It’s not good for Aaron. He’s a top-class goalkeeper, there’s no doubt about that.”

Seaman also spoke on Ramsdale’s chances of starting for England at Euro 2024 next summer if his lack of game time continues.

“If he’s not playing [for Arsenal], it’s going to affect his [England] chances,” said the Gunners legend.

“Going into next summer, where Aaron is really pushing to become England goalkeeper, he needs to be playing.”

“I think January will be a bit too soon [for a move away],” Seaman, who made 533 appearances in goal for Arsenal, added. “It’s the game after this weekend, that’s where we will find a lot of answers.

“From what Mikel was saying when he brought Raya in, when he talked about rotating goalkeepers in games, which I still found a bit bizarre, we’ll have to wait and see after this game. Aaron’s too good to be a no.2, that is for sure.”

Arsenal’s home clash against Lens on November 29 will be their fifth match of the Champions League group stage.

Raya has started all of their continental games this season, with Ramsdale therefore sitting on the bench as a result.

A tough test away at Brentford stands in their way first though, with Arsenal sitting third in the Premier League table after 12 games.

Manchester City and Liverpool clash earlier on Saturday, live on talkSPORT, and if they draw, a Gunners win would send them top.

Premier League clubs veto new rule that means Newcastle could benefit in January transfer window

Callum Vurley — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 16:25:33 +0000

Premier League clubs have voted not to block loans between teams with the same owner in a boost to Newcastle, Chelsea and Manchester City, talkSPORT understands.

Plans were drawn up ahead of the latest Premier League shareholder meeting to create a temporary block on related-party loans.

Newcastle and Chelsea are part of multi-club models

Getty

It would directly affect the January transfer window – and especially Newcastle, who have been linked with former Wolves star Ruben Neves.

The motion needed 14 of the 20 clubs to vote in favour during a meeting between Premier League shareholders that was held on Tuesday, but talkSPORT understands that only 12 clubs voted for the measures, meaning that the plans will not go ahead by two votes.

It means that Newcastle will be free to sign players on loan from the PIF-owned clubs in the Saudi Pro League in January.

That includes Neves’ current club Al Hilal, and the Portugal international has been strongly linked with a loan move to Tyneside.

Newcastle are not the only club within a multi-ownership model, with eight other Premier League teams also working in a similar way.

A proposal had been fast-tracked ahead of the meeting to ban transfers between clubs with the same ownership.

The measures would only be temporary before a long-term strategy would be drafted up to preserve the integrity of the Premier League.

Whether that long-term plan will come to fruition now remains to be seen while the temporary measures are set to be knocked down.

Newcastle are keen on signing Neves this January

AFP

Newcastle and Al Hilal have the same PIF owners

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talkSPORT revealed that Neves was one of the top names shortlisted by Newcastle this winter for a potential loan.

The Magpies had made Neves a top target to replace Sandro Tonali, who was handed a ten-month ban for breaking gambling rules.

But there has been outrage over how such a transfer could go ahead, considering that both clubs are owned by PIF.

Newcastle are not the only teams who could take advantage of the current loophole, though, with City and Chelsea also operating with multi-club models.

Under the guise BlueCo, Chelsea’s Clearlake Capital owners purchased Strasbourg in Ligue 1 this year.

Meanwhile, City Football Group own a roster of clubs including New York City, Melbourne City and Troyes.

Brentford vs Arsenal: Gunners could move top of Premier League on Arteta’s 200th game in charge – kick-off time, team news and how to follow

Jack Johnson — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 16:14:36 +0000

Arsenal will be eyeing a place at the top of the Premier League when they take on Brentford in a London derby on Saturday evening.

With Manchester City and Liverpool facing each other earlier in the day, live on talkSPORT, the Gunners may be handed the opportunity to move above them in the table.

Arsenal beat Burnley last time out

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But Mikel Arteta’s side will need to win their game no matter what happens as they look to build on a 3-1 win over Burnley before the international break.

They take on Thomas Frank’s men who have turned their season around in recent weeks, however, they head into this one off the back of a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Brentford vs Arsenal: Havertz at left-back?

Could we see Kai Havertz play at left-back for Arsenal this weekend?

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann shocked fans as he decided to name the 24-year-old as part of the defence in his lineup against Turkey.

But the Gunners man silenced the doubters after only five minutes as he scored the opener.

Following the match, Nagelsmann said: “Kai said he wanted to do it, wanted to try it — for a first time in an unfamiliar position, he did extremely well.”

So considering Havertz was keen on playing there, will that encourage Arteta to try it out?

Arsenal’s left-backs usually come inside and join the midfield, meaning the German may suit the role and it could be a position that ignites his form.

Havertz has struggled to make an impact since joining the Gunners

After beating Arsenal 2-0 in their first-ever Premier League game against them in August 2021, Brentford are winless in their last three against the Gunners (D1 L2).
This will be Mikel Arteta’s 200th match in charge of Arsenal in all competitions (W115 D34 L50). Whatever the result today, he’s won more matches in his first 200 in charge of the Gunners than any of the other nine managers to reach the milestone with the club.

Brentford vs Arsenal: Team news

Brentford saw the return of Ben Mee last time out after he returned from a spell out.

Keane Lewis-Potter and Charlie Goode continued their recovery in a behind-closed-doors friendly alongside Ivan Toney who returns from his ban soon.

Rico Henry remains out long-term though, and so do Josh Dasilva and Kevin Schade.

For Arsenal, Fabio Vieira is banned after receiving a straight red card against Burnley.

Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Jesus, Thomas Partey, and Emile Smith Rowe are all expected to remain on the sidelines for this clash.

Captain Martin Odegaard is likely to be fit to play from the off despite not being picked by Norway due to an ongoing hip injury.

Gabriel Martinelli was also carrying a knock, however, there are no worries about the winger after he played 90 minutes and scored for Brazil on international duty.

Toney remains banned but is closing in on a return

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Since losing 3-0 to Arsenal in this exact fixture last season, Brentford have gone unbeaten in their last 14 Premier League London derby matches (W8 D6). However, only Arsenal (16) are on a longer current such run without defeat (W11 D5).
Arsenal have already won away at Brentford this season, beating them 1-0 in the League Cup third round. The last time they won two away games against a fellow London side in the same season was against Crystal Palace in 1992-93 (2-1 Premier League, 3-1 League Cup).

Brentford vs Arsenal: What has been said?

Havertz has been speaking about his time at Arsenal so far ahead of this game.

Speaking to the Gunners’ website, he said: “From outside, Arsenal always looked like a family.

“That’s the feeling I got when playing. And when I joined, that was exactly what it was like, and the staff are really nice too – and that makes life easier for a new player.

“From the first minute that I spoke to Mikel about joining Arsenal, I had this feeling that he respects all of us very much, so that was also a big part of me joining the club.

“I just felt the togetherness of the club from the players and especially within the fans and the whole club

“At the training ground, it’s like a big family – and this is a big factor to achieve great things.”

Arsenal has felt like a family for Havertz

Getty

Arsenal have won their last two away games against Brentford in all competitions, beating them 3-0 in this exact fixture last season. The Gunners had won just one of their first seven visits to the Bees between 1902 and 2021 (D1 L5).
Brentford have lost just one of their last 10 home league games (W5 D4), going down 3-1 against Everton in September. They’ve beaten Burnley 3-0 and West Ham 3-2 in their last two at home, last winning three consecutively while scoring 3+ goals each time in March 2015.

Brentford vs Arsenal: How to follow

This Premier League clash will be played on Saturday, November 25.

Kick-off at the Gtech Community Stadium is scheduled for 5:30pm.

The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports.

Fans can sign up to watch the match for £29.99/month. More details can be found here.

talkSPORT and talkSPORT.com will provide you will all the news and reaction.

‘Looked like a family’ – Kai Havertz convinced to join Arsenal following conversations with Declan Rice

Callum Vurley — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:59:23 +0000

Kai Havertz has opened up about how conversations with Declan Rice helped him decide to leave Chelsea for Arsenal.

Havertz left the Blues after three years in the summer in a £65million transfer after a disappointing season that saw them finish tenth.

Havertz signed for Arsenal in the summer from Chelsea for £65m

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Arsenal snapped up the Germany international for £65million in a surprise move between the two London rivals.

But the 24-year-old has revealed how Rice, who joined the Gunners after Havertz completed his switch, helped him choose life in north London.

“Before I joined, I spoke a lot with Declan Rice as well, who I know through Mason Mount,” he told Arsenal’s official website.

“For me it was very easy to come into the team because there are so many young players.

“I’ve played against a lot of them already so I know them from the pitch, and I have found it easy to make friends here. Hopefully, it will continue like this.”

Havertz is yet to hit real form at Arsenal having scored just one goal in 19 appearances – with his solitary strike coming from the penalty spot.

Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta has given the former Bayer Leverkusen plenty of trust while playing him across several positions including midfield, on the wing and up front.

That support has been echoed through the squad and Havertz is keen to repay them.

Rice helped Havertz pick signing for Arsenal

Rice was also a mega-money signing at Arsenal this summer, joining from West Ham for £105m

AFP

“From outside, Arsenal always looked like a family,” he added.

“That’s the feeling I got when playing. And when I joined, that was exactly what it was like, and the staff are really nice too – and that makes life easier for a new player.

“From the first minute that I spoke to Mikel about joining Arsenal, I had this feeling that he respects all of us very much, so that was also a big part of me joining the club.

“I just felt the togetherness of the club from the players and especially within the fans and the whole club.

“At the training ground it’s like a big family – and this is a big factor to achieve great things.”

Arsenal are back in action this weekend when they face Brentford in Saturday’s late kick-off.

Havertz is likely to start after an interesting international break where he ended up playing as a left-back for Germany.

Despite scoring in a 3-2 loss against Turkey, one German legend was not happy to see Julian Nagelsmann try out the experiment.

Newcastle vs Chelsea: Blues aim to build on eight-goal thriller and take advantage of tired Toon – kick-off time, team news and how to follow

Jack Johnson — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:40:06 +0000

Chelsea will be aiming to keep up their positive turn of form when they travel to take on Newcastle this Saturday afternoon.

The Blues beat Tottenham 4-1 before superbly claiming a late point in an eight-goal thriller against Manchester City before the international break.

Palmer secured a late point in a thrilling 4-4 draw last time out

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Mauricio Pochettino’s side now have to keep up their momentum to help them rise up the Premier League table in the run-up to Christmas.

They take on Eddie Howe’s Toon who have been struggling with their busy schedule, losing 2-0 to Bournemouth last time out following successive defeats to Borussia Dortmund.

Newcastle vs Chelsea: Opposite trajectory

Newcastle head into this game off the back of two straight defeats in all competitions with fatigue starting to set in.

The Magpies are playing domestically and in the Champions League this season, and the increased amount of games is taking its toll on the squad.

Injuries have cut through Howe’s men, leading to a weakened squad being beaten 2-0 by both Bournemouth and Dortmund earlier this month.

It’s the total opposite for Chelsea as they have scored eight goals in their last two games, beating Tottenham 4-1 and drawing 4-4 with Man City.

The Blues have found their shooting boots as things really start to gel under Pochettino.

And now could be the perfect time for them to take on Newcastle, with both teams at completely different levels of confidence.

Newcastle vs Chelsea: Team news

Newcastle have been suffering from an injury crisis with multiple key players out.

Callum Wilson has picked up a hamstring issue, joining Harvey Barnes, Sven Botman, Jacob Murphy, Dan Burn, Elliott Anderson, and Matt Targett on the sidelines.

However, they could receive a boost ahead of this game as Alexander Isak eyes a return from his groin problem.

Bruno Guimaraes will also be back after serving his suspension against Bournemouth but Lewis Hall will not be able to play a part.

As for Chelsea, their injury list is finally starting to get shorter.

Although Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Trevoh Chalobah all remain out of action.

Malo Gusto and Levi Colwill are both taking part in full training despite pulling out of their international squads due to small knocks.

Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku are moving closer to making their debuts.

Isak could be back in action for Toon

Getty

Newcastle vs Chelsea: What has been said?

Chelsea captain Reece James finally looks back to full fitness after making a return from yet another injury in recent weeks.

Speaking to the Blues’ website, James said: “There are times you feel things, but all you want to do is play.

“Then you push and realise something has happened. My body gave me a warning, but I didn’t listen. I’m more aware now when something is screaming, slow down a bit.

“I haven’t felt this good in a long time. I definitely feel my strength and fitness building up again.

“Recently, I’ve been able to play consistently. I haven’t been able to play 90 minutes yet, but I’m training and playing hard, and pushing the limits every day to get back to my best level.

‘I’m happy to be helping the team again as well. After almost three months out, it takes a while to build back up and find your form again.

“Some people think as soon as you come back you should instantly be at the level you left at, but it doesn’t work like that.

“You have to move slow and steady. That’s what I have been doing. I’m slowly progressing.”

James was back to his best for Chelsea against Man City

Newcastle vs Chelsea: How to follow

This Premier League clash will take place on Saturday, November 25.

Kick-off at St James’ Park is scheduled for 3pm.

The game will not be broadcast live on TV in the UK due to the 3pm blackout rule.

talkSPORT will keep you up to date with all the action on GameDay Live with Adrian Durham.

Simon Jordan vs Sky Andrew: talkSPORT host clashes with football agent in heated debate live on air

Robert Calcutt — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:30:46 +0000

talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan and Sky Andrew clashed during a heated debate about football agents.

Andrew joined White and Jordan amid the news that Tottenham face serious allegations of breaching transfer rules.

Andrew said that everyone should be happy when a player honours their contract

The Times claims new evidence shows they dealt with an unlicensed agent when agreeing to sell Jermain Defoe to Portsmouth in 2008, and the Football Association took no action at the time.

However, they are prepared to review the allegations that were first raised by Andrew after he was dropped by Defoe, who claimed to represent during in the deal in question.

talkSPORT’s Jordan has previously admitted his dislike for agents and he clashed with Andrew on the show…

Sky: “I noticed that when I was saying about players honouring their contract, Simon had a little smirk. But the truth of this matter is that players can’t win. If players honour their contract and the clubs want to keep them, then that’s a problem.

“If players honour their contracts and then clubs want to sell them… so all I’m saying is, let’s just get it straight here, agents, clubs, everybody should be happy if a player honours their contract.”

Jordan claimed that football agents are a ‘homogenous group’

Simon: “I wasn’t smirking at that. I was smirking at the ridiculous assertion that you guys empathise with players honouring their contract.”

Sky: “Don’t say you guys…”

Simon: “You guys, the lot of you in your fraternity, you make money from moves.”

Sky: “No no no no no. You can’t make a sweeping generalisation…”

Simon: “I can.”

Sky: “No you can’t!”

Simon: “I can!”

Sky: “Don’t be ridiculous…”

Simon: “I perceive you to be a homogeneous group…”

Sky: “That’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Andrew disagreed with the talkSPORT host, saying it was ‘absolutely ridiculous’

Simon: “That all act and operate in the same way because the principles of how you make money, and everyone knows it, is that you make money from moves.”

Sky: “You’re absolutely wrong, I’ll tell you why because you can’t make a sweeping generalisation about a group of people who act differently.

“I’m telling you, that I’ve told every single player I’ve ever represented to honour their contract. Sometimes, the clubs might not be happy with that, especially if a player is honouring their contract and they’ve got a value attached to them.

“You say a lot of good things, but what you’ve just said there is just absolutely ridiculous, you cannot make a sweeping generalisation about any group of people.”

Simon: “Well I can, because I’ve dealt with most of you and I’ve seen most of you. You might be an exception Sky but your reputation isn’t as up there as you might like to think it is…”

Jordan continued to insist he could make a sweeping generalisation of agents

Sky: “Don’t get personal, don’t get personal.”

Simon: “I’m not getting personal, I’m just making an observation…”

Sky: “Yes you are!”

Simon was then asked if he has dealt with Sky directly…

Simon: “No.”

Sky: “Well then, that’s just ridiculous then isn’t it?”

Simon: “But I’m well aware of how the industry is held together, so I can make the sweeping statement.”

Sky: “Have you dealt with 4,000 agents then, is that what you’re saying?”

Simon: “No I haven’t, but I understand the agent fraternity very well and the modus operandi, and the way you make money is by engineering and orchestrating moves.”

Premier League injury tracker: Each club’s fitness issues monitored – Haaland suffers ankle knock, Maddison out until new year, Hojlund adds to Man United’s woes

TalkSPORT — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:13:00 +0000

The 2023/24 Premier League season is well underway, and we are over a quarter of the way through, with the latest international break nearly over.

There have been plenty of injuries as the relentless pace of the top-flight already begins to take its toll.

Kevin De Bruyne, Christopher Nkunku and Tyrone Mings all now face long spells on the sidelines

Premier League footballers are some of the fittest athletes in the world, but they are susceptible to problems that can keep them out for weeks or months.

And it doesn’t matter where you are in the table, injuries are going to happen, and talkSPORT.com will keep you up to date on all 20 Premier League clubs’ injuries and how long each player is likely to be out for.

Arsenal

Jurrien Timber [ACL injury] unknown

Gabriel Jesus [hamstring issue] 1 week

Thomas Partey [unspecified muscle problem] 6-7 weeks

Emile Smith Rowe [knee problem] 3-4 weeks

Martin Odegaard [concussion] 1 week

Ben White [unspecified muscle issue] unknown

Cedric Soares [ill] 1 week

Jesus asked to come off against Sevilla but should be fit soon

Getty

Aston Villa

Emi Buendia [ACL injury] unknown

Tyrone Mings [ACL injury ] unknown

Jacob Ramsey [foot injury] 2-3 weeks

Diego Carlos [unspecified problem] unknown

Buendia’s season might be over already

Getty

Bournemouth

Ryan Fredericks [calf problem] unknown

Emiliano Marcondes [unspecified] unknown

Tyler Adams [hamstring surgery] 5-8 weeks

Darren Randolph [ill] unknown

Alex Scott [knee issue] 8-12 weeks

Max Aarons [hamstring strain] unknown

Philip Billing [knock] 1 week

Brentford

Josh Dasilva [hamstring strain] 2-4 weeks

Rico Henry [ACL] unknown

Kevin Schade [hip abductor surgery] 3-7 weeks

Keane Lewis-Potter [calf strain] 1-2 weeks

Aaron Hickey [hamstring injury] 8-10 weeks

Nathan Collins [possible ankle ligament damage] unknown

Hickey will be out until the new year

Brighton

Jakub Moder [knee injury] 2-3 weeks

Julio Enciso [significant knee problem] 2-3 weeks

Pervis Estupinan [unspecified muscle injury] unknown

Tariq Lamptey [knock] 2 weeks

Solly March [knee injury] unknown

Danny Welbeck [unspecified] unknown

James Milner [unspecified muscle problem] unknown

Lewis Dunk [groin strain] unknown

Evan Ferguson [tight hamstring] unknown

March was stretchered from the field against Man City

Getty

Burnley

Lyle Foster [mental health break] unknown

Foster is set for an extended break to look after his mental health

twitter:@burnleyofficial

Chelsea

Christopher Nkunku [knee injury] 2 weeks

Wesley Fofana [ACL reconstruction] unknown

Trevoh Chalobah [thigh issue] unknown

Romeo Lavia [twisted ankle] 2 weeks

Ben Chilwell [hamstring issue] unknown

Carney Chukwuemeka [knee setback] unknown

Levi Colwill [shoulder problem] unknown

Malo Gusto [tendon issue] unknown

Chilwell has sustained another hamstring injury

Getty

Crystal Palace

James Tomkins [calf strain] 1-3 weeks

Nathan Ferguson [hamstring surgery] unknown

Dean Henderson [thigh problem] unknown

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi [hamstring issue] unknown

Everton

Seamus Coleman [knee surgery] 2 weeks

Dele Alli [groin] 2-3 weeks

Andre Gomes [tight calf] 1-2 weeks

Amadou Onana [calf strain] unknown

GettyDele should be back in training soon[/caption]

Fulham

Tosin Adarabioyo [groin injury] 2-3 weeks

Issa Diop [possible foot fracture] 3-4 week

Rodrigo Muniz [knee issue] 1-2 weeks

Liverpool

Thiago Alcantara [hip issue] 8 weeks

Stefan Bajcetic [calf issue] unknown

Andrew Robertson [Shoulder injury] 10 weeks

Curtis Jones [hamstring tweak] 2 weeks

Ryan Gravenberch [knee issue] 1-2 weeks

Joe Gomez [unspecified] unknown

Ibrahima Konate [hamstring problem] 1-2 weeks

GettyRobertson might be out for some time[/caption]

Luton Town

Jordan Clark [ankle injury] 2-3 weeks

Dan Potts [foot problem] 3-4 weeks

Albert Sambi Lokonga [thigh problem] 3 weeks

Amari’i Bell [hamstring tweak] 1-2 weeks

Mads Andersen [hamstring issue] 6-9 weeks

Reece Burke [hamstring issue] 2-3 weeks

Cauley Woodrow [calf strain] 2-3 weeks

Alfie Doughty [knock] 1 week

Chiedozie Ogbene [ankle problem] unknwon

Man City

Kevin De Bruyne [hamstring issue] 8-10 weeks

Sergio Gomez [unspecified] unknown

Manuel Akanji [lower back problem] unknown

John Stones [thigh issue] unknown

Nathan Ake [knock] 1 week

Ederson [foot pain] 1-2 weeks

Mateo Kovacic [quadriceps strain] unknown

Erling Haaland [twisted ankle] 1-2 weeks

Matheus Nunes [unspecified muscle problem] unknown

De Bruyne is set to be out until the new year

Getty

Manchester United

Tyrell Malacia [knee issue] unknown

Amad Diallo [knee injury] 7-8 weeks

Luke Shaw [unspecified muscle injury] unknown

Lisandro Martinez [foot problem] 4-8 weeks

Andre Onana [abductor strain] unknown

Casemiro [thigh injury] 5 weeks

Jonny Evans [hamstring problem] unknown

Christian Eriksen [knee injury] 4 weeks

Rasmus Hojlund [muscle strain] 3 weeks

Aaron Wan-Bissaka [ill] 2 weeks

Martinez might not play until 2024

Getty

Newcastle

Harvey Barnes [toe problem] 2-3 weeks

Sven Botman [knee issue] unknown

Elliot Anderson [back stress fracture] 5 weeks

Alexander Isak [groin problem] 1 week

Jacob Murphy [dislocated shoulder] 11 weeks

Javier Manquillo [groin issue] unknown

Matt Targett [hamstring surgery] 11 weeks

Dan Burn [back issue] 8-11 weeks

Callum Wilson [hamstring strain] 6 weeks

Miguel Almiron [hamstring issue] 1 week

Sean Longstaff [ankle knock] 1-2 weeks

Barnes is recovering quicker than expected

Getty

Nottingham Forest

Felipe [ongoing knee problem] unknown

Gonzalo Montiel [calf injury] unknown

Callum Hudson-Odoi [pulled hamstring] 4 weeks

Sheffield United

Daniel Jebbison [long-term illness] unknown

Rhys Norrington-Davies [thigh issue] unknown

Max Lowe [ankle surgery] unknown

John Egan [ankle injury] 4 weeks

Chris Basham [ankle dislocation and ligament damage] unknown

Tom Davies [thigh operation] unknown

Anel Ahmedhodzic [pulled hamstring] 2-3 weeks

Ollie McBurnie [groin problem] 1 week

Rhian Brewster [hamstring strain] unknown

Basham sustained a horrible injury against Fulham

Rex

Tottenham

Ivan Perisic [ACL] 18 weeks

Ryan Sessegnon [hamstring surgery] 1-3 weeks

Alfie Whiteman [ankle surgery] unknown

Manor Solomon [meniscus tear] unknown

Destiny Udogie [unspecified muscle issue] unknown

Mick van de Ven [hamstring tear] 8-11 weeks

James Maddison [ankle ligament damage] 8 weeks

Richarlison [pubic bone surgery] 3 weeks

Maddison could be out for some time

Getty

West Ham

Jarrod Bowen [knee injury] awaiting assessment

Michail Antonio [strained medial ligament] 2-3 weeks

Nayef Aguerd [concussion] 1-2 weeks

Mohammed Kudus [back problem] awaiting assessment

Bowen picked up an injury during England training

Getty

Wolves

Hugo Bueno [hamstring issue] unknown

Joe Hodge [shoulder surgery] 7-10 weeks

Pedro Neto [hamstring strain] 2-3 weeks

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Erling Haaland out along with four teammates – how injury-hit Man City could line-up against Liverpool

Jake Lambourne — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:09:52 +0000

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side have been hit by an injury crisis at the worst possible time ahead of their crunch clash against Liverpool.

The two top teams in the Premier League face off at the Etihad in Saturday’s early kick-off – live on talkSPORT.

Guardiola could be without many of his first team stars for the Liverpool clash

AFP

Champions City go into the blockbuster match-up a point ahead of the Reds, knowing defeat could see them drop as low as fifth if results go against them.

But they could go into the top of the table match without as many as five first team players to add to Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Sergio Gomez’s long-term injuries.

One of those stars who could be absent is goal machine Erling Haaland, who has already banged in 17 times this season in all competitions.

The 23-year-old picked up an ankle knock while on international duty for Norway, resulting in him missing Sunday’s 3-3 draw against Scotland.

Commenting on his injury, Norway boss Stale Solbakken said: “It’s the movement in his foot that is the problem but it’s not a serious injury.

“Had it been a final, I don’t know [if he would have still risked playing]. All parties agree it is probably a little too soon but it is not a career-threatening injury.”

City goalkeeper Ederson has also picked up a minor injury, having hurt his ankle in the final stages of the 4-4 draw against Chelsea, resulting in him pulling out of Brazil’s squad.

Brazil’s team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar remarked: “After the game, the player got in touch, as did Manchester City’s medical department.

Haaland picked up a minor ankle knock when playing for Norway

AFP

“‘He suffered a foot injury in the final minutes and was able to continue the match, but the pain became intense. The foot became swollen, difficult to walk.”

Along with Haaland and Ederson, Mateo Kovacic, Nathan Ake and Matheus Nunes all have had setbacks of their own.

Should all five players be ruled out, Guardiola will have to tinker up his team in his quest to claim the three points.

Stefan Ortega would come in for Ederson between the sticks, with the German establishing himself as one of the best backups in the league since joining last year.

Just like in the draw away at Stamford Bridge, Guardiola could opt to play in a 3-2-4-1 formation.

With Ake potentially out, a back three could consist of Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.

And with Nunes and Kovacic major doubts, natural defender Manuel Akanji could once again play as a defensive midfielder alongside Rodri.

Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku could then be deployed on the wings, with Jack Grealish recalled to the starting XI to play next to Bernardo Silva in advanced central role.

Grealish could be recalled back to the starting XI by Guardiola this weekend

Getty

Should Haaland miss his first top-flight game this term, World Cup winner Julian Alvarez would then be tasked with leading the line.

Alvarez has been in great form playing behind Haaland this term – chipping in with seven goals and five assists in 18 games in all competitions.

This is how Man City could start against Liverpool at the Etihad on Saturday

‘Terrible winners, worse losers’ – Noel Gallagher’s reaction to Liverpool title sums up bad blood ahead of Premier League showdown

Lee Davey — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:02:46 +0000

Manchester City fan Noel Gallagher once called Liverpool ‘terrible winners, worse losers’ as the two teams prepare to reignite their rivalry this weekend.

City host Jurgen Klopp’s side on Saturday lunchtime in a mouthwatering clash – live on talkSPORT – pitting the Premier League’s top two against each other.

AFPCity and Liverpool have built a fierce rivalry in recent seasons as both clubs went head-to-head for domestic honours[/caption]

Although Arsenal ran City close in last season’s title race, it has been the Reds that have been the nearest challengers in recent seasons.

Pep Guardiola’s side have won five of the last six Premier League titles with Liverpool being the only club to break the mould when they cantered to the title crown in 2020.

Despite City’s dominance, Liverpool have been no pushovers for the reigning Treble winners, having won four and drawn three of the clubs’ last 11 meetings across all competitions.

However, Oasis legend Gallagher aimed a dig at the Reds’ most recent title triumph while claiming City are inching closer to emulating their European pedigree.

Gallagher told talkSPORT: “Liverpool for all their fans crowing, they’ve been the best team in England once in 30 years. That lot, they’re terrible winners but worse losers. Now we’ve got to emulate them in Europe somehow and I think we’re getting closer.”

The last meeting between the teams came in April which saw a rampant Man City side run out 4-1 winners at the Etihad and Gallagher would welcome more of the same this weekend.

Liverpool head to Manchester on the back of a five-game undefeated Premier League run, but their biggest test of the season awaits them in the form of the reigning champions.

For City, much hinges on the fitness of their key names after an international break to forget for Guardiola.

Oasis star Gallagher couldn’t resist the opportunity to get one over on the Reds

talkSPORT

Liverpool lifted their first ever Premier League title in 2020 at City’s expense

The Spaniard is sweating on the fitness of Erling Haaland who picked up an ankle injury on international duty with Norway.

Meanwhile, Rodri withdrew from Spain’s clash with Cyprus with a knock, adding to Mateo Kovacic, Nathan Ake, Matheus Nunes and Ederson who were all forced to withdraw from their respective national teams through injury.

Manchester City star Bernardo Silva opens up on dream future transfer as he rules out switch to two clubs

Sam May — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:10:18 +0000

Bernardo Silva has given an insight into the club he wishes to play for once he departs Manchester City.

The 29-year-old joined the Citizens in a £43.5million deal from Monaco in 2017 where he has established himself as a club legend.

Silva has revealed his dream move after he leaves Man City

Getty

He has got his hands on five Premier League titles along with the Champions League, as well as two FA Cups and four League Cups.

Still a key player under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage, he has chipped in with 58 goals and 62 assists in 319 games in all competitions for City.

In August, Silva ended any uncertainty surrounding his future by penning a new deal until 2026, having previously been targeted by both Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

But there remains one team that he has admitted he would love to play for – boyhood club Benfica.

Having played three senior matches for the club in the 2013/14 season after rising through the ranks, the Portuguese playmaker has since admitted he plans to return in the future.

Speaking to CNN, he said: “I want to return to Benfica. If the club wants me at the time, obviously things will happen.”

Silva also revealed he would never play for Benfica’s rivals Sporting Lisbon or Porto, with his heart solely set on a return to the Estadio da Luz.

“I was incapable of playing for FC Porto or Sporting. It’s not going to happen,” he added.

Silva has scored three goals in nine Premier League matches so far this campaign

Getty

The experienced midfielder is now trying to lure his fellow countryman and youngster, Joao Neves, to City from Benfica.

But he faces a battle with Manchester City skipper Bruno Fernandes, who is looking to convince the 19-year-old to Old Trafford.

He told Sport TV: “I would love to have him at United. But it’s Joao’s choice.

“He has top quality. He’s a great player but it depends on the coach’s ideas. He will have a great future, in United or somewhere else.”

However Silva has insisted he will do everything he can for the midfielder to shun a switch to the Theatre of Dreams.

Quoted by the Metro, he remarked: “For City instead of United? If I can, I will pull strings to Joao Neves to go to Man City.

“I’d like to see Joao joining City instead of Man United, of course.”

Frank Lampard agrees with Steven Gerrard as he also makes U-turn on Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate

Natasha Everitt — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 13:35:40 +0000

Steven Gerrard is in good company having changed his mind on who is the GOAT between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – with Frank Lampard agreeing with him.

Both stars have millions of fans pleading for their respective cases, with each side regarding their chosen player as the best in the world in the infamous GOAT debate.

Lampard has given his take on the infamous GOAT debate

Getty

Those arguing for Messi claimed he ‘completed football’ when he lifted the World Cup last December with Argentina, while he also scooped a record 44 trophies and eight Ballon d’Or awards.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo has won less honours, but has still claimed a whopping 35 in his career, as well as winning the European Championship with Portugal in 2016.

Liverpool legend Gerrard recently made headlines after he revealed he’d changed his mind and now believes Ronaldo is the GOAT due to him influencing other big name stars to play in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr.

And the Al Ettifaq boss isn’t the only Premier League icon to have a change of heart, with his ex-England teammate also making a U-turn on his original decision.

Speaking to Ronaldo’s former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville in 2021, Lampard said: “You know what, I’ve always been a Messi man and then I watched your debate with Jamie Carragher recently.

“I actually think for Ronaldo’s output and actual numbers, and goals in big finals and semi-finals like we’ve seen, I think I maybe give him the edge.

“That’s going to start a load of hate, now.”

Messi and Ronaldo have divided fans for years

Getty

Ronaldo is the winner in Lampard’s eyes now

Getty

Lampard previously stated Messi was better due to his natural footballing ability.

In a Q&A session with Hyundai in 2020 when asked for his view on the GOAT debate, he remarked: “This is a horrible question.”

“I’m going to go Messi on this on pure, natural talent but what Ronaldo has done has been absolutely incredible.”

But for now, he believes Ronaldo reigns supreme.

‘Jude Bellingham is a mix between three iconic players but he didn’t deserve Golden Boy award’

Sam May — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 13:15:45 +0000

Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham did not deserve to win the 2023 Golden Boy award, according to Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov.

The 20-year-old was recently rewarded with the 2023 Kopa Trophy, awarded by France Football to the best young player in the world.

Bellingham got his hands on the 2023 Golden Boy award

Getty

Bellingham then followed it up after being crowned winner of the 2023 Golden Boy award, given by Italian outlet Tuttosport for the best under-21 player in Europe’s top flight.

When asked if the England international should have won, Stoichkov simply told SPORT: “No.”

“I do not dispute the value of [Bellingham], he is one of the strongest talents in the world: he has a lot of class and a lot of brain.

“For me he is a mix between [Michael] Laudrup, Kaka and the first [Paul] Pogba. The future is his.

“He will fight with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland for the next Ballon d’Or, but I would like to know what he won in 2023 between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid. Nothing.”

Bellingham has had a bright start to life in the Spanish capital, managing 13 goals in 14 appearances since his arrival.

He has also scored three in three Champions League matches and been given the man-of-the-match award 10 times.

Despite his goalscoring exploits, Stoichkov still stands by his claims.

Barcelona legend Stoichkov disagreed with handing the Englishman the award

Getty

“He did it for three months… [on scoring] And what success have all these goals brought to Real Madrid You know well what my friend Mourinho would say about ‘titles,” he added.

“Do we want to talk about how the last Bundesliga ended? Borussia Dortmund had a two-point lead over Bayern with 90 minutes to go in the final [game] of the championship. They were playing at home against Mainz and the Bavarians were playing away in Cologne.

“What happened five minutes from the end? Tuchel brought on [Jamal] Musiala, who in the last minutes scored to make it 3-2 for Bayern while Borussia drew 2-2 at home and said goodbye to the title due to goal difference.

“Since Gavi, the current winner, was not eligible by regulation, I would have given the prize to Musiala or [Alejandro] Balde.”

Why is Brentford vs Arsenal kicking off at 5:30pm? TNT Sports move London derby due to Premier League blockbuster

Jack Johnson — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 13:14:13 +0000

Brentford and Arsenal clash in a London derby this weekend but fans will notice a strange change to the usual Saturday action.

The Gunners are one point off the top of the Premier League table and will be aiming for a crucial three points as they travel across the capital.

Arteta side are aiming to keep up with the league leaders

AFP

Mikel Arteta’s side take on the Bees who are looking to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool and get back to winning ways.

Due to unusual circumstances, the game will kick-off in the evening and there is also set to be an unusual difference in the UK broadcast schedule…

Why is Brentford vs Arsenal kicking off at 5:30pm?

Brentford vs Arsenal is kicking off at 5:30pm on Saturday evening after swapping times with Manchester City vs Liverpool.

The London derby was originally scheduled to kick-off at 12:30pm.

However, it has been changed as a knock-on effect from Man City and Liverpool being denied the evening slot due to concerns over fan trouble.

Manchester’s local safety advisory group that includes the local police did not give permission for the match to go ahead at 5:30pm.

That was due to previous clashes between supporters after a young Man City fan was injured and other fans were racially abused during the last game between the two sides at the Etihad in December.

There were also issues following the league fixture at Anfield last season, with the City team bus reported to have been vandalised as they left Merseyside.

Therefore, that game was moved to the 12:30pm slot, forcing Brentford and Arsenal to swap and take the early evening kick-off time instead.

Despite the change though, the game will remain on TNT Sports who usually have Saturday’s early kick-off every weekend.

They will now be broadcasting the action at 5:30pm, with Sky Sports instead showing the 12:30pm kick-off after the channels agreed to a swap.

Arsenal will be aiming to keep up with the league leaders who will now be playing before them on Saturday.

And should results go their way, they may be sitting at the top of the Premier League come full-time…

Brentford vs Arsenal: Betting

Match Odds

Brentford – 15/4

Draw – 13/5

Arsenal – 8/11

*odds correct as of 13:30 21/11/23

See more Premier League odds here

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Liverpool fan made petition to ban Lionel Messi and it got more than 16,000 signatures

Lee Davey — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 13:09:30 +0000

A Liverpool fan who once started a petition to get Lionel Messi banned was able to gain over 16,000 signatures.

The petition aimed to have UEFA retrospectively ban the Argentine for a ‘punch’ on former Reds midfielder Fabinho during the Champions League semi-final first leg defeat against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in 2019.

The Liverpool fan was angered after replays appeared to show Messi jumping into Fabinho

The Catalans comfortably saw off Jurgen Klopp’s side thanks to Messi’s heroics in a 3-0 victory.

Messi netted twice in the final 15 minutes, including a stunning free-kick, but Liverpool fans claimed the pint-sized star should never have been given the chance to take the set-piece because he was guilty of committing a foul.

Fabinho was penalised for blocking Messi’s run as he attempted to play a one-two with former Reds striker Luis Suarez.

The Brazilian was booked for his attempt at stopping the attack but some supporters believe Messi was at fault by launching himself at Fabinho.

Messi’s hand appeared to make contact with Fabinho’s face while attempting to hurdle the challenge, leaving the former Liverpool midfielder in a heap.

One Liverpool fan was in no mood to let the decision lie and promptly took to change.org to create the petition titled: ‘Get Messi a retrospective ban for clearly punching Fabinho in the head’.

It read: “So basically Messi gets a free-kick for punching Fabinho in the head and scores it, I feel like this needs to be looked at by UEFA.”

The petition gained some traction in the hours that followed but despite their best efforts to get UEFA to re-look at the incident, their attempts fell on deaf ears.

The petition definitely did NOT make a change, despite what it says on Change.org – not that it mattered for eventual European champions Liverpool anyway!

Change.org

Liverpool were finished off on the night by a stunning free-kick from the Argentine

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Luckily for Liverpool fans, Messi’s inclusion in the second leg six-days later had no bearing on the result.

Klopp’s side cantered to a famous 4-0 victory – “corner taken quickly… ORIGI!” – in front of a buzzing Anfield crowd to secure a place in the Champions League final.

And the Reds went one better by seeing off Tottenham 2-0 in the final in Madrid to claim their sixth European Cup.

Tottenham face serious allegations of breaching transfer rules in Jermain Defoe to Portsmouth deal

Sean O'Brien — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 12:07:05 +0000

Tottenham are facing serious allegations of breaching transfer rules during Jermain Defoe’s move to Portsmouth in 2008.

The Times claims new evidence shows Spurs dealt with an unlicensed agent while agreeing to sell ex-England striker Defoe to Portsmouth for £7.5million in January 2008.

Defoe’s move to Fratton Park is under scrutiny 15 years on

AFP

No action was taken by the Football Association at the time, but it is understood the governing body are prepared to review the allegations.

Breaches of FA agent rules have previously resulted in point deductions, transfer bans, and suspensions for club officials.

“The case was heard by an independent arbitration panel 15 years ago,” a spokeswoman for the FA said.

“The FA was not a party to the arbitration. It is unclear how much information was shared with the FA at the time, and no disciplinary action was taken. If there is new evidence which was not available at the time, and which suggests serious breaches of our rules took place, we will review it.”

Luton were docked ten points for breaching agent regulations in the same year, while Tottenham finished three points above Manchester City to qualify for the Champions League in the 2009/10 season.

The allegations over Defoe’s move to Fratton Park were first raised by agent Sky Andrew after he was dropped by the former striker, who claimed to represent himself in the deal.

The Times claims: “At the arbitration hearing over the Defoe transfer, the panel found that Mitchell Thomas, the former West Ham United and Tottenham player and an unlicensed agent, was a central figure in the deal. Thomas was named by the FA in 2008 on a list of agents who had been operating in football without a licence.

“It was also heard that Levy enlisted the services of Stuart Peters, an agent who was licensed, to act for Tottenham but that a representation contract — required under FA rules — did not appear to be in place. Levy agreed to pay Peters about around £1 million for his role in the £7.5 million transfer.”

Defoe scored 91 Premier League goals during his Tottenham career

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“The current board and ownership acquired the club in 2017 from the Pompey Supporters’ Trust and club presidents, who themselves formally acquired the club in 2013.

“The board and the new executive therefore have no knowledge of any negotiations that led to Portsmouth Football Club’s registration of Jermain Defoe in 2008.”

Matt Lawton, chief sports correspondent for The Times, joined talkSPORT to provide background on the story.

He said: “At that time, Defoe had a representation contract with Sky Andrew. It led to an arbitration because Sky was of the view that Defoe was in breach of his contract, because a footballer cannot use his agent if he basically does a negotiation himself.

“But the view was he’d used a guy called Stuart Peters, a licensed agent, and the assistance also Mitchell Thomas, the ex-Tottenham and West Ham footballer, who was an unlicensed agent.

“So there was a private arbitration and there was some reporting around this at the time but we don’t get to hear these arbitrations, what’s happened, we don’t get to hear the outcome or anything. Actually what we now know is that the outcome of this, Sky won the case and the panel, three QC’s at the time concluded that Mitchell Thomas, an unlicensed agent, had been a central figure in this negotiation.

“He basically helped broker the deal and had been involved in dealing with Tottenham, with Daniel Levy the Tottenham Chairman, had dealt with Harry Redknapp the Portsmouth manager, had dealt on countless occasions on the day of the transfer with Defoe himself. This was all detailed in phone records that had to be acquired through a High Court application and once the panel had these phone records, they then realised that there were potential breaches of FIFA agent rules and FA agent rules.

Defoe is the ninth highest goalscorer in Premier league history with 167 goals

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“These rules are in place to protect the integrity not just of football but of the transfer market, they’re are very serious rules that have to be complied with.”

Lawton added: “There was a further issue raised by the panel that the agent that Tottenham did enlist, there was no evidence in the hearing that there was a formal representation contract in place. You have to have one of those as well, so two potential breaches.

“When Luton Town, in the same year, were found to have paid agents without representation contracts, they received a ten-point deduction. When Massimo Cellino at Leeds was found in 2017 to have dealt with an unlicensed agent, he was banned from football for a year, received a £250,000 fine and the entire Leeds board had to go on an education course on how to deal with football intermediaries. So again, I want to emphasise, these are serious breaches.

“Now, at the end of such an arbitration, the arbitrators send the file to the FA. We don’t believe that the FA did anything about this case. We don’t believe that there were any charges issued, there weren’t any sanctions, no one got punished for this.

“Defoe was an England footballer, he played in the World Cup that summer, by the time that this award was given in early 2010.

“The FA have confirmed that no action was taken. They also, based on the statement they’ve given us, they are not clear that they received all the relevant information and now what they’re saying is if the full detail of this case comes to light, which we are revealing in The Times now, then they will review the case.”

Meanwhile, Defoe’s former agent Andrew questions the lack of action from football’s governing bodies.

He told talkSPORT: “Arbitrations need to be taken seriously, it’s supposed to be a serious process where people get evidence and people get to the truth.

“Once that happens, I think that the governing bodies then have to look at it and see if there’s anyone that’s done anything wrong or anything like that because otherwise, what’s the point of an arbitration?

“The whole point of it is to be a court of law, outside the court of law and a confidential process which comes to a conclusion and once it comes to a conclusion, then it has to go to the next phase.

“What Matt tells me is that it did go to the next phase and the governing bodies… well, I can’t say that they haven’t done anything because I don’t know that process, but it does seem that nothing’s happened.”

Read the full Times investigation here.

Jason McAteer once told Roy Keane ‘you can’t take your medals down the pub’ in feud that never ended

Lee Davey — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:33:50 +0000

Jason McAteer once told Roy Keane he would rather have ‘mates than medals’ as the pair recently reignited their long-running feud.

Former Manchester United captain Keane was a former Republic of Ireland teammate with McAteer but the duo seldom saw eye-to-eye.

Keane was sent off for an elbow on McAteer during a Premier League clash in 2002

The hostilities stemmed from McAteer’s criticism of Keane’s decision to walk out on his country on the eve of the 2002 World Cup.

A few months later, the pair clashed during a Premier League match between United and McAteer’s Sunderland.

Keane planted an elbow on his international teammate and was subsequently shown a red card for his actions.

Tensions simmered for a while before McAteer leaped to the defence of former Ireland star Jonathan Walters who came under fire from Keane for failing to win a trophy during his career and ‘crying on TV about his family situation’ during an interview with Off The Ball.

Former Liverpool midfielder McAteer condemned Keane for his attack on Walters, claiming he had let himself down with his comments.

“We all know Roy, he says what he wants and that’s why he’s box office because he says it how he thinks,” the former Liverpool midfielder told talkSPORT in 2019.

“It’s very watchable at times, but unfortunately I do feel he lets himself down with the comments he makes about other players and I was disappointed that Roy came out and said some of the things he did.

“Jonny is a brilliant guy and he’s an advocate for mental health. He’s gone on telly and put himself out on a limb because he feels it’s going to help people, and it is.

McAteer hit out at Keane after his comments on former Stoke striker Walters

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McAteer and Kene did not see eye to eye despite being teammates at international level

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“We need to create more awareness of mental health these days and what people go through, certainly elite sportspeople because it’s a very demanding environment and unfortunately when you come out of it it leaves you with problems sometimes.

“Jonny feels the need to come out and help people, which is fantastic, you take your hat off to him for that. So for Roy to bring him down and suggest he needs to stop crying on the telly, it was a poor comment.

“I think he got wrapped up in the environment, everyone was laughing, there was a lot of people in the audience and he maybe got a little bit too comfortable with his comments and he let himself down.

“As far as of the other comments between them, they are Roy’s opinions and Jonny has come out and said what he needed to say about the situation, and it’s just whose story you believe.

“Roy does like the medals one, but at the end of the day you can’t take the medals down the pub and have a pint with them. They don’t talk back to you. I’d rather have a couple of mates than a couple of medals, to be honest.”

The pair have reignited their feud in recent days after Keane admitted his elbow on McAteer in 2002 was deliberate, claiming he didn’t deserve to be sent off.

McAteer responded with an extravagant offer of a boxing match to settle their differences and even called on promoter Eddie Hearn to make it happen.

Why is Manchester City vs Liverpool kicking off at 12:30pm? Sky Sports takeover early slot for blockbuster game

Jack Johnson — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:30:06 +0000

Manchester City and Liverpool clash in a huge Premier League blockbuster this weekend as they kick off the run-in to Christmas.

Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp meet at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon, live on talkSPORT, with only one point separating their sides at the top of the table.

City and Liverpool meet for a massive clash this weekend

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All eyes will be on the huge showdown, which means fans will notice an unusual change to the UK broadcasting schedule and kick-off time…

Why is Man City vs Liverpool kicking off at 12:30pm?

Man City vs Liverpool is kicking off at 12:30pm due to concerns over fan trouble.

The highly-anticipated game was originally set to take place at 5:30pm on Saturday.

However, the local safety advisory group that includes the local Manchester police did not give permission for the match to go ahead at that time.

And that has led to some very unusual broadcasting times.

Sky Sports are known to have the evening kick-off on Saturdays, while TNT Sports always have the early kick-off.

But for this weekend, they have agreed to swap their usual times round due to the police concerns, in a move that will definitely confuse supporters.

The concerns over fan trouble come after a young Man City fan was injured and other fans were racially abused during the last game between the two sides at the Etihad in December last year.

Man City and Liverpool fans clashed last year

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Both teams then released a joint statement condemning the behaviour during the incidents.

There were also issues following the league fixture at Anfield last season, with the City team bus reported to have been vandalised as they left Merseyside.

So now the game will be played in the early slot and that change has had a knock-on effect.

Brentford vs Arsenal was set for the 12:30pm kick-off before they were forced to change, meaning the London derby will now kick-off at 5:30pm.

Man City vs Liverpool will also be exclusively live on talkSPORT, with commentary coming from Sam Matterface and Stuart Pearce.

Mohamed Salah name checked in unique Neil Ruddock rap for Liverpool vs Man City – and it’s even got Christmas No.1 odds

Robert Calcutt — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 10:44:08 +0000

Adele, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, you might want to keep a close eye on Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock ahead of this year’s race for Christmas No.1…

The former Liverpool star took a leaf out of ex-teammate John Barnes’ book and took to the talkSPORT airwaves to perform an epic rap about the Reds’ clash against Manchester City on Saturday.

Ruddock tried his hand at rapping, and he certainly did a great job…

Jurgen Klopp’s side take on Pep Guardiola’s treble winners, live on talkSPORT, in the biggest Premier League clash of the weekend.

Both sides look set to bring the excitement and goals, with City just one point ahead of Liverpool at the top of the table.

And to help build up the hype, Ruddock performed a unique rap about the two sides on talkSPORT Breakfast.

He did so in just his first take, but he seemed like a natural: “So listen up, listen up, it’s your boy Razor, football on talkSPORT can do me a favour.

“Reds versus sky blues, battle so tight, Salah on the wing, Foden taking flight.

“Big Rodri in midfield, Nunez on the run, on talkSPORT waves, the game second to none.

“Goals like thunder, fans screaming loud, Van Dijk’s in defence, making Reds proud.

“Alisson guarding, whose saves are so divine, the match is on talkSPORT, the football headline.

Liverpool hero Salah made a special appearance in the lyrics

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Sawyer was a huge fan of the rap, with Ruddock 50/1 to win Christmas no.1

“talkSPORT the stage, where dreams unfold, this is rap battle, let the football stories be untold.”

Former England boss Sam Allardyce gave it a 10/10 and presenter Natalie Sawyer was also highly impressed, so much so that she wanted to see if Ruddock could win the Christmas No.1 for 2023.

Dave from Coral joined the show to reveal his chances of success: “Forget The Pogues, forget LadBaby, forget Adele, forget Ed Sheeran, forget Taylor Swift.

“These are just some of the names in the betting for Christmas No.1. But, Razor ‘Rascal’ Ruddock has got to be put in the betting now, not 100/1, not 66/1, 50/1 to be Christmas No.1!”

December 22 is the date in which the winner of Christmas No.1 will be crowned, with Ruddock surely hopeful he can take the title… just as he hopes his beloved Liverpool will be crowned come May.

USA stars publicly slam Sergino Dest for ‘inexcusable’ act – ‘It’s a complete lack of respect’

Sam May — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 10:32:02 +0000

USA stars turned on Sergino Dest after the defender picked up two yellow cards in less than 30 seconds against Trinidad and Tobago.

The 23-year-old was given his marching orders during his side’s CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal.

Dest was clearly livid with the referee’s decision to award Trinidad a throwing

X @brfootball

USA went on to lose 2-1 but managed to secure a 4-2 aggregate victory to progress to the semi-finals.

Dest faced the fury of his teammates after the full-back kept hold of the ball, kicking it away after disagreeing over a throw-in.

He was then shown a yellow card by referee Walter Lopez, with both Gio Reyna and Yunus Musah trying to console him.

Though a furious Dest continued his argument with a second yellow brandished, he blew a kiss in the referee’s direction as he walked off.

Fulham skipper Tim Ream was quick to approach his teammate, clearly furious with his actions.

He could be seen yelling at him before he was joined by Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner.

Ream expressed his displeasure at his teammate post-match, revealing there were ‘choice words’ at halftime.

“Not too many things I can say here publicly that we said privately,” Ream said.

Sergiño Dest is sent off after receiving two back-to-back yellows

Watch live on TNT & Max pic.twitter.com/bOmNuAJjAh
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 21, 2023

“It’s a complete lack of respect for the guys that are playing, for the guys that are on the bench. It’s a lack of respect for the game itself, for the referees.”

USA boss Gregg Berhalter was also left livid with his player and provided his thoughts.

“It’s inexcusable,” he said. “It was surreal. It is concerning because that’s not what we represent, that’s not who we are as a group.

“We pride ourselves in staying mentally disciplined, battling through any type of conditions.

“Whether they’re good decisions or bad decisions, we’re supposed to keep going and respond in an appropriate way, and that obviously wasn’t the right response from Sergino.

“He apologised to the group. He said ‘it’s not going to happen again’. As a team, the players, the staff, we need to hold him accountable.”

Antonee Robinson put the USA one goal to the good, before Reon Moore equalised two minutes before halftime.

Trinidad and Tobago then secured the win on 57 minutes, with Alvin Jones making it 2-1, but despite the victory, it was not enough on aggregate.

Dest will miss the USA’s Nations League semi-final in March, having previously been absent for this year’s final against Mexico after picking up a red card.

What TV channel is Manchester City vs Liverpool on? How to follow huge Premier League clash between title contenders

Jack Cunningham — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 10:14:33 +0000

The Premier League returns this weekend with a belter between Manchester City and Liverpool, live on talkSPORT.

The Citizens start the game top of the table by just one point, with the Reds close behind and preparing to launch a title challenge themselves.

Manchester City are starting to click into gear

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Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have had plenty of title fights across the years, and this season could be another one.

And the eventual winner might look back at this game as a huge turning point in the season.

Man City vs Liverpool: How to watch

This Premier League clash is set to take place on Saturday, November 25.

Kick-off at the Etihad is scheduled for 12:30pm.

The match will be streamed on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with their coverage set to start at 11am.

Sky Go customers will be able to stream the game through their laptops or mobile devices.

Alternatively, fans can purchase a NOW TV membership, with one-day passes starting at £11.98 or a monthly subscription for £34.99.

Liverpool head into this one off the back of a 3-0 win over Brentford

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Man City vs Liverpool: How to listen

talkSPORT will have live and exclusive commentary from Manchester.

Your host will be Reshmin Chowdhury, with commentary coming from Sam Matterface, England icon Stuart Pearce, and former Wales striker Dean Saunders.

talkSPORT.com will also be running a live blog to keep you up to date with all of the action.

Man City vs Liverpool: Team news

The hosts have picked up several injury concerns over the international break.

Erling Haaland has a twisted ankle but is expected to be fit to face Liverpool.

Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes, Ederson, and Nathan Ake will all face late fitness tests.

But Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Gomez and John Stones are out with long-term injuries.

Meanwhile, the Reds will be without Andrew Robertson due to a dislocated shoulder.

Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic remain on the sidelines.

But Klopp will hope Joe Gomez and Ryan Gravenberch are fit after picking up minor niggles.

Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konate will also be pushing to be involved.

Haaland is expected to be fit

AFP

Man City vs Liverpool: What has been said?

Oasis co-founder and huge Man City fan Noel Gallagher believes Liverpool are City’s closest contenders.

Speaking on talkSPORT Drive, he said: “I think it’s probably between City, Liverpool and Arsenal.

“I’d probably whittle that down to Liverpool towards the end because when Liverpool get towards the finish line, they’ve always pushed us all the way until the last day.”

However, he’s fuming that the game is at 12:30.

He said: “The 12:30 kick-off is set up to benefit people in other parts of the world. Liverpool have got a lot of fans in Southeast Asia, and I would imagine there’s someone sitting there thinking when Liverpool play half 12, the global ratings go through the roof.

“It’s one of the biggest fixtures in England, and we’re not going to see the best of the two teams; lord knows who’s going to turn up injured.”

Man City vs Liverpool: Betting

Match Odds:

Man City – 4/6

Draw – 31/10

Liverpool – 7/2

*odds correct as of 10:30 21/11/23

See more Premier League odds here

New Customer? Sign up to talkSPORT BET and get triple your returns up to £300 on your first bet – CLAIM HERE

Jules Breach and Joe Cole keep cool as footage catches crude Channel 4 chant from England’s away fans

Jake Lambourne — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 09:07:51 +0000

England fans were heard taunting broadcaster Channel 4 with an X-rated chant following the drab display away at North Macedonia.

The Three Lions rounded up their unbeaten Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 1-1 draw in Skopje on Monday night.

England fans could be heard singing an X-rated chant aimed at Channel 4 in Skopje

Channel 4

The travelling England supporters had little to cheer for, and decided to break into a crude chant during Channel 4‘s post-match analysis.

Those watching at home could hear the fans loudly sing, ‘Channel 4 is f***** s***’ at the Tose Proeski Arena.

Host Jules Breach and pundit Joe Cole showed their immense professionalism by failing to react as they kept their cool to continue discussing the match.

Though the same can’t be said for ex-Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott, who at first didn’t react to the song from the stands.

But the two-time Premier League winner couldn’t help but let out a wry smile as the chanting got progressively louder.

Social media was loving the incident, as one X user said: “Best entertainment of the night was the chants.”

Another quipped: “”England away fans chanting ‘Channel 4 is f***** s***’ during the post-match analysis is the highlight of the international break.”

A third added: “Fair play to Joleon Lescott trying his best not to laugh.”

Lescott eventually let out a smile as he did his best not to laugh

Channel 4

This user then posted: “Best sports fans in world tbh British football chants and banter cant be beat.”

Meanwhile another simply stated: “How do they keep a straight face when they hear that.”

It what was another uninspiring display from England following Friday’s 2-0 win over Malta, as they had to come back from behind to nick a point.

Enis Bardhi broke the deadlock in the 41st minute after he tapped in the rebound from his missed penalty, which Jordan Pickford initially saved.

It was left to England’s all-time top scorer Harry Kane to help his side remain unbeaten, as he forced an own goal just seconds after coming on.

Gareth Southgate‘s men will now be in Pot 1 for next summer’s European Championship, where they go into the tournament as one of the favourites.

Footage appears to show Roy Keane call Cristiano Ronaldo a ‘w*’ and ‘p’ during Manchester United game

Callum Vurley — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 08:53:48 +0000

Footage has resurfaced of Roy Keane appearing to call Cristiano Ronaldo a ‘w*****’ and a ‘p****’ during a Manchester United match.

Not many United players would have the bark to bring down Keane in the dressing room, not even Sir Alex Ferguson could.

Ronaldo and Keane weren’t always best mates on the pitch

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And the former Red Devils captain was renowned for keeping his players in line – sometimes utilising a bit of tough love.

Even Ronaldo was on the receiving end of one barrage of criticism when United took on Southampton in December 2004.

The Portuguese sensation, in his second season at Old Trafford, was gifted an easy chance to score.

Paul Scholes’ shot was saved by Kasey Keller, who was parachuted in from Tottenham on an emergency loan, but the rebound fell kindly for Ronaldo.

Instead of tucking it away, the forward tried to chip the American – blazing his effort over the bar.

And that lit a fire in Keane, who became instantly enraged by his teammate for not tapping in instead.

United were 2-0 up at the time and cruising but that meant little to the perfectionist that is Keane.

Footage resurfaced by Instagram account roykeane_archives of the United legend losing his cool with Ronaldo.

Keane was absolutely furious with Ronaldo going on an expletive-ridden rant

roykeane_archives

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Roy Keane (@roykeane_archives)

And it does not take a lip reader to put together what he might have said as he appeared to shout: “Put the ball in the net you f****** w*****. F****** p****.”

It is fair to say that the message was received and understood by Ronaldo, who would not make the same mistake again.

Just moments later, the winger volleyed in brilliantly to put the Red Devils three goals up and he was instantly mobbed by his teammates to give him encouragement.

Aged just 19, it was a harsh but valuable lesson for Ronaldo, who adopted the same mentality to become one of the greatest players ever seen in football.

Ronaldo would go on to score and was mobbed by his teammates after

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While his strike against Southampton was just one of five in the Premier League for him, he would drastically improve in the years to come.

He went on to score 118 times for United, including winning the first of five Ballons d’Or in his career in 2008.

Real Madrid would then come calling where Ronaldo’s legacy was cemented after an incredible nine years where he scored 450 times in 438 appearances, winning four Champions League titles in the process.

‘Alarm bells will be ringing’ – Stuart Pearce warns of England’s ‘Achilles heel’ ahead of Euro 2024

Jack Cunningham — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 23:16:09 +0000

Stuart Pearce believes there should be ‘alarm bells’ ringing after England’s lacklustre displays against Malta and North Macedonia.

The Three Lions ended their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw in Skopje, in which Gareth Southgate‘s men created little.

England were nowhere near their best on a cold evening away from home

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England were trailing 1-0 at half time after debutant Rico Lewis was harshly adjudged to have fouled Bojan Miovski in the box. Jordan Pickford saved Enis Bardhi’s spot kick, but the taker was there to slam home the rebound.

The Three Lions levelled in the second half when substitute Harry Kane caused chaos in the box, but it was Jani Atansov who stuck the ball past his own goalkeeper.

England pushed for a winner but never looked like breaking the hosts down and managed just two shots on target against a team ranked 62 places below them.

Despite this, England still topped Group C and will be in pot one in the Euro 2024 draw, but Three Lions icon Pearce saw some worrying signs.

Kane’s introduction forced an equaliser

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Speaking after talkSPORT’s live commentary with Adrian Durham, the ex-England defender revealed his concerns about the lack of creativity displayed by the Three Lions.

He said: “I always put a positive slant on things, but I have got to say alarm bells will be ringing in regards to these two games [Malta and North Macedonia].

“We just haven’t been able to break teams down freely. I think that is an Achilles heel of ours.

“As a counter-attacking team, where teams come on to us, we aren’t bad when we have space.

“But we’ve got to work out how to break these teams down.

“I think our build-up from the back line is too slow and easy to defend.”

Of course, England were without Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham for both games due to a shoulder injury.

In his previous two England appearances, the 20-year-old scored once and provided three assists, so they undoubtedly missed his influence.

England were without the guile, pace and power of Bellingham

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However, the Three Lions still had more than enough good players in this squad to manage more than five shots on target across two fixtures against Malta and North Macedonia.

And Pearce would like to see England play some different passes rather than just keeping possession across the back.

He said: “We are too slow in midfield. We need to mix it up. There are too many short passes.

“Every time we played the ball over the top, we either regained it 40 yards up the pitch or were in behind their defence.

“And this isn’t kick and rush, it’s a cultured pass.”

The man behind these passes, that Pearce was talking about, was Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Alexander-Arnold played in midfield during both of England’s latest fixtures but wasn’t overly ambitious with his passing

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The Liverpool defender started both games in midfield, but bar the odd pass; he kept things very safe.

And because he and others weren’t playing the ball forwards, the wingers and strikers stopped moving.

Pearce went on to state he couldn’t believe how few runs Ollie Watkins made during the North Macedonia game.

He said: “If you are playing at the top end of the pitch and you know that ball’s not forthcoming, you might make one or two runs, but eventually, you say, ‘I am not running in behind because you aren’t even looking for the ball in behind’.

“Ollie Watkins made as few runs tonight as I have ever seen him; for him to do that [make runs], you have to supply him with the ball.”

So definite improvements are required in the attacking third if England are to reach their full potential and stand a chance of winning the Euros next year.

On paper, they have some of the best attacking options in the tournament, but football isn’t played on paper, and it’s up to Southgate to unleash this team and allow them to play with freedom.

What is Jurgen Klopp’s record in 12:30pm kick-offs and why does he hate them? Liverpool in Saturday action against Manchester City

Joe Brophy — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 23:09:00 +0000

Liverpool could leap above Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table when they play each other in the dreaded 12.30pm Saturday kick-off this weekend.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is the most vocal critic of the Saturday lunchtime slot and his record in them shows why he hates them.

Klopp is welcomed back from the international break with a 12:30pm kick-off

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The early weekend slot is important to the Premier League due to the UK 3pm blackout of English football on Saturday afternoons.

It is also prime time in key Asian markets, which means the top six teams are often chosen to maximise the Premier League’s brand.

And this has regularly brought Klopp’s views on the subject to the forefront, with the German once involved in an infamous exchange with BT Sport journalist Des Kelly after a 1-1 draw with Brighton in 2020.

Speaking two years earlier, Klopp said: “I like night games, Saturday night is in general a night people don’t go to bed too early, it’s a good time to play football.

“Much better than at 12 — I’m hungry at 12, not at 7:45!”

But is there a deeper reason behind Klopp’s distaste of the traditional early afternoon game ahead of their visit to City, which will be live on talkSPORT.

What is Jurgen Klopp’s record in 12:30pm kickoffs?

Klopp won four of his nine early kick-off games (with three defeats) during his first season in the Premier League in 2015/16.

That regressed to just three victories but still three losses out of nine the following campaign in 2016/17.

Liverpool then slipped to relegation form in the lunchtime slot in Klopp’s third year, with one win in eight games that also included a 5-0 hammering to Manchester City.

The German looked to have corrected his early morning demons during the 2021/22 season where he came close to a quadruple.

Liverpool claimed four wins from four on the early schedule as they ultimately finished on 92 points, one behind champions City.

But their old foes reared their heads as the Reds’ form took a nose dive last term, with three defeats and zero wins from a possible six.

Liverpool’s last match against Man City at lunchtime ended in a 4-1 defeat

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But the Reds were successful in their last early kick-off, walking away with a 3-1 win over Wolves

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Liverpool's record in 12:30pm kickoffs last season

Fulham 2-2 Liverpool

Everton 0-0 Liverpool

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool

Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea

Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool

Manchester City 4-1 Liverpool

Why does he hate them?

Klopp’s main gripe with 12:30pm kick-offs, aside from his stomach, are due to a lack of player welfare around the scheduling.

If a team plays a Champions League match on a Wednesday night then the following day is typically a recovery one.

However, if they are then scheduled to play first on Saturday that leaves them having to travel Friday night – unless the game is local – after only one session.

Kicking off later in the day therefore makes a sizeable difference to a club’s preparations in terms of travel, training and sleep.

Klopp himself said ahead of the Brighton match in 2020: “If you play in the afternoon obviously the boys sleep longer and you can ask whoever you want, sleep is a big part in recovery.”

Klopp has made no secret of his dislike of television scheduling

Getty

This means that a lack of proper recovery between fixtures will lead to an increased risk of injuries to players.

As was the case when Klopp exploded on BT Sport when James Milner sustained a hamstring issue at the Amex three years ago.

The game came after Liverpool suffered a 2-0 defeat to Atalanta away in Italy on Wednesday.

Liverpool’s absence from the Champions League this season will theoretically spare them from many risky 12:30pm turnarounds, with Thursday’s Europa League participants in action Sunday instead.

But their upcoming showdown with Man City comes straight after another intense international break.

That will be the thirteenth 12:30/12:45pm kick-off following an international break since Klopp joined Liverpool – seven more than Tottenham and Chelsea in second.

He said: “How can you put a game like this on Saturday at 12.30pm?

“Honestly, the people making the decisions, they cannot feel football. It is just not possible.

“This is the moment the world pays the most to see a football game. And by the way, the players will all come back on the same plane, all the South American players, picking them up from different countries.

“You have to fight your way through the most difficult league in the world and be ready on Thursday and on Sunday, and Thursday. And if the Premier League has the opportunity to do it, be ready on Saturday at 12.30pm!”

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