KURT ZOUMA has been condemned by club West Ham after a shocking video of him attacking his cat was revealed by The Sun.
The Metropolitan Police are not investigating the incident, while Zouma’s brother Yoan’s future is in jeopardy with his club Dagenhan & Redbridge after appearing in in the damning footage.
Meanwhile, Chelsea will have to sell N’Golo Kante to sign Declan Rice, according to reports.
And Chelsea are over in Abu Dhabi for the Club World Cup this week.
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Crock ‘n roll star Wayne
Wayne Rooney has revealed he hid the injury that should have ruled him out of the 2006 World Cup.
In a stunning admission, Rooney admitted that he was not fit to play in the tournament that ended with his red card as England went out on penalties to Portugal at the quarter-finals.
But the Three Lions’ record goalscorer’s problem was NOT the fractured metatarsals that saw Sven-Goran Eriksson go to war with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Instead, he explained in the Amazon documentary “Rooney”: “The first training session with the team was the next day.
“We went out on to the pitch jogging and there was a ball by the halfway line.
“I kicked it trying to hit the crossbar and pulled my groin. I had a 6cm tear in my groin which I didn’t report to the physios.”
Eriksson, shown footage of Rooney’s confession, admitted “I didn’t know that.”
And Rooney went on: “I don’t know what the fans will think about it. It was naive of course but you want to play, you want to play for your country. I was thinking I will be OK.
“I was never right at that tournament physically. I was getting pain that was non-stop.”
Gerro tips Ramsey for England
Steven Gerrard hailed his two-goal kid sensation Jacob Ramsey and claimed he will be an England star soon.
Villa’s 20-year-old homegrown midfielder expertly polished off two Philippe Coutinho assists – after the little Brazilian cancelled out Dan James’ opener for Leeds – as Villa came from behind to storm into a 3-1 lead.
However James struck again on the stroke of half-time before Diego Llorente earned Leeds a valuable point after the break, before Villa’s Ezri Konsa was sent off late in this six-goal thriller.
Afterwards Gerrard heaped praise on his midfield starlet and said: “I don’t want to make any headlines, I want Jacob to continue to make his own headlines with his football.
“It’s my job to keep everyone calm. But he’s a top talent and I’m loving every minute of working with him.
“I know the level of the England players, I’ve been around it and know it is only a matter of time in my opinion. But let’s all be sensible and keep calm about it.
“He’s getting stronger and better with each game because we’ve given him a platform to go and express himself. His performance and his finishes tonight were wonderful.
“That’s the type of midfielder we want, someone who can run without the ball, carry the ball, who is dangerous and can score. He’s in a wonderful place at the moment and credit to him and everyone who’s worked with him over the years.”
Zaha fortunes go Upside Down
Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha channelled his inner Diana Ross as he dragged his penalty five yards wide during the 1-1 draw at Norwich.
The Ivory Coast international, 29, went from hero to zero at Carrow Road after he equalised with an emphatic curling strike in the 60th minute.
I thought Ronaldo and Elanga’s penalties were bad the other night.
Zaha whipped in an effort from the edge of the box into the top right corner for one of the best goals of the season.
But he was then guilty of missing one of the worst spot-kicks in Premier League history just THREE minutes later.
The former Manchester United winger stepped up confidently, but his effort trickled past Angus Gunn’s right-hand post.
Zaha’s shot bobbled off his standing foot and away from goal to leave the player shocked by what just happened.about:blank
It turned out to a decisive moment in the match as the Eagles had to settle for a point to make it four top-flight matches without a win.
Unsurprisingly, social media was sent into a meltdown over the miss as fans likened the attempt to Diana Ross’ failed penalty during the USA 1994 World Cup opening show.
Rudi big pay offer
Chelsea have made a huge contract offer to star defender Antonio Rudiger in a bid to stop him leaving in the summer, according to reports.
Rudiger, 28, is said to have turned down a £140k-a-week offer earlier in the season.
GOAL have reported that the Blues have now offered closer to £200k-a-week.
The German international is out of contract at the end of the season and has been strongly linked with a move away.
The club are supposedly desperate for him to stay as they struggle to keep hold of key defenders.
Chelsea are eager to extend the expiring deals of Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva and Andreas Christensen.
Reports also suggest that there are ‘large signing-on fees’ and ‘competitive salary packages’ waiting for the 28-year-old if he lets his contract expire.
European giants Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are believed to have already thrown offers at the Champions League winner.
Nev slams Wag circus
Gary Neville slammed the Wag circus that turned Baden Baden into a paparazzi paradise during the 2006 World Cup.
Wayne Rooney’s wife Coleen was one of the leaders of the England players’ partners’ group.
She said: “There were nights when we went out and had a good time but we didn’t do anything wrong.
“The players went out with us and we never dragged them out at the hotel to come out with us.
“Out of all the tournaments I’d say that was the most memorable one that we felt like a big England family.”
But Neville raged: “Elite sports teams should have no distraction.
“It’s a World Cup. We had distractions like you would not believe.
“When I look back on that 2006 tournament and think about how it was handled, the build up to it, that was obviously the Wags and the families travelling, Wayne’s injury, coming late, ‘the big man’s here’ and all that sort of crap, it was just a nonsense.”
‘What can he not do?’
Former Arsenal left-back Armand Traore has backed Manchester United starlet James Garner to reach the top following his dazzling loan displays for Nottingham Forest.
The 20-year-old linked up with the Reds for the second half of last campaign where he scored four goals in 20 Championship games.
And after committing his long-term future to the Red Devils in August, the England youth international was sent back to the City Ground for the entirety of this term.
Garner has cemented himself as a key player under boss Steve Cooper, with the midfielder supplying one goal and three assists from 27 outings this term.
He starred in Forest’s 4-1 win against Leicester on Sunday where they dumped the FA Cup holders out at the fourth round stage.
Ex-Forest ace Traore told SunSport via Freebets.com, Traore said: “He’s an absolute baller. What a player! And he’s only 20. “You watch him play with such maturity, he reminds me of Xabi Alonso
“This guy makes everything simple and look so easy. He’s hard in the tackle, he’s not scared, his long-range passing, his short range passing is amazing.
“I’ve seen him score goals with both feet, what can he not do? I’d not be surprised if United tried recalling him, but that would a huge mistake for Garner if he did.”
Zouma video made me sick
DAVID SEAMAN: I’LL never forget how Arsenal manager George Graham used to tell us: “Remember who you are, where you are and who you represent.”
Kurt Zouma has very clearly lost sight of who he is representing and has really let his team down.
After The Sun published the video of him abusing that poor cat, so many fans were rightly disgusted.
To see him starting on Tuesday night horrified many Hammers supporters.
When me and my wife Frankie saw the video we felt sick.
We found it really hard to sleep that night. We’re relieved to hear his cats have been taken into care.
After The Sun published the video of him abusing that poor cat, so many fans were rightly disgusted.
To see him starting on Tuesday night horrified many Hammers supporters.
When me and my wife Frankie saw the video we felt sick. We found it really hard to sleep that night. We’re relieved to hear his cats have been taken into care.
Both of us have always had cats and now we have two rescues from Cats Protection — Willow and Smokey.
We also often foster pregnant and feral cats which we keep in their own room — some having been treated horribly in abusive situations. This episode really shows that, no matter who you are, abusing animals is never OK.
Utd players want Poch
Manchester United stars want Mauricio Pochettino to take over in the summer, writes MARTIN BLACKBURN.
The Red Devils are set to step up their search for a permanent boss now new chief executive Richard Arnold is in place.
And the word from the dressing room is that they want former Tottenham chief Poch to get the nod.
Ajax manager Erik ten Hag will also be closely looked at by United’s hierarchy in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile — as SunSport reported last month — interim boss Ralf Rangnick still has an opportunity to convince the board he is the man for the long term.
However the fact that current Paris Saint-Germain coach Pochettino has worked in the Premier League before is seen as a major positive by the current squad.
Devastated Mo might play for Reds
Mo Salah still has the devastating Afcon final shootout loss ‘on his mind’, says Jurgen Klopp.
Egypt captain Salah, 29, missed out on an Afcon title as Reds team-mate Sadio Mane and Senegal took home the trophy.
The Liverpool winger was due to take the fifth and final penalty in the shootout, but unfortunately for Egypt, it didn’t get that far.
Mane buried the winning penalty to help Senegalese win the trophy for the first time.
Klopp told Sky Sports that Salah was back training with his club on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s clash with Leicester.
The Reds boss said: “Yesterday everyone could see he has the final on his mind.
“He’s very disappointed, it was a massive thing.
“Losing a final is always really hard, I can sing that song, but losing the way they did was especially hard.
“He is happy to be back but is disappointed as well, massively so.”
Cout of this world
Philippe Coutinho bagged a goal and two assists but Villa wasted a 3-1 lead to draw.
Here’s our match report from: Aston Villa 3 Leeds 3.
Result: Aston Villa 3 Leeds 3
Ezri Konsa’s late red card left Villa holding on for a draw after they blew a 3-1 lead.
Zaha stunner foils Canaries
Read how Eagles’ main man Wilfried Zaha denied the lowly Canaries victory.
Here’s our match report:
Norwich 1 Crystal Palace 1Rooney trawled Manchester as a kid for fights
Wayne Rooney has admitted he and his pals used to trawl MANCHESTER looking for punch-ups, writes MARTIN LIPTON.
The Scouser who was to become United’s record scorer would make the short trip from Merseyside to watch concerts by some of his favourite bands.
But he always expected the night to end with a major scuffle – and on one occasion he was left with a broken jaw.
Rooney said: “I wasn’t the nicest kid at that age. “I did some things which were wrong and had a lot of fights when I was younger.
“I wouldn’t say I was a bully but there were things I shouldn’t have done and I crossed the line.”
He added: “I don’t know if it was anger. Sometimes you got hit and that’s not nice but I used to get some sort of enjoyment out of it.
“I remember getting my jaw snapped in Manchester. I was about 13 and some guy grabs hold of me and hit me. He went to hit me again and I just dropped and threw a big haymaker at him and caught him and then I ran off.We wouldn’t go knowing there was going to be a fight but we knew there was a chance.
“”I’ve come back from Southport with my eye all stitched up and again my mum wasn’t happy. I was probably about 12. You get taught you have to fight to survive.”
Read our Prem reports here
Man City 2 Brentford 0
Tottenham 2 Southampton 3Purple Rush
Ian Rush was on target in the fashion stakes as he donned a statement purple suit for a night out with his model fiancee.
The Liverpool legend took to the red carpet with partner Carol Anthony, who is 22 years his junior.
The pair were attending a reception to celebrate the British Asian Trust at the British Museum in London.
And while Anthony looked stylish in a classy dress-and-shawl combination, it was her hubby turning most heads with his voguish tuxedo.
The couple got engaged back in 2019 after five years of dating. Plans for a secret wedding in Mauritius 12 months later were scuppered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Their relationship flourished just a year after Rush, 60, split with his partner of 25 years, Tracy.
Speaking to the Irish Independent in 2019, former pop star Anthony told of her delight at the announcement.
She said: “We’ve been speaking about it for a long time. “We don’t feel any different as we always knew we would be together for the long haul.
“When we travel together, Ian always introduces me as his wife. Two weeks ago, I corrected him and said, ‘Ian, I’m not your wife.’ He said: ‘Yes, but I want you to be. That is, if you want to be?'”
Andreas off to Flamengo
Manchester United have finalised Andreas Pereira’s £9million permanent switch to loan side Flamengo, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano says.
It’s claimed United have also landed a 25% sell-on clause for the one-cap Brazil midfielder, 26.
Credit: Getty Pereira has also had loan spells with Granada, Valencia and Lazio.
And the Red Devils will surely be happy to offload a player who never won a regular senior place since arriving at Old Trafford in 2011.
United and Milan could vie for Nicolo
AC Milan are said to have joined Manchester United’s pursuit of Roma winger Nicolo Zaniolo.
Calciomercato report journalist Enrico Camelio as claiming the Italian giants have indirectly asked about the Italy star, 22.
It’s thought Roma would consider cashing in for around £45million.
United and Juventus have been the early frontrunners – until now.
Cooper tipped to be top Prem boss
Steve Cooper is destined for a Premier League dugout regardless of whether he guides Nottingham Forest to promotion this season.
That is the view of former Reds left-back Armand Traore who has waxed lyrical over his managerial abilities.
Forest picked up just one point from their opening seven league games under Chris Hughton – but now lie just two points off the play-offs in ninth spot with three wins in their last four Championship games.
Speaking to SunSport via Freebets.com, the ex-Gunners ace said: “It’s been an unbelievable turnaround.
“They’re doing it consistently, they look good, the players know what they’re doing, they know their roles and they’ve got a really young squad which is very important.
“Steve Cooper has won the World Cup with the Under-17s for England so he knows how to deal with young players.
“With young players, they have no fear, they have hunger and drive. If you couple that with the right coaching and management, it’s a winning combination.
“If Steve Cooper doesn’t take Forrest into the Premier League, he will end up there as a manager anyway. The job he’s doing is amazing. He’s a very underrated manager.”
Klopp: Sad Salah’s not shaken off Afcon woe
Mo Salah still has the devastating Afcon final shootout loss ‘on his mind’, says Jurgen Klopp.
Egypt captain Salah, 29, missed out on an Afcon title as Reds team-mate Sadio Mane and Senegal took home the trophy.
The Liverpool winger was due to take the fifth and final penalty in the shootout, but unfortunately for Egypt, it didn’t get that far.
Mane buried the winning penalty to help Senegalese win the trophy for the first time.
Klopp told Sky Sports that Salah was back training with his club on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s clash with Leicester.
The Reds boss said: “Yesterday everyone could see he has the final on his mind.
“He’s very disappointed, it was a massive thing.
“Losing a final is always really hard, I can sing that song, but losing the way they did was especially hard.
“He is happy to be back but is disappointed as well, massively so.”
Everton target Hitchen
Everton want ex-Tottenham transfer guru Steven Hitchen to be their new director of football and replace Marcel Brands.
The highly-rated Hitchins left his director of technical performance role at Spurs last week.
Now he is ‘emerging as the Toffees’ first-choice’ for the post ahead of ex-Wolves sporting director Kevin Thelwell.
Everton sacked Brands in December after a number of disastrous and costly transfer signings throughout his reign.
Following the arrival of Frank Lampard as manager, the Premier League strugglers are now reviewing their whole recruitment and executive operations.
The Mail Online claim that Hitchen has already held talks with Goodison chiefs and is ‘understood to have impressed’ with his vision for the future.
The 45-year-old is believed to have significant support from with Everton’s boardroom as they look to finally announce a new man.
The report states that Thelwell also has his admirers at the Merseyside club.
Shock Shaq switch to Chicago
Ex-Liverpool playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri has moved to MLS side Chicago Fire for £5.5million – just six months after joining Lyon.
The Switzerland midfielder, 30, signed a Designated Player contract transfer in the USA.
Fire sporting director Georg Heitz said: “Xherdan is a game-changing player and someone who will bring joy to our supporters and the city of Chicago.
“As one of the most accomplished Swiss athletes of his generation, Xherdan joins us at a very important time for the club and fully believes in what we are aiming to accomplish.
“We look forward to welcoming him and his family to Chicago very soon.”
Credit: EPA
Garner be special
Former Arsenal left-back Armand Traore has backed Manchester United starlet James Garner to reach the top following his dazzling loan displays for Nottingham Forest.
The 20-year-old linked up with the Reds for the second half of last campaign where he scored four goals in 20 Championship games.
And after committing his long-term future to the Red Devils in August, the England youth international was sent back to the City Ground for the entirety of this term.
Garner has cemented himself as a key player under boss Steve Cooper, with the midfielder supplying one goal and three assists from 27 outings this term.
He starred in Forest’s 4-1 win against Leicester on Sunday where they dumped the FA Cup holders out at the fourth round stage.
Ex-Forest ace Traore told SunSport via Freebets.com, Traore said: “He’s an absolute baller. What a player! And he’s only 20. “You watch him play with such maturity, he reminds me of Xabi Alonso
“This guy makes everything simple and look so easy. He’s hard in the tackle, he’s not scared, his long-range passing, his short range passing is amazing.
“I’ve seen him score goals with both feet, what can he not do? I’d not be surprised if United tried recalling him, but that would a huge mistake for Garner if he did.”
Utd and Chelsea eye Arsenal target
Chelsea and Manchester United have joined Arsenal and Tottenham in chasing Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, reports say.
French s Newcastle were also understood to be in for the Frenchman, 19, in transfer deadline week.
And 90m say Chelsea and United scouts watched take on Bordeaux on Sunday.
Chelsea sub ratings
N’Golo Kante on for Jorginho (HT) – 6
Some sloppy passes from Kante but other than that he worked hard and put a few good tackles in.
Mason Mount on for Ziyech (72 mins) – 6
Tried to inject some energy and gain some control, but Chelsea continued to struggle.
Malang Sarr for Alonso (86 mins) – N/A
More Chelsea ratings vs Al Hilal
Hakim Ziyech – 8
Another very bright game for him as a lot of what Chelsea did good in an attacking sense came through the Moroccan once again. He came off in the second half for Mason Mount as Chelsea looked for more control.
Kai Havertz – 7
Worked very well combining with Lukaku and Ziyech up top for Chelsea, set up the first goal for Lukaku with some good work as well. A very nice technical game from him and he could have and probably should have got a goal himself too and was a little wasteful in the final third.
Romelu Lukaku – 6
First half goal gave him some needed confidence and he looked a bit more comfortable today. He still wasn’t involved anywhere near enough as he should be and faded a lot in the second half.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
