Philippa Kaur

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    Controversial Crystal Palace shareholder John Textor wants to SELL top-scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta to his other team

    CRYSTAL PALACE hitman Jean-Philippe Mateta is an ambitious target for Lyon — in a controversial move planned by John Textor.Textor, the French club’s American owner, wants them to bid for the in-form star this summer.Jean-Philippe Mateta could leave Crystal Palace this summerCredit: ReutersJohn Textor has a share of both Palace and LyonCredit: GettyBut that will not go down well at Palace, where Textor is also a major shareholder — even if he is planning to sell his stake.Frenchman Mateta will be in demand in the next window and the Eagles will have a fight on their hands to keep him.Yet Lyon may have to reach the Champions League to have a real chance of tempting Mateta, who has scored ten league goals so far this season.The powerful striker, 27, will seek to join an elite club.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLPalace would look for at least £50million for Mateta and if he continues his form, there could be big Premier League interest.Meanwhile, the Eagles have earmarked two rising centre-halves to replace Marc Guehi — Burnley’s Maxime Esteve and Middlesbrough’s Rav van den Berg.They realise England defender Guehi will have to be sold in the summer amid interest from Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea.Palace were priced out of their first choice, Strahinja Pavlovic, with AC Milan asking for £35m.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSFrenchman Esteve, 22, has been impressive for Burnley in a defence that has conceded just nine goals in 31 Championship games.Dutch star Van den Berg, 20, has caught the eye at Boro and Palace will be watching him closely in the run-in this season.His older brother Sepp, 23, plays for Brentford.Fans joke Ian Wright’s coat ‘reminded them to take the bins out’ as Arsenal legend hosts FA Cup clash More

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    Meet ‘magic’ Monchi, the man behind Aston Villa’s stunning transfers for Rashford and Asensio… who Man Utd let slip away

    HE is the King Midas of the market whose golden touch has stacked up the silverware.The footballing master fixer who sealed two of the most eye-catching transfers in the window… neither of which came with a fee.Transfer king Monchi has worked his magic once again at Aston VillaCredit: PAThe former Sevilla king helped land Marcus Rashford from Man UtdCredit: GettyThe capture of Marco Asensio from PSG is a real coup for VillaCredit: GettyMonchi and Unai Emery have transformed Villa into Champions League hopefulsCredit: GettyIf Marcus Rashford’s loan move to Aston Villa was top of the bill, tempting three-time Champions League winner Marco Asensio from PSG came a close second.Yet for Villa’s under-stated president of football operations Monchi, just the latest two additions in over 20 years of sparkling signings.And after Rashford’s arrival from Manchester United, you could not escape the irony of his key role in the deal.The Spaniard’s partnership with sporting director Damian Vidagany and boss Unai Emery gives Villa a transfer committee to rival any in the Premier League.But in the eyes of Monchi’s one-time wingman, United missed a trick 18 months ago when they were hunting a front man to get their recruitment back on track.Highly-respected Spanish coach Antonio Fernandez spent six years alongside Monchi at Sevilla, as they went from the second tier to La Liga regulars and Europa League kings.It was a trophy they won SEVEN times in his days at the club – three with Emery in charge – plus another couple of Copa del Rey triumphs.There was also a near £200million transfer profit after Monchi unearthed the likes of Dani Alves and Ivan Rakitic among a host of uncut diamonds that made Sevilla a fortune.JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSFernandez insisted: “People outside Spain didn’t really notice Sevilla until Diego Maradona went there in 1992.“But it was Monchi who was responsible for keeping them at the top and making sure they regularly rubbed shoulders with the powerhouses.Why Marcus Rashford could be perfect fit for Aston Villa after Man Utd transferMorgan Rogers has been sensational since joining from MiddlesbroughCredit: GettyDonyell Malen is hoping to be another Monchi hitCredit: Getty“He waved his magic wand every year and made incredible signings which generated huge money. Men like Alves for 800,000 Euros, who was sold for £24milllion.“The thing is, he looks in places where not many do and once he identifies his target, he studies the player in an obsessive way.“He has a clinical eye and that is why he hardly makes a mistake with his signings. I always knew he would be a huge success in England. He could fit in any club in the world.“Monchi was anything but a superstar in nine years as Sevilla keeper, with the bulk of them spent as back-up to Juan Carlos Unzue.Yet a playing career in the shadows became a management one in the brightest of spotlights as scout, spotter and sealer of deals.Emery tempted Monchi to rejoin him in June 2023, and he has been a key figure in the signing of, among others, Pau Torres, Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen.Fernandez added: “Over the years Monchi has been a player, a scout, a technical director and a director, so he sees it from every angle.“He is a specialist in recruitment because he has filled so many positions…that’s what has helped make him the best operator in the business.”Monchi’s career in footballMONCHI enjoyed a nine-year top-level playing career as a goalkeeper for Sevilla.He featured 85 times as the club’s No2 before retiring in 1999.Monchi then became Sevilla’s Sporting Director a year later and transformed the club’s fortunes in LaLiga.The Spaniard eventually left for Roma in 2017.But his time in Italy was not a success and Monchi returned to Sevilla two years later.His second spell there as Sporting Director was not as successful.And Monchi decided to link up with Unai Emery once again when Aston Villa came calling in 2023.Playing careerPosition: GoalkeeperSevilla B, 1988-1990: 41 games, 0 goalsSevilla, 1990-1999: 85 games, 0 goalsPost-playing careerSporting Director, Sevilla: 2000-2017Sporting Director, Roma: 2017-2019Sporting Director, Sevilla: 2019-2023President of Football Operations, Aston Villa: 2023-PresentToday Villa face Tottenham, where former Villa sporting director Johan Lange is now technical director, after leaving the Midlands club in 2023.And the two clubs are also rivals in an off-pitch power struggle.When Lange was appointed at Villa in 2020, shortly after Dean Smith’s side had narrowly escaped immediate relegation from the Premier League, the club said: “We will not be satisfied until we achieve our goal of bringing sustainable success to Aston Villa at the top tier of European football.”The fact that Villa are currently closer to achieving that goal than Spurs owes quite a bit to Lange.The Dane oversaw the signing of players like Ollie Watkins, Emi Martinez, Matty Cash and Jhon Duran.The January sale of Duran to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr for £70m is a big reason why Monchi had room for manoeuvre in the winter window.But it was also a consequence of the Premier League’s financial regulations as Villa strive to find ways to avoid breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules.Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris slammed PSR last summer, saying: “Some of the rules have actually resulted in cementing the status quo more than creating upward mobility and fluidity.Monchi’s best signingsSevillaSergio RamosJesus NavasJose Antonio ReyesDani AlvesJulio BaptistaIvan RakiticRomaLorenzo PellegriniBryan CristanteJustin KluivertNicolo ZanioloPatrik SchickCengiz UnderAston VillaMorgan RogersPau TorresYouri TielemansAmadou OnanaMarcus RashfordMarco Asensio“The rules do not make sense and are not good for football.”Like the billionaire owners of Manchester City, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Egyptian magnate Sawiris resents not having the same freedom to invest in Villa as he has in his other businesses.Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool form another PL power bloc which is just as motivated by self-interest.They want rules that will not only stop state-owned City and Newcastle from spending so much that they disappear into the sunset, but also prevent the likes of Villa from permanently ejecting them from the Champions League places.Manchester United and Chelsea are not fully committed to either side and their owners’ attitude will be key as the PL tries to agree new financial regulations, based on squad cost rules (SCR) rather than PSR’s maximum losses, in time for next season.Critics reckon the SCR regime – which is going through a dummy run this season – will make life even harder for upwardly-mobile clubs like Villa than PSR.Tottenham’s 2023/4 income of £520m was double Villa’s and the Spurs wage bill was 42 per cent of turnover, compared to 96 per cent at Villa.Which is why it is easy to believe rumours that Villa will take a strong position when the 20 clubs discuss SCR at next week’s meeting.This afternoon’s FA Cup clash is a battle in a much bigger war.While executives square up off the field, Monchi’s job is to find the best possible players to play on it – and to generate the transfer profits that will plug the financial gap between Villa and the Establishment. More

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    ‘We don’t miss him’ – Chelsea boss Maresca fires brutal parting shot at Joao Felix after sending £46m flop out on loan

    CHELSEA boss Enzo Maresca fired a brutal parting shot at Joao Felix after his move to AC Milan.Felix, 25, has joined the Serie A side on loan until the end of the season.Joao Felix has signed a loan deal with AC Milan until the end of the seasonCredit: GettyEnzo Maresca insists Chelsea do ‘not miss’ FelixCredit: GettyThe versatile Portuguese attacker’s exit comes just six months into his seven-year contract after the Blues signed him in a £46million deal from Atletico Madrid.With strikers Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu out injured, Chelsea crashed out the FA Cup in a 2-1 loss to Brighton.The club’s decision to allow Felix to leave was questioned, but the manager insisted he does not need him.Maresca said: “I don’t think we miss Joao. Joao is happy there and we are happy Joao is happy there. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”We had two striker injuries on Deadline Day, it is something difficult to think. “Nico can be back very soon. Sometimes I think you need to play some games without players to realise how important they are. “Off the ball, his pressing is always very good and on the ball he is a threat always.”Before the defeat to Brighton, Maresca asked about Felix, saying: “I don’t know about the future. It’s complicated to talk about the future.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”Nothing bad happened. Players train everyday and want to play all the games.”But just 11 are playing. We decided together that it was a good option to leave. He never complained.”Bizarre moment Enzo Fernandez gives fan his shorts after Chelsea clash… but supporter SNIFFS themFelix started just three Premier League games this season, with the majority of his appearances coming in cup competitions.Christopher Nkunku led the line for Chelsea against Brighton but struggled. Maresca previously admitted he was open to playing Cole Palmer up front.Chelsea ratings vs Brighton as pantomime villain Cucurella can hold head high but Nkunku has a shockerBRIGHTON came from behind to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup with Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly placed chip securing a 2-1 win for the Seagulls at the Amex stadium.But how did Chelsea’s players fare? Who was the biggest let down and who was the best of the worst? Check out SunSport’s player ratings…Robert Sanchez – 5/10Back in the side after being dropped by Enzo Maresca after a number of errors this season. The Spaniard looked shaky on the ball at the start of the game but seemed to brush off his nerves as the match developed.Nothing he could do about Brighton’s opener with Georginio Rutter’s perfectly placed header flying past him.Perhaps a little slow off his line for Brighton’s winner, but take nothing away from Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly executed chip.Malo Gusto – 5Worked tirelessly charging up and down the right flank for Chelsea, but failed to have much joy going forward or defensively.Struggled to deal with the dangerous Mitoma throughout the game, and was caught napping out of position for the Japanese forwards winner.Tosin Adarabioyo – 5Alongside Trevoh Chalobah, was guilty of allowing Georginio Rutter to drift into space to fire home Brighton’s early equaliser.Played some confident passes at times, but also looked like a walking mistake on the ball at times. Was caught in possession on the halfway line by Georginio Rutter which almost led to a Brighton goal.Trevoh Chalobah  – 6Equally as responsible for Brighton’s opening goal alongside his centre back partner, allowing Rutter a free header in the box.Was more composed on the ball than his Tosin throughout the game, however, and already looks like Chelsea’s best centre back after being recalled from loan.Marc Cucurella – 6The pantomime villain of the evening at the Amex stadium, with Brighton fans spending the full 90 minutes booing their ex player everytime he got a hold of the ball.Was solid throughout the game, although failed to have the attacking impact that he has had for Chelsea in recent games.Moises Caicedo – 6Looked to be running a one man midfield before Enzo Fernandez was introduced in the second half.Worked tirelessly but was clearly frustrated with his sides efforts, putting in a couple of nasty tackles which led to him being booked.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 4A rare start for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea this season, and in truth, he failed to take advantage.A very poor challenge early on saw the Englishman booked, and he failed to have any impact on his side going forward or defensively in the first half.Was substituted fifteen minutes into the second half for Enzo Fernandez in the wake of Brighton’s second goal.Pedro Neto – 5An injury concern midway through the first half, which in truth he never quite looked to shake off.Looked confident he had the better of Tariq Lamptey, often beating his fullback. His final ball, however, was sorely lacking throughout the match, with a number of crosses flying over everyoneCole Palmer – 6Played his part in Chelsea’s opener with a first time cross into the box – although it’s difficult to mark that goal down as anything other than a Bart Verbruggen howler.Looked like he was missing his regular attacking partner Nicholas Jackson, with a clear lack of connection with the Frenchman Christopher Nkunku up top.Jadon Sancho – 5Looked uninterested for large parts of the first half, and failed to close down Joel Veltman who whipped in the cross for Brighton’s opener.He picked up in the second half with some direct dribbling, although never managed to find the final ball.Christopher Nkunku – 2It’s hard not to feel sorry for Nkunku, with the forward looking completely lost in Enzo Maresca’s system.It genuinely seemed like he wasn’t on the pitch at times, with the Frenchman missing in action for large parts of the game.The one clear chance he had running through on goal, he bizarrely elected to cross the ball rather than have an effort himself.SUBS:Enzo Fernandez (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 59) – 7Brought an air of control to Chelsea’s midfield which was sorely lacking before. Played a few nice passes with the short time he had on the pitch.Nothing came of his efforts, although perhaps the result would have been different for Chelsea had he started the game.Tyrique George (Jadon Sancho, 73) – 5Spurned a great opportunity over the bar, and other than that failed to have any impact. More

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    ‘Poor decision after poor decision’ – Ryan Giggs SLAMS 10 years of mismanagement at Man Utd and says ‘give Amorim time’

    RYAN GIGGS has accused Manchester United chiefs of making “poor decision after poor decision” for TEN years.Club legend Giggs is urging the Old Trafford board to back new boss Ruben Amorim’s bid to restore the glory days.Ruben Amorim is the right boss for Man Utd, according to GiggsCredit: RexRyan Giggs revealed he ‘really likes’ Amorim as a managerCredit: AlamyAnd the former Wales star, 51, wants part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to give the Portuguese coach plenty of time.Giggs, who won 25 major honours at United, said: “Like any business, recruitment needs to be right and hasn’t been for the last ten years.“We’ve just made poor decision after poor decision.“Now it’s whether Ruben gets the players he needs, the support he needs — the time.”Amorim, 40, has endured a tricky first three months in charge, with his record at Old Trafford a particular worry for fans.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut club legend Giggs says the club hierarchy have to back Amorim with new signings for at least the next three or four transfer windows.And while he accepts his old team are currently a long way behind their rivals, he does not feel they are a lost cause.The former United No 2 said: “We’re in a bad place at the moment but, first of all, I have to say I actually really like the manager.“Given a chance and given time, Amorim will bring success back.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS“If we get the right players in and the manager gets time, we will be OK. But at the moment, we are miles off it. We’re nowhere near — a long, long way behind — but it can soon turn around.”New part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already shown a ruthless edge since buying into the club in December 2023.Fans spot Sir Alex Ferguson YAWNING as he watches woeful Man Utd – but get distracted by who he’s sitting next toIn a cost-cutting drive, he made staff redundant across various departments. Even club legend Sir Alex Ferguson lost his contract as an ambassador.And funds are still tight as United try to comply with strict Profit and Sustainability Rules.But Giggs has urged the board to find a way to back their head coach, saying: “We’ve tried giving managers a little bit of time but now he needs a bit longer — three or four transfer windows, I think.“It’s whether he gets the players he needs, the support he needs, the time.”Giggs spent his entire professional career at United — including a spell as player-manager — so few know the club as well as him.And the former Wales manager — who is a co-owner of League Two Salford City — revealed he understands why Amorim said after the defeat by Brighton last month that this could be the worst Red Devils team ever.He said: “I get a feeling he knows the history and he’s frustrated. And I get that. That’s why I like him.“He’s frustrated and that’s why he was so honest a couple of weeks ago, because he wants to be a winner.”United have lost seven of their first 13 home Premier League matches this season — the joint worst start to a campaign in their entire history.United recruited Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven in the transfer windowCredit: PAWorryingly, they have also lost five of the last six in the league, which has left even the most faithful fans disillusioned.Back when Giggs was playing, the thought of visiting Manchester United used to frighten the life out of rival teams.He said: “You have to show some guts when things aren’t going well at Old Trafford.“When people used to play here, they would say the pitch seemed massive.“They said they felt that they couldn’t get near any of us.“But at the moment it looks like it’s the reverse — it looks like it’s too big for our own players.“And it’s horrible to see but we need to somehow turn that around where we’ve got that fear factor again.“I say that because at the moment, any team that comes here to play, they all look confident from the beginning.United have always had the best teams, the best facilities, always forward-thinking, so we should have the best stadium.“First and foremost, you need to get Old Trafford back to being a fortress.“We need to make sure that we don’t let teams come and play — and we make it a horrible place to come again.”The Welshman — who also captained the Great Britain team at the 2012 London Olympics — was speaking this week at a Q&A with Nobby Stiles’ son John at An Evening with Ryan Giggs at the BAWA in Bristol.United are now leaning towards turning their backs on their spiritual home and all its history by building a new purpose-built stadium nearby.The club’s record appearance-maker would rather they stayed — but understands why they are ready to move.Giggs explained: “If it would be possible, a refurbishment would be the best scenario if they would safeguard it for the next 30 or 40 years.READ MORE SUN STORIES“But it looks like a decision has already been made and it’s going to be a brand new stadium.“United have always had the best teams, the best facilities, always forward-thinking, so we should have the best stadium.” More

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    Chelsea ratings: Pantomime villain Cucurella can hold head high but Nkunku has a stinker in FA Cup loss to Brighton

    BRIGHTON came from behind to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup with Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly placed chip securing a 2-1 win for the Seagulls at the Amex stadium.A fiery opening to the game saw two goals in the opening 12 minutes. Bart Verbruggen inexplicably misjudged Cole Palmer’s cross and turned the ball into his own net to hand Chelsea a 1-0 lead five minutes in.Chelsea suffered a shock elimination from the FA Cup after losing to BrightonCredit: ReutersChelsea ace Marc Cucurella can hold his head highCredit: ReutersChristopher Nkunku disappointed against BrightonCredit: AlamyBrighton, however, bounced back fast thanks to a perfectly placed Georginio Rutter header.It was a fiery rest of the first half, without either side really creating many chances. Both sides were flying into the challenges however, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Joel Veltman both picking up yellow cards for hefty tackles.It didn’t take long for Brighton to go in front in the second half. The Seagulls escaped a possible handball shout before Kaoru Mitoma chipped ex-Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez to put the home side ahead in the 57th minute.Chelsea never looked like forcing a way back into the game after going behind, with the lack of a goal scoring striker up top really hurting Enzo Maresca’s side.Read More on ChelseaBut how did Chelsea’s players fare? Who was the biggest let down and who was the best of the worst? Check out SunSport’s player ratings below for more:Robert Sanchez – 5Back in the side after being dropped by Enzo Maresca after a number of errors this season. The Spaniard looked shaky on the ball at the start of the game but seemed to brush off his nerves as the match developed. CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSNothing he could do about Brighton’s opener with Georginio Rutter’s perfectly-placed header flying past him.Perhaps a little slow off his line for the Seaulls’ winner, but take nothing away from Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly-executed chip.Most read in FootballCole Palmer shows off his goal scoring skills at Chelsea Training Malo Gusto – 5Worked tirelessly charging up and down the right flank for Chelsea, but failed to have much joy going forward or defensively.Struggled to deal with the dangerous Kaoru Mitoma throughout the game, and was caught napping out of position for the Japanese forward’s winner.Tosin Adarabioyo – 5Alongside Trevoh Chalobah, was guilty of allowing Georginio Rutter to drift into space to fire home Brighton’s early equaliser.Played some confident passes at times, but also looked like a walking mistake on the ball at times. Was caught in possession on the halfway line by Georginio Rutter which almost led to a Brighton goal.Trevoh Chalobah  – 6Equally as responsible for Brighton’s opening goal alongside his centre-back partner, allowing Rutter a free header in the box.Was more composed on the ball than Tosin Adarabioyo throughout the game, however, and already looks like Chelsea’s best centre-back after being recalled from loan.Marc Cucurella – 6The pantomime villain of the evening at the Amex Stadium, with Brighton fans spending the full 90 minutes booing their ex-player everytime he got a hold of the ball.Was solid throughout the game, although failed to have the attacking impact that he has had for Chelsea in recent games.Moises Caicedo – 6Looked to be running a one-man midfield before Enzo Fernandez was introduced in the second half.Worked tirelessly but was clearly frustrated with his side’s efforts, putting in a couple of nasty tackles which led to him being booked.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 4A rare start for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea this season, and in truth, he failed to take advantage.A very poor challenge early on saw the midfielder booked, and he failed to have any impact on his side going forward or defensively in the first half.Was substituted 15 minutes into the second half for Enzo Fernandez in the wake of Brighton’s second goal.Pedro Neto – 5An injury concern midway through the first half, which in truth he never quite looked to shake off.Looked confident and had the better of Tariq Lamptey, often beating his full-back. His final ball, however, was sorely lacking throughout the match, with a number of crosses flying over everyoneCole Palmer – 6Played his part in Chelsea’s opener with a first-time cross into the box – although it’s difficult to mark that goal down as anything other than a Bart Verbruggen howler.Looked like he was missing his regular attacking partner Nicolas Jackson, with a clear lack of connection with Christopher Nkunku up top.Jadon Sancho – 5Looked uninterested for large parts of the first half, and failed to close down Joel Veltman, who whipped in the cross for Brighton’s opener.He picked up in the second half with some direct dribbling, although never managed to find the final ball.Christopher Nkunku – 2It’s hard not to feel sorry for Christopher Nkunku, with the forward looking completely lost in Enzo Maresca’s system. It genuinely seemed like he wasn’t on the pitch at times, with the Frenchman missing in action for large parts of the game.The one clear chance he had running through on goal, he bizarrely elected to cross the ball rather than have an effort himself.SUBS:Enzo Fernandez (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 59) – 7Brought an air of control to Chelsea’s midfield which was sorely lacking before. Played a few nice passes with the short time he had on the pitch.Nothing came of his efforts, although perhaps the result would have been different for Chelsea had he started the game.READ MORE SUN STORIESTyrique George (Jadon Sancho, 73) – 5Spurned a great opportunity over the bar, and other than that failed to have any impact.Noni Madueke (Pedro Neto, 73) – 6Barely saw any of the ball after he was introduced. More

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    Birmingham 2 Newcastle 3: Joe Willock’s double wins FA Cup thriller but Brum owner Tom Brady picks Super Bowl instead

    SEVEN-TIME Super Bowl winner Tom Brady decided to give this game a miss. What a mug!Because he passed on an absolute epic tie as League One Birmingham and Premier League Newcastle went toe-to-toe to produce an all-time FA Cup classic.Newcastle won an absolute thriller in the FA Cup at BirminghamCredit: GettyJoe Willock led Newcastle to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a braceCredit: GettyBirmingham came close to a massive upset victory over NewcastleCredit: GettyBirmingham minority owner Tom Brady opted for the Super BowlCredit: APBrady, a Birmingham City minority shareholder, is in New Orleans where he will commentate on tonight’s Super Bowl.But there is no way the Philadelphia’s Eagles will dig deeper than Eddie Howe’s Magpies — no chance Kansas City will battle harder than Birmingham did here.At full-time as weary players dropped to the turf, St Andrew’s rose as one to applaud two sets of players who gave everything for 90 sensational minutes.Joe Willock’s double settled this fourth-round FA Cup belter, while Brum’s Tomoki Iwata had to settle for scoring arguably the goal of the season.Read More on FootballThe Geordies were still celebrating reaching the Carabao Cup final — but the Toon balloon was punctured inside a minute as Blues stormed into the lead.Kieran Dowell fired in a deep corner and Keshi Anderson rose unchallenged to nod the ball back into the box.Right-back Ethan Laird fired in a shot which took a wicked deflection off Callum Wilson and the ball flew high into the roof of Nick Pope’s net.St Andrew’s went ballistic as Wilson cursed his luck on his first start for 280 days, while Laird celebrated only the third goal of his career.Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThe Magpies had been knocked out of the FA Cup by clubs from a lower division 32 times — only Everton (42 times) have suffered more.Meanwhile, Birmingham had eliminated top-flight clubs 23 times — second only to Millwall and Southampton (25 each).BBC makes half-time innovation in FA Cup clash between Leyton Orient and Man CitySo Newcastle should really have seen the danger signs.Chris Davies’ Blues played with the swagger of a team riding high at the top of League One and unbeaten in 18 games.The Geordies were clearly rattled and Dan Burn earned an early booking for trying to swap shirts with Scott Wright, during the action!From the free-kick, Christoph Klarer headed down Marc Leonard’s delivery and Anderson’s shot deflected off Burn but was brilliantly pushed away by Pope.That turned out to be a significant stop because it gave the Magpies the platform to stun Birmingham with a quick double to seize the lead in five crazy minutes.Wilson went on a rampaging run and swept in a low cross which Bailey Peacock-Farrell decided not to come for.Absolute thrillerBig mistake! Because William Osula cut the ball back from the far post to Willock whose shot was clawed out by Peacock-Farrell in the 21st minute.There was then a delayed reaction until far-side assistant referee Nigel Lugg decided to step in and flagged for a goal.It took a few seconds for the Toon Army to cotton on to what had just happened — then they went bonkers.Blues looked to have a legitimate grievance as the assistant ref was behind play and — without goal-line technology — could only have guessed that the whole of the ball crossed the whole of the line.Birmingham were still reeling when they suddenly found themselves behind.Osula showed a fabulous first touch to cushion Pope’s long clearance and fired in a shot which Peacock-Farrell beat out.Goal of the season candidateThe ball was recycled by Tino Livramento who centred and, although Osula got his feet tangled in front of goal, the ball broke to Wilson on 26 minutes.He somehow got his boot up to shoulder height to force the ball over the line to mark his return with a goal.Willock thought he had given the Magpies a two-goal cushion but he bundled the ball home from an offside position after Burn’s header sent him through.Jay Stansfield headed wide with the goal at his mercy before Wright drilled the ball weakly into the turf, allowing Pope to save.Yet there was nothing timid about the goal that rocked St Andrew’s five minutes before half-time as Iwata scored a sensational equaliser that will go down in Blues folklore.Leonard’s cross was headed out by Matt Targett and from 22 yards Iwata smashed in a screamer which flew into the roof of Pope’s net to leave the goalie helpless.Tempers flaredThere were shades of Ronnie Radford’s never-to-be-forgotten FA Cup banger for Hereford about the Japanese midfielder’s sensational strike.Tempers flared on the stroke of half-time, resulting in bookings for Osula and Anderson.The second half was not as frantic as the first, mainly due to a lengthy stoppage for Leonard, who was carried off after taking a heavy knock in a clash with Lewis Miley.There was a real edge to this tie now and Stansfield, then Klarer, were both booked for bundling Fabian Schar and Willock into the advertising boards. Those bookings sandwiched a yellow card for Willock for going in late on Laird and sub Willum Willumsson joined him for a late challenge on Willock.Willock wins itBrum chief Davies made a trio of substitutions but it was Newcastle who got the pay-off as Willock fired them back in front with his second goal of the night on 82 minutes.Sean Longstaff beat Ben Davies in a 50-50 for Livramento’s through pass and the ball fell to Willock, who drilled it through Peacock-Farrell’s legs.READ MORE SUN STORIESNewcastle thought they had finally killed off the Blues when Jacob Murphy rounded Peacock-Farrell but his shot was cleared off the line by Davies.But they held firm to keep their dream of another Wembley appearance to add to the Carabao Cup final. More

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    Jude Bellingham caught by pitchside microphones screaming very X-rated rant at LaLiga linesman in Madrid derby

    JUDE BELLINGHAM was caught screaming a very X-rated rant by pitch-side mics during Real Madrid’s 1-1 derby draw with Atletico.The England star unleashed a foul-mouthed tirade at a linesman as his side earned a point in the capital on Saturday night.Jude Bellingham’s foul rant during the Madrid derby was picked up on micsCredit: RexBellingham was raging after a decision by the assistant refereeCredit: LaLiga TVBellingham risked punishment with the X-rated rantCredit: LaLiga TVTensions were high as superstars including Kylian Mbappe and Julian Alvarez traded blows in a thrilling match.But with just 11 minutes on the clock, Real icon Bellingham was in furious form.A ball went off for a throw-in, which both sides tried to claim.The decision went the way of Atletico Madrid, which infuriated home supporters.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut nobody was angrier than Bellingham.Turning to the linesman, he let rip with a very rude outburst that made it perfectly clear he disapproved of the throw-in decision.Unfortunately for Bellingham, his rant took place right next to pitch-side mics.And his message to the linesman was caught clearly for fans on TV to hear.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSBellingham shouted: “F**k you man! F**k off!”Even though he swore at an official, the midfielder escaped any punishment.Jude Bellingham’s furious reaction to Valencia goalkeeper after Vinicius Jr sent off in heated Real Madrid clashJulian Alvarez opened the scoring for AtletiCredit: GettyKylian Mbappe levelled things up after the breakCredit: ReutersThat’s despite Mason Greenwood seeing red last season while at Getafe for appearing to tell a referee to “f**k off.”The former Manchester United forward denied those words, instead claiming to say “don’t f**k with me.”And his red card was eventually rescinded by LaLiga after an appeal.Bellingham’s fiery incident saw shocked fans flock to social media.One said: “I heard it and immediately came to X to read reactions.”Another declared: “Class act.”One noted: “He’ll be fined surely.”Another added: “That’s not nice.”Bellingham will have had even more reason to rage when Atletico took the lead.Former Man City star Alvarez netted a penalty in the 35th minute to put the visitors ahead.But Real regrouped after half time.And the 50th minute saw French ace Mbappe hit the target to level things up.Neither side could find an ultimate breakthrough though, and the points were shared as the game ended 1-1.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe result saw Real maintain their one-point lead over Atleti at the top of LaLiga.But Barcelona have the chance to close to gap if they win their game in hand against Sevilla tomorrow. More

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    Brighton 2 Chelsea 1: Misfiring Blues dumped out of FA Cup despite Seagulls keeper Verbruggen giving them head start

    KAORU MITOMA showed why the Saudis valued him at £75million as he fired his Brighton side into the FA Cup fifth round.The Japanese winger — the subject of a mega-money offer from Arabian club Al-Nassr which was rejected by the Seagulls — struck a superb winner as Fabian Hurzeler’s men erased last weekend’s 7-0 thrashing by Nottingham Forest.Kaoru Mitoma hails his classy winner for BrightonCredit: PAWinger Mitoma put Brighton in front just before the hourCredit: PAEnzo Maresca couldn’t believe it as his Blues stuttered outCredit: GettyChelsea had taken an early lead after a clanger from Albion keeper Bart Verbruggen.Georginio Rutter, who levelled soon after, hailed match-winner Mitoma.He said: “Wow, he is a special player. It is very good to have him in the team.”For boss Hurzeler, keeping Mitoma could be the signing of the window.MOST READ IN FOOTBALLHe said: “Kaoru showed his commitment from the first minute. He never had  the feeling inside him that he wanted to leave.“He gives us a lot. We are happy he is in our team and that he scored tonight.”And Brighton’s ex-Chelsea star Tariq Lamptey, 24, said of Mitoma: “It was a fantastic goal.“We know what quality he has and he’s a great person as well. We are happy to have him.”Most read in FA CupJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSInjuries to strikers Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu, plus the failure to sign a new forward in the January window, had left Enzo Maresca’s toothless Blues  reliant on Cole Palmer — as they so often are.Palmer had already had one shot tipped over the bar when the  hosts gave Chelsea a perfect start.KSI announces Wayne Bridge replacement for Misfits Boxing after ex-Chelsea star pulled out over John Terry jibeThe England man took the corner that was fed out to right-back Malo Gusto on the unfamiliar left side of the penalty box, who in turn squared the ball to Jadon Sancho — on the unfamiliar right side of the box.His precision, diagonal ball arced on to Palmer’s boot for a sweet, low volley across the box that was always a cross despite being on a goalbound trajectory.Verbruggen’s rush of blood and slippery hands saw him spill what should have been an easy get and fumble the ball backwards into his own net.Not that Palmer does not deserve the shower of praise that follows virtually his every step at the moment.The irony of a keeper on the other side to Chelsea making a hash of things for once was also lost on no-one. But the honeymoon period lasted only seven minutes before Albion levelled.The first attempt at probing the visitors’ area was batted away but only as far as Joel Veltman.He pumped a curling cross into the box and Rutter positioned himself midway between Chelsea’s centre-backs and powered a header past the dive of Robert Sanchez.The similarity between this and last Monday’s equally jammy Chelsea goal at home to West Ham was lost on no one.Seagulls’ keeper Bart Verbruggen bagged Chelsea’s own-goal openerCredit: AFPCole Palmer saw his shot deflect in to put the Blues aheadCredit: GettySanchez was brought back into the fold after being dropped for Monday’s Premier League clash as punishment for a string of blunders.But it is hard to evaluate whether it is redemption or relegation to being the Cup keeper nowadays given the manner of squad rotation.Regardless, it was a sweet moment for the home fans to see their former keeper beaten so soon after their team went behind.The Albion supporters seemed preoccupied with booing the three ex-Seagulls in the Chelsea starting line up – Sanchez, Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella.After Rutter’s equaliser, they could sing in celebration as an all-Premier League FA Cup tie took on extra life with the game evenly balanced under the lights.Even more so when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, making a rare starting appearance, was booked for a bruising lunge on Brighton favourite Mitoma.And when Veltman wrapped his legs around Cucurella’s ankles and sent the theatrical Spaniard rolling around on the deck later on, the atmosphere cranked up even further.Brighton were on a mission to unsettle Chelsea’s young side, not least when their skipper Lewis Dunk leaned a bit too heavily into Palmer’s cheekbone with his forearm in first-half injury time to send the England man sprawling to the deck holding his head.Georginio Rutter soared to make it 1-1 after just 12 minutesCredit: GettyMaybe a bit of an over-reaction but it was strong-arm stuff.And it clearly worked because Maresca’s mob were rattled enough to see their initial lead overturned into a deficit on 57 minutes and turn the tie on its head.Mitoma was put clear on the left flank by a laser ball from midfield by Rutter — the standout player of the game.His cross was half beaten away, before Lamptey had a dig against a wall of legs.But Rutter then clipped a cheeky ball over the top for Mitoma to race through and clip a shot past Sanchez to give Albion the lead with just over half an hour to go.What a turnaround for the same team — bar one — which was humbled by Forest eight days ago.Chelsea ratings vs Brighton as pantomime villain Cucurella can hold head high but Nkunku has a shockerBRIGHTON came from behind to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup with Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly placed chip securing a 2-1 win for the Seagulls at the Amex stadium.But how did Chelsea’s players fare? Who was the biggest let down and who was the best of the worst? Check out SunSport’s player ratings…Robert Sanchez – 5/10Back in the side after being dropped by Enzo Maresca after a number of errors this season. The Spaniard looked shaky on the ball at the start of the game but seemed to brush off his nerves as the match developed.Nothing he could do about Brighton’s opener with Georginio Rutter’s perfectly placed header flying past him.Perhaps a little slow off his line for Brighton’s winner, but take nothing away from Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly executed chip.Malo Gusto – 5Worked tirelessly charging up and down the right flank for Chelsea, but failed to have much joy going forward or defensively.Struggled to deal with the dangerous Mitoma throughout the game, and was caught napping out of position for the Japanese forwards winner.Tosin Adarabioyo – 5Alongside Trevoh Chalobah, was guilty of allowing Georginio Rutter to drift into space to fire home Brighton’s early equaliser.Played some confident passes at times, but also looked like a walking mistake on the ball at times. Was caught in possession on the halfway line by Georginio Rutter which almost led to a Brighton goal.Trevoh Chalobah  – 6Equally as responsible for Brighton’s opening goal alongside his centre back partner, allowing Rutter a free header in the box.Was more composed on the ball than his Tosin throughout the game, however, and already looks like Chelsea’s best centre back after being recalled from loan.Marc Cucurella – 6The pantomime villain of the evening at the Amex stadium, with Brighton fans spending the full 90 minutes booing their ex player everytime he got a hold of the ball.Was solid throughout the game, although failed to have the attacking impact that he has had for Chelsea in recent games.Moises Caicedo – 6Looked to be running a one man midfield before Enzo Fernandez was introduced in the second half.Worked tirelessly but was clearly frustrated with his sides efforts, putting in a couple of nasty tackles which led to him being booked.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 4A rare start for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea this season, and in truth, he failed to take advantage.A very poor challenge early on saw the Englishman booked, and he failed to have any impact on his side going forward or defensively in the first half.Was substituted fifteen minutes into the second half for Enzo Fernandez in the wake of Brighton’s second goal.Pedro Neto – 5An injury concern midway through the first half, which in truth he never quite looked to shake off.Looked confident he had the better of Tariq Lamptey, often beating his fullback. His final ball, however, was sorely lacking throughout the match, with a number of crosses flying over everyoneCole Palmer – 6Played his part in Chelsea’s opener with a first time cross into the box – although it’s difficult to mark that goal down as anything other than a Bart Verbruggen howler.Looked like he was missing his regular attacking partner Nicholas Jackson, with a clear lack of connection with the Frenchman Christopher Nkunku up top.Jadon Sancho – 5Looked uninterested for large parts of the first half, and failed to close down Joel Veltman who whipped in the cross for Brighton’s opener.He picked up in the second half with some direct dribbling, although never managed to find the final ball.Christopher Nkunku – 2It’s hard not to feel sorry for Nkunku, with the forward looking completely lost in Enzo Maresca’s system.It genuinely seemed like he wasn’t on the pitch at times, with the Frenchman missing in action for large parts of the game.The one clear chance he had running through on goal, he bizarrely elected to cross the ball rather than have an effort himself.SUBS:Enzo Fernandez (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 59) – 7Brought an air of control to Chelsea’s midfield which was sorely lacking before. Played a few nice passes with the short time he had on the pitch.Nothing came of his efforts, although perhaps the result would have been different for Chelsea had he started the game.Tyrique George (Jadon Sancho, 73) – 5Spurned a great opportunity over the bar, and other than that failed to have any impact.While Wembley is gone for another year, Maresca can still dream of Wroclaw with Chelsea favourites to win the Conference League and resume their campaign next month.Hurzeler added: “I said I was really proud of how they bounced back from this big defeat.“It is very important not to react in these moments. I stayed positive and calm. There were reasons why this happened but we always knew the potential this squad has.“This team has a big potential.”READ MORE SUN STORIESLamptey, who was at Chelsea from 11 years old, added: “It’s a great win, a big performance from the boys and the crowd’s positive so we’re happy.“These things happen in football, it’s good that everyone rallied round and showed fighting spirit.”  More