Philippa Kaur

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    I’m a Man Utd fan refusing to cut my hair until they win five games… I never expected it to last this long

    THE wacky world of the internet has seen an explosion of fan channels giving their view on the state of their respective teams.But it has also given rise to some bizarre challenges, dares and bets, though one Manchester United fan may have gotten himself into more than he bargained for.Frank Ilett runs The United Strand fan channelCredit: INSTAGRAM @theunitedstrandFrank is refusing to cut his hair again until Man Utd win five games in a rowCredit: INSTAGRAM @theunitedstrandBut after starting on October 5, Frank is now five months into his challengeCredit: INSTAGRAM @theunitedstrandAnd Man Utd are struggling to win back to back games, let alone five in a rowCredit: GettyFrank Ilett, 28, runs the social media channel The United Strand.The page started up back on October 5 when Frank decided to commit to a challenge that would see him not cut his hair again until Man Utd won five games in a row.Frank believed this run would only last a few months at most considering the last time Man Utd had won five in a row was in January to February 2024.However, 149 days later it does not even appear to be remotely close to being finished after a dreadful run of form under Ruben Amorim.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd Frank has admitted he might have overestimated his chances.Speaking exclusively to SunSport about what inspired the challenge, Frank said: “Well, it was just for a bit of fun, really, to be honest. It was literally just I don’t really know why, I just went for it.”I saw this guy doing it with, I think, an NFL team or something like that. And he was doing three matches in a row.”But I remember thinking, oh, that’s quite a funny thing and thinking, oh, yeah, you know, obviously I’m a Man Utd fan. Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS”I think maybe there might be some interest there because it’s, you know, it’s Man Utd they’re obviously a massive club and worldwide kind of club as well, not just one only Americans care about.”So, yeah, I so I thought I saw that. And then I thought about it for a little while. And then I just suddenly was like, I’m just going to do it.’That’s why I’m the manager’ – Ruben Amorim hits back at Wayne Rooney as Man Utd boss aims to win Premier League”I just think it’s fun. I think that, you know, it’s a painful time to be a Man Utd fan at the moment and just wanted to spread some humour, really…”Did I imagine it would go on for this long? No, no, no.”So I thought I thought it would go on for a few months. When I first started it, I don’t know why, but I just went for it and I didn’t really give much thought to it at all, really.”And then it was only once it kind of started to get into it. I started to kind of go, OK, how long is this really going to go on for?”I started in October and I checked. I was like, hang on a minute, when did Man Utd last do this? So I checked and it was January – February 2024, so not that long ago.”Now it’s a year ago, but at the time in October I was thinking, you know it’s not a crazy thing that hasn’t happened in a few years or something. That gave me a bit of hope.”I looked at the kind of fixtures coming up and stuff and there were some fixtures in January which looked very winnable and I was thinking that’s when it’s going to end.”And, you know, and then there was a cup game that was added into that as well which kind of made it easier. And we lost the game, which meant February games were kind of easy. “Now we’ve gone past that point and now I’m just hoping for the best and seeing what happens. I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes until next season now.”Frank, who has lived in Spain with his girlfriend for the past year, admits he flirted with the idea of doing a three-game streak instead of five, but thought it would be “too easy”.He said: “Well, that was the thing. I thought about doing three and then I, stupidly, thought to myself, ‘Oh that seems a bit too easy’. Frank admits he thought the challenge would be over by early 2025Credit: INSTAGRAM @theunitedstrandBut he now expects the challenge to last into next seasonCredit: INSTAGRAM @theunitedstrand”So I thought I’ll go for five, you know to make it a bit more of a challenge. But little did I know how challenging that was going to be.”Frank told us he used to have long hair in his early 20s so it was not a totally alien feeling to him, but admits it is a “lot more effort” to maintain it now.He added: “You can see my hair like it goes out, not down. So yeah, it’s hard to kind of maintain a little bit, but, you know, just part of it, part of the challenge, I suppose.”Man Utd are languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table and are looking increasingly unlikely to play any part in European competitions next season.With their penalty shootout defeat to Fulham in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday, the Red Devils only realistic hope of playing in Europe next season will be them winning the Europa League.However, Frank is refusing to place the blame on Amorim, instead believing it is the club’s owners, including minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers, who are mostly to blame for the mess the club finds itself in.Frank said: “I think I speak for a lot of Man Utd fans where, [it feels like] it’s basically the same as the Glazers in charge, which I think a lot of people expected as well, to be honest.”I don’t think anyone really expected that much because, yeah, it just hasn’t gone well. All of the decisions are just ridiculous. “I mean, you know, like the thing recently about closing the canteen and to save a million pounds a year when there’s people that make that in a month at the club that don’t even play that often.”Like, was it £55-65million they paid for Mason Mount? I mean, I can’t even remember when he last played. And I can’t remember when he played consecutive games. That’s for sure as well.Man Utd ratings vs FulhamMANCHESTER UNITED crashed out the FA Cup on penalties against Fulham.Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee had poor spot-kicks saved as the Red Devils slipped to their sixth home defeat under Ruben Amorim.Fulham broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a well-worked corner.Antonee Robinson darted to the near post and flicked it onto Calvin Bassey who directed his header into the bottom corner brilliantly.Just as United’s frustrations were brewing, Bruno Fernandes was the saviour yet again.He picked up Diogo Dalot’s perfect cut back and fired it beyond the stretch of Bernd Leno.United had chances towards the end of the second-half, with subs Alejandro Garnacho and Chido Obi unable to finish.There was nothing to separate the sides in extra-time and penalties were needed.Despite well-taken kicks from Fernandes, Diogo Dalot and Casemiro, Lindelof and Zirkzee woefully fired directly at Fulham hero Leno.But which Man Utd players could hold their heads up and which flopped?Here, SunSport’s Ken Lawrence reveals his player ratings.”And yes, so when you, you know, there’s I know that to be fair, that wasn’t Ineos but it’s a similar thing where you need to kind of get rid of players like that and get in kind of fresh faces, fresh legs. “Instead of, you know, worrying about a million pounds that it costs to feed all the staff and keep everyone happy at the club.”Frank says his main goal of the challenge is to bring some joy to a painful situation.The United Strand channel – a nod to popular fan channel The United Stand, which Frank says he has watched for a few years – has exploded in popularity to now have more than 60,000 followers on Instagram.Originally Frank was aiming to reach 10,000 followers by the end of 2025, but saw that goal achieved by last December, while hitting 20,000 by the middle of January.The number of viewers, both United and rival fans, has seen the challenge viewed more than 35million times over the last 90 days alone.Frank is even aware of some United stars past and present being aware of his hairy situation, including Denis Irwin, academy star Ethan Wheatley, British boxer Frazer Clarke and tennis star Jamie Murray.He said: “Every time I get any followers I’m still surprised by it. I can’t believe there are so many people interested. “I was looking at my analytics the other day and I’ve had 35million views in the last 90 days, and when I think that many people have actually seen my face it does feel a bit weird.”But I’m happy people have kind of connected with it in a positive way, like everyone seems to just be having a laugh with it with me. It’s nice to bring some joy to people.”READ MORE SUN STORIESIn terms of future plans, Frank says he would love to arrange some fan meet-ups in the future.Meanwhile, he has also admitted he would be open to doing a similar challenge, possibly with hair and beard, while he also wants to grow his YouTube channel and visit every LaLiga stadium.Frank told SunSport his channel had reached more than 35 million views in the last 90 daysCredit: INSTAGRAM @theunitedstrandFrank says his main goal is to spread some joy during a painful moment for Man Utd fansCredit: INSTAGRAM @theunitedstrandHe says he has been told club legends like Denis Irwin know about the challengeCredit: AlamyOther major sports stars like boxer Frazer Clarke are also keeping an eye on the challengeCredit: Getty More

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    ‘Sorry for working you so hard today’ – MotoGP rider apologises to Lionel Messi after spotting him in his pit crew

    A MOTOGP star has apologised to Lionel Messi after spotting him in his pit crew.Moto3 rider Valentin Perrone, 17, was pictured in the pit with a mechanic who was focused on his job.Valentin Perrone joked that his mechanic has a striking likeness to Lionel MessiThe mechanic had a remarkable resemblance to the footballerCredit: ReutersThe mechanic had a striking resemblance to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.The likeness was picked up on by the Argentine racer as he posted on Instagram account.He shared a snap of the two of them and made a quip about the 2022 World Cup winner.The Red Bull KTM Tech3 joked: “Sorry Leo Messi for making you work so hard.”READ MORE ON SPORTThe picture has been shared on social media and fans can also see the resemblance between the mechanic and Messi.One posted: “Valentin Perrone’s mechanic looks more like Messi than Messi himself.”A second wrote: “God is identical.”A third commented: “He is so identical it is crazy.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSA fourth said: “Perrone has him working for Leo Messi.”Another added: “Messi is on Perrone’s bench.”BREAKING- MotoGP star rushed to hospital by air ambulance after terrifying crash with rival as 120mph collision is investigatedJose Antonio Rueda was the winner of the raceCredit: EPARace results – Top 10Here is a look at the top 10…Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo)Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), +7.276Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), +7.341Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse), +7.590Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA), +10.242Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), +11.644David Almansa (Leopard Racing), +12.068Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team), +13.138Joel Esteban (Red Bull KTM Tech3), +21.956Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), +22.031Perrone retired from the race in Buri Ram, Thailand, which Jose Antonio Rueda eventually won at the Chang International Circuit.He was mostly unchallenged during the race as he rode into first place under the chequered flag 7.276s ahead of anyone else.Meanwhile, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star is enjoying his twilight years in the MLS.Messi, 37, signed for Inter Miami in 2023 and has been one of the top performers in the league.He has scored 36 goals and assisted 20 more in just 42 appearances for the club.However, he was an absentee from Miami’s clash against the Houston Dynamo.This led to a bizarre moment as the Dynamo apologised to their fans who would miss out on the chance of seeing the star play against their team.Messi has been fined by the MLS after he violated a little-known rule along with Luis Suarez.READ MORE SUN STORIESThey were both hit with an undisclosed fine for their actions during a 2-2 draw with New York City FC on Saturday.The duo were punished after they grabbed the back of the neck of a coach and player during the evening action.Messi is enjoying his time at Inter MiamiCredit: Alamy More

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    Doomed Southampton already planning to AXE manager Ivan Juric and have chosen ideal replacement

    SOUTHAMPTON are planning to axe Ivan Juric at the end of the season and have identified Danny Rohl as their top target.The Saints are on course for one of the worst seasons in Premier League history and have won just one game since Juric replaced Russell Martin in December.Ivan Juric faces the axe as Southampton battle to avoid a Prem lowCredit: RexThe Saints fancy Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl as their next bossCredit: RexJuric was appointed on an 18-month deal at the end of last year but is not expected to be in charge come the start of next season in the Championship.The south coast side sit on nine points and need two more from their last 11 games to match Derby’s all-time low tally of 11.Sheffield Wednesday boss Rohl, who worked at St. Mary’s alongside ex-boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, was a target after Martin was sacked.However, talks stalled over compensation demands while there is a fractious relationship between the two clubs.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWhile Rohl’s compensation could reach up to £4million for a Premier League club, Southampton would not have to pay quite as much as a Championship side.Rohl also worked with Southampton’s new technical director, Johannes Spors, when the pair were at German club RB Leipzig.Juric was never expected to keep Saints in the Premier League when he arrived with the club already nine points from safety.But neither players nor fans have bought into the former Roma manager’s approach and Southampton have suffered a number of galling defeats during his tenure.Most read in FootballSurely only pride is at stake for the Saints as they sit 13 points off safetyBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSThese include a 5-0 loss to Brentford and consecutive 4-0 defeats to Brighton and Chelsea in their last two outings.The Saints are eight points adrift of Leicester and Ipswich, having conceded 65 goals in their 27 Prem games.And they are a massive 13 points adrift of fourth-bottom Wolves.Meanwhile, Aston Villa are being linked with a summer approach for one of Southampton’s rare shining lights.Midfielder Tyler Dibling, 19, had already been linked with a string of major clubs in January.Tottenham, Newcastle, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig were all said to be keen on the England Under-21 star. More

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    I’ve worked in F1 for years so I know exactly how drivers pull ‘pit babes’ – and the best way to land a Grand Prix lover

    IT’S not quite life in the fast lane – but life in the pitlane still comes pretty close for glitz and glamour.Our secret Formula One employee has worked with both drivers and teams for seven years.Lewis Hamilton gets drenched in Champagne during one of his many GP winsCredit: AFPGrid girls are a famous feature of F1 pitlanes, but not everything in the sport is so glamCredit: AFPIt’s no surprise superfit megabucks F1 racers like Charles Leclerc are targets for ‘pit babes’Credit: GettyAnd while there’s plenty of VIP parties with posh plonk and models chasing motor racing stars, the reality of everyday life is far from extravagant. Here we get the inside track on what goes on under the bonnet of the F1 world – and why it might not be quite as sexy as it seems.Beautiful women are attracted to Formula One – netting a driver seems to be as attractive as a Premier League footballer.But of course there are only a few drivers, so they get the pick of the incredibly stunning women that flock to the race track.We dub the women desperate for some of the action ‘pit babes’, which is terrible but it’s been like that for ages.Girlfriends tend to come to the races as they’re all too aware thatwomen are desperate to step into their Louboutins.They’re right to keep an eye out as many of the drivers stray given half a chance.I know one driver whose race engineer was his eyes and ears both on and off the track.On track, he was in his ear all day talking him through the race, but before and after the race he was earmarking the prettiest girls for the driver and him.A lot of women soon learn that the best way to get into the sack with a driver is to befriend his race engineer. I know some women who hunt in pairs, to keep them both occupied!Martin Brundle’s most-awkward Formula 1 grid moments from Cara Delevingne to Ozzy OsbourneThe amount spent keeping sponsors happy on race days is eye-watering.One team I worked at would think nothing of having Chateau Petrus wine – which costs over £2,000 per bottle – flowing in the motorhome and endless Champagne is being poured in every hospitality area.The drivers abstain until after the race – but then they really let their hair down whether they’ve done well or not – it’s getting rid of all their excess energy.Races for me are just very busy, trying to keep sponsors and VIP guests happy.I’d arrive way before the race and leave after the last guests have gone and often it would take hours to get out of the track and to the hotel.All day long we’re on standby to make sure our sponsors and their guests are kept fed, watered and entertained.The most demanding guests are the girlfriends – I’ve lost count of the amount of times they’ve sent me off because they’ve forgotten their sunglasses or handbags in the motorhome.It’s a serious business on race day, when drivers really earn their cornCredit: GettyGrid girls pack the paddock at the Miami GPCredit: GettySuperstars flock to the GP, with Kylie Minogue even getting to wave the chequered flagCredit: GettyChampagne flows before and after the raceCredit: AFPBack at the factoryThe factories are of course where all the hard work is done. Lots of the mechanics, engineers and aerodynamicists work incredibly long hours (and sometimes in dark rooms) for not much money as there’s so much competition to work there.They are constantly developing the car for the next race which requires a certain type of set-up and tweaking the tiniest components to try to shave a few hundredths of a second off a lap time.It is still quite male-dominated on the engineering side, though they have made an effort to recruit more women.On non-race days the industry is surprisingly boring. Most of the factories are in the middle of nowhere in the English countryside so the nightlife isn’t great and it means you end up dating other people that work there.There’s very little glamour involved in the job other than on race day.Red Bull Racing’s HQ in Milton Keynes, where engineers toil through the week looking for the tiniest gainsCredit: AlamyEven the smallest tweaks can make a massive difference come race dayCredit: AFPPrima DonnaRacing drivers are athletes and so are very disciplined with a team of physios and trainers telling them exactly what exercise to do and what to eat.They’re obsessed with staying hydrated in warmer climes as they can lose a few kilos in weight during a race – one of them refused to drink anything other than apple juice with mineral water.They’re also quite boring. One driver I’ve worked for spends all his down time playing computer games.But they’re also very self-centred because they’re essentially the face of the team and at the end of the day the people who can win or lose a race and so everyone bends over backwards to keep them happy.If you’re remotely faint-hearted never get in a car they’re driving off the track, it’s terrifyingThey’re also very superstitious, they have lucky pants or shoes. They don’t tend to get nervous though before races – though they know the risks only too well.Everybody climbing into an F1 car would have been in an accident or seen other horrendous crashes in their time coming up in lower formulae.If you’re remotely faint-hearted never get in a car they’re driving off the track – they drive like lunatics, I was terrified the one time I did it.Our second driver was late leaving the hotel one morning and drove me to the test track in a hire car and all the while telling me about all the near-death experiences he had previously when trying to arrive at a test on time.Everyone laughed at my ashen face when I got out of the car.George Russell poses with a relatively normal car – but beware of going for a drive with an F1 racerCredit: Instagram @georgerussell63Party timeDrivers are now testing in Bahrain ahead of the new seasonCredit: GettyNeymar is one of the big stars who loves attending F1 racesCredit: ReutersBrad Pitt has regularly been spotted trackside while he makes his F1 film, which is out this yearCredit: RexRace team parties are very extravagant with free-flowing wine and amazing food. I’ve attended lots of them and always enjoyed them immensely.You don’t see many drugs, bar the odd line of coke. F1 teams are all about image and keeping sponsors happy and they’d take a very dim view of being associated with a druggy team.So it’s always very clandestine – the industry has moved away from the James Hunt image of old.Certainly the drivers are never going to risk taking it.A word of warning….You don’t want to work at ANY job in Formula One just for the sake of it, certainly not in the laundry!These men want to win above all else – they’re highly competitive.So they’re hardly going to stop mid race to go to the bathroom should nature call.I’ve known drivers not only urinate in their fireproof race suits – but poop too.I’m particularly thinking of one occasion at a race in Brazil when the driver had terrible diarrhoea… eeeew!F1 parties are a bit tamer than when former F1 champ James Hunt, seen here in 1976, was in his heydayCredit: Alamy More

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    ‘No place in our sport’ – San Diego announcer threatens to SUSPEND historic MLS game over disgusting homophobic chants

    SAN DIEGO’s first ever MLS match almost ended in disgrace as the announcer threatened to SUSPEND the game over homophobic chantsThe California-based side took on St. Louis City FC in its inaugural league match on Saturday.Homophobic chants were heard from the San Diego FC fans against St. Louis FCCredit: GettyThe chants were made whenever Roman Burki took a goal kickCredit: GettyThe word ‘puto’ could be heard whenever a goal kick would happenCredit: GettyA message was displayed to fans in the Snapdragon StadiumCredit: X @SanDiego_FutbolThe clash ended in a goalless draw as the drama occurred off the pitch.Chants of “puto” could be heard coming from the home support when other Roman Burki, 34, took a goalkick.The word is a slur for male prostitute and in Mexican Spanish translates to “f*****”.It is often used in a way to criticise a person’s masculinity. READ MORE ON FOOTBALLThe Times of San Diego claimed that the announcer at the Snapdragon Stadium addressed fans over the PA system.They warned that the match would be suspended if the homophobic chants continued.The club also displayed a message on the big screen in the stadium, requesting fans to stop.It read: “Discrimination has no place in our sport and in our stadiums and will not be tolerated.Most read in Football”The fan chant that was just used is offensive and we ask that fans do not continue to use this chant. Thank you.”The usage of the slur has occurred during Mexico international fixtures.Lionel Messi finally puts ‘cold Tuesday night in Stoke’ theory to bed by running the show in -17 degrees temperatures San Diego FC head coach Mikey Varas slammed the chants post-matchCredit: AlamyIt was San Diego’s first ever match in the MLSCredit: ReutersThe game ended in a 0-0 drawCredit: GettyThe match against Brazil in June 2024 was halted in the 59th minute as a severe warning was displayed to the crowd.Speaking after the match, San Diego FC coach Mikey Varas hit out at the chants and labelled them as “unacceptable”.He said: “The chant that was heard tonight is unacceptable”It’s outside of our value system. “It doesn’t represent the players, myself or the club, and it certainly doesn’t represent San Diego or Baja California.”It’s not a reflection of who we are.”We’re a community full of love, of support, and we believe in the power of diversity.”Veras did insist that the chant did not come from the club’s main supporter group, La Frontera.He added: “This came from more the general population in the seats, and it wasn’t everybody.”I understand that, but it was enough people, and I just want to make very clear that it has no place here.”If they’re going to continue to come to the game and make that chant, it’s better that they don’t come here.”Sporting director Tyler Heaps also hit out at the usage of the slur and promised that it would not continue.He said: “It’s totally against our values as a club, but also who we are as people,’ Heaps said about the chants at San Diego FC’s first ever MLS home game. “One of our core values is to be a good person, and I think that´s what we’ll continue to stand behind.”It´s totally unacceptable, and obviously us as a club, we’ll make sure it does not continue into the future.”The one-word slur is usually made when a goalkeeper is taking a goalkick.Burki joined St. Louis City back in 2022 after a seven-year spell at Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.During his time in Germany he won the DFL-Pokal twice and the DFL-Supercup.Since moving to the USA, he won the Western Conference regular season in 2023.San Diego has added some familiar names to the squad ahead of its entrance to the MLS.READ MORE SUN STORIESThis includes former Napoli star Hirving Lozano, Manchester United prospect Paddy McNair and Nottingham Forest winger Alex Mighten. Back in September 2024, McNair insisted his move to the States was not for a holiday as hopes for a “good experience”.Mexican attacker Hirving Lozano is one of the stars of San Diego FCCredit: APFormer Manchester United youngster Paddy McNair is also at the clubCredit: Getty More

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    Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘considers terminating lease on Man Utd’s plush Kensington offices’ in latest cost-cutting plan

    SIR JIM RATCLIFFE is reportedly considering the possibility of terminating the 10-year lease agreement of Manchester United’s London offices in Kensington.The United co-owner has introduced a series of cost-cutting measures since taking the helm last February.Sir Jim Ratcliffe is considering another cost-cutting method for Man UtdCredit: PAMan Utd could decide to terminate the rental contract on their London officesAround 250 employees have already been made redundant, with hundreds more to follow in the coming weeks.Ratcliffe is also set to scrap free lunches for staff members at Old Trafford and reduce food options for those at Carrington to just soup and sandwiches.Amid the seemingly never-ending chaos at United – on and off the pitch – the British billionaire is already plotting his next money-saving method.The Guardian has reported that Ratcliffe and Co are exploring an early termination from a 10-year lease agreement at their London offices.READ MORE ON MAN UTDMan Utd’s London base is located in Kensington, less than two miles from Kensington Palace.The Red Devils moved into the space less than two years ago following the expiry of their 10-year rental agreement on a separate building in Mayfair.However, Ratcliffe believes that the vast majority of club staff should be based in Manchester and has therefore deemed the 23,000-square-foot space too large and expensive.In the “transformation plan” unveiled last week, Man Utd committed to maintaining a presence in London.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSHowever, that will entail looking for a new base.Downsizing at their current premises is also an option, although it is not preferred.Andy Goldstein insists Sir Jim Ratcliffe has got everything wrong at Man Utd after drastic cuts Man Utd’s current office building in Kensington is located less than a mile from the Ineos headquarters in Knightsbridge.However, that convenience is unlikely to influence Ratcliffe’s thinking.The Red Devils currently sit 14th in the Premier League table with 33 points from 27 games. More

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    Which players are out-performing their team-mates the most in Dream Team this season?

    THE Dream Team Stats Centre tells many stories.One interesting aspect to study is the gap between a team’s best performer and their closest team-mate.Leaving their team-mates in the dustCredit: Dream TeamThese are the seven most significant gaps in total points at this stage of the season, in reverse order.7th: NewcastleAlexander Isak (£6.3m) is 68 points ahead of Anthony Gordon (£5.1m) after the weekend’s FA Cup action, when the former scored his 22nd goal of the season while the latter was sent off for violent conduct.That indiscretion aside, the England winger has enjoyed another prosperous campaign to date and his overall tally of 202 points puts him joint-11th among midfielders.Lewis Hall (£4.2m) and Bruno Guimaraes (£4.5m) have also done well this season, it’s just that the Magpies’ Swedish striker has reached a sky-high level.Among forwards, only Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) and Erling Haaland (£8.1m) average more points-per-game than Isak’s 8.7.22 goals and countingCredit: Reuters6th: BrentfordYoane Wissa (£3.2m) and Mikkel Damsgaard (£3.7m) have performed admirably but the Bees’ main man is undoubtedly Bryan Mbeumo (£4.8m).The Cameroon international is 70 points clear of his next-best team-mate having scored 15 goals and registered six assists.Despite the fact Brentford have not had European commitments to bolster their schedule, only two midfielders have amassed more points than Mbeumo (248 pts).Most read in FootballThe four players with more Premier League goals this term are all categorised as forwards in Dream Team.No midfielder has scored more goals this seasonCredit: Rex5th: Manchester UnitedNo prizes for guessing which Old Trafford resident is carrying the team on his back.The Red Devils have endured a miserable season but Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m) has gone from strength to strength in Dream Team, to the point he’s now the outright best asset in his position.The Portuguese playmaker needs another 14 points to bring up a triple century, something only two other players have achieved at the time of writing.Amad Diallo (£4m) ticked past 200 points just before his season-ending injury (78 points difference) but Man United’s third-best performer, Alejandro Garnacho (£2.8m), is a full 98 points shy of Fernandes.Where would Man United be without their captain?Credit: Getty4th: WolvesMatheus Cunha (£5.2m) has a lead of 94 points over Rayan Ait-Nouri (£3.9m) and the difference would be even greater were it not for his disciplinary issues.Wolves have certainly looked like a one-man team at times this season as the Brazilian takes on numerous responsibilities – he ranks in the top three forwards for shots on target, big chances created, tackles and bonus points.Vitor Pereira’s side are 17th in the table with just 22 points from 27 league games and so it’s not a stretch to say they would be in serious danger of relegation had Cunha not dug deep.The 25-year-old’s lead among the squad will diminish in the coming weeks while he’s suspended but he’s still nailed on to finish as Wolves’ top points scorer.It would be interesting to see what he could achieve at a top-half club…One-man armyCredit: Reuters3rd: ChelseaHe may have gone off the boil a tad in recent weeks but the fact Cole Palmer (£5.8m) remains the Blues’ top star by a whopping 96 points is testament to his efforts across the entire season.The England international is both his side’s top scorer (14 goals) and chief playmaker (nine assists).No midfielder averages more points-per-game than Palmer (9.3) this season.Other Chelsea players have provided healthy returns in patches – Nicolas Jackson (£3.7m), Christopher Nkunku (£3.4m) and Enzo Fernandez (£4m) most notably – but consistency has been a problem.It’s telling that while Palmer is the second-most selected player in the game with an ownership of 56.1%, no other Chelsea asset appears in more than 6% of teams right now.Chelsea are hugely dependent on PalmerCredit: Getty2nd: Manchester CityDream Team managers have become accustomed to seeing several of Pep Guardiola’s favourites hover around the top of the rankings but that’s not the case this season.The likes of Bernardo Silva (£3.9m), Ilkay Gundogan (£3m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£5.2m) have not supplied their usual returns and even Phil Foden (£6.1m) took a long time to get going this campaign.Hence why 28-goal Haaland is a full 115 points ahead of his closest team-mate.The Norwegian No9 has amassed 80 shots on target this season while only one other player has notched more than 42. Shot happyCredit: Getty1st: LiverpoolOf the 27 Dream Team players on 200+ points at this stage, five of them are Liverpool representatives.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) ranks first among defenders with Virgil van Dijk (£4.7m) not far behind in fourth while Luis Diaz (£3.5m) and Cody Gakpo (£4.6m) are ninth and sixth in their respective positions.And yet the Reds’ are the team with the biggest gap between their top performer and the chasing pack because Salah has gone supersonic.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Egyptian superstar has scored 30 goals and provided 22 assists on his way to a total of 433 – 175 points more than Alexander-Arnold.In fact, he’s in a league of his own among all players, 101 points ahead of Haaland.Ballon d’Or loadingCredit: GettyScore PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

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    Glamour model, 72, reveals truth behind rumours Brazil idol Ronaldinho filmed nude video of her in the shower

    A 72-YEAR-OLD glamour model has revealed the truth behind rumours that football legend Ronaldinho filmed a nude video of her in the shower.Graciela Alfano is a model and actress who hails from Argentina and became a national sex symbol in the late 1970s.72-year-old model Gracia Alfano uploaded a steamy nude video onlineCredit: INSTAGRAM @iconoalfanoShe has responded to claims that it was Ronaldinho who took the piece of footageCredit: INSTAGRAM @iconoalfanoShe boasts over 1 million followers on Instagram.And she regularly delights them with a collection of outrageous photos.But one recent upload left fans absolutely stunned.Alfano posted a video to Instagram showing herself naked in the shower.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt left almost nothing to the imagination.And fans immediately leaped to conclusions that Brazil icon Ronaldinho, 44, was the person behind the camera.Earlier that same day, Alfano uploaded a photo posing with Ronaldinho in a hotel lobby.The pair put on a friendly pose for the cameras.Most read in FootballAnd it led to some speculating that Ronaldinho had then taken the video of Alfano in the shower.However, she has now come clean about who was behind the lens.Ronaldinho to become grandfather aged just 45 as Barcelona and Brazil legend’s son, 19, to have first childAnd according to Alfano, Ronaldinho had nothing to do with the cheeky clip.In a TV interview on Sunday, she said: “I love it, I feel very good about my body. (Who took it?) That’s the question!“They (my fans) asked me because I had just met Ronaldinho. You see, people make things up.“I took a photo with Ronaldinho in an elevator and everyone thought he had taken the photo of me.“Actually, it was one of the girls at the hotel where I was.“I told her, ‘You have to stay still here. You can’t move because my arm is covering exactly what it should cover. Don’t move’.“She got a great shot. It went viral and, well, I loved it.” More